Product Description
XCertina Bag III
Concertina Packing Bag
New Improved Mk III Version
The XCertina concertina packing bag MKIII is the best and quickest way to pack and store a paraglider.
The bag has been updated for the coming season. A new mesh and Velcro sleeve now holds the Mylar sections of your leading edge together to give a snugger more secure packing system. The upper surface is now entirely mesh to allow the wing to breath more easily and a special clip for your risers keeps the whole package neat and tidy. We have also added a two way zip so the choice of which way to close the bag is yours.
The MK III design offers greater assurance of preserving the performance and characteristics of your paraglider.
Why Concertina Packing Works
Your paraglider has sections of Mylar at the front of its internal cell walls. These Mylar sections help a paraglider form the clean leading edge profile that it needs to get the maximum performance out of its design.
Unless you pack your paraglider so that each piece of Mylar is flat, you will put creases in it and damage it. The damage affects the performance and longevity of a paraglider. The longer you leave your paraglider badly folded, the more damage will be done.
The XCertina bag gathers all the Mylar sections of your paraglider’s leading edge together and holds them snugly and securely so they won’t get damaged in a new mesh and Velcro sleeve. The upper surface of the XCertina is now entirely mesh to allow your paraglider to breathe more easily, and there’s a special clip for your risers to keep the whole package neat and tidy.
Faster And Easier Too
Concertina packing a paraglider is not only the surest way to protect the integrity of its leading edge; it’s also the fastest and easiest way to pack, especially in a strong wind.
Just bundle up your paraglider when you land, then drop it on the open XCertina bag and start packing the Mylar together. There’s no need to open up your paraglider on the ground, making packing in a strong wind simple.
When it’s time to fly again, just unzip the XCertina bag and your paraglider will come out ready to be pulled into the airflow and launched. There’s no need to unroll your paraglider ,as it was never rolled up in the first place.
It's as simple as:
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XCertina Bag Mk III > Sizes
The XCertina Bag Mk II comes in two sizes*:
- S (2.3 m) for small competition, acro and EN-D (or LTF/DHV 2-3) paragliding wings
- L (3.0 m) for most EN A, B & C (or LTF/DHV 1, 1-2 and 2) paragliding wings
*Measure the chord at the centre of the wing to work out the right size for you.
Flybubble Note About The XCertina Bag MkIII:
We have now received the first batch of the new "MkIII" version of the XCertina Bag which, as "XC Technical" say, has been updated from the MkII version. The new mesh and Velcro sleeve, which holds the leading edge shapers (whether made of Mylar or nylon wires) more tightly and securely, and the all-mesh upper surface, which allows the wing to breath more easily, are both welcome additions.
The new two-way zip on the XCertina Bag MkIII is also an improvement from the previous versions of the XCertina Bag, however it should be noted that the zip cannot be fully opened at both ends, so this effectively only gives you the choice of which way to close the bag if you detach your wing from your harness, as shown in the "XC Technical" how-to video: "XCertina Bag MkIII - How to pack your paraglider" below.
If you keep your wing attached to your harness then you will still have to close the zip of the XCertina Bag MkIII from the leading edge to the trailing edge, as per the previous version of the XCertina Bag, unless you pass either your harness or your wing through the gap left by the zip (because it doesn't fully open) but this is rather awkward to do. We personally don't find it too much of a problem zipping the bag from the leading edge to the trailing edge (and squeezing the air out of the wing slowly), but we know that some pilots don't like to do this, so we thought we should make pilots aware of this before they order the XCertina Bag MkIII.
XCertina Bag MkIII - How To Pack Your Paraglider Video
What The Experts Say About Concertina Packing Paragliders
“Concertinaing your wing keeps the Mylar reinforcing from getting creased and gives better inflation and high speed stability. Plus you’ll maintain a better second hand value on your wing.”
- Bruce Goldsmith, 2007 World Champion
“If the leading edge reinforcements are wrinkled or broken the glider’s inflation will be worse, and you could lose some performance too. We strongly advice this packing method if the glider has Gin’s Rigifoil or Rigifoil Max system. Once you’re good at packing this way your glider will pack away more compact and smaller!”
- Eric Roussel, General Manager, Gin Gliders
XCertina Bag Mk1 Review
Skywings Magazine, July 2007
Review by Steve Uzochukwu
I have wanted to concertina fold my glider for a while – seeing the comparison between a Boomerang 2 that had been concertina packed and one that hadn't had me convinced. The creasing and damage to the Mylar stiffeners reduces the performance of the wing, as they are critical to the profile of the leading edge. Inflation characteristics on take off also suffer. Where I came unstuck was trying to fold the glider in a way that took less than 20 minutes, and get it to still fit in the inner bag. I gave up and went back to conventional folding. I always seemed to lose the plot after the gathering of the Mylar inserts stage, and found it hard to get any method to work for me. My excuses were: It takes two people. If I don’t have a helper the already folded stuff comes unfolded or gets disorganised. It takes too long. The glider then no longer fits in the inner bag and is almost too bulky to fit in the rucksack without a big stretch.
Cross Country’s Bob Drury gave me the bag to try out. I was slightly sceptical at first, and the video that the guys had made seemed to be too glib and easy. Yes, I want to maintain my glider properly, but it has to be straightforward.
So how did the first attempt to use the bag go? As per the video made by Cross Country at http://tinyurl.com/ysshkk I simply placed the mushroomed glider on top of the XCertina bag. I gathered all the Mylar insert in one half wing together, laid them flat (turned them through 90 degrees) and tied them in place with one of the ties. I then did the other half of the wing which is usually where I start to come unstuck as the already tidy wing suffers. No such problem now.
Having laid the second lot of Mylar stiffeners on top of the first, both straps can now be used to secure the them in place, laid flat. I then headed towards the trailing edge, to the guaranteed failure stage of all my previous concertina folding attempts. No issue. I simply folded the trailing edge concertina style. It was then possible to zip up the bag, noting the protection the zip has for the glider material. Starting from the end of the bag close to the trailing edge it was possible to Z fold the bag in the usual 4 sections I normally do, but making sure the top section with the Mylar in it is slightly shorter than the rest, so no overhang or creasing can take place. I then used the compression strap that comes with the glider to hold things in place, and put everything into my glider rucksack. The fit was the same as my usual folded method!!I checked the folded bulk on the second pack I did by putting the XCertina bag with glider inside into the inner bag for the glider. It fitted.
It took roughly about the same time to pack into the XCertina pack as my old regular fold, possibly slightly longer, but then I’ve only done it 10 times with a mid range 1-2. Where the time was saved was when it came to getting ready to fly, as once the XCertina bag was off the tips could be quickly pulled out and there the glider was, ready to inflate. The bonus is seeing all the Mylar stiffeners standing up, holding the cells open without creases!
The bag is well made, with a full length zip, with a protector for your glider, drawstrings at both ends of the bag, two straps to hold the Mylar inserts together at the end of the bag where the leading edge is placed.
All my reasons for not folding concertina are now shot away, as will yours if you buy one. You will need to measure the chord of your glider before you order so as to get the right size, of which there are two. I’m getting one myself, which I think is better than just a recommendation.
Additional Information
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