ladyflyer77 0 #1 January 18, 2007 Okay...since ALL my gear was stolen I am forced to buy new. With that being said, I'm not sure what to get. I jumped a Spectre 135 before but am wanting something with more flight characteristic. Something slightly taperd because I want to down size in a safe matter. So I don't want anything fully taperd just yet. (not ready for that) I'm working on riser turns with my landing and have been doing well with that but I don't like the riser pressure the Spectre has. I was thinking of maybe a Sabre 2 or Safire 120. Again, I am here for advice so please help me out if you can. My exit weight is around 135 lbs. If I stand on my tip toes, I can see the weekend from here! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ladyflyer77 0 #2 January 18, 2007 I thought this was a forum where you could get advice? If I stand on my tip toes, I can see the weekend from here! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davelepka 4 #3 January 18, 2007 Get a Sabre2 120, be careful and have fun. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 140 #4 January 18, 2007 QuoteI was thinking of maybe a Sabre 2 or Safire 120. Again, I am here for advice so please help me out if you can. I like the Safire a lot, try and get a couple of jumps on all/most canopies of that class, compare them, and then get a Safire scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkwing 5 #5 January 18, 2007 My favorite canopy in this category is the Pilot. I jumped a Spectre for a long time, then moved to a Pilot after demoing a Sabre2. Many people like all of those canopies though. -- Jeff My Skydiving History Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peregrinerose 0 #6 January 18, 2007 I jump a Spectre 150 and have a few jumps on a friend's Pilot 132, have to admit, I really enjoyed jumping it... Spectreish openings, consistently good. I liked how it handled, particularly with regard to riser input. I'm not in the market for another canopy right now, but if I was, I'd consider it along with the sabre2 (which my husband flies and loves). Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 30 #7 January 18, 2007 QuoteI'm working on riser turns with my landing and have been doing well with that but I don't like the riser pressure the Spectre has. I know a few people have mentioned the Pilot, and it is a good canopy, but from talking with a bunch of people flying them, they have very high front riser pressure. Demo demo demo....Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ladyflyer77 0 #8 January 18, 2007 thank you all for sending some info my way. I am planning on doing a demo here and there. I was just curious on what to demo. You have given me some ideas and i will go with that. Thanks If I stand on my tip toes, I can see the weekend from here! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 140 #9 January 18, 2007 QuoteI was just curious on what to demo.Icarus Safire Precision Aerodynamics Fusion Aerodyne Pilot PD Sabre2 between others. That's already a nice selection, in my order of preference. Didn't mention french canopies (Basik X-Fun and PdF Electra) because I don't know if you can have access to themscissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CygnusX-1 43 #10 January 18, 2007 I’m curious what about an elliptical you are concerned with. And please describe “more flight characteristic”. I ask because I would say demo my canopy (the firebolt), but I do not want to recommend it if you are looking for something that this canopy cannot provide. In my personal completely biased opinion, the firebolt is a great canopy to transition from a semi-elliptical to an elliptical. It also has lighter riser pressure – but what do I know, I only have 300-some odd jumps and most on this canopy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phoenixlpr 0 #11 January 18, 2007 Demo Cobalt and Nitro too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ladyflyer77 0 #12 January 18, 2007 QuoteI’m curious what about an elliptical you are concerned with. And please describe “more flight characteristic”.Quote Well to my understanding, an elliptical is a fully tapered canopy. And with that you get some pretty agreesive step dives and if your not careful could put you into line twist fast. I understand the wing loading has a lot to do with this as well. But at the same time, I am wanting something in the 120 area which does have shorter line sets would could contribute to a lot of potential problems if you're not familiar with this type of flying. The flight characteristics I am looking for are the same sweet openings I get with the Spectre. Something with less front riser pressure. (I'm working on those 180's and being a small framed woman is hard for me sometimes). I'm also wanting something that is not going to pull out of my turn to quickly like the Stiletto (sp) does. I want a canopy that if I get screwed on a load and need to use my rear risers to get me back that the canopy is going to help out a little. I also would like to go back to a 9-cell. I love my Spectre don't get me wrong, I'm just ready to advance my skills to something a little more. And I can't do that with a Spectre. If I stand on my tip toes, I can see the weekend from here! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites bob.dino 1 #13 January 18, 2007 As others have said, demo. The Safire2 has a reputation for better openings than the Sabre2 (off-headings, closed end-cells). The Pilot has fairly high front-riser pressure. Try all three though, and see how you go. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites kaerodyne 0 #14 January 19, 2007 Marlene I think your on the right track with regards to wanting to demo canopies before you purchase, there are many good, reliable and consistent canopies on the market today. Aerodyne has a great demo program and we would like to work with you on getting a demo Pilot out to you for your evaluation, and we would also appreciate any feed back or comments you would have on the Pilot. When your ready to demo a Pilot, please contact me and I'll get a demo sent. It's almost like xmas shopping but in January Blue Skies Karl Meyer Sales Representative Aerodyne Research Office: 1 813 891 6300 Mobile: 1 813 841 2149 karl@flyaerodyne.com www.flyaerodyne.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Ms.sofaking 0 #15 January 19, 2007 I've heard good things about the Pilot.But, I thought this canopy was very similar to a Spectre.Is that not true?"I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Remster 30 #16 January 19, 2007 QuoteI've heard good things about the Pilot.But, I thought this canopy was very similar to a Spectre.Is that not true? If you want to compare it to a PD canopy, its closer to the Sabre 2.Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Ms.sofaking 0 #17 January 19, 2007 Thanks.I have a friend looking for a spectre, I told her I thought I had heard the Pilot was similar.I'll let her know it's not."I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Cloudi 0 #18 January 19, 2007 Try as many canopies as you can and decide what best suits your needs. All of the suggestions so far should keep you busy & on the right track. I would suggest that you try them in the size you're used to jumping first, though (135). It will make comparisons a bit easier. Take your favorite(s), try it/them in the 120, & then decide. Sorry to hear your gear was stolen. Thieves suck. My .02 cents. Have fun! Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites phoenixlpr 0 #19 January 19, 2007 For the record I have not jumped Spectre yet. I have a Pilot 150 and its perfect if you don't have swooping in mind. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites CygnusX-1 43 #20 January 19, 2007 With what you are looking for, I would then have to say that the firebolt would be a maybe. It has some of what you are looking for and some of what you are not. I will list what I think are the pros and cons and you can decide if you wish to demo it or not. Pros: The openings are very similar to a Spectre. They are long, soft and easy to stay on heading. It is pretty immune to body position. I know this because I have given mine some of the worst body positions while trying to video the openings and it does no more than (sometimes) take you for a “ride”. It does not spin up! Riser pressure (to me) seems light, but I have no real frame of reference. The only thing I can tell you is that I can easily do 360 front riser turns without feeling like the risers are trying to rip out of my hands. It is a 9 cell. Cons: The forward flight characteristics are somewhat what I remember like the Spectre. What I mean is that the angle of attack is steeper than I wish it were. I have not had a problem making it back from a long spot, but you will need to use rears/toggles to extend the glide. Also your landing pattern will be shorter than others flying Sabers would be. From my perspective, this canopy does have a short recovery arc. Whenever I stop a turn it immediately stops the dive and starts to swing back over my head. However, once you pick up speed it seems to swoop forever before returning to normal flight. You decide whether this is a good or bad thing. Resale value may be less than other brands since it is not as popular as those made from the bigger canopy manufacturers. That is only an issue if you plan on selling it, though. Neither a Pro nor Con: It is elliptical (fully tapered). If you tell it to turn, it will turn – and fast. If you are prone to pulling on toggles (wildly) during landing or in the case of an emergency, this is not the canopy for you. It will turn and dive very quickly. I personally love this, but others may not. Disclaimer: All of my observations have been at altitude as I have yet to put one “high performance” landing on this canopy. I also have very limited experience trying these maneuvers on other canopies. When I went through the demo mode, this one had more of the aspects I was looking for in a canopy and few of the ones I didn’t. You need to decide what is right for you. Jim Ok, I’m done with my gear review. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites sdctlc 0 #21 January 19, 2007 Quote Icarus Safire Precision Aerodynamics Fusion Aerodyne Pilot PD Sabre2 Dont forget the Lotus from Big Air. It fits nicely into the catageory for the above canopies.. Scott C."He who Hesitates Shall Inherit the Earth!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites 3331 137 #22 January 19, 2007 I jump a Firebolt and consider it the best all around canopy and I'm not the only one. With the Firebolt you can still downsize until your dangerous. Since you have to replace all your gear click here.I Jumped with the guys who invented Skydiving. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites DJL 235 #23 January 19, 2007 If you're looking at the Sabre 2/ Safire category then also look at Nitros. Send Beezy Shaw a PM and ask about demos. I've been flying one for about 400 jumps now and have had to land it in some tight spots and nasty turbulence. It does really well at slow speeds in turbulence and also has the capability to rock out swoops. It also doesn't oversteer like a Crossfire 2."I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites nbblood 0 #24 January 19, 2007 I really don't think you're going to find a slightly tapered canopy with less riser pressure than the Spectre. I think the Spectre riser pressure is pretty light actually. People have listed many options. I like the Sabre2, Pilot, and Safire2 based on what you say you're looking for. I wouldn't rule out the Spectre either. It's a great canopy. Oh, by the way, it is also a slightly tapered canopy. If you're looking for a decrease in riser pressure and that's really what you're looking for, I don't think you're going to find it in these other canopies.Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0 Go To Topic Listing
bob.dino 1 #13 January 18, 2007 As others have said, demo. The Safire2 has a reputation for better openings than the Sabre2 (off-headings, closed end-cells). The Pilot has fairly high front-riser pressure. Try all three though, and see how you go. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kaerodyne 0 #14 January 19, 2007 Marlene I think your on the right track with regards to wanting to demo canopies before you purchase, there are many good, reliable and consistent canopies on the market today. Aerodyne has a great demo program and we would like to work with you on getting a demo Pilot out to you for your evaluation, and we would also appreciate any feed back or comments you would have on the Pilot. When your ready to demo a Pilot, please contact me and I'll get a demo sent. It's almost like xmas shopping but in January Blue Skies Karl Meyer Sales Representative Aerodyne Research Office: 1 813 891 6300 Mobile: 1 813 841 2149 karl@flyaerodyne.com www.flyaerodyne.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ms.sofaking 0 #15 January 19, 2007 I've heard good things about the Pilot.But, I thought this canopy was very similar to a Spectre.Is that not true?"I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 30 #16 January 19, 2007 QuoteI've heard good things about the Pilot.But, I thought this canopy was very similar to a Spectre.Is that not true? If you want to compare it to a PD canopy, its closer to the Sabre 2.Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ms.sofaking 0 #17 January 19, 2007 Thanks.I have a friend looking for a spectre, I told her I thought I had heard the Pilot was similar.I'll let her know it's not."I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, except I'll die in the end, she said. So what could really go wrong? -----Brian Andreas Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cloudi 0 #18 January 19, 2007 Try as many canopies as you can and decide what best suits your needs. All of the suggestions so far should keep you busy & on the right track. I would suggest that you try them in the size you're used to jumping first, though (135). It will make comparisons a bit easier. Take your favorite(s), try it/them in the 120, & then decide. Sorry to hear your gear was stolen. Thieves suck. My .02 cents. Have fun! Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phoenixlpr 0 #19 January 19, 2007 For the record I have not jumped Spectre yet. I have a Pilot 150 and its perfect if you don't have swooping in mind. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CygnusX-1 43 #20 January 19, 2007 With what you are looking for, I would then have to say that the firebolt would be a maybe. It has some of what you are looking for and some of what you are not. I will list what I think are the pros and cons and you can decide if you wish to demo it or not. Pros: The openings are very similar to a Spectre. They are long, soft and easy to stay on heading. It is pretty immune to body position. I know this because I have given mine some of the worst body positions while trying to video the openings and it does no more than (sometimes) take you for a “ride”. It does not spin up! Riser pressure (to me) seems light, but I have no real frame of reference. The only thing I can tell you is that I can easily do 360 front riser turns without feeling like the risers are trying to rip out of my hands. It is a 9 cell. Cons: The forward flight characteristics are somewhat what I remember like the Spectre. What I mean is that the angle of attack is steeper than I wish it were. I have not had a problem making it back from a long spot, but you will need to use rears/toggles to extend the glide. Also your landing pattern will be shorter than others flying Sabers would be. From my perspective, this canopy does have a short recovery arc. Whenever I stop a turn it immediately stops the dive and starts to swing back over my head. However, once you pick up speed it seems to swoop forever before returning to normal flight. You decide whether this is a good or bad thing. Resale value may be less than other brands since it is not as popular as those made from the bigger canopy manufacturers. That is only an issue if you plan on selling it, though. Neither a Pro nor Con: It is elliptical (fully tapered). If you tell it to turn, it will turn – and fast. If you are prone to pulling on toggles (wildly) during landing or in the case of an emergency, this is not the canopy for you. It will turn and dive very quickly. I personally love this, but others may not. Disclaimer: All of my observations have been at altitude as I have yet to put one “high performance” landing on this canopy. I also have very limited experience trying these maneuvers on other canopies. When I went through the demo mode, this one had more of the aspects I was looking for in a canopy and few of the ones I didn’t. You need to decide what is right for you. Jim Ok, I’m done with my gear review. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sdctlc 0 #21 January 19, 2007 Quote Icarus Safire Precision Aerodynamics Fusion Aerodyne Pilot PD Sabre2 Dont forget the Lotus from Big Air. It fits nicely into the catageory for the above canopies.. Scott C."He who Hesitates Shall Inherit the Earth!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3331 137 #22 January 19, 2007 I jump a Firebolt and consider it the best all around canopy and I'm not the only one. With the Firebolt you can still downsize until your dangerous. Since you have to replace all your gear click here.I Jumped with the guys who invented Skydiving. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DJL 235 #23 January 19, 2007 If you're looking at the Sabre 2/ Safire category then also look at Nitros. Send Beezy Shaw a PM and ask about demos. I've been flying one for about 400 jumps now and have had to land it in some tight spots and nasty turbulence. It does really well at slow speeds in turbulence and also has the capability to rock out swoops. It also doesn't oversteer like a Crossfire 2."I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nbblood 0 #24 January 19, 2007 I really don't think you're going to find a slightly tapered canopy with less riser pressure than the Spectre. I think the Spectre riser pressure is pretty light actually. People have listed many options. I like the Sabre2, Pilot, and Safire2 based on what you say you're looking for. I wouldn't rule out the Spectre either. It's a great canopy. Oh, by the way, it is also a slightly tapered canopy. If you're looking for a decrease in riser pressure and that's really what you're looking for, I don't think you're going to find it in these other canopies.Blues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites