Ozone BV1 Review

Overview

The Ozone BV1 is a pod harness built specifically for vol-biv (fly-and-hike bivouac) missions — the kind of multi-day trips where you’re climbing a mountain, flying off it, and sleeping under the stars before doing it again the next day. Developed with input from vol-biv specialist Antoine Girard and designed by Sam Jobard, it’s positioned as a direct rival to the long-established Supair Kolibri. This is a harness for pilots who need to carry serious kit — food, a sleeping bag, camera gear, sometimes a paramotor’s worth of accessories — without giving up on-trail comfort or hike-and-fly performance.

Key Specs

Spec	Detail
Weight	1900 g (MS size); up to ~2.1 kg in Large
Sizes available	4
Max pilot load	120 kg
Reserve container volume	3–5 L
Certification	EN/LTF (PH-340-2021, Air Tuquoise)
Back protection	Inflatable
Frame material	Nitinol rods (back), carbon rods (seat)
Deployment	Front-mounted reserve container / instrument platform

Performance

Ozone clearly didn’t chase the lightest possible number here. Unpacking it, it’s obvious they haven’t gone for the lightest materials, like some of the ultralight harnesses which use paraglider-style cloth — instead, all materials feel like they can deal with a good amount of wear and tear. That trade-off shows up in the numbers: the large size weighs in at only 2.1kg, which is competitive for the category but not feather-light compared to true minimalist harnesses.

Durability is where reviewers keep coming back to praise the BV1. One USHPA Pilot reviewer flying the MS size noted that the textiles Ozone chose for the production BV1 were far more robust than expected — still very lightweight at 1.9 kg, but after inspecting the stitching and structure, it gave the impression it would last in the harshest environments, and after over 150 hours it still looked new. That’s a meaningful data point for anyone worried that “lightweight” and “vol-biv durable” are mutually exclusive.

The inflatable back protector is the standout comfort feature. An advantage of inflatable back protection is that it can be inflated with your gear in place, so equipment is stored securely and won’t move around in flight, keeping the harness comfortable even with a full kit. In practice, this means you’re not fighting a rigid foam block while stuffing a sleeping bag and stove around it — you load first, then inflate, and everything locks in place.

The reserve setup is thoughtfully built rather than an afterthought. The BV1 has a front-mounted parachute container that doubles as an instrument platform, and while it seemed small at first glance, a well-balanced mix of static and elastic materials meant a lightweight parachute fit with no drama. One reviewer did flag a philosophical point worth considering: bigger is generally better when it comes to a rescue parachute, so if you’re planning to run a larger reserve than the ultralight norm, check fit before committing.

Weather sealing on the pod itself got a mixed note from XC Magazine’s tester, who found that the pod is made from a fairly lightweight neoprene-style material, and flying in the middle of winter, this seemed to let in a little more cold air than the material on a Woody Valley GTO Light. If you fly a lot of cold-weather vol-biv, that’s worth factoring into your base layer plans — it’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s not the warmest pod on the market either. The rest of the shell fares better: the outer skin is made from a tough-feeling ripstop fabric that should stand up to the rough treatment it is likely to get on an adventure.

Day-to-day usability earns solid marks too. The same XC reviewer, who also flies the Kolibri, concluded that in the air both harnesses feel similar and both will easily take your kit for an extended vol-biv adventure — it’s the details, and how the harness fits your particular body, that will make the decision for you. He specifically preferred the BV1 for everyday use because he found it a little easier to live with, not having to step in, and with a slightly easier clip-in method, despite the extra step of inflating the protection and softlinks. Small extras like solar-panel mounting anchors and a load-bearing anti-forget system round out a harness clearly designed by people who’ve actually lived out of one for weeks at a time — Antoine Girard has used it on Himalayan expeditions and to set an altitude record over Broad Peak.

One important caveat: Ozone issued a safety notice in November 2022 changing the closure/handle routing on early production units — if you’re buying secondhand, confirm the harness has been updated, since Ozone explicitly warns not to follow the outdated closure instructions.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Genuinely durable construction — one long-term tester reported it still looked new after 150+ hours of use
• Inflatable back protector lets you pack gear first, then lock it in place — comfortable even fully loaded
• Front reserve container doubles as an instrument platform and fits reserves well despite its compact look
• Easier daily clip-in and no step-in requirement compared to some competitors like the Kolibri
• Proven on serious vol-biv and high-altitude expeditions

Cons

• Not the lightest harness in its class — Ozone prioritized durability over shaving grams
• Pod material runs a bit colder in winter conditions than some competitors
• Early units had a safety-relevant closure/handle issue, since corrected — verify any used unit is updated
• Reserve container size may feel tight if you prefer running a larger-than-minimum canopy

Who Should Buy This

The BV1 is built for pilots doing genuine multi-day vol-biv missions — hiking up, flying off, camping, and repeating — who need a harness that can absorb real wear and tear over a season (or several) without babying it. It’s also a reasonable everyday harness if you value the inflatable protector’s packing convenience and don’t mind carrying a bit more weight than the absolute lightest pods on the market. If you’re chasing the lowest possible gram count for occasional short hike-and-fly days, there are lighter options; if you want something that will survive years of rough mountain use, the BV1 earns its keep.

Verdict

The Ozone BV1 delivers on its vol-biv brief: it’s durable, comfortable when loaded, and thoughtfully detailed, even if it’s not chasing the lightest weight in its class. For pilots who put real mileage — and real mountains — behind their flying, it’s a harness that’s earned its reputation as a legitimate alternative to the Kolibri. I’d rate it an 8/10, docking a point for the cold-weather pod material and the need to double-check that any secondhand unit has the November 2022 safety update applied.