Ready for anything. The ION 6 Light includes everything you would expect from a real all-round glider: precise handling and maximum performance with a high level of passive safety. Since many glorious cross-country flights start with a walk up the mountain, it is also light (3.9 kg/size S) and can be packed particularly small. Its design mirrors the ION 6, whilst using special light materials and narrower risers. This saves weight - the "Light" is a full 800 grams (size S) lighter than the standard version - and the glider, neatly packed in the waterproof Compression Bag, has a volume of only 19 litres.

Less drag. The risers of the ION 6 Light differ significantly from the previous models and are only 7 mm wide, instead of 12 mm. However, diligent workmanship guarantees a high load capacity comparable to wider risers. The thinner risers have many advantages. They mean less drag and therefore an increase in performance. And they ensure a weight reduction of 100 g. In addition, the flat webbing riser is easier to handle than the "shoelace risers", which often feature on very weight-reduced wings. The riser is skinny, but does not have a tendency to twist. Please note: if you would prefer the wider risers on the ION 6, this is not a problem. You can select which risers you want when ordering your wing.

Overview included. Both the risers and the lines of the ION 6 Light are an asset during launch preparation and ground handling. Coloured markings on the risers clearly indicate right and left and this is continued on the brake handles and hang points on our harnesses. This makes it easy to check one is hooked in correctly. Line sorting is also easy, because the ION 6 Light has sheathed main, brake and stabilo lines and follows the colour scheme recommended by the PMA: A – red, B – yellow, C – blue, brake – orange, stabilo line – green. This means the lines are identical to the ones used on the ION 6.

Lots of attention to detail. When designing the ION 6 and ION 6 Light, everything from the previous ION series was re-examined and only the features which proved to be a 100% hit were retained. The result is shorter lines than on the previous model and a reduced curvature, i.e. a "flatter" canopy. This increases the roll damping and ensures stable flight. Due to the short lines, and despite the high roll damping, the ION 6 Light reacts precisely to brake inputs - and the pilot can feel what is happening above them without delay. Another consequence of the reduced curvature is the increased projected aspect ratio (3.84) compared to the ION 5 Light (3.52). In contrast, the flat aspect ratio increased only marginally, by only 0.6%.

XC in your comfort zone. Feeling comfortable even on long flights begins with a familiarity between pilot and paraglider. This comes with experience, but is also aided by the finely tuned flight characteristics of the glider. The ION 6 Light inflates reliably even in light winds and, typical for lightweight paragliders, even with only moderate pulling force. Once in the air, flat turns are easy and in tight turns it will only spiral if you decide to. So you can make the most of even the weakest of thermals. And talking of making the most of it, if you need to get quickly from A to B, the speed-system fulfills its promise. Additionally, the following features provide performance that you will feel from the first flight: mini-ribs with internal seams, Mini-Rib Vector Tape and 3D Shaping at the leading edge.

Play it safe. Countless take offs and landings, vol biv flights and trips have left their mark? Don’t worry - even fine dirt inside the glider is easily removed, because with the ION 6 Light it slides along the trailing edge to the wingtips - to the specially designed outlets. Any greater damage that requires repair is covered by NOVA Protect, which is valid for one year after purchase and insures against the cost of accidental damage (excess 50 euros + shipping and VAT). We replace lines or damaged panels and check the trim of your glider after repair. Everything so you can do what you love to do again as soon as possible… flying.

The ION 6 Light is suitable for gifted beginners (in countries where an EN B may be used for instruction), as well as recreational pilots and experienced pilots with cross-country ambitions who value a small packing volume and little weight. Thanks to its high level of passive safety, the ION 6 Light is a great introduction to EN B gliders and allows relaxed flying - without having to forego plenty of performance for cross-country flights. Regarding the slim risers, when changing from standard to "light" risers, we always recommend the pre-flight inspection includes carefully checking that there are no twists in the risers and you are correctly clipped in.

3D-Shaping. In addition to the standard 3D Shaping there is a Zig-zag 3D Shaping seam on each cell. The advantage is that this seam doesn’t run in the direction of the spanwise force. This means the seam runs more cleanly and is more aerodynamically advantageous. This innovation reduces the creases in the leading edge.

Mini-Ribs. Mini-ribs increase the number of cells in the rear wing area and thus provide an aerodynamically optimised trailing edge. The necessary seams are on the inside. The mini-ribs also help to keep the brake pressure moderate.

Mini-Rib Vector Tape. An additional vector tape runs through slots in the mini-ribs. This tape reduces the crease that is created when braking. This markedly increases climb performance and improves handling. Additionally, there is a brake gathering system on the trailing edge. These features mean the ION 6 Light has a beautiful, smooth trailing edge, even when the brakes are applied.

Dirt outlet. On some paragliders the profile ribs and mini-ribs reach all the way back to the trailing edge - but on the ION 6 Light the profile ribs end before the trailing edge. This results in a 2 cm wide gap. Fine dirt inside the glider slides bit by bit to the wingtips where it can be removed through the specially designed outlets.

Extra slim risers. The risers of the ION 6 Light are made from 7 mm wide Kevlar webbing and have a built-in wing twist adjustment, which shortens the A3 line less than A1 and A2 during acceleration. This increases the stability of the wing during accelerated flight.

Weight-optimised cloth. We only use the highest quality cloths in all our wings, and we not only test the cloth for durability (high porosity or reduced tear resistance through UV damage or wear) but also for mechanical robustness, for example stretching. For quality control purposes we regularly take samples during serial production.

"Right from launch the ION 6 Light is unbeatable: whether it’s light or strong wind... it is very easy to inflate, stays above you and does not tend to overshoot. This, together with a relaxed flight feeling and plenty of XC potential, makes it the ideal companion for me on my vol biv tours - especially in thermic conditions."

German blogger Lucian Haas has tested our ION 6 Light on his independent, because ad-free blog Lu-Glidz. Below is the conclusion. You can read the full review (in German) here.

"With the Ion 6 (light), Nova has for the first time dared not only a gradual evolution, but a more significant change in the overall design concept of the Ion series - and in doing so, won in my view. I had already rated the predecessors Ion 4 and Ion 5 as successful all-rounders. The Ion 6 fulfils the same expectations, fits the same pilot requirements, but offers an even finer, more intuitive (thermal) handling. In my opinion, the biggest advantage over the Ion 5 and some of its current competitors from the mid-B range (e.g. Advance Epsilon 9, Skywalk Arak, Phi Beat) is that the design with the shorter lines makes launching easier, especially in more demanding conditions (strong winds, short take-off area). This makes the Ion 6, especially in the light version, an interesting option for pilots who want to combine hike-and-fly with relaxed, but sometimes already more ambitious XC flying."

By the way: With the introduction of the ION 6 / ION 6 Light, we have extended the product life cycle from two to three years. The ION 6 (Light) will remain a current glider in 2022.