It folds down into a large pack but weighing as little as 23 pounds, complete. Paragliders are ready to fly in 5 minutes. It's also somewhat easier to learn to fly a paraglider. In BC, paragliders are flown by pilots from 16 to 72 years of age. Hiking to launch is good exercise but many sites can be driven to.
Good pilots find that finesse is as important as brute strength.
Good used equipment is often available for half the price of new. Generally five years of average use. This obviously depends on how and where it is used. Ultraviolet rays from the sun are the greatest source of canopy deterioration. 300 hours of exposure is considered the normal life.