PARAGLIDING IN SA  |   FLYING SITES  |   REVIEWS  |   AIRLORE  |   STORIES  |   GALLERY |   CARTOONS Karpo Fly ARROW by Greg Hamerton updated review as at 10 October 2001. Greg has been flying since 1992 and has flown over 100 wings. He prefers responsive handling and agility but rates passive stability highly as he enjoys taking photographs and snoozing whilst gliding.  It's a good-looking harness. All in black, the Arrow sports the 'competitively-correct' pointed tip behind the shoulders to reduce vortex-drag. A zip runs around the tip to allow access into the large rear-storage space. The backprotection system is the modern airfoam segmented cushion, which covers the back well and is thickest below your coccyx (14cm). It is covered with a ridged sheet of hard plastic. The side-protection plates fit directly into the side-pockets, which means that they remain in place over your hips and don't slide down as is the case with so many other harnesses. Good job Karpo Fly! There is still some room in the pockets for small items like maps and gloves, but if you want to pack in your six-pack of beer for in-flight refreshment you can elect to slip the side-plates out. ;-) ArrowThe fabric is durable coarse black material that'll do its job well. The undersurface is reinforced with plastic sheeting sewn under the fabric, great for protecting the harness and reserve from wear-and-tear due to bad landings. Even with all this reinforcing, the harness is light, around 5.8kg with everything included (carabiners, flight deck, all protection). Following another modern trend, the Arrow has 'idiot-proof' legstraps, which connect directly to the chest-strap buckle. If you've clipped one buckle together before launching, you'll be held in the harness, though you need two to be sure. Another advantage of this is that if you need to get out in a hurry, there's only the two quick-release buckles to think about. An upright run on launch is quite comfortable, but the back of the harness does tend to push your helmet forward if you try to look upwards while running. The geometry of the webbing makes the harness very stable in the air, almost too stable. Even with the chest-strap wide (>50cm between carabiners) I was not getting the amount of weight-shift control and reactive feedback I am used to. If you really want security, the tightest it will go is about 36cm, which ensures that you don't tighten it much past the DHV recommended standard of 40cm. I preferred to fly with the lumbar supports fairly tight for a semi-reclined position, although they can extend to drop you very far back. In that case, I'd like to have another securing strap higher on my chest to reassure me that I couldn't slip out, but on the whole the shoulder straps grip your shoulders very well. The shoulder straps are easy to tighten during flight, and the harness hugs your back to give a very secure feeling. The cushioning all around will make you compare the Arrow to your comfortable reclining-chair in front of the TV. The first step of the speedbar is easy to hook by pressing your heel against the undersurface of the harness. Pilot desk for vario, Gps, map and small items.The speed-bar line is guided through three pulleys inside the fabric. Here the positioning of the pulleys could be still be improved. The line tightens the fabric under your butt as you engage the speedbar, and the added resistance caused by the fabric loads the bar a bit. For my money I would reroute the line outside the fabric, using the well-placed rings on the edge of the harness to rig a pulley there. Alternatively, bypassing the lowest internal pulled results in an easier travel. The Arrow does come with its own double-step sheathed speedbar and the speedbar line, with those convenient pressure-bobbles that keep the bar out of the way during launch. The reserve parachute is mounted underneath your knees, with the handle on the right front corner of the harness. It is visible, and reasonably easy to reach, though you must extend your arm all the way forewards to get a good grip on the handle. The reserve strops are very long, and run around the full curve of your back in a neat velcro sleeve to the shoulders. As there is no division in the strop, it forms one continuous loop, and care should be taken to bind/tie off the reserve bridle when attached, to force it to remain centred on the strop. (This is to prevent heat shear damage during rapid deployments after the reserve bridle has crept off-centre). And finally there's the 'pilot desk', a neat accessory which comes as part of the harness and clips into place. It provides a perfect surface for attaching your GPS and Vario, which face towards you on a velcro strip. There's a clear plastic pouch for a map, which you can open, or read by tilting the desk up from your lap. There is space inside for knick-knacks and your drinking pouch. It adds 500g to your total weight, so bivoauc pilots might wish to leave it at home, but it's certainly nice to have the things you need in flight directly in front of you for easy access. All in all, I'd say the Arrow is one of the nicest harnesses on the market at the moment, with good styling, crash-protection and added features. Most pilots will enjoy the reassuring stability, though if you're into aerobatics or weightshift thermalling, you might find its secure geometry a bit restrictive. It is a well-finished product, and deserves a look if you're considering new equipment. It is suited to pilots of all levels. SOUTH AFRICAN IMPORTER : Karpo Fly - James Braid - 082 956 5391 or email him on j.braid@ee.wits.ac.za You might also like to read: Other paraglider reviews on this website.