Reviews

Wonderfully light for the big Scottish hills
Also very fast and friendly service with great advice
Many thanks
John newton...

Review from Skywings mag October 2013

Colin Fargher reports

THE EN B CERTIFICATION
RANGE 15 BY FAB THE
BIGGEST MARKET SECTOB
for any paraglider
manufacturer, lt is
effectively split into two
with high- and low-end
models offered by most
manufacturers and some
offering three or four, ln
recent years a lot of
technical advances have
made their way from the
competition scene down
through the certification
systems to the kind of
wings everyday club pilots
are likely to fly in the EN C
and high-end B classes,

As a result there have been
marked differences in handling
and performance across the EN
B range.,, until this year when
a number of manufacturers
married their performance-
enhancing technology to entry-
level EN B wings. Ozone's Buzz
Z4 and Gin's Atlas (reviewed in
August) both being cases in
point, But who are these wings
really aimed at, and what are
they really capable of?

Being a fairly experienced pilot
(hang gliding since'86,
paragliding since'98 and
microlighting since 2009) but one
with low recent annual
paragliding airtime (kids, family,
work, other interests) I
qualified for the 'Who?'bit, At
heart I'm a total free-flying XC
addict and covet the recent
performance enhancements of
the higher-end gliders, But I'm
not at all keen on their potential
to scare the crap out of me in
turbulence or embarrass me on
launch, And let's face it, if you're
hungry for your first 100km
under a paraglider, you will be
flying in shit-or-bust turbulence
at some point.

Are these wings really capable
of a 100km or more XC?
Absolutely, and with
considerable ease! I'll tell you
how, but first a quick
description. Since the full tech-
spec and manual are available
online I won't bore you with a

detailed description, other than
to say that Ozone's Buzz Z4 is a
complete redesign from the
previous 23, There's a new
aerofoil section, semi-closed cell
openings supported by the new
(to this class) rigifoil plastic
leading-edge inserts, and a
three-riser system with the C
lines branching near the top to
connect to the D tabs,

Happily for those of us who
launch from gravel or rocky
areas, or occasionally tread on
our lines, they are sheathed
where they need to be, The
three-riser system does make
things simpler, when keeping
the wing planted on the ground
or attempting a B-line stall for
example, and the split As make
big ears a doddle, The
sophisticated internal structure
of the wing looks complicated
and I have no idea how it
works, but it results in a very
solid and compact-feeling wing
overhead, And the 2:1 speed
system is a joy to use,

Ground handling

Launching is so easy it can
catch you out if you're not used
to it, Forget about keeping it up;
keeping it on the ground is
what you'll have to re-learn.
Brake travel is quite long, and
this and the stand-up nature of
the leading edge makes it
necessary to use the rear risers
to keep the glider on the deck
in windy conditions., The wing
comes up straight and true
with little effort, passing the
drag phase easily to sit securely
overhead with no tendency to
hang back or overshoot, In this
respect I have often felt entry-
level wings to be a little more of

a handful due of their deeper
chord, but the Z4 is much
better than any of the older
wings I've tried in this category,

In the air

My first flight was at a very
familiar site near the coast with
strong and gusty (14 - 22 mph)
winds from out-of-phase wave, I
immediately felt at home, The
wing was very easy to control,
didn't skitter about in the
smaller stuff or rock back too
much in strong gusts,
Occasionally, pinned by strong
surges, I needed the bar to
extract myself and was pleased
to find the Z4 accelerated really
well, reminiscent of the higher-
performance Swift I'd put time
on few years ago,

0ther gliders on the hill
included a Vibe, a Swift and a
brand-new Delta 2, Although I
had to coneede speed to the
niftier Swift and Delta 2 my
sink rate was never matched,
and I consistently sat 200ft
above my nearest rival. Ozone's
Russell 0gden explained that,
like most wings these days, the
Z4 is trimmed to fly at max
glide, and with a little brake
you're at min sink, Trim felt
quite slow to me although at
99kg all-up I was in the mid-to-
top end of the 85 - 105 kg range
of the ML model, Obviously the
new aerofoil section is very
efficient, but probably
somewhat thicker than those of
its bigger brothers the Swift
and Delta 2,

Two days later I was setting up
on launch in Tre Pizzi, central
Italy, for a completely different
kind of flying. Conditions were
never that rough, but there
were occasionally some very
strong and tight climbs and I
never felt out of my depth, The
Z4 always did exactly as
commanded, with progressive
brake pressures building from
light to pretty heavy at the
extreme end, Ozone believe it's
important to prevent
inexperienced pilots from
being too heavy-handed and
reaching the stall point too
easily, For me, I'd prefer a
slightly lighter finish to the end
of the brake travel.

That said, the first half of brake
travel is light and is the most
useable sector for all but the
most rip-roaring thermals, The
wing can be slowed down
considerably and still turns
nicely, giving a climb rate which
is competitive with anything out
there, I flew XC every day with
three pilots on much higher
rated low-end EN C machines, I
was only disadvantaged by their
speed and glide at speed, The Z4
will keep up with everyone in
terms of glide but will arrive later
than its higher-performance
brethren, Accelerating past half
bar meant losing out on glide,
but up until that point there's
little in it,

At cloudbase a useful spread of
speed and an easy-to-use
speedbar are indispensable,
Exploring different areas of a
cloud to max out your height
but not get sucked in is really
important for XC flying, and the
Z4 was so much easier to use in
this way than previous gliders
of this genre I've flown.

With ears in and full bar the
descent rate was adequate for
anything I encountered; the Z4
felt stable and fast, The ears
pop out immediately on their
own on release, as you'd expect
from a glider in this category.

Handling

Being at the higher end of the
weight range I found the wing
easy to turn, even into strong
thermals. The Z4 has a
tendency to self-centre in the
cores if you trust it, tightening
up the turn in the weaker or
sinky side of the circle and
straightening up in the surges
all on its own! It's possible to
slow up quite a bit and still get
it to turn well, especially with a
bit of weight shift which it
responds well to,

Stabitity and security

Feedback is a bit of a personal
thing, Some like more, some less.
The Z4 gives plenty but it's more
subtle than I'm used to, which
just takes a little dialling into,
Thankfully this also translates
into a very steady and secure
feeling in turbulence, There's
very little rocking about
overhead, which for long flights
in strong conditions really does
minimise fatigue,

Performance

0n two (into-wind) occasions I
wasn't quite able to match the
distances of the some of my
Italian friends, but one day I
matched them at 80 km and
could have gone further had I
not promised to be home before
midnight! The only real
difference was that I couldn't
get there as fast as them

I should also note that the
harness I used was a big old
baggy, draggy model. No doubt a
sleek new pod harness would
enhance both speed and and
glide, I have one on order and
will report on the difference that
makes in a subsequent edition.

Packing up

Like most new gliders with ribs
and reinforcements, etc, you
really do need a concertina bag
to put it away properly with any
kind of ease, All these gliders
should come standard with one
- they are a pain to pack up
without one,

Summary

You don't need a hot ship to fly
big distances these days when
the nice people at Ozone have
kindly given us an entry-level
wing with ample performance,
What you do need to do is adapt
your flying style, be patient on
glide, be sensitive in light lift
(one of your big advantages on
this wing), stay high and
choose the right lines in the air,
The Buzz Z4 will take you a
long way in relative comfort

and increase any pilot's
confidence, In conditions which
might otherwise be offputting
on a hotter ship, the Z4 will
flatter your abilities and keep
your mind focused on flying a
decent XC,...

REVIEW FROM SKYWINGS MAGAZINE MARCH 2013

Flight test (first Impressions) OZONE XXLITE Skywings March 2013

Chris Field got an XXLite for Christmas...

It all came together late last year, at least for this Lakeland pilot. After the miserabLe weather
of Last summer and autumn, winier was fast approachrng. The promise was of trudging

upwards through bog and snow, with prospects Littte better than a pleasant float back down to
the car. I love a long fly-down over the snow-covered fells on a crisp winter's day, Landing next
to a welcoming hostelry for a pint of Cumbria's finest in the warmth of an open fire in the
company of like-minded friends.


But that's not what happens. My experience
involves dragging yourself and kit, including the
extra paraphernalia of winter flying, as high as
endurance allows. The forecast Light wind turns
out to be an icy blast but, refusing to
contemplate the knee-crunching retreat to the
valley with your redundant Load, you sit it out.
Sweat freezes, muscles stiffen and morale sags.
The wind doesn't drop. inevitability, as dusk
approaches, you accept defeat and retreat, cold,
wet and despondent, to find the pub doesn't
open for another hour.

Yesterday, in near perfect winter conditions and with
a tight easterly forecast, I headed for the hills with
crampons and walking poles. I walked for a couple
of hours, saw no one, enjoyed the winter panoramas
and the exercise. Then, on reaching a convenient
launch, I laid out my XXLite on the pristine snow,
reverse launched in a nothing breeze and floated
down the few hundred metres to the valley. The pub
was open and the fire was blazing.

And that to me is the point of the XXLite - you
can have your cake and eat it! you can enjoy a
full day's walking [or climbing) in the mountains
combined with a flight, or even several flights.
And if you don't get to fly, it's no big deal. I have
been the enthusiastic owner of an XXLite since
25th December when, in a moment of exquisite
serendipity, my wife decided that it would make
the perfect Christmas present.

I have flown it half a dozen times, and carried it
on long walks without flying a couple more. This
report is not an earnest and balanced review by
an experienced and intrepid pilot; it is simply the
view of one rambler-pilot who is fed up wasting
great mountain days sitting on icy fell-sides
developing haemorrhoids. Conscious of my
paragliding limitations, I have drawn on the
views of other Lakes pilots who have flown the
glider with much more aplomb than me,
including Steve Giles of [ISick and the Wrong] and
Gordie Oliver [Air Ventures].

I should say at the start that I hadn't read any
of the many forum comments and reviews of
the XXLite before I bought it. The only exception
was the Ozone website information page,

whose '...a special wing for special pilots who
fully understand its Limitations, and have the
skill and experience to pilot it' comment gave
cause for caution. in fact Ozone are
reassuringly open about the limitations of the
glider and its special demands on the pilot. I
felt that as long as I maintained a cautious
approach, particularly with respect to strong
winds and turbulence ['...it should only be flown
in reasonably light wind and turbulence-free
conditions'), it would suit my purposes.

I don't need to repeat all the techie construction
information readily available through the normal
sources. My overriding impression on first
removing the glider from the sack was, 'Hmm,
l see... that's why it only weighs 1.2kg.'Even
though I had read the bumph it did seem as if
there was a lot missing. Like the bottom surface
l know, I know, but it still looked weird like
looking into its entrails and the missing risers
It only has A and B risers. The Dyneema [oops
connecting the lines are 'interesting', more so
when you are standing ready to launch. Most
interesting is the attachment of the Leading lines
(and unsheathed of course) to the top surface
which, in combination with the nylon inserts,
shapes the nose. Too late now, it's bought and
paid for.

Off to the hills. A small gaggle of CSC pilots
including Steve Giles, also armed with an XXLite,
headed up one of the higher fells for a classic
Lake District fly-down. We met up with a couple
more pilots carrying conventional heavyweight
kit for the walk up. Bliss! Carrying a 6kg sack in
the company of people carrying 20kg is the very
essence of schadenfreude. We arrived on the
summit to find the forecast Light wind was fresh
and 90 degrees off. No surprise there then.

Ozone's website warns that 'Launch behaviour in
stronger winds is more demanding as the wing
has a tendency to want to fly. It is best to control
the wall with the rear risers.' This is a bit of an
understatement, but at least those who'd Lugged
their heavy sacks up the hill could enjoy some
reverse-schadenfreude. Both Steve and l,
neither of whom had connected our gliders
before setting off, fought to control the frenzied
nylon which was behaving like delinquents on
tartrazine sandwiches.

This phenomenon is due to the extreme
lightness of the glider and the lack of around
5 kg air mass contained in conventional. gliders'
cells. By this reckoning the XXLite possesses
only about 10% of the mass and inertia of a
conventional 5kg glider. Having got connected
and calmed the canopy for long enough to get
clipped in and prepared for a reverse launch,
one fully experiences the 'tendency to want to
fly'; it was certainly more eager than me by
this stage.

To inflate the glider, Little if any pressure is
needed on the As; just lean back slightly whilst
being prepared to take a few steps forward as
the glider comes up, which will be fast. At that
point the fuss is over. The canopy now displays
the positive benefit it of its low inertia, with little
tendency to overshoot and just a delicate touch
required to control it. Once it is overhead it
becomes astonishingly stable and easy to
control, allowing for a re[axed and controlled
Launch. Subsequent nil-wind forward launches
have proved a doddle too.

l confess to a high degree of caution on this
first flight, largely induced by close reading of
the Ozone web pages and particular reference
to the Elite’s Light characteristics in
turbulence. Hence my flight plan was to get
well clear of the ridge before running down the
valley, bracing myself for a predictable [layer of
wind shear and potential turbulence as I flew
into the lee of the hill.. Nothing. Once in the air
it flew like any conventional low-performance
glider. it fluttered a little as I passed through
the wind shear, but apart from that it
behaved perfectly.

I flew with a little brake pressure, as
recommended by Ozone, but without
instruments and was unable to objectively
assess the glide or speed - having saved all
that weight it seemed a reckless waste to carry
a vario and four AA batteries. I was suspicious
of the glide angle, as I landed way short of my
objective but Steve, who had soared the ridge
before setting off down the valley, experienced
no such problem. Perhaps the weirdest thing
about flying a glider of such a radical design is
the normality. lt feels reassuringly stable and
responsive, easy to fly.

So comfortable did I find it I was suspicious that
I might be missing something, so I deferred to
Gordie Oliver. Having put the glider through its
paces with a more dynamic flight from Clough
Head, and then in stronger and strengthening
conditions from Souther Fell, he assessed the
feel as being, 'Subdued, very stable with very
Little pitch. lt feels like a beginner's glider, very
reassuring.'Gordie judged that the XXLite
showed little propensity to collapse, rather to
flutter and fold.
Unsurprisingly, given the glider’s slow speed,
Gordie experienced penetration problems on
Souther and described pushing forward as '...like
being on a motorway on a moped.'it is this sort
of situation where the limited exit strategy of the
XXLite becomes apparent. There is no speed
system, and although spirals and big ears are
feasible they are not as straightforward as on a
conventional glider. Given the construction of the
glider, perhaps less desirable too. Wing overs are
made more difficult by the tendency of the
canopy to centre itself,f. The consensus seems to
be that flying the XXLite is Like flying a
conventional EN A glider.


I found landing the XXLite disconcerting,
particularly as it was the aspect I hadn't really
focussed on when preparing to fly. I anticipated
the landing characteristics of a conventional
low-performance glider, and on making a fast
nil-wind approach I flared with the expectation of
a brief surge of lift followed by a gentle
touchdown. What I experienced was a more
rapid, high angle dumping into a Cumbrian bog.
The shin-deep bog prevented my attempt to run
off the speed but helped to absorb the impact
Half a dozen landings later I'm better prepared,
but a guaranteed smooth landing in light wind is
still a work in progress. My only landing into any
wind was pleasantly straightforward.


I have flown my 16m2 XXLite using both a Sup'Air
Altti rando reversible air bag harness and a KorteI
Kuik split-seat harness [I weigh 70kg in socks].
Both give a pack weight of around 6kg. Any
further weight reduction will involve sacrificing
back protection, which seems unnecessary when
I could easily Lose 3kg by spending more time
walking in the fells rather than sitting on my
backside waiting for the wind to drop. And
unwise given my landings!

The XXLite provides unexpected delights. As an
illustration of the ease of handling; with the
glider above my head I jogged and walked about
a kilometre from landing to my parked car
without dropping it. I’ve also discovered that it's
possible to pack the glider into its bag without
getting out of your harness. I am delighted to
have found a glider which so closely matches my
needs. Whilst I only intend to utilise a small part
of its potential, it's good to know that should the
opportunity arise I can top land on Mont Blanc -
or perhaps even Clough Head.

Importers Comment
Thank you to Chris for sharing his entertaining feedback. Whether
on your back or in the Air, we now know this wing makes many a pilot smile.
It started as a challenge about the feasability of a single surface paraglider.
The first attempt looked promising so we worked on it (for three years)
and decided it was not just a design challenge,but a wing that piklots might like to own.
Since its launch the interest has been great: we have been surprised how many pilots
were waiting for a wing like this. If you think this fits your bill, please speak to your nearest
dealer
Mike Cavannagh Ozone UK...

Gradient Nevada BHPA "Skywings" January 2013 Review/Flight test Gradient Nevada By Ian Grayland

55 cells. Aspect ratio five point seven. Only 230 metres of line. At first glance Gradient's
latest wing is clearly pitched right at the top of the EN B slot.

Construction
Wing fabric is the well-tried and tested 409 Porcher
Skytex with a 459 leading edge strip for extra
durability The 56 cells are grouped in threes for
most of the span using partial diagonal cell walls
for support. Blocks of four in the centre section and
the middle of the inboard Line groups use Gradient's
unique 'Double Diagonal' bracing. This gives a slight
reduction in line attachment count for the total
number of cells, or - more importantly - more cells
for your line-set and less line drag.. This layout also
makes the central part of the wing a bit bigger in
relation to the ears, which with only two main A
lines per side are still relatively large.

Leading edge reinforcement consists of trilam
Mylar sheet with nylon rod stiffeners sewn in about
an inch away from the wing surface. B [line loads are
spread chord-wise using small arches of nylon rod
over the attachment points, whist the remaining
attachments are conventional. Lines are a well
thought out mix of Vectran and Dyneema,
progressively sized across the span and chord to
minimise Line drag and maintain good Length
stability over time.

The three slim risers, plus a split A, join the [lines via
neat stainless steel maillons with durable plastic
inserts. Riser lengths are scaled pro rata with

glider size, keeping things comfortable for smaller
pilots. Brake keepers are large and functional Dot
fasteners; there's even a couple of these to attach
the two risers together when you pack away. The
accelerator uses a 3:1 pulley system on the As with
a linear B riser travel, until about half bar when the
Bs lock to the As, de-cambering the wing
progressively for the remainder of the travel.

Packing Trials

The rucksack is smart, well made, durable[e and nice
to carry, but the XL size is too short for a full size
pod harness and all your kit. Be sure to ask for an
XXL unless you have a compact harness.

In common with a good many wings these days the
recommended packing method for the Nevada is
concertina folding. Also in common with a good
many manufacturers these days, the wing is
supplied with a conventional nylon inner bag, totally
unsuited to this purpose. I ended up bunging the
wing in a mushroom bag and carrying it around
separately - and my harness and helmet still didn't
fit in the rucksack!


On the ground
I lay it out ready for launch. Yikes! Where are all the
lines? I look baffled for a moment at the split A
risers before my first inflation. With only one line on
each A riser rt took a moment or two to decide
which ones to pull. In the event, it turned out just
about any of them would do.

Ground handling is impeccable; effortless both
mentally and physically, The wing is easy to hold
overhead even in a strongish wind, with very little
tendency to cravat during abusive ground handling. I
take the split As for the range of inflation options
they provide as well as dedicated big ears control. I
also like the clean simplicity, obvious functionality
and ease of use of three risers.

For routine reverse launches I mostly used just the
inner A risers, allowing the tips to follow and inflate
fully with the wing overhead. Collapsing the wing on
windy top landings was simplified with the quickly
accessible C risers. They're so easy to f find you don't
need to look for them.

Handling

0n the crucial first take-off my impression was
of a fast trim speed with an immediately
reassuring feet. The brakes felt a gnat's short at
first, then soon bedded in after a few minutes
use. Brake travel is long and pressure is
pleasantly tight and progressive. Agility is
excellent with very good response on turn entry,
exit and quick reversals. Weight shift and brakes
are nicety harmonised, with the wing feeling well
sorted in terms of trimming. in fact, it feels
exactly like a top end EN B.

I was immediately able to turn very tightly and
efficiently in the small thermal cores of an
Autumn Easterly on my first flight. This is a very
good climber. Once high, the Nevada has the glide
performance to stay there, and the speed and
stability to cut into wind to get to the next climb.

Considering the relatively high Level of agility, you
get a fairy easy ride in rough air. The Nevada is a
little 'busier' in rough air than, for example, a
couple of the UPs I have been flying lately, but it
is very easy to keep open in heavy turbulence. The
wing has quite a 'wide' feel and responds wet[ to
a wide setting on the chest strap, producing lots
of feedback through the harness from we[[
outboard - very good for sniffing out turn
direction in weak lift or picking the best line while
penetrating into wind with little or no brake.

Min sink is quite close to trim speed with glide
degrading steeply as you slow. it is generally best
to keep the Nevada 'on the boil'whilst
thermalling unless you are in a good solid core.
This wing is at its best in gusty broken lift rather
than the weak, wimpy stuff.

lmporter's comment

Thanks to Ian for the review. Ian's expertise as a
pilot and hang/paragider designer surely informs
his opinion and it's great that the Nevada has
satisfied his scrutiny. Nevada offers a really
practical[ EN B as well as giving toads of useful
performance. Ian's praise is supported by other
web and magazine reviews, and f lights of over
200km with the Nevada. My feeling from my tests
in the UK and France indicate Nevada will be a
cracking XC glider for the new season and
beyond. And if you want a Gradient concertina bag
with your new Nevada, just ask.
Brad Nicholas Snowdon Gliders

That said, on the fourth outing, this time in
relatively gentle thermic Lift [2 - 300 fpm], I was
left with an even more positive view. Quite
simply, wow! Launching very late in one weak
cycle I had to climb through the whole pack.
Despite the more bizarre flying antics of some of
the crowd around me I was able effortlessly to
crank my way up the inside and top out with the
early starters. This kind of performance /
handling balance on an EN B glider is very rare.

Performance

Glide performance is nothing short of excellent.
The Nevada penetrates wet[ into headwinds
and climbs very well in gusty headwind
conditions. it has a very flat glide on the speed
bar and good stability at speed. There is no
'kick down' so the bar has longish travel
despite the shortish pulley movement. I was
easily able to get the pulleys touching on the
top rung of the ladder bar, but I would modify
this if it was my own glider to shorten the leg
movement required [you guessed, I have
short legs].

Trim speed is nearly 40km/h, at the fast end of
things for the leisure class. Half bar takes this
up to about 50 with very good and increasing
stability as you apply more bar. The outboard
regions of the wing are noticeably particularity
solid. Pulley to pulley the Nevada holds a
respectable 53km/h or more, still with a
usefully flat glide. I’m in cold thick winter air

here and my feeling is that these numbers
don't really do the wing justice; this glider will
outrun a good many EN Cs.

Stability

I gave the ears a bit more attention than I normally
would for a review. 0n a glider with only two A lines
per side there is a lot of wing carried on the outer A
line. This results in very big ears and I was keen to
establish that the wing was stable with the ears in -
especially with a good boot fut of speed bar applied. I
can assure you it is completely stable with or
without speed bar and despite my best efforts to
destabilize things. Putt in the ears with the
dedicated split A riser, one at a time, both at once,
with or without speed bar, any which way you [like...
and down you come, stable and fast. Just what the
doctor ordered.

Spiral stability is excellent, with a strong pro-spiral
input required both to initiate and to hold it in.
Easing off, the wing immediately starts to recover
important for wings in the leisure class with our
steadily ageing pilot population.

Pitching off trim speed in either direction
followed by a quick release results in a rapid
return to trim with little overshoot or hunting.
This, in combination with very good rot[ damping,
results in a relatively steady flight through rough
air. Some recent wings in this class tend to get
'rolled about' quite a bit and occasionally even
rolled out of lift - not so the Nevada.

Weight range

The Nevada 26was a very good f it for me at 95 -
97kg all. up using Sky's Excite 3 comp harness. Sink
rate is very good, so don't be worried about [loading
it up if you're a bit heavier.

Summary

This wing is very well matched to the top end B
market sector. it responds well to being flown
accurately in turns and at optimum speeds, but is
also tolerant of sloppy piloting. I found the Nevada
fun and rewarding to fly, and the cause of much
interest amongst local pilots.

The Nevada will suit pilots moving down from C class
or higher Looking for sporty, responsive handling with
the security of an EN B certificate Experienced EN B
pilots might choose the Nevada over its rivals for its
sporty handling, fast trim and flat glide. Pilots moving
up should find no difficulty managing the upgrade.
Performance-wise, at time of writing its only rear
direct competitors are not yet in production.

+++ Sporty feet with EN B safety.
+++ Performance and fun. Easy handing.

--- No concertina bag....

A review of my Rush 3 L following a recent trip to Manilla, NSW, with Jocky Sanderson.
To give some context, I have been paragliding for about 18 years but have very limited airtime in the last 5 years due to work commitments abroad. So, here it is.... Hope it doesn't bore you to tears :)

Ground-Handling & Launching: 10/10
Incredibly easy! Cross-wind launches and turbulence are no problem at all. You can float the wing up, leave it hanging there, have a 40% deflation, make a phone call, drink a cup of tea and then fly away at your leisure.
Alpine launches need the 'old' technique i.e. risers to your sides. The wing tends to over-fly if you use the risers/hands on your shoulders method. - sorry for the awful description :)

Thermalling: 7.5/10
Doesn't have the bite and feedback of my Gin Zoom, but light control pressures and good pitch stability make up for it.

Glide: 7.5/10
Very good. It won't beat a racer, but it's certainly good enough to XC with any of the latest EN-C/DHV2's e.g. Sigma 8 and Delta. Glide on ½ bar is good.

Handling in Turbulence: 10/10
Fantastic! The wing is bomb proof. Flying (actively) in very turbulent air, I only experienced a couple of small deflations which popped out immediately.
Conditions at Mt. Borah were generally 5-9 m/s 'bullet' thermals, improving to give smoother 8-12m/s climbs to base once you broke through the inversion. The most exciting moment was getting caught by a dust devil and ripped up at 16m/s (I have sent the evidence to Steve Millson if you don't believe me) - even then, the Rush took it all in it's stride.

Landing: 9/10
Needs a wrap to stall it out quickly in light conditions. Other than that, it's a piece of the proverbial.

Overall: 8.5/10
The Rush 3 is a great wing that could suit a broad spectrum of pilots, from low-airtime people up to recreational XC pilots. My piloting skills are not current (1hr airtime logged in the last 12 months) but, even so, the Rush took me on some decent (45km) XC's, and was great fun to fly in very rough conditions…. I think I'll call it 'Fluffy' :)...

I have had this wing for nearly a year and it is fantastic! Great fun to fly and it's stability in rough air is excellent.  Thanks Steve, I'm really glad you recommended this as my first wing...