Samurai canopy

[Ramjet11 0]

I am looking in to new canopies, and I was wondering what thoughts people have out there about the Samurai. I'm planning on about a 1.5 wing loading. Anyone out there who owns or has jumped them who can give me some insight on what this canopy is like?

[ramon 0]

I have put about 25 jumps on a samurai 150 (1.5).
My general impressions.
1. Very spongy and forgiving in toggle turns (i.e. not fast and twitchy like a stilleto). This facilitiates easy and safe flat turns, I have done two 90 degree flat turns in a row starting about 300 ' (did one to cross wind, saw I had enough altitude to do another into the wind). This is a forgiving canopy for an eliptical at 1.5, yet capable of swooping almost as far most other canopies at that loading.
2. light in the rear risers, will float back from a long spot very well. Also, if you wish to do very fast turns as toggle turns are slow on this canopy, grab a rear riser, it will turn fast enough to make you dizzy.
3. Front riser turns, riser pressure starts out fairly light then increases with speed , but it is a little lighter than a stilleto (not as light as an Alpha or Cobalt). This canopy maintains a lot of speed from a dive.
4. Negative recovery arc. This canopy is a little safer to hook in some respects as it does not return to level flight after a hard dive, but rather to about a 5 degree dive (shallow dive until you give a little toggle input). this is good because if you hook 10 feet to higher than you can hold on to the front risers, the canopy will keep its speed and dive.l slightly to the ground rather than planeing out 10 feet above the ground/stalling and then hurting your ankles with an ugly landing. this is good and a PD vengeance does it also.
I think they are good canopies, they are expensive though and I own a vengeance 135 (got a used one). my friend Wane's Samurai 135 feels faster than the vengeance, but the vengeance will dive longer.
good luck

[alan 1]

I wrote a very extensive review that was a feature article hear on Dropzone.com this past summer. You might find it in the archives(Piloting the Samurai by Alan Binnebose). You can also still read the review on the Big Air Sportz web-site at: http://www.bigairsportz.com/reviews.html
I think Ramon's perceptions are pretty consistent with my own. If you are ready for a high performance elliptical at a 1.5 wing loading, then I would recommend getting a demo canopy and try it out for yourself.
alan