What to Wear Paragliding: A Season-by-Season Guide

Wear closed, grippy shoes, long trousers, and a windproof layer you can add or shed — that covers most tandem flights and lessons year-round. The one thing every first-timer underestimates is the cold: it's routinely 6-7°C colder in the air than it is standing at the landing field, even on a warm day, because you're climbing into thinner air while a steady headwind runs over you the whole flight.

Why is it colder in the air than on the ground?

Air temperature drops roughly 6.5°C for every 1,000 metres you climb — the standard atmospheric lapse rate, the same reason mountain summits carry snow while the valley below is green. A tandem launch at 1,000 m above the landing field is already several degrees colder than where you're standing when you book, before wind chill is added on top.

Then there's the wind itself. A paraglider cruises at roughly 30-40 km/h relative to the air, and unlike walking or driving, you're sitting still inside that airflow for the whole flight instead of generating your own body heat by moving. The combination — thinner air plus constant wind, with a stationary passenger — is why operators at even warm coastal sites keep a windbreaker in the gear bag for every client, and why "it was 28°C at the beach" is not a reliable guide to what the launch, 800 m up, will feel like. If you're new to the sport, our tandem first-flight guide covers the rest of what to expect on the day, from briefing to landing.

What to wear paragliding in summer

Summer is the season people most reliably get wrong, because the ground temperature lies to you.

Layer	What works	Why
Base	T-shirt or light long-sleeve	Sun and wind protection without overheating on the walk up
Mid	Light fleece or hoodie, packable	You'll want it in the air even if you don't on the ground
Outer	Thin windproof jacket	Cuts wind chill; the single most-forgotten item in summer
Legs	Trousers or leggings, not bare skin	Comfort in the harness, protection at takeoff/landing
Feet	Trainers or trekking shoes	Grip and ankle support for the running launch

Shorts are fine at low, hot launches if you're prepared to be a little chilly for the 15-20 minutes you're airborne — plenty of tandem passengers fly in shorts and don't mind it. If the launch sits above roughly 1,000 m or you run cold, bring trousers; they roll up small enough that the extra weight in your bag is never the issue.

What to wear paragliding in winter and shoulder season

Below about 10°C on the ground, dress the way you would for a cold-weather hike, then add a windproof shell:

• Thermal base layer — top and bottom, especially if you run cold.
• Insulating mid layer — fleece or a light down piece.
• Windproof, ideally waterproof, outer jacket — this is non-negotiable in winter; without it, the relative wind cuts straight through a normal coat.
• Warm trousers — softshell or lined, not jeans (see below).
• Gloves — thin enough to still feel the brake toggles if you're flying solo, thicker if you're a tandem passenger with nothing to hold.
• A hat or buff that fits under the helmet.

Alpine winter launches add their own twist: the ground at the car park can be dry and mild while the takeoff, a cable car or hike away, sits well below freezing. Check the forecast for the launch altitude specifically, not the town at the base — the same way you'd check how windy is too windy at launch height rather than the valley reading.

What shoes should you wear paragliding?

Trainers or trekking shoes with a grippy sole, mid-to-high ankle coverage if you have them, and laces you can tighten properly. You need to run a short, uneven stretch of grass or gravel at takeoff, keep your footing if the pilot asks you to hold your legs up for landing, and absorb a stepping landing that's sometimes a light jog rather than a stand-still stop.

What to avoid is a short, firm list: sandals, flip-flops, heels, slick-soled dress shoes, and anything that could slip off mid-run. None of these give your ankles support on rough ground, and an open-toe shoe offers zero protection if you catch a rock, a root, or the pilot's foot during the takeoff steps.

Can you wear jeans, shorts or a skirt paragliding?

Jeans work but aren't ideal — denim is heavy when wet, doesn't breathe, and can feel restrictive once you're strapped into a harness for 20 minutes. Softshell trousers, joggers or hiking pants beat jeans on every point that matters in the air.

Shorts are fine at warm, low-altitude launches if you don't mind a cool breeze on bare legs for the flight — see the summer table above. Long, loose skirts and dresses are the one thing to actively avoid: fabric that isn't close to the leg can catch on the harness leg loops or risers during launch, which is a genuine snag risk, not just an inconvenience. If a skirt is all you have, wear leggings or shorts underneath.

What should you leave in the car?

A short list operators check for, and will hand you a spare item for if you show up without one:

• Loose scarves, long straps, or anything that dangles and could catch on a riser or carabiner.
• Slippery-soled shoes, sandals, or heels.
• Heavy or dangling jewellery.
• Bulky coats that won't fit comfortably inside a harness once it's clipped shut.

Tie back long hair before you get to launch — it's a small thing operators mention constantly, because loose hair around a carabiner or chest strap is a genuinely common annoyance, not a dramatic risk. If you're booking for a group with kids or older relatives, check the weight and age limits first — clothing sorted, harness fit is the next thing operators ask about.

What else should I bring?

Sunglasses are close to essential — glare is stronger at altitude and a steady headwind dries your eyes out over a 20-minute flight. Sunscreen matters even on overcast days, since UV exposure increases with altitude. A neck buff or light scarf that's tucked in (not loose) adds warmth cheaply and packs down to nothing.

One gap worth knowing about before you dress: most weather apps report the temperature at the nearest town-level station, not at the launch itself, so "12°C, feels like 9" on your phone is the valley reading, not the number that matters 800 m higher up. OutDare builds its forecasts per flying site rather than per city, so the number you check the night before already reflects the launch altitude — one less guess before you pack the bag.

Does it matter if you're a tandem passenger or a student?

Yes — a bit. A tandem passenger sits in a fabric cocoon seat and holds nothing, so gloves and gripping ability barely matter; the only real job of your clothing is keeping you warm and safe on the two short takeoff and landing runs. A student or licensed pilot handles brake toggles and risers directly for the whole flight, often for an hour or more, which changes the priorities:

Concern	Tandem passenger	Student / solo pilot
Gloves	Optional in mild weather	Recommended most of the year — bare hands on cold brake lines for an hour is genuinely unpleasant
Footwear	Trainers are fine	Trekking boots with real ankle support, since you're managing your own launch and landing
Layers	One windproof layer usually covers a 15-20 minute flight	Pack for the longest realistic flight time, not the average one — conditions change faster than you climb out of them
Hands-free gear	Not applicable	A chest-mounted phone or vario harness pocket beats pockets you can't reach mid-flight

If you've just finished a course and are flying solo for the first few times, err on the side of one extra layer and proper gloves — you'll be up there considerably longer than a tandem flight, with both hands occupied and no pilot to ask "can we head down, I'm cold."

The bottom line

Dress for the launch altitude, not the car park. Closed grippy shoes, trousers over bare legs unless it's a warm low-altitude summer day, and a windproof layer even when the forecast looks mild — that combination covers the vast majority of tandem flights and lessons, in every season. When in doubt, pack the extra layer; you can always take it off on the ground, but you can't add one once you're airborne.