Canopy suggestions

[ladyskydiver 0]

I'm in process of demoing canopies to find out what I like. I'm looking at 150's. I've demoed the following canopies:

Lotus (Like but the airlocks freaked me out on landing and feeling the bumps. This one would take time to get used to the bumpy rides.)

Sabre2 (liked)

Spectre (it's ok)

Nitron (like it up high, but scared me I'm not ready for this type of canopy.)

Pilot (liked)

Triathalon (it's ok)

The next one that I have on my list right now to demo is a Safire2.

Any other suggestions?

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

[EvilLurker 2]

I have a PD Silhouette I enjoy flying, you might want to try a demo, unless the whole idea of a combination ZP/F-111 turns you off. It's sure easy to pack and I liked the light toggle pressure. I'm not sure how it compares to a Pilot or Spectre, but it was a lot flatter flying canopy than the Triathlon and I get a lot better landings out of it.

[Tonto 1]

You'll like the Safire 2.

I have a Safire 1 and T has a Safire 2. While performance is very similar to the Sabre 2 and the Pilot - I liked the openings, which are between the sometimes "too brisk" Sabre 2 and the sometimes "is this a malfunction or a snivel" Pilot.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[sid 1]

Give suzie at Jumpshack a call and see if you can demo a Firebolt (164 or 146) - I have the 164 and it is - quite simply - the best all round canopy I have ever flown.... suzie@jumpshack.com

Pete Draper,

Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right?

[Spizzzarko 0]

Cora,

Just keep demoing canopies, and choose the one that fits you and your needs the best. Any jackass here on DZ.com can tell you what they recomend for you to jump. Just take a look at their jump numbers. There's nothing like a bunch of 100 jump wonders telling each other what to do. It's like the blind leading the blind.

[skybytch 273]

If you liked the Sabre2 and Pilot, check out Precision's Fusion as well - it's the same class of canopy (9 cell semi-elliptical).

[AndyMan 7]

I'm curious about your thoughts on the Lotus.

"Feeling the bumps" is a good thing. It means the canopy is remaining rigid and flying through turbulence, instead of expanding and contracting like most canopies do. Most canopies do not handle turbulence well at all, some will even expand and contract so much that the canopy actually collapses. Turbulence is exactly what the Lotus was designed for.

Otherwise,

The Sabre2 is a good canopy. So is the Pilot. So is the Safire2, although you might have trouble learning to flare the Safire2 if you jump it. Icarus sets up their brakes differently than PD.

The Nitron is pretty aggresive. Kudos for acknowledging you're not ready for it. You're probably right.

Both the Spectre and the Triathlon are 7 cell, and given that you're mostly flying 9 cells it's no surprise that these aren't hitting your sweet spot.

You've pretty much got the field covered. My only thought was to also try a Sillouette from PD.

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[cobaltdan 0]

if you like the saber II you sould also demo a cobalt: similar feel, soft openings, slightly higher glide and flare.

Daniel Preston <><>
atairaerodynamics.com (sport)
atairaerospace.com (military)

[Amazon 7]

Quote

"Feeling the bumps" is a good thing. It means the canopy is remaining rigid and flying through turbulence, instead of expanding and contracting like most canopies do. Most canopies do not handle turbulence well at all, some will even expand and contract so much that the canopy actually collapses. Turbulence is exactly what the Lotus was designed for.

Yeah.. what he said.

Cora,
I put on over 100 jumps on one of Brians demo Lotus canopies while waiting for my Samurai. The rigidity of the canopy is a good thing. I jump in a lot of places and some of them are quite turbulent with thermals.. and others with rotors from lots of trees. I LOVE the fact I dont have to look up and see the end cells on my canopy flexing so much that they are folding under. Its a good thing.. just go with it.. and it makes it hard to go back to non airlocked canopies.

[riggerrob 643]

The Sabre2 is a good canopy. So is the Pilot. So is the Safire2, although you might have trouble learning to flare the Safire2 if you jump it. Icarus sets up their brakes differently than PD.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Safires require a full-pull to flare. ... none of that sissified "toggles to ears" flares that some PD canopie let you get a way with.

Before any one takes offence to my humor. I have jumped both Pilot, Safire and most to the PD canopies, etc. and enjoyed them all.

[phoenixlpr 0]

Quote

Any jackass here on DZ.com can tell you what they recomend for you to jump. Just take a look at their jump numbers. There's nothing like a bunch of 100 jump wonders telling each other what to do. It's like the blind leading the blind. ***

Does it qualify your expert advice too?

• Quote

[ladyskydiver 0]

I currently have a Silhouette. I like it but want something a little bit zippier for my next canopy. Not too zippy as I know what my comfort level is but something just a little more.

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

[ladyskydiver 0]

I know that "feeling the bumps" is a good thing. It's just an acknowledgement to the fact that until I got used to that aspect of the canopy, it's a bit of a distraction to me. When I demoed the Lotus (even though I knew it was airlocked), I was coming in on final and "felt the bumps." Even though mentally I knew what was going on, it distracted me enough that I took a milli-second out to look at my canopy with an "oh, shit..." thought running through my mind at the same time and then remembered that it was airlocked and it was normal to feel that. That's why I included that comment...just an acknowledgment of the different aspect of the canopy that I'd need to get used to.

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

[wmw999 2,551]

I have a Diablo; I absolutely love it. Might be an acquired taste, though (7-cell with a rectangular front and an elliptical back). It dives and turns like crazy, but acts like a 7-cell the rest of the time.

Nice flare.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[EvilLurker 2]

Quote

I currently have a Silhouette.

Maybe I'll take the time to check your profile next time, eh? Sorry about that.

[ladyskydiver 0]

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

[kelpdiver 2]

Re: bumps on the lotus: what does it feel like to you when you go through that turbulent air on all the other canopies?

I'm changing canopies at the end of the year and am considering the Lotus because I don't like the 'bumping' around that I'm currently getting. Most jumps on a triathlon, but I've been told it isn't going to get any better with a 9 cell.

The trick will be arranging a demo with conditions having some turbulence so I can get some sense of the difference.

[Amazon 7]

Get a demo Lotus from Brian Germain... then take it to Byron on a hot moderately windy ( I say moderately.. cause when its WINDY there its WINDY... and jumping a new canopy you are not used to would be a BAD thing) Be sure to fly out over to the west of the landing area where the old runways are.... its plenty bumpy over there.

If you are considering an airlocked canopy get used to runing towards the canopy when it lands on windy days.. and step on the pilot chute bridle to collapse it. the Airlocks tend to stay inflated a lot longer than a non airlock. Just be prepared for that and you will be fine.

[ladyskydiver 0]

When jumping my Silhouette or any others, I don't feel every single turbulent area. With the Lotus, I did. It's a fun canopy to fly and as Amazon said, if you're interested in it, demo it. It's just one thing that I have to make sure that if I chose a Lotus in the end that I keep the "bumpiness" in mind so that it doesn't freak me out at an important moment - like landing - until I got used to it.

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

[EvilLurker 2]

Did you demo a Silhouette 150, or are you not satisfied with the performance/openings of the current one? I'll be interested to see what you end up deciding on. I went from a Triathlon to my Silhouette and never regretted it a moment. Never jumped an airlocked canopy, but I like the concept. I'd think "feeling" the turbulance would beat watching your canopy "breathe", once I was over the initial freaking out phase. Maybe.

[ladyskydiver 0]

I haven't demoed a Silhouette 150. My current canopy is very soft and gentle with the openings 98% of the time. The other 2% - . And although the Silhouette is nice and I'm glad that I had it as my first canopy, it's not quite what I'm looking for.

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

[riggerrob 643]

Air locked or non-airlocked ... sounds like the difference between a sports car and a Cadillac. The Cadillac has such soft suspension that you do not have a clue where the road is.