LEAP INTO A NEW PARAGLIDING ERA!!! 🪂 Niviuk Artik R EN C 2-Liner Paraglider Review & Comparisons 🪂🤩

[@flybubbleparagliding]

Wondering which is the right and best wing, harness or reserve for you? See our Flybubble MATCH service - flybubble.com/flybubble-match-service

[@RichardfBarber]

Excellent review... I have been critical of some of your reviews, I haven't felt that you have got to know the wings well enough and haven't focused enough on the performance and have over focused on the stall point. This feels like a really well rounded review and I like the fact you've done it on different harnesses and at different weights in the range. Your experience also chimes with what I have heard from other pilots, it appears to be a really well sorted out wing. Thank you.

[@SimonHalcrow]

I love that you reviewed this wing with more than one harness. Adds great value. Thanks.

[@tive88]

I recently got my Artik R and flew it in strong spring conditions of BIR. I was apprehensive initially as I had never flown and 2 liner before. In the first house thermal I was a bit more careful and kept looking at the glider to see what it is doing in th strong thermal. Initially I thought it was very active and sucking itself into the core at a rate I felt was a bit more for ny comfort. However by the time I crossed two ridges and cored a few thermals my confidence in it soared. It felt solid, climbed very efficiently and the accelerated flight was giving me a lot more confidence. I went on to fly 141 kms the next day on it. The only thing that kept me worried was if I got a assymetrical collapse would it come out easily or get stuck due to the long nitinol rods. That doubt got sorted pretty soon when a strong gust on the way back from Dharamshala got me. I had an approximate 50% collapse but it oppened easily. I had a small cravat which cause the glider to go into a smal turn but with outside brake and stabiliser pull I was back climbing again. I learnt that Artik R has a language in which it talks to you before entering a thermal or if one is close by. It does so by slight shudder in the feel and slows down a bit. This is directly proportional to the strength of the thermal its going to encounter soon. The accelerated glide is just the best for me. Its an amazing piece of design. ArtiK R 🤘

[@flybubblecarlo]

So far I've flown the Artik R in sizes 23 and 25, at loads from 85-109% of their weight ranges. As usual, wherever possible I make a point of testing wings in multiple sizes, in different points in their weight ranges, and with different harnesses. I am very used to chopping and changing gear, sometimes flying several different wings or/and harnesses on the same day, so I am quite used to filtering out the differences each combo makes.

[@gustavohenriquegueno4226]

Just perfect review! I just stepped up from an Explorer 2 (about 100h) to the ArtikR and am amazed about its performance... the piloting demand is indeed above the high Bs, although the performance delivered is way bigger than the difficulties one may find handling the glider... after 30h, most of them flying competitions, I can say that it is possible to keep the Ds inside your aim! With a bit of luck and skills, you can follow or even beat some of them on board of the ArtikR! Congratulations for the review with so precise comments! What a wing!!

[@MendesAdvocacia]

Estou voando com o Artik R há um ano. Vela incrível. Piloto feliz

[@Itsallgoodtogo]

Flown 20 hours on this wing. From calm flatlands to the alps .... 2x 100km+ flights over the Italian and Slovenian mountains. I'm manly an XC flyer. Its a serious wing. Extremely solid in bumpy air. I was flying an Ikuma2 before that for roughly 120 hours and I can tell you there were moments where I'd let go of the speed bar and go into full defensive flying with my breaks at the ready but with the Artik R and its 2liner design, you can simply push with half speed bar into the turbulence and control it brilliantly with the B risers to keep the wing above your head. I had a full frontal when I was pushing against the valley wind turbulence, but it opened up back fast and clean(completely my fault and avoidable). Only had to pump out one cravat when I fell out of a ridiculously shifty +6ms thermal into -5ms .... literally fell like a rock but the wing mostly kept its shape(it lost the internal pressure) even though I could see it was in full stall for a moment. Felt safe trough all my XC flights as the wing is very talkative, always reminding you what you are flying in and as said above, it keeps its shape in choppy conditions without issues. The glide is godlike coming from a high B. One of my XCs i was flyign with 2 other Artik 6 pilots. One in the same weight range as me. After every longer transition I had to wait for them. Its a beast and I'm looking forward to the first competitions next year as I feel like I can keep up with a Zeno2 in choppy air. This is a wing you wanna fly accelerated most of the time. Thats what the R stands for ... RACE! Observing my glide ratio the wing fly's best at around 30% speed bar. On takeoff ... if you got some wind it likes to shoot a bit so be ready to brake it hard but also get of the brakes fast because its a bit picky on its position over your head. Just like Carlo said... this is a wing for experienced pilots. SIV is a must have for any 2liner anyway. I love the nimble design that Niviuk builds into their wings and its 100% present in the Artik R. I've test flown the Bonanza 3 and its simply not comparable in terms of handling. I'd recommend the Bonanza 3 to the easygoing pilots that maybe lack a bit of confidence as its much more stable compared to the Artik R. You trade out some performance for much more passive safety. In my 40 minute test flight I couldn't get the bonanza to collapse even just the tip on the worst possible wingovers, while the ArtikR will bite you quickly if you do something wrong. 9/10 for the Artik R I have to send mine back for a warranty issue. Noticed an internal structure was torn when the sun was shining trough. Nothing serious but if the wing is new it should hold out a full frontal without damages. Probably just a sewing mistake on my glider.

[@flybubbleparagliding]

Hey thanks for sharing your experiences and thoughts with the flying community! 🙏 Glad you're enjoying the Artik R - a superb wing, for the right pilots! 🪂🤓😁

[@flybubbleparagliding]

We honestly think Artik R is a very special wing that is going to make a lot of pilots very happy! 🥳 Share your thoughts & experiences with us. 💭 As a full-time main distributor for the top freeflight brands, we offer a comprehensive range of new and used gear backed by professional advice! ✅

[@safranpollen]

it was a great pleasure to watch and listen this. ThanXXX Carlo...

[@flybubblecarlo]

In this new Flybubble video I share my thoughts on Niviuk's new EN C 2-liner, the Artik R, and compare it with the other new EN C 2-liners I'd flown up to this point, the AirDesign Volt 4, Gin Bonanza 3 and Ozone Photon, and other wings including 3-liners. Since completing the filming for this review, I've also flown the Skywalk Mint. Review of the Mint and the Bonanza 3 to follow, in which I'll probably make comparisons to other wings.

[@frodenimbus]

Exellent review Carlo! After 33 yrs with EN D 4/3 liners I will now get an Artik R 25! My only concern is the 2 liner relative "numbness" compared to 3 liners. But I guess you can't have it both ways. Performance comes with a price!

[@ziadbassil]

Hey Carlo ! Nice review mate !! I could never speak that much in my reviews ! 😅Very accurate explanations thought !! I really hoped that you would add your thoughts when flying them at 75 % of their weight range, just because they do change a bit... And of course, the overall feel of those C's will also change after 30 hours...So after releasing the B loops, (some the outer side, some all the B loops, things got even more interesting 😀 ... Happy flights ! Ziad

[@jacksparrow1588]

@ziadbassil Could you detail what are the B loops? Where should one look for? Ty

[@flybubblecarlo]

Thanks Ziad 😊 and thanks for your great and valuable contribution to the paragliding community over the years! 🙏👍🪂 Feedback noted, with thanks. I'll do my best to take this on board for future reviews. ℹ However, the more I do, film and say, the longer the whole process takes - and the longer the end result is! 😳 This review already took several days and many hours to film and edit, and is nearly 20 minutes long! ⏲ I generally try to test the wings throughout their weight ranges, if I can. Very good point about trimming considerations. As I'm sure you very well know, this whole topic of testing and reviewing flying gear is a lot more complex than it at first seems! 🤓 Always looking forward to your next reviews! 😎

[@flybubblecarlo]

@@jacksparrow1588 by "B loops" I think Ziad is referring to the extra loops added to the rearward lines of many paragliders nowadays for retrimming purposes, once the wing has bedded in (usually after 20-50 hours use, depending on the wing, line materials and use). On 2-liners these are on the B risers, as there are no C risers, hence B loops.

[@flybubblecarlo]

ps. To my knowledge all 2-liners have these trimming loops on the rear back (B) risers, since retrimming tends to be more important for these.

[@flybubblecarlo]

pps. To my knowledge most wing manufactures recommend having the trim checked after 30-50 hours use. This is generally recommend to be done by an approved service centre, with the required equipment and expertise to do this correctly. However some designers state that they have designed their wings and chosen materials specifically to not require retrimming as standard until the first full service is due, usually 24 months from purchase or 100 hours, whichever comes first. However, bear in mind that of course the trim of any wing is not only affected by time; it can also be greatly affected by the type of use, degree of care and environment. A wing can go badly out of trim in a short space of time - even after the very first flight - if subject to extremely high Gs or packed away damp, for example.

[@flybubbleparagliding]

See the new and used Sports Paragliders we currently have in stock and on offer on our website: flybubble.com/wings/sports-paragliders flybubble.com/used/used-wings

[@davidf2111]

Thank you Carlo. Always fantastic reviews. Look forward to the Bonanza 3 review.

[@flybubblecarlo]

Bonanza 3 review very soon... 🪂

[@flybubblecarlo]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aqfHeGWGdrl2gpo

[@raphael.oerair]

Been flying the Artik R 23 for around 25hours now and absolutely love it. Although i'll probably change to a 25 size, because i'm flying at max 95-96kg... So ill see what happens when i'm a bit more in the recommended weight range of niviuk (with some additional ballast to get to 100kg), and i think its nice to have a little more margin with the 25. In terms of speed its amazing, also the glide is like a charm. Dont want to fly anything else anymore honestly 😅

[@flybubblecarlo]

Since my first impressions review video of the Photon was published a month ago - in which I shared some comparisons with the Bonanza 3 and Artik R - I've flown all three of these wings quite a bit more, in a good variety of conditions, and often in close proximity to very good pilots flying these and similar wings. So I've gotten to know these wings quite well, and had good opportunity to compare them with others.

[@flybubblecarlo]

If I have time and things work out, I will publish another, more detailed review of the Photon. Having flown it some more, in a wider variety of conditions and with different harnesses, my first impressions haven't changed much, as touched upon in this review of the Artik R. To be clear, as a few seem to somehow be getting the wrong end of the stick, I think the Photon is an excellent wing, with excellent performance and pilots demands that are fine for the class (High C) but overall a bit higher than the others I've tested, now including the Skywalk Mint. In terms of feeling, the Photon is the wing that moves around most; the least cohesive / solid feeling. in terms of handling, the Photon and Volt 4 are the least responsive and nimble (for me personally, this also means the least pleasurable). However these 'could be better' points for the Photon are more of a compliment to the other four EN-C 2 liners I've tested than they are a criticism of the Photon. It seems to me that Ozone have prioritised performance over pilot demands, feeling and handling. This isn't all that surprising considering where the Photon fits in Ozone's range. Also it's likely what some pilots looking to buy a new EN C 2-liner will be looking for, especially more competition and results oriented pilots.

[@isleofwightlife8221]

Great series of reviews on the new 2 liners …. Not much talk about the increased importance and regularity of line trim on a 2 line …. Is that something that 3 line pilots should be more aware of … could be an increased hassle factor maybe 🤔

[@arnekvinge6073]

Going for the Bonanza 3 S. Have the Alpina 4 MS att 90-92 kg and love flying it more and more. Usable speedbar and not have to let it go back up in turbulent conditions is what I hope for. AND smoth handling. I gess i land on 93 kg on the Bonanza 3.

[@flybubblecarlo]

Bonanza 3 review very soon... 🪂

[@flybubblecarlo]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aqfHeGWGdrl2gpo

[@georgedu4354]

Great review! I'm curious on your thoughts on the new 2.5 liner Trango X. How does it compare to other traditional Cs and 2 liners Cs in handling, glide, top speed, recovery characteristics etc. Is it more of a low/mid/high C? Would love to see a full review if that's in the works!

[@flybubbleparagliding]

Hey, glad you like the review! 🙂 We've not tested the Trango X, sorry. 🪂 Even we don't have time to test everything! ⌚⌛⏳⏲️ 😏

[@LiiMuRi]

Thanks, always nice to watch these reviews. Any plans to check the BGD Lynx 2?

[@flybubblecarlo]

Thanks, glad you enjoy Flybubble reviews. As with most wings and harnesses we sell, we do plan to test the Lynx 2 - mainly so we can get to know it, so we can advise our customers on the best choice of gear for them. If we have time and things work out, we'll publish a free video review of it. However, due to the time, logistics and costs involved, this only happens for about 10% of the gear we test. The Lynx 2 does look and sound interesting though, we're looking forward to testing it!

[@scottc2892]

Waiting in anticipation for the Gin Bonanza 3 video. Are you saving the best til last Carlo? 😃

[@flybubblecarlo]

New Flybubble Gin Bonanza 3 review video is in the works. ⚒🎞🎦 We're not intentionally "saving the best until last" as such. What you're seeing is just the order things are working out in based on the many factors involved in making these videos (whilst running Flybubble and trying to have some personal life). 😏 I can anyway say that for sure the Bonanza 3 won't be the last of the new EN C 2 liners we test/review. ✅ At the very least, I've also completed my testing of the new Skywalk Mint, which we plan to also publish a video review for. 🍬 Later I'll be testing Phi's Scala 2. 🪂 I might also follow up my quick first impressions review of the Photon last month with a more detailed review. So far with more testing of the Photon in more varied conditions, and with a few different harnesses, my further impressions of it haven't changed much. ⚛ I also won't be surprised if at least some of the other top paraglider brands we work with also bring out EN C 2-liners e.g. Advance, BGD, Nova, Supair and Triple Seven. I'm sure they're all considering it, at the very least! 🪂🪂

[@scottc2892]

@@flybubblecarlo It's exciting times for sure mate. I look forward to seeing more reviews!

[@flybubblecarlo]

@@scottc2892 Bonanza 3 review very soon... 🪂

[@flybubblecarlo]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aqfHeGWGdrl2gpo

[@manuelfischer9603]

Very nice review! Will there also be a review of the Niviuk Arrow?

[@flybubblecarlo]

Glad you like the review, thanks for commenting. We do plan to publish a combined review of the Niviuk Arrow and Hawk pod harnesses, if time and finances allow. However we've been planning to publish harness reviews of the Advance WEIGHTLESS, AirDesign The Sock, Gin Genie Lite 3, Gin Genie X-Lite, Ozone BV1, Skywalk RANGE X-ALPS3, Supair DELIGHT 4 / SPORT and Woody Valley GTO light 2, all of which we've tested, some a great deal, but the reviews haven't happened yet!

[@manuelfischer9603]

@@flybubblecarlo Great stuff Carlo! I have an eye on most of those harnesses as I'm thinking about moving from a standard harness to a pod harness, so your work is much appreciated 😃👍

[@9078894]

Я перешел на artik r после ikuma 2. Мне очень комфортно на новом крыле, несмотря на то, что это с класс и к томуже двухрядка.

[@flybubbleparagliding]

Glad to hear it!

[@Ppg-x3t]

It would be interesting to hear opinions on the phi scala 2 light compared to the niviuk artik r.

[@flybubblecarlo]

Watch our Phi Scala 2 Light first flights review video and read the comments for updates: kzbin.info/www/bejne/noPciKKKqcSXgNk

[@flybubblecarlo]

Bonanza 3 review very soon... 🪂

[@flybubblecarlo]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aqfHeGWGdrl2gpo

[@MrRodgr]

Great Review! Do you think is it fine to switch from an Alpina 4 (150 hrs) to an Artik R? Thanks in advance for the answer.

[@flybubblecarlo]

Glad you like the review. IMO, it's not possible to give a good and proper answer to your apparently simple question. That's why we offer our Flybubble MATCH service, to pilots who are happy to order their wing from us, as part of our service. The best answer I can give here is probably. Depends very much on the pilot. If you'd like a more thorough answer, which takes time and expertise, check out our match service: flybubble.com/flybubble-match-service

[@rmauldin3384]

Thanks!

[@flybubbleparagliding]

Thanks R Mauldin 🙏 all donations to the Flybubble channel will go into making more Flybubble videos! 🎦🎦🎦

[@flybubblecarlo]

Thank you Mauldin! 😃 As well as helping us be able to make more Flybubble videos for you from a financial point of view 💸 just as importantly donations to the Flybubble channel stoke our enthusiasm to create more, and put even more into them! 💪 Wishing you great fun flights and happy landings! 🪂

[@philgoneflying]

Hello, nice review, can't wait to get mine delivered (size 29🙄)... Last week on SIV one off the guys was flying his Artik R... And he said that it stays in spirall if there is no pilot imput to get it out... Do you confirm the "neutre spirale" ?

[@flybubblecarlo]

Hi Philippe, glad you like our Flybubble review of the Artik R. We're also waiting for the first size 29s to arrive for our customers. In answer to your question about spiral behaviour, I did test this a good amount (I enjoy doing spirals) on the Artik R, sizes 23 and 25, and didn't find this. As I said in this review, my finding from my testing the Artik R was that the spiral behaviour is very well controllable for the class. However, flying from our small hills, I haven't had a great deal of opportunity to really test this behaviour very thoroughly. Also, although I enjoy doing spirals, I believe it's not good to do them too much on 2-liners, as it's more likely to put them out of trim (than 3-liners).

[@flybubblecarlo]

ps. I think it's worth bearing in mind that almost any wing can have neutral spiral behaviour, depending on various factors e.g. harness, waist strap setting and pilot inputs. This last factor is an important one. From my observations over the years, including running some SIV courses and observing many others, is the what the pilot actually did can often be different to what they believe they did, sometimes very significantly so. Of course I don't know what your friend did, this is a just a general observation. The main point is, I think, that it's often a mistake to assume general behaviour based on one of even a few events - especially when it could be down to the pilot. However, we should of course take on board all information, and then try to filter out the random noise to arrive at our best judgment. Things like this are generally a grey area, rarely black and white. What do you think?

[@flybubblecarlo]

If you enjoyed this Flybubble video and would like to see more please consider supporting us. 💁 The best way to do this is to treat yourself to some great gear on flybubble.com/ 🪂 Other ways to are to give Thanks for this video by donating (click 💓Thanks) and join as a channel member (click Join). Thanks for your support! 🙏

[@brunors17]

Here kzbin.info/www/bejne/f2m8qJiPjal3qtE I got a cravat after a front stall in Artik Race. After that, I did a full stall in order to fix the problem. It was nice for me.

[@flybubblecarlo]

Thanks for sharing! 👍 Nicely done on clearing the cravat, glad it worked out well for you. 🙂 For future reference, from my experience and watching others, I don't think the best way to clear small cravats like that is a full stall. As happened to you this time, if the exit from the stall isn't quite right it can lead to more cravats, perhaps even making things worse. Having stabilised the wing so it doesn't go in to a spiral on the side with the cravat, as you did, I find it's better to push the side with the cravat to just past the point of stall with a quick (not too long) deep pump with the brake on that side, being careful to not go into a developed spin, which will momentarily reverse the airflow on that wing tip, which will often clear the cravat. Sometimes it works with just one quick deep pump; sometimes it take two or more, clearing some of the cravat each time. 🪂 Hope this makes sense? 🤔 What do you think? 🤓 Thanks again for sharing! 😀

[@InAirWing]

What do you think it’s ok to go from rook3 to artic R?

[@MrTozuyi]

No

[@flybubblecarlo]

As always, there's no one answer to that question - or any similar question about pilot / gear suitability, in my opinion, based on my experienced of advising pilots on the right gear for other 30 years. It depends very much on the pilot. Going from a High B Rook 3 to a Mid to High C Artik R would be quite a big step - probably not the best move for most pilots. However for some it might be.

[@InAirWing]

@@flybubblecarlo thank you for your advice .

[@flybubblecarlo]

@@InAirWing No problem, I had a spare moment to answer! 🤓 However I believe it's not possible to give a good and proper answer to this kind of apparently simple question. That's why we offer our Flybubble MATCH service: flybubble.com/flybubble-match-service

[@nonobebert7646]

Have you ever tried the Da Vinci Funky ?

[@flybubblecarlo]

No. Despite testing a lot of wings, I don't have time to fly them all.

[@TheGoodboy81]

where are you in the weight range on all 2 liners C's? thanks'

[@flybubblecarlo]

So far I've flown the Artik R in sizes 23 and 25, at loads from 85-109% of their weight ranges. As usual, wherever possible I make a point of testing wings in multiple sizes, in different points in their weight ranges, and with different harnesses. I am very used to chopping and changing gear, sometimes flying several different wings or/and harnesses on the same day, so I am quite used to filtering out the differences each combo makes.

[@flybubblecarlo]

ps. My current naked weight is 81-82 kg. Since I test many different wings, and, wherever possible, I test them in different sizes, in different parts of their weight ranges, and with different harnesses, I vary where I am in the weight range by varying all of the variables e.g. harness, clothing/footwear, other gear, other stuff, ballast. And of course the wings vary in weight too. In this way I can vary my all-up weight by more than 20 kg.

[@rafaele84]

I normally fly Ozone but now will get NR they need slap in the face no one talk about prices !! Ozone Photon is 700-800 more expensive than AR and quality isn't that good.