EN-D
High performance
Reviews of EN-D class gliders.
NOVA Xenon 3 S — A Light EN-D with a Racing Streak
The S's brake authority only becomes an asset when it is flown at the top of its weight range. It suits a pilot who fits that weight and can catch a small D wing's movement on the brakes on strong days. Bassil reasons that the M, flown at 95–98kg, should be milder with even more performance, though he has not flown one. For long XC, pair it with a light pod harness.
Supair Wild 2 — A Light D-Class Two-Liner That's Fun to Fly
On performance alone, it is hard to choose between the Zeolite 2 GT and the Wild 2. If you are weighing the two, compare how the brakes feel in the turn; pilots who like to place the wing precisely in a thermal on the brakes should try the Wild 2 first.
Skywalk Poison 4 — An EN-D Two-Liner With Short, Precise Brakes
The Poison 4 is easier to fly than the Zeno 2, and it asks about as much of the pilot as the Peak 6 without the pitch-back on thermal entry. It is still a D, though, and strong, turbulent air calls for the piloting that the class demands. For a pilot already flying Ds who wants top-end glide but has found that pitch-back on every thermal entry wearing, it is worth flying first.
Skywalk X-Alps 6 (95) — An Easy Step from C to a Light Two-Liner D
It suits a pilot who has settled into a C-class two-liner and is looking for a first D. It doesn't get into thermals as quickly as the Poison 4 or Zeno 2, but while you are getting used to D-class flying, being comfortable matters more than that.
AirDesign X-Ped XS — A Light EN-D Two-Liner That's Fun to Turn
The X-Ped XS is a D-class wing for experienced hike-and-fly pilots who want to cut the weight on their back. The small size needs extra care to stay in the core on weak days, but if you can load it near 83kg, you get a light kit that is still a real pleasure to turn.
BGD DIVA 2-S — An EN-D Two-Liner Smoother Than the Zeno 2
For a D pilot weighing up the Zeno 2, the DIVA 2 offers similar climb and glide with somewhat smoother movement. The price is a turn that isn't as sharp as the Zeno 2's. In strong turbulence it still pitches forward like any two-liner D, so its smoothness alone is no reason to step straight up from a C.
UP Meru 2 SM — A Calm EN-D Two-Liner
For a pilot moving up from a C-class two-liner to D, the Meru 2 is worth considering for how much calmer it moves than the Zeno 2. In strong air, though, it still asks for more work than a C-class two-liner. Its turn in a thermal is also slightly slower than the Zeno 2's and the deeper brake range is firm; Bassil said he would prefer softer brakes and a tighter turn radius.
Niviuk Klimber 3 P (size 21) — A Relatively Easy Super-Light D-Class Two-Liner
For a pilot who has flown two-liner Cs and is considering an EN-D, this is a wing worth a look when cutting hike-and-fly weight. Choose carefully and the whole kit — harness, wing, vario, phone, helmet, water, and chocolate — stays under 7.5kg. There is a lot of energy in the wing, and it is tempting to throw it around, but that is a habit better not formed.
Advance Omega ULS 23 — A Light, Agile EN-D with a 6.8 Aspect Ratio
For a pilot moving up from EN-C to look for an EN-D for hike-and-fly XC, the Omega ULS is a good fit. It asks only a little more than an EN-C. In return for the weight it saves, it gives a little away to racing EN-Ds when pinned low in a strong valley breeze, and its very light risers and cloth need careful handling.
Niviuk Peak 6 (22) — A Comfortable, Easy EN-D Two-Liner
For a pilot who has logged two full seasons in strong air on an Artik 6 and wants a wing that is still easy to fly but performs far better, this is the EN-D to look at. It lacks the Zeno 2's aggressive push on windy days, but a pilot flying purely cross-country gets D-class performance with less energy management. On the 22, around 95–96kg suits everyday flying; for local comps or strong XC days, loading it to 98kg is worth trying.
Ozone Zeno 2 MS — A D-Class Two-Liner That Pushes Through the Air
The deeper you push the bar, the more the Zeno 2 asks of its pilot. Coming from a three-liner D, get comfortable around 40% bar first, where B-steering is easy, and pair the wing with a harness that holds you firmly in place. Its climb in weak thermals falls slightly short of the Zeno 1's, but loading it about 5kg below the top of the range helps a little, which is worth knowing if most of your flying is on weak days.
Triple Seven King 2 MS — An EN-D 3-Liner Made for Big Air and XC
The King 2 suits EN-D pilots who fly XC in strong, rough air. Its 3-line layout gives the wing a compact feel in those conditions, something Bassil says 2-liners don't offer yet. The price is a hard nil-wind launch and a fast trim that makes it a bit harder to hold height in very weak thermals. If most of your flying is from windless launches on light days, you will rarely get to use what this wing does best.
MacPara Magus — An EN-D Two-Liner with Great Brakes and Glide
The Magus is an XC wing for pilots who already handle EN-D two-liners. The brakes and glide are where it gives the most; launch is the weak spot. If you mostly fly from nil-wind or narrow takeoffs, put in plenty of ground handling before you take it there.
Niviuk Peak 5 (22) — An EN-D for Experienced Two-Liner Pilots
Pilots coming from the Peak 4 shouldn't expect the same easy handling. Little information comes through the B-risers and brakes, so they will have to learn a new way of reading the wing in rough air, and both testers said it takes time to adapt. In return they get one of the best glides in the D class and a fast trim. It suits experienced two-liner pilots who want results in D-class races and can spend the hours it takes to get used to it.
Ozone Zeolite GT MS — A Light D-Class Two-Liner with Great B Handles
The choice comes down to weight versus movement in rough air. At 3.5kg the Zeolite GT is light and sits above the M7 on performance, but in strong, turbulent air it moves all the time and the pilot has to keep holding it overhead with the brakes. It suits a D pilot who is already comfortable flying that way and wants to cut weight. If a wing that moves less in rough conditions matters more, the heavier Zeno is the better choice.
GIN Leopard — An Aspect-Ratio-7 EN-D Two-Liner with Good Brakes
Among D pilots choosing a two-liner with an aspect ratio above 7, the Leopard suits those who want a wing that turns well in small thermals and stays tame in pitch. The trade is that it pulls less into the core in weak thermals, so a pilot who likes the wing to move slightly ahead into a thermal should try it before buying. Smaller sizes are sometimes trimmed a bit differently, so conclusions drawn on the XS may not carry over exactly to the S.
Ozone Mantra 7 SM — A Comfortable EN-D That Excels Into Wind
For a pilot coming off the M6, this wing asks less and gives more glide into wind. In moderate air it feels like a lower-class wing, but that impression shouldn't lead anyone to treat it as a C. It suits D pilots who can hold it overhead in strong, rough air with longer brake inputs. If you rely heavily on big ears to come down, try them yourself before buying.
UP Meru SM — A First Two-Liner After a Three-Line D
For a pilot moving up from a three-line D, the first thing to weigh with the Meru is how they will get down. Ears are hard to use, so height has to come off with 360s; if you are used to descending on big ears, that habit has to change first. And because the SM is the smallest size, a lighter pilot who wants to fly it near the top of the range will need ballast, which is extra weight to carry every day in a hot climate.
SKY Aeon M — An EN-D Three-Liner Tamer Than the LM6
The Aeon and the LM6 are close on trim speed and glide, and the Aeon climbs slightly better, so choosing between them comes down mostly to brake feel. Bassil himself says the two behave very differently. Pilots who want firm brakes and pressure that tells them what the wing is doing will prefer the LM6; those who want a slightly softer canopy and softer brakes that still respond well will prefer the Aeon. Its comfort is judged by the standard of pilots already flying D-class wings, so anyone moving up from a C should keep that in mind.
ADVANCE Omega X-Alps 2 (23) — Relatively Easy to Fly for an Aspect Ratio of 7
For an LM6 pilot, the Omega X-Alps 2 asks for a little more attention in return for a slightly faster trim and a better glide into a headwind. Against the X-Alps 3, it is slower into thermals but less demanding to fly.
Skywalk X-Alps 3 (S) — A Light Race Wing at Its Best on Windy, Strong Days
The X-Alps 3 is a wing for the ultimate hike-and-fly competition pilot, extreme right down to its riser setup. A competition pilot weighing it against the LM6 gives up weak-day float and comfort in turbulence, and gets race speed on windy, strong days in return. It keeps you busy in rough air, so it suits pilots for whom active piloting is already second nature.
Ozone Zeno MS — The D-Class Two-Liner With the Best Glide on Bar
The reasons to pick a Zeno are competitions and record flights. It leads on long glides on bar, and in return asks for more work in rough air and time to get comfortable with full bar in turbulence. A pilot coming off a good season on an IP6 in varied conditions should be ready for it. For XC, fun, safety, and all-round use, Bassil still picks the LM6.
Skywalk Poison X-Alps XS — A Light EN-D Tuned from the X-Alps Race Wing
These impressions come from a single size, the XS. Bassil stresses that sizes of the same model can behave very differently, citing the LM6 S (slight pitch forward), LM6 SM (neutral) and M6 SM (slight pitch back), so anyone looking at the M should test fly it before deciding. Pilots used to a two-liner such as the Peak 4 should also expect pitch control on the C riser while accelerated to feel heavier and less efficient.
AirDesign Pure 3 SM — A Strong-Climbing Two-Liner D That Takes Time to Learn
This is a wing for pilots already flying D-class who want climb above all else. Give yourself a few flights in easy conditions to learn it first. Glide and speed improve with weight, so pick the size that puts your all-up weight at the top of its range.
Ozone LM 6 — The Lightweight Mantra 6
For a D-class XC pilot who carries the wing on foot, as in hike-and-fly, the LM6 is worth choosing over the standard M6. What you give up is slightly heavier brake pressure and a fraction more roll in turbulence. It is still a D-class wing like the Mantra 6, though, so it is not one to pick on weight alone without D-class experience.
Mac Para ICON — A Comfortable EN-D Three-Liner That Floats Well in Weak Air
It suits a D pilot who wants both the float to hang on in weak cores and comfort in rough air. Load it near the top of the range. The C handles are slightly heavier than on the M6, so getting real use out of them on bar takes a pilot already used to damping surges that way.
Triple Seven King (S·M) — An EN-D Three-Liner with Standout Glide
The reason to choose the King is its glide at 45–47km/h, speeds many XC pilots fly often. In exchange, its top speed is lower than the wings it was compared with, and in rough air it asks for more active piloting than a Mantra 6. A Queen pilot should move up only after two seasons of flying the Queen comfortably in strong conditions. If you have put many hours on an S, check whether its trim speed has changed, and talk to a dealer before releasing any loops.
Gradient Avax XC 5 26 — An Aspect Ratio 7 EN-D With Strong Brake Authority
Top speed is about the same as the Aspen 5's, and in very weak conditions the Aspen 5 climbs better. The reason to pick the XC 5, then, is not speed or weak-day climbing but handling that turns precisely inside a thermal. The surge after the wing pitches back on entry into strong thermals has to be stopped with the brakes, so it suits pilots who have already handled the pitch movement of a D.
Niviuk Peak 4 (23) — An Agile D-Class Wing at Aspect Ratio 7
For a pilot used to D wings who wants quick turning and strong glide in one package, the Peak 4 is worth a look. On days with thermals above 0.7m/s or a fair breeze, it keeps up with the IP6 and M6 in climb and glide, and turns more quickly than the M6. If a lot of your flying is hanging on in lift under 0.5m/s, the IP6 is better, and the M6 slightly so.