XC Tracer Maxx III

Whether you’re a beginner or a pro—with the XC Tracer Maxx III, you’ll fly more intuitively than ever before. It’s not that XC Tracer varios are reserved for professionals—quite the opposite. Pros like Chrigel have been flying for so long that it doesn’t make much of a difference to them if the vario’s beeps don’t match what they’re feeling. For pilots with less flying experience, flying with an XC Tracer Maxx III becomes an intuitive experience. Because what the vario indicates with its beeps and what you feel match perfectly.

Maximum accuracy

Conventional variometers have the drawback that the rate of climb and descent is always displayed with a time lag of varying magnitude. With the XC Tracer Maxx III, data from various sensors is combined using a complex mathematical algorithm, eliminating this time lag. Thanks to the lag-free display of climb and sink rates, finding and centering thermals with a Maxx III is much easier than with a conventional variometer.

And you can adjust the variometer sounds however you like—just use oursound simulator to do so.

Intuitive Maximum

Screens stripped down to the essentials make for intuitive operation. Icons instead of text for effortless understanding—you don’t need to read the manual. We designed the displays to be as easy to read as possible—just a quick glance is all it takes to grasp the essential information, allowing you to return your attention to traffic monitoring and focus on the flight. For the display, we use a special tempered glass that prevents annoying glare and is also very durable. You can choose which screens you want to display. You can choose from the following screens:

Standard: analog vario, digital vario, altitude, ground speed, compass, wind, glide ratio, flight time
Thermals: analog vario, digital vario, altitude, wind, thermal assistant, altitude curve for the last 30 seconds
Buddy: Displays topography with 3 zoom levels, altitude, position, and status for up to 8 buddies, as well as the position and status of up to 100 FANET/ADS-L pilots.
Wind: Displays topography with 3 zoom levels, as well as weather station readings transmitted via FANET.

Wind with thermal hotspots: Displays the topography at the smallest zoom level, along with weather station data transmitted via Fanet andKK7 thermal zones.
Airspace: Display with side view and top view; zoom levels can be selected. The screen refresh rate is up to 10 Hz, and warnings are built in.

The screens are fixed and cannot be modified. Waypoints are currently being developed for release in 2026.

You'll find photos of the different screens here.

Maximum orientation

Thanks to the clear depiction of the topography, you can always see exactly where you are on the ground, what suitable landing options are within reach, and how terrain features influence the development of thermals and valley winds. Adaptive terrain shading adjusts to the current direction of the sun, showing you terrain features in a particularly vivid and intuitively understandable way. You can see at a glance where a valley narrows or widens—important information for assessing the strength of valley winds when searching for landing sites. Ridge faces in valley winds suitable for soaring and dangerous leeward areas with potential rotors can be identified more quickly thanks to the vivid terrain representation. This allows you to fly not only more safely but also more tactically.

Social Maximum

You can always see where your friends are. The Maxx III is equipped with built-in ADS-L and FANET, which means it can receive data from other ADS-L and FANET devices. If you see a friend taking off and want to add them as a friend, it’s as simple as a few clicks on the red button—all you need is for your friend’s ADS-L and FANET-enabled vario to be turned on and within 30 meters of you.

You can add up to 8 friends, so you always know how far away they are, what their altitude is, and their vario reading is also transmitted. You can also see whether each friend is still flying or not. Your friends and up to 100 other paragliders are displayed with relief shading on the topography—as small dots for pilots flying higher than you, and as small circles for pilots flying lower. This way, you can immediately see which ridge or mountain the other paragliders are flying over and whether they’re flying above or below you.

Maximum Security
Your friends’ locations are continuously recorded. In the worst-case scenario, if a friend doesn’t show up in the evening, you can check your XC Tracer Maxx III to see where your friend was the last time an ADS-L and FANET signal was received. You’ll find the latitude, longitude, altitude, and status. This information can be very useful for locating a missing paraglider. You can also use your XC Tracer Maxx III as a search device, since all nearby ADS-L and FANET devices are displayed.
 

Simplicity at its best

The Vario has just one button for all operations. It’s super simple to use—you’ll be surprised at how easy it is. You can adjust almost all settings with this single button. With the remote control attached to the risers, you can use the vario without letting go of the brakes—it works exactly like the button on the vario itself. And for the finer details, you can always connect the vario to your computer or smartphone.

Proven Maximum

Red Bull X-Alps, world record holders, and countless other pilots swear by XC Tracer technology. Take a closer look at the photos from the 2023 Red Bull X-Alps, where two-thirds of the pilots flew with an XC Tracer Maxx II.

Compact Maximum

To make the Vario as compact as possible, we spared no expense and developed an internal Flarm antenna. This antenna has such a wide bandwidth that it works worldwide, whether you're flying in Europe, the United States, Australia, or elsewhere. And to ensure you can fly legally, the Vario will be CE and FCC certified (pending).

Maximum range

The Vario features a built-in lithium-polymer battery that, when fully charged, provides 60 hours of continuous operation, including data transmission via BLE and the recording of IGC and KML files, as well as, of course, operation of the ADS-L, FANET, and FLARM radios with ADS-L, FANET, and FLARM data transmission, as well as the reception of ADS-L and FANET data. The battery can be recharged as needed using the included USB-C cable.

Lightweight Maximum

The XC Tracer Maxx III weighs only 158 grams, so it's easy to take along on hike-and-fly trips.

Technical Specifications

• High-resolution MIP LCD, 800x600 pixels, 80x60 mm, excellent readability

• Anti-glare tempered glass for screen protection

• Dimensions: 101 x 81 x 18 mm

• Weight: 158 g / 171 g (with silicone protective case)

• 60 hours of battery life

• Easy to use with the included remote control attached to the lifts

• Topography display, various zoom levels

• Instant display of ascent/descent

• ADS-L, FANET, FLARM, built-in antenna

• ADS-L and FANET display of friends' location and altitude

• Open-source obstacle database

• Data Transfer via BLE to a Cell Phone, Tablet, or E-Reader

• IGC and KML Logger, FAI-approved for competitions

• Many compatible apps for Android/iOS

• Freely configurable sound settings/sound simulator on xctracer.com

• Accelerometer/Compass/Gyroscope/Barometer/GPS/BLE/ADS-L/FANET/FLARM

• GPS module with simultaneous reception of GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo signals

• Firmware Updates Usingthe Web App directly from a smartphone via BLE

• USB-C Connection

• CE & FCC Certification (In Progress)

• Made in Switzerland