Stick your foot into the AirDesign SOCK! Paragliding pod harness review.

[@PronichkinV]

Dobby wants this Sock.

[@SkywalkerPaul]

Did you got it?

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I've been flying the Sock for a couple of months now, and it's an excellent pod harness. Great weight shift authority, almost feels like there's a seat plate, comfortable, and once you're used to it, the speedbar is really nice. Packs small, and has very good protection (I hate how so many pods have the rescue in the back, strategically placed to break vertebrae). Cockpit is small but I only have my phone on it (my Pixel 6A is my vario and is super reactive). It replaces my Advance Lightness 3.

[@PhilippeLarcher]

cool! which app for a nice sounding vario?

[@SkywalkerPaul]

So the Sock is better than the Lightness 3 ?

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

@@PhilippeLarcher I use theFlightVario with Smooth Cruise and AI Sense, it's amazing. But you need to remove the SIM tray of the Pixel to let the phone "breathe"

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

@@SkywalkerPaul I personally prefer it in terms of weight shift authority and control overall. Also the far better protector of the sock is a large consideration (for me). In terms of pure comfort the Lightness 3 is better (could go to sleep in there) but the Sock is also very comfortable.

[@SkywalkerPaul]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek thanks. I'm still thinking whether I should switch from an open harness to a pod. I tried one once, on a stance not in the air, and somehow didn't like it. I was expecting more comfort but my open harness felt in comparison way more comfortable.

[@DarrenGoodlad]

Glad to see your thoughts echoed my own, I loved flying it and it's definitely the only harness so far I would buy to replace my beloved Strike MK1 🥰

[@steveshovlar994]

Nice review Greg. I have been looking at this pod and the Niviuk Arrow to replace my Delight 3. You picked up on the exact issue I have had with the Sock, the size of the cockpit. I use a larger Velcro plate on the Delight 3 as the cockpit without it is too small. But on this it leads to getting more in the way of the reserve handle. A shame you couldn’t take it up for a test flight. Would like to know how it feels in the air.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I was looking at the Arrow and the Sock to replace my Lightness 3. I ended up going with the Sock because of the rescue at the front - I don't like rescues in the back creating a hard point in case of a stall on approach, etc. For the moment I really enjoy the Sock!

[@PhilippeLarcher]

looking like a great first pod harness given the extra support?

[@wildwingingit1283]

great review... This was one option for me but went with another.. the risers not matching the biners in the swing here is reeking havoc on my OCD

[@WBtimhawk]

Greg (or whoever has flown it), what's your opinion on this as a first pod ? Looks like it would take good care of a pod beginner but maybe there are just too many bells and whistles for a rookie ?

[@DanieltheRedding]

great for beginners imo. Simple for the basics and you don't lose stability when you put your legs down (good for collapse recovery)

[@nicolaesasu]

Seems like a great pod, except for the cockpit size. Everything else looks great. Awesome review.

[@mcbrite]

I'll tell you ONE thing I immediately love about the sock! The leg straps! No more semi-amputation when hanging in the straps! I made a literal emergency landing when I had a weird riser twist (hooked on C Handle on launch) COMBINED with not getting into my Range X-Alps 2... So I had to keep correcting course, check out the weird twist, WHILE the nerve in my right leg was just RADIATING some of the most massive pain I felt in my life... I did get myself and the Allegro XAlps down safe between some thorny scrubs with zero damage to either, so it was all good in the end... But those thin leg straps are DANGEROUS AF!!! Had I gotten into the harness OR not had so much pain, I would have likely managed to clear the "C-handle hooking" and just do a normal, long flight... Rather than standing between the cacti deflated... 😞 Thanks for the review, I'll give the sock a test-sitting soon!

[@SkywalkerPaul]

Did you got it?

[@chrisstevens4680]

Hi Greg….great review thanks. You may remember we had a chat on the Dyke about light-weight harnesses (probably two summers back…erk!) I’ve been looking for the Holy Grail ever since but nothing has seemed to fit the bill. Have you had chance to test fly the Sock for a review and will you be replacing your Strike?! The Sock looks like a great harness, but, on the Holy Grail front: …..the Air Design guy said it is a bit stable, and it has no seat board 😞. Is ‘stable’ a good thing……? (Also, if SupAir can put a removable seat board as an option in the Strike, why is it that all the other manufacturers shun seat boards in their light weight harnesses?!) What are your thoughts on collapse recovery without a seat board and with this style of cross-braising. It was explained to me when I visited Kortel once that, in the event of an asymmetric collapse, the cross-bracing needs to be connected directly to the center of a seat board to form that all important triangle. Re the ‘chest strap/shoulder link’ that you didn’t like, Kortel also explained to me that this enhances steering when weight shifting. The back protection going half way up the back? Not ideal if you stall at low level. I guess you could retro fit extra protection at the expense of a bit more weight. Sorry this is a long one….I think I have become a harness nerd, but at around £1,500 it has to be right!! 🤓

[@DanieltheRedding]

I'm not Greg but I'm been flying this pod for about 40 hours including Feb in Colombia. I'll say the only thing I don't like about this harness is the packing size. It is compact but not like the Range Xalps2 or 3. A seatboard isn't necessary with the geometry involved in my opinion. You have a direct and compact feedback but not overly talkative or "drop" prone. The cross bracing is in the leg straps. If you have a collapse and one side drops then the distance between the leg straps limits how much. If you see how the leg straps work you actually sit on them and they go between your legs. This gives you a good connection. The back protection seems great to me. Better numbers than a lot of harnesses in this category. What other blow up protector in this category do you prefer?

[@chrisstevens4680]

Thanks for your reply, it would be interesting to find out how it feels in thermic air. Weight shift is more efficient for turning than using brake so do split leg loops give comparable weight shift to a seat board? Re back protection, I think it needs some more protection for the mid to upper back as it looks like there is next to none in this area as Greg pointed out. I don’t know why harness manufacturers are so keen to ignore full length back protection. So far I haven’t investigated retro fit protection but I’m sure there is some out there.

[@DanieltheRedding]

@@chrisstevens4680 I haven't flown a seatboard harness other than putting the optional one in the Ozium 2 but the Sock seems more than sufficient. Not super responsive but capable. I don't think it would be difficult to retrofit something larger if you wanted. But it really seems like you want something heavier if you're after some more robust protection. I think the risk of falling on my shoulders is pretty minimal for myself but I understand wanting to cover the most possible.

[@chrisstevens4680]

So, news fresh in from our magazine ‘Skywings’, April 2023, article ‘St Valentines Day Downfall’ page 31, paragraph 2: “I descended pretty much vertically from 22m…..I must have landed on my upper back initially…..pretty much my normal flying position in my pod harness….the impact broke my neck…burst part of my lung and fractured my pelvis in 2 places”. Chris Williams is a UK senior paragliding instructor. (It doesn’t say which harness he was using.) He probably also thought that the risk of falling on his upper back was minimal. The point here is that current Harness manufacturers are being negligent in their designs, you don't always crash conveniently on your bum. My personal thoughts are that this harness looks pretty good but needs extra protection for the upper back, which would not have been difficult for Air Design to do. They could have had a 2 stage/compartment airbag and the extra weight would have been minimal. The current bag weighs 200gm! By contrast the Advance Weightless harness protection is a complete joke.

[@DanieltheRedding]

@@chrisstevens4680 Well made point. There are many improvements that can be made. My comment about wanting something heavier was about marketing more than anything else. Most pilots wanting the best protection are likely to go for a heavier harness in general I think. However, we can only push for improvements and compare what is presented for sale (unless you want to go into business). I would love to know what is comparable in weight and features with significantly better protection. Maybe the Neo harness despite its downsides? I personally tried to convince AD to include an option for 2 reserves but they didn't seem very interested. Seems like the lightweight 2 reserve pod market is lacking IMO.

[@nurikayserilioglu]

Thanks for a great review again 🙃 I ordered my sock several months ago and impatiently waiting to get it. 😅 By the way, I am so happy to hear that an accessory option for the cockpit is upcoming. I suppose they are working on something similar to the Advance weightless cockpit or the Skywalk "Range X-Alps 3 Cockpit Desk" accessory, and I am really happy to hear because I was already thinking about creating my own version of it for the Sock 😅 Now hopefully there will be an official accessory for that 🥳

[@SkywalkerPaul]

How is it?

[@nurikayserilioglu]

I really loved my harness in general, it is comfortable and light. I did not make an upgrade for the cockpit by the way. I have a small phone and using an xc tracer, so the cockpit was enough for me most of the time, even when I use an extra flytec 6020 for comps and XC flights. Unfortunately, 3 months ago I had a nasty landing (a stupid mistake of taking too much risk for a low save and landing with backwind) and crushed my L1 vertebrae :( even after such a big accident, the only defect was 2 tiny holes at the yellow fairing part :) so I can say that the harness and the airbag is also very durable :)@@SkywalkerPaul

[@SkywalkerPaul]

@@nurikayserilioglu omg! 😱 glad that you are ok. I mean I hope you are ok. Are you ok? Damn..

[@nurikayserilioglu]

Thankfully, I didn't have any problem with the nerves in the spinal canal so I am pretty OK but my L1 was crushed and there was a 50% height loss. So I had to have an operation. Now I have 8 titanium screws and 2 rods connecting my 5 vertebrae from T11 to L3. Even though it has been only 3 months I am much better than I expected to be. I already started to do light strengthening exercises so I am hoping to be able to do at least some of the sports I love by 2024 :) @@SkywalkerPaul

[@SkywalkerPaul]

@@nurikayserilioglu get well soon bro! 🦾

[@armandlivet]

Thanks a lot for the review ! One question: Do we have a ventral strap that we can adjust ?

[@SergeTarkovski]

Wondering how the protector is meant to inflate, with just your mouth or some sort of assistance like an inflation bag or a pump?

[@FlyWithGreg]

Just a blow in the pipe, as far as I know.

[@DanieltheRedding]

@@FlyWithGreg the bag the harness packs in has a tube outlet so it functions as an inflation bag like the Range Xalps2

[@asksteevs]

I am in such conflict with myself between this and the Advance Weightless. I've ordered but not received my Weightless, I guess what pushed it over the line was the underseat reserve and not needing to inflate a protector. But man this Sock looks great too.

[@E620SE]

Inflating is like 20seconds. having the reserve in the back seems like an interesting position in case of a crash

[@bosquo310]

Yeah, reserve on your lower back seems to be an argument not to buy it... In case of impact it transfers the energy right onto your lower spine

[@glidewillie5767]

​@bosquo310 Also if you throw it, you don't have any back protection. I think it's better to have dedicated back protection

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

From my point of view the weightless protection is just to tick a certification checkbox. It doesn't look like it will help much in case of a hard landing, especially with the rescue strategically placed to break vertebrae in that case. I went for the Sock because of the great protection, and I really like it.

[@chrisstevens4680]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek I don’t think I am wrong on this but I am sure that Advance say that on the Weightless the ruck sack has to placed underneath the protector in order to meet the (minimal) certification…..absolutely astounding, this was a deal breaker for me, that and no full length back protection.

[@j4nch]

I can't find any information on the accessory for the bigger cockpit, do you know if it's out ? Otherwise, it seems to have a lot of pro. I also saw they have a lighter version, but I don't like much the softconnect

[@RhondaTolhurst]

Just took delivery of my Sock. Contrary to the comment that there are tabs in both of the zippered pockets, there are not. There is no tab in the left pocket. Disappointed in that and, as everyone notes, the small size of the cockpit. Otherwise, looking forward to flying it. It is really comfortable.

[@PhilippeLarcher]

Did you try it in flight Greg ?

[@Woodthreep]

Is it recommended for first pod?

[@WBtimhawk]

Got the same question. Looks like it wasn't designed as a 1st pod but the overall design is so well thought out that it could be ?

[@nityadasa5852]

I like it, but just a tip, maybe the colour should be reversed white on the outside gray on the inside... Usually my shoes are muddy and the stains are more visible on white.

[@HempBike]

If you inflate the bladder at sea level then thermal up to 4000' will the bladder burst?

[@SkywalkerPaul]

Yes

[@susankent1030]

I have about 8 hours on the AD sock right now. Overall I like it. As a 5.5" (165cm) female, it fits me well. What I don't like is that as mentioned the cockpit area is small. I have a separate plastic plate with velcro on the bottom that I put on top. The problem with that is that it then blocks the view of the reserve handle. Also, the blowup protector is not as thick as the Skywalk Range X-Alps one. I don't know if that means anything or not. I did find that blowing up the protector at launch in the French Alps that when I landed, it was deflated. This bothered me, but I am unlikely to remember to blow it up again in mid air. Do other harnesses with blow up protectors have that problem? Don't know. So again, overall a very well thought out design with lots of pockets and a few minor things that could be improved.

[@SkywalkerPaul]

Thanks!

[@yuriworldpilot]

Hey Greg! Try to reach you by email more than 2 weeks.. no any response… can’t get your course subscription by paypal