M2 - GIGA RACER

M2 has an impressive history of building harnesses for hang-glider pilots, with the current world champions Manfred Ruhmer and Christoph Kratzer chosing M2 as their brand. The new "Giga-Racer" is M2's first venture into paragliding harnesses, after more than a year of development. It is a simple and sleek upright/supine harness with a similar shape to the Advance Winner harness.

THUMBS UP! :

* "Slide-through" shoulder straps remain tight and close to the neck at all body positions (even upside down).
* Seat board tilts for optimum speedbar use.
* The dorsal adjustment (supine - upright) is easy to adjust in the air.
* Seat lining fabric is tough and comfortable.
* Snug fit means you feel secure.
* Seat board extends almost to the back of the knees, offering good support.
* Leg straps begin far back on the seat, preventing the pilot from sliding forwards.
* Narrow, smooth profile and neoprene covering will reduce drag.
* It is easy to shift your weight to be fully upright for landings.
* Ballast storage beneath the seat with straps to secure the weight is well placed.
* Winching tabs extend forwards from below the carabiners.
* Clever camera-pockets with sliding bungee cord is a nice touch.

COMMENTS :

* Carabiners face parallel to the airflow, with a slight toe-out. This necessitates the A-risers to face slightly backwards to ensure a smooth speedbar line travel.
* Easy click-out buckles - good for quick exit from the harness, though they release after sequential pressure (ie. there can be a delay between pressing one side release and the other, so simultaneous pressure on both release points is not necessary).
* No obvious cross-brace effect in the harness geometry, though it is well balanced and seems to hold the pilot very well.
* Front-mounted reserve container (optional) limits leg movement for big weightshift moves, but this is not unique to the M2 harness. The container is nicely constructed, with a neoprene pocket on the back, and velcro on top.
* Shoulder straps resist adjustment in flight, unless you combine your adjustment with weightshift moves. You probably won't need to adjust them much once you've set the harness up for your body shape, though.
* The harness weighs approximately 5.2kg - the same as Woody Valley Xpress.
* Side pockets are narrow, intended as camera-bags. It's a shame they aren't slightly larger to accomodate freezing hands on big glides.
* The harness is intended to be simple, and therefore has no space for any knick-knacks (water bottles, first aid kits, radio) and other objects you may wish to have accessible (except for the narrow map-pocket on the front-mounted reserve.)
* There is no side-protection for the hips, apart from the neoprene camera-pockets.
* Rear-mounted reserve handle (standard) is highly visible but is situated directly beside the ribs which could be awkward.
* The backprotection foam is adequate at the coccyx and up the spine, but it ends at the seat-board to make space for the ballast container. If you don't need the ballast, you'll need to pack something below the seat to provide cushioning for impact there.
* The packing space is limited (especially if you're using ballast). The pocket behind the shoulders can take a folded glider bag and few extras.
* Shoulder straps are narrow and focus the load into the deltoid muscles when leaning back. Though it is not a severe pressure, it may build up over time. This is common in the lying position, though.

THUMBS DOWN :

* Neoprene may look smooth, and M2 use the highest-quality fabrics, but it's neoprene. If you're still the kind of pilot who drags his butt on the rocks, the harness will need repairs.
* The harness is intended to stow a rear-mounted reserve container. If you chose the optional front-mount, you're left with an unused rear-mounted reserve container which could have been converted into storage space.
* It is possible to overflex the harness by arching the lower back, which means long supine crossings may be tiring unless you've set the harness perfectly.

SUMMARY :

A snug harness with a well-balanced feel, sleek look, and good construction. The seat is comfortable, the straps neat and simple. The neoprene covering needs special care, and the packing space is limited to keep it tidy. As a harness exclusively for competition-flying, it is well-conceived and racy. I am looking forward to the next offering from this company, because the Giga Racer is certainly eye-catching and functional, though a few design points could be improved for general flying use.

M2 - South African Importer - Mike Kinsey - 083 279 9065 - mikep@icon.co.za

www.m2flying.com
M2 flying equipment
Dörrstraße 51 / 1
6020 Innsbruck
Tel: 0043 512 206500
Fax: 0043 512 206500-20
E-Mail:: m2.flying@tirol.co.at