Buying for a paragliding pilot is harder than it sounds. They already have the big equipment — the wing, harness, helmet and reserve are sorted. Suggesting a wing as a gift is well-meaning but impractical; the specific model, size and certification level are decisions pilots make painstakingly for themselves. What you actually need is a list of things they would genuinely use, things they've probably been meaning to buy but haven't got around to, and things that would feel like a real treat rather than a token gesture. This guide covers all of it, from stocking-filler level up to the gift that genuinely changes how they fly.
Gifts Under €50
Wing Bag Identifier Tags and Travel Locks
A paraglider's kit bag on an airline check-in belt looks like every other large sports bag. Brightly coloured luggage tags, decent TSA-approved locks, and a good piece of distinctive luggage ribbon are the kind of practical additions most pilots buy once and then replace every few years. Not glamorous — but genuinely useful for anyone who travels to fly, which is most pilots who take the sport seriously.
Paragliding-Specific Flight Gloves
This is a better gift than it first seems, because the difference between good gloves and poor ones is felt on every flight. Paragliding gloves need to be thin enough to feel the brake handles clearly — thick motorcycle gloves are a common mistake — while still providing warmth at altitude. DHV-tested and Sup'Air models are the standard for a reason. If you know the pilot's hand size, a quality pair of dedicated flight gloves is a genuinely appreciated and regularly used gift.
Wind Meter / Anemometer
A Kestrel 3000 or similar small handheld anemometer is one of those items most pilots mean to own but frequently borrow or approximate from their phone's forecast app instead. At the launch, having an accurate reading of wind speed at ground level is useful every single day. Small, pocketable, accurate, and priced around €50–80 depending on model. A solid practical choice for anyone shopping for a pilot who doesn't already own one.
Paragliding Books
Three titles worth considering: Touching Cloudbase by Burkhard Martens is a well-regarded technical guide to thermal flying with clear diagrams and practical application. The Art of Paragliding by Dennis Pagen is older but widely considered a foundational text on free flight theory. Free Flight by Paul Whippey is more personal and narrative in tone — a good read for pilots who enjoy the culture as well as the technique. Any of these would be welcomed by a pilot who is developing beyond their initial training.
Wrap-Around Polarised Sunglasses
UV exposure at altitude is substantial and cumulative. Most pilots know they should be wearing quality polarised sunglasses on every flight, but genuinely good eyewear is something many put off buying. The key criteria: wrap-around frame to prevent wind and peripheral glare, polarised lenses rated to UV400, and a secure fit that doesn't move during head turns. This is a gift where spending more gets you something meaningfully better.
Neoprene Helmet Liner
For pilots who fly year-round in coastal or mountain environments, a neoprene liner that fits under the helmet transforms cold-morning flying. Lightweight, compressible, and inexpensive — under €30 — they're exactly the kind of small practical item pilots keep meaning to buy. Look for one specifically designed for helmets rather than a ski liner, which is typically too thick.
Gifts €50–200
Lightweight Hydration Pack
Staying hydrated on long XC flights is a real practical concern, and many pilots either don't carry water or use bottles that don't fit well in the harness cockpit. A 2-litre hydration pack sized to fit within a paragliding harness — slim enough to be carried without affecting harness fit — is one of those purchases that improves every long flying day. Osprey, Deuter and Camelbak all make suitable options.
GoPro Hero 12 or Insta360 Ace Pro with Chin Mount
This is the gift almost every pilot wants but frequently delays buying themselves. A capable action camera combined with a quality chin mount for their helmet — so the camera captures what they see, not the top of their head — is immediately and regularly used. The GoPro Hero 12 is the reliable standard; the Insta360 Ace Pro offers excellent stabilisation and a slightly wider field of view. Budget around €150–200 for the camera body, and add a dedicated chin mount for another €20–30.
Cockpit Organiser / Harness Tidy Panel
Most paragliding harnesses have a cockpit area — the lap panel in front of the pilot — where instruments, a phone, snacks and small items can be stored during flight. A well-made cockpit organiser with specific pockets for a vario, phone and energy bar is a genuinely useful addition that most pilots either improvise or make do without. Several paragliding accessory brands make these; fit varies by harness model, so check the pilot's harness brand before ordering.
Quality Helmet (if you know their size)
This one requires certainty about size — helmets need to fit precisely, and a wrong size is unusable. If you can confirm their measurement (head circumference in centimetres, typically obtained before they know you're buying it), the Icaro Nerv and Kortel Kanibal are both well-regarded options in this price bracket. If there is any uncertainty about sizing, buy something else — an ill-fitting helmet stays in the bag.
Gifts €200–500
XCTracer Maxx Variometer — My Recommendation
For pilots who do not yet own a variometer, or who are flying with an older or less capable unit, the XCTracer Maxx is the instrument I personally recommend. At around €300, it is ultralight — less than 40 grams — has no screen (it communicates via Bluetooth audio to a phone running XCTrack or similar), and has excellent sensitivity to both thermals and sink. The absence of a screen is counterintuitive at first, but in practice it means you watch the sky rather than a display, which is almost universally an improvement. It pairs with a phone or GPS device for track logging and navigation. If the pilot in your life is flying without a vario or with a basic one and they have any XC ambitions, this is the gift that makes a real difference.
Skytraxx 2+ or Equivalent Mid-Range GPS Vario
Pilots who want a standalone device with a screen and onboard mapping will prefer something like the Skytraxx 2+ over the XCTracer, at a similar price point. It's a solid, well-supported instrument for intermediate pilots building their XC experience.
Reserve Parachute Repack Contribution
This one requires some delicacy — you'd need to raise it with the pilot — but reserve parachutes require repacking every one to two years depending on national regulations, and many pilots let this lapse longer than they should. Covering the repack cost is a genuinely useful and safety-relevant contribution. Repack costs vary by location but typically run €60–120.
SIV Course Contribution
An SIV (Simulation d'Incident en Vol) course teaches pilots to manage wing collapses, stalls and other abnormal flight situations in a controlled environment over water with safety cover. It is the most important advanced training a recreational pilot can do, and many put it off for years due to cost or logistics. Contributing towards a course — or paying for one fully — is an excellent gift for any pilot who has passed their initial licence and has at least 30–50 hours of solo flying. Costs vary widely but typically run €300–600 for a two to three day course including accommodation.
Check what the pilot already owns. Many intermediate pilots already have a vario — buying a second one is not helpful. A quick casual question ("are you happy with your instruments, or is there anything you've been thinking about upgrading?") usually yields the information without giving away the intent.
Gifts Over €500
Skytraxx 5 or Naviter Oudie N — Top GPS Vario Units
For pilots who fly XC seriously and want the best available navigation and instrument in a single unit, the Skytraxx 5 and Naviter Oudie N are the market leaders at around €700–1,200. Both offer high-resolution moving maps, excellent vario sensitivity, live tracking, and deep integration with competition and XC platforms. These are not impulse purchases — check carefully that the pilot doesn't already have one, and if they're actively flying XC competition, ask which platform their club or group uses.
Lightweight Pod Harness
A quality pod harness — the type where the pilot's legs are enclosed, dramatically reducing drag — transforms XC performance and comfort on long flights. The major brands (Advance, Gin, Supair, Kortel) all make excellent options. The critical requirement: you must know the pilot's current harness, their body measurements, and their preferences regarding back protection type. If any of these are uncertain, this is a gift best discussed openly with the pilot rather than bought as a surprise.
A Coaching Week Voucher with Behrooz
I want to make the argument for this one properly, because I think it is genuinely the best gift you can give a pilot who is serious about improving. Gear depreciates. Skills do not. A week of radio-coached flying, with track log analysis every evening and a programme designed around where the pilot actually is in their development, has effects that last for years — every flight they take afterwards. The confidence that comes from having your technique corrected in real time and then feeling the improvement within the same week is not something any piece of equipment can provide.
How to arrange it: message me on WhatsApp, explain that it's a gift, and tell me something about the pilot — their licence level, their current flying, what they're trying to improve. I'll send you a personal confirmation message that the recipient can see. It's not a formal voucher card. It's a direct commitment from me, which I think is more meaningful than a PDF. Dates are flexible — we work around what suits them. No deposit is held; the arrangement is based on trust.
What Not to Buy
A few specific things to avoid, because they come up regularly and they are almost always wrong choices:
- Line sets — wing line sets are model-specific, and buying the wrong one is useless. This is a purchase the pilot makes themselves when they need it.
- GPS devices without checking what they already have — the intermediate pilot who already has a Skytraxx 5 doesn't need a second one.
- Anything requiring specific sizing you can't confirm — harnesses and helmets need to fit precisely. If you can't get the measurement, buy something else.
- Generic "adventure" gifts — a bungee jump voucher or sky diving session is not what a paragliding pilot wants. They have their activity.
When to Buy — Seasonal Peaks
Paragliding pilots tend to cluster their purchasing around specific seasons. Christmas (November–December) is the obvious peak. Valentine's Day in February is a growing occasion for experience gifts. Mother's Day and Father's Day in May are relevant for pilots in that life stage. The April–May birthday window catches a disproportionate number of pilots who started flying in spring and have a spring birthday — not a coincidence, since people often begin the sport in the season when conditions are learning-appropriate. If the coaching week voucher is the gift, spring or early autumn are the best timing: the shoulder seasons are when flying conditions in Sesimbra are at their most consistently pleasant for coached weeks.