Some people simply watch YouTube videos; people like David aren't satisfied with that. Once in a while you see something incredible and imagine yourself doing it - for David, it was speedflying. From the moment he saw speedflying in 2016, he started his journey with a paragliding course and turned his aspirations into his reality. We understand his relentless pursuit of adrenaline because for us it’s titanium timepieces. We are #assembled for adventure.
David is a Slovakian, but his love for speedflying drew him to the Karwendel Alps in Austria, where he has easy access to the steep slopes and breathtaking lines of the Tyrol Mountains. It is here that he feels most connected to the beauty of our planet, flying through the mountain ranges. As often as he can, he runs down the steep mountain slopes, taking off with a wing just a third of the size of a paragliding wing, ripping down the mountain as close to the terrain as possible.
Each flight, David skillfully manoeuvres, becoming one with the streams and rivers at incredible speeds until he makes his landing on the grass at the bottom of the mountain. With no championships or competitions, speedfliers like David push their limits purely in the pursuit of adventure. We’re proud to know one of the few passionate pilots and enthusiasts showing us the natural beauty of the alps from their perspective.
What inspires us about David?
The way David describes his passion for speedflying is the way we feel about watches. David explains that he’s always been in awe of the mountains and when he discovered speedflying, it opened a door to interacting with nature in a way that he became obsessed with.
David has spent the last seven years immersing himself in the sport and honing his speed flying skills to not only interact with mountains in a way that very few will ever experience, but to record his flights and share his breathtaking footage with the world. Although his videos can be stomach churning, it’s become David’s mission to inspire others.
“What I love is trying to capture these moments in the most beautiful way possible in order for other people to see it as well. There are not many people in the world who do speedflying therefore I really enjoy being able to share this experience with others using social media. I sometimes hear from people who started speedflying after watching my videos and it makes me happy that I was able to inspire someone to also build a passion for this amazing sport.”
What else on David’s speedflying checklist?
- Speedflying wing (also called speed wing)
- Harness
- Backpack
- Helmet (Safety first!)
- Camera gear
- Extra clothes in case of bad weather
- Food
- Water
With his kit packed, David is ready to check off the most important thing: Location.
“Scouting out new locations for flying is my favourite thing to do, as you first look at the mountain and imagine how you could fly it, then proceed with finding a suitable takeoff and landing location and then the only thing left to do is to execute the flight once the conditions are right. It’s the beautiful mixture of physical effort of hiking and the mental effort of handling the emotions and making the right decisions that I find being a wonderful challenge of this sport.”
Do speedfliers wear watches?
- David’s wrists are often bare in his videos in part because he isn’t an everyday watch wearer, but also because keeps his flight gear to the absolute essentials
- The Valour 38 is his adventure companion in his kit due to its lightweight and functionality - it’s built to just work and it’s built to last
- 57 grams and crafted from UltraHex titanium, it can handle those rough environments that David is scouting for his next flight
- Medallion Yellow is the symbol of an adventurer and coupled with our commitment to sustainability, David flies with us, and we’re proud to be there
Be sure to subscribe to David's adventurers on YouTube and keep up with his content on Instagram. David loves to share about the sport of speed flying and how you can get involved in the sport so feel free to reach out and drop him a line!
