BEST Paragliding Competition Harness? - GIN GENIE RACE 5 with Phil Clark

BEST Paragliding Competition Harness? Test and review of GIN GENIE RACE 5 with Phil Clark.

TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 INTRO
0:16 OVERVIEW
2:23 ONE FIDDLY THING
4:49 BALLAST CONTAINER
5:39 STORAGE AND H2O
8:04 HEAT DISTRIBUTION
8:37 PACKING UNDER THE SEAT
11:09 FLIGHT DECK & Flymaster LIVE DS FLARM
15:10 ADJUSTEMENTS
16:45 SPEED SYSTEM
18:53 CLIPPING IN
24:25 TAKE OFF
26:10 GETTING OUT
27:57 WHO IS PHIL
30:53 WHY COMP HARNESS
31:57 WHY GENIE RACE 5
35:32 FEELING IN THE AIR
38:05 WHO IS IT FOR
39:10 COMPARISONS
40:12 COMPARED TO STANDARD POD
41:52 RAW FLYING FOOTAGE


Gin Genie Race 5 is a high-end full-fairing competition paragliding harness.
More about Gin Genie Race 5: https://flybubble.com/gin-genie-race-5

Long-time paraglider pilot, Flybubble friend and customer Phil Clark analyses his new purchase:

Gin Genie Race 5: fitting
At 1.85m barefoot I’m right on the cusp between sizes. Harness fit is such a subjective thing, it’s well worth actively choosing a harness over buying blind and hoping for the best. The size L of the Genie Race 4 had been a perfect fit for me and so I figured the 5 in the size L would be much the same. Being on the bottom end of the height range but long of limb (legs) I opted to set up using the medium foot block in the pod. Setup was straightforward and both the manual and videos are clear.

Gin Genie Race 5: Construction
I installed a light square reserve on the left and a regular weight, Beamer 3 size 130 in the back on the right (larger reserves would fit fine). The pockets under the seat and flight deck are big enough and reinforced to carry weight, with plenty of room for packing bags or food/fluid/ballast. The rear pocket is a little tight for the largest Gin rucksack but it still fits, including a normal concertina bag at the bottom. I also put 2 litres of water in a pouch back there too. Instead of side pockets on the pod there are now chest pockets on the vest section.

The air supply for the inflatable rear section enters at the front and it’s worth making sure this foam dome isn’t crushed when packing away. You also need to remove and reinstall the support pillars too and although stiff to insert initially they get much easier to install within a few packs and setups.

Use the cinch cord to pull the rucksack pocket tight up to the back plate. There’s no scuff sheet lining the bottom of the pod but the entire outer skin of the pod is interchangeable.

Gin Genie Race 5: Launching
Launching is fairly straightforward for pod styled harnesses, as soon as the glider comes up the weight and bulk become apparent, I found myself over balanced on the first few launches. Pulling the wing up with the tail tucked under your elbow is mandatory too. Getting into the pod is easy, I’ve not struggled to get in yet and there’s no need for bits of bungee tangled in your laces or letting go of the controls to run the bag around with a hand. Maybe it’s because the end of the pod is a little heavier but it’s much easier to get into than my Weightless.

One word of caution, before you launch you MUST make sure you do the leg straps, there’s no back-up 'anti-forget' safety system and so it is entirely possible to clip the bag up, do the zips up and think you’re set to launch without having the legs in and secure.

Gin Genie Race 5: In the air & landing
Settling into position is good and I feel secure in the harness, it’s a similar position to my Genie Race 4, zipping up is easy but I use it once high and settled, after I pull down the visor on my full face helmet.

The stability strap is gone but it really isn’t missed, it definitely works well with the Boomerang 12 just as it is. Also gone are the ratchet blocks for the speed system but again, with the Boomerang 12, I don’t feel like I’m missing these at all. I’ve not yet tried the harness with any other wing.

Unusually, the speed system lines of the harness connect directly to the risers of the wing (after you remove the speed system lines from the risers). Not as standard, I swapped ends for the speed system lines, to get rid of the knots at the riser end. The knots are now in the pod, with the line snagging excess looped up and secured away.

The flight deck is....

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