Choosing a harness — the guide

The harness is seat, cockpit and protection system in one. Instead of abstract categories, here are the construction types through the APCO range — with the facts from the datasheets.

Open lightweight harness: Goal

The Goal is, per APCO, “a lightweight open harness suitable from first steps of schooling onwards”, “aimed at anyone from students through weekend pilots”. Datasheet facts:

• EN/LTF up to 120 kg, two sizes: S/M (up to 180 cm, 2.9 kg incl. protector) and L/XL (180–195 cm, 3.35 kg)
• 17 cm Airfoam protector plus Lexan plate (“making sure any sharp impacts are spread over the entire area”)
• Get-Up system: only 2 buckles, leg and chest straps linked — neither can be forgotten
• large, reflective reserve handle under the main carabiner

Reversible harnesses: Hike and ChairBag V

Reversible means: harness and backpack are one piece.

• Hike — “our ultra-light, reversible harness/backpack”: 1.3 kg, split legs, pilot height 160–190 cm, max. 120 kg. EN-certified (EN 1651:1999 / EN 12491:2015) in conjunction with the optional airbag (code 47035). Per APCO “great for long mountain treks and challenging XC flights, ideal for speed flying and ridge soaring”.
• ChairBag Integral V — “a full feature, reversible harness”: 2.95 kg (under 2.55 kg without seat plate), pilot height 160–185 cm, volume approx. 100 litres. With a Polycomb seat plate, the integrated Cygnus airbag (“the market’s most efficient airbag protection, DHV certified”) and an under-seat reserve container.

Direct comparison: Hike vs Goal.

Pod harnesses: the Swift range and Kitto

For long XC flights APCO offers pod harnesses (Swift Sport/Race/Zero) and the Kitto as a light pod harness without a classic seat board — Kitto datasheet: S/M 2.71 kg (up to 185 cm), L/XL 2.84 kg (180–205 cm). Swift Race per datasheet: M/L 5.95 kg incl. 3-step speed system (up to 190 cm), XL 6.15 kg (from 185 cm), EN/LTF up to 120 kg.

Motor and trike harnesses

For PPG, APCO runs dedicated harness lines with a low or high hook-in — SLT MKII (Low/High), Split Legs PM (Low/High) and Lightning PM; the right hook-in height depends on the motor frame (per the motor manufacturer). For trike operation there are the dedicated Trike Pilot and Trike Passenger harnesses — per the datasheet load-tested in-house up to 140 kg per person at 5.25 G, the pilot harness with an integrated container for the Mayday 28 UL up to 340 kg.

Tandem

The 2Light Tandem Pilot Harness is the tandem pilot harness in the range (pilot height per datasheet 160–190 cm). On the passenger side, the Trike/Tandem Passenger harness completes the setup.

The choice in three questions

1. For what? Training/all-round → Goal · mountains & hiking → Hike or ChairBag V · long XC hours → Swift/Kitto · motor → SLT/Split Legs/Lightning · trike/tandem → the dedicated models.
2. Does the size fit? Check the pilot-height line in the datasheet (stated above for each model).
3. How is protection solved? Integrated (Goal, ChairBag V) or optional (Hike airbag 47035) — and where does the reserve go? We check the combination before the purchase.

Advice with datasheet and size check: [email protected]. All harnesses →