Gin Gliders Zoom

reviewed by Phillipe Lami in Parapente Mag no.95

Mission: to produce a worthy successor to the Nomad, Gin Gliders' sport wing.
Objective: Accessible performance and Cross Country
Origin: Korea
Lineage: sister of the Bolero, Oasis, Gangster and Boomerang 3.

+ Performance, precision of turn, Excellent finish, a remarkably clean surface.
- Brakes a bit heavy

[In the air], one immediately feels the solidity of the Zoom. In the turn, the Zoom has a good degree of maneuverability and a precise response to pilot input, right from the moment of take-off. The wing performs well in the turn, losing very little from the minimum sink rate and is generally very efficient in thermals. Above the head, a beautiful wing, lively, with lots of feedback and an impression of downright solidity. The glide angle of the wing is excellent and fully usable: a value of over 8.5 was regularly achieved in calm air. And the wing is especially sharp in thermals, which makes it formidable in climbing. Like the Nomad, the Zoom benefits in stability and comfort from the use of a smattering of speed bar, even in thermals. Finally, landing is a formality with a beautiful round out, providing you take the pains to make a correct approach. After a few more flights in all conditions I lent the glider to some experienced pilots on the hill. No surprises for them: simple takeoff, easily manageable in the air and unanimous approval of the quality of the turn. Many noted too, the significant effort required on the brakes, even in weak conditions! I flew the Zoom S for about 5 hours close to the maximum wing loading. That said, the wing is great fun to fly. The wing is made for grand aerial tours and has much to offer a pilot who has spent a few hours getting to know the glider. Less complicated to manage than a true competition glider, it offers an attractive alternative with which to start competition.

VERDICT: A glider with which to begin competition flying

1* Bad, 2* Average, 3* Good, 4* Excellent, 5* Perfect