How to buy a used paraglider without getting burned (2026 checklist)

TL;DR

• Ask for the serial number, year, airtime and the last inspection report before you talk about price. A seller who cannot answer these is telling you something.
• Cloth porosity, line condition and trim decide whether a wing is safe, not how it looks. Get measured numbers, not "feels fine".
• A cheap wing that needs a 200-300 EUR service, new lines or a re-trim is not cheap. Subtract that from the offer.

Start with the paperwork, not the photos

Photos show colour and dirt. They do not show porosity or line shrink. So start with documents:

1. Manufacturer, model, size and serial number. The serial is on the stabiliser or the rib near the trailing edge. Check that it matches the certification sticker and the papers.
2. Year of manufacture. Cloth ages with UV and folding, not only with hours. A wing that is 8 years old with 80 hours can be worse than a 3-year-old wing with 250 hours.
3. Airtime. Typical lifespan of a recreational wing is 300-500 hours, depending on class, cloth, storage and how much ground handling it had. Ask how many of the hours are ground handling, which wears the leading edge hard.
4. Last check. Most manufacturers require an inspection every 24 months or every 100 hours, whichever comes first, though some use other intervals. Look up the intervals in the manual for that model. Ask for the inspection report with measured values, not just a stamp.
5. Certification. Check the model and size are certified (EN/LTF) and that the pilot's weight fits the certified range. See our guide to class and weight range.

If a seller says "no papers, but it flies great", you are buying an unknown. Price it accordingly or walk.

Inspect the wing yourself

You can do a useful check in 30 minutes on a flat, dry field. Lay the wing out fully inflated-side up, then check these in order.

Cloth

• Colour fade and stiffness. Bleached top surface, especially on the leading edge, means UV damage. Fabric that feels crisp and stiff where it used to be soft usually has lost its coating.
• Porosity. This is the number that matters. Testers such as the JDC or a porosimeter measure the seconds it takes a fixed volume of air to pass through the cloth. Higher is better. New cloth typically reads well above 100 seconds on these devices, and many manufacturers want action when top-surface readings fall into the 20-30 second range or lower. Limits differ per manufacturer and device, so ask for the value and compare it to the limit in the manual. Details in our porosity, lines and trim explainer.
• Tears, burn marks, tree damage. Small repairs with self-adhesive ripstop on the surface are normal. Repairs near seams, on the leading edge or on the line attachment points need an explanation and a professional's opinion.
• Mould and smell. Stored wet, the wing will smell and the coating can degrade. Mould spots on the inside of the cells are a reason to leave.

Lines

• Visible damage. Run each line through your fingers. Look for sheath wear, kinks, knots, burn marks and thin spots.
• Shrink and stretch. Different line types behave differently. Unsheathed Dyneema holds its length well; aramid lines shrink and need re-trimming. A few centimetres of change on the A lines over the life of the wing is common, and what matters is the difference between lines that should be equal. A wing flown with uneven lines flies differently, and it can be more prone to collapse.
• Line strength. Individual lines should be tested if the wing is old or high-hour. A wing with one weak line can fail where you cannot see it.

Structure

• Inspect ribs and diagonals for tears where the lines attach.
• Pull gently on the stitching at the attachment points.
• Check the brake handles and pulleys. Brake lines wear faster than the rest.

Ask the questions that matter

• Has it been flown in the sea, with salt water or sand? Salt damages coating and lines.
• Has it had a full deflation, a cravat, a tree landing or a car-boot storage in summer?
• Who did the last service? A manufacturer, importer or recognised test centre is better than "my friend checked it".
• Why are they selling? "Moving up a class" is a normal answer. "Does not feel right" is not.

What to subtract from the price

Work out the total cost of ownership before you make an offer:

• Inspection and re-trim at a service centre: budget a few hundred euros. Get a quote for that exact wing.
• Replacement of a full line set: more, and the wing then has new lines on old cloth, which may not be worth it.
• Rescue repack, if the sale includes one: a separate cost.

Use the free wing value tool to see what similar wings are listed for; it is built on 12,000+ European listings. A price well below the range, with no papers, is not a bargain. It is a risk with a price tag.

Fly it before you pay for it

A test flight tells you more than ten photographs. Check launch behaviour, pitch stability, how it reacts to a moderate asymmetric input and whether it handles at your weight. Paramarket offers test flights in Celje (Slovenia) or Graz (Austria) on the wings it sells; browse the used wings and check the weight range matches yours.

Walk away when

• No serial number or the serial does not match the papers.
• No inspection history on a wing older than 2-3 years.
• Porosity below the manufacturer's limit and the seller will not cover the cost.
• Uneven or damaged lines the seller shrugs off.
• You are weighed outside the certified range.
• Price pressure: "other buyers are coming this afternoon".

What about harness and reserve?

Those are separate checks with their own rules. See the used harness and reserve guide, or browse used harnesses and used reserves.

If you would rather get notified than search, set a gear alert for your class and weight. If you are selling instead, the sell page explains how outright purchase works.

FAQ

How many hours is too many for a used paraglider? There is no hard limit. Typical lifespan is 300-500 hours, but cloth condition, porosity and line values decide. A 400-hour wing with good test results can be better than a 150-hour wing stored in a hot attic.

Should I buy a used wing without an inspection report? Only if you pay for a full check right away and subtract it from the price. Without measured values you do not know what you are flying.

Is it safe to buy a used paraglider online? Yes, if you get the serial number, the inspection report and clear photos of the cloth, lines and labels, and have the right to test fly or return. Do not pay a deposit to someone who refuses a video call.

Does a used wing need a check after I buy it? If the last inspection was more than a year ago, or the report is missing, yes. Do it before the first flight.

Can I buy a wing from a different EU country? Yes. Wings are not subject to national registration, but check the certification matches the size and your weight, and allow for shipping and import costs if from outside the EU.