Pilot vs Sabre2 & Safire2

[skyvipe 0]

Definetly talk with Brian Germain on the Lotus 9-cell canopy. A great all around parachute that opens very soft and has one of the most powerful flares.

[trigger 0]

Tho not the latest and greatest,if you can demo an original Safire,a lovely canopy imo.
Cheaper than the newer stuff leaving you with more cash for jumps

.CHOP WOOD COLLECT WATER.

[mbondvegas 0]

So how did you like the Safire2? I thought the Safire2 was similar to the Pilot.

They both have baby soft openings, but the pilot's reaction to toggle input seemed better (snappier). The safire seemed to need a bit more input for the same reaction. It could be due to the safire having longer lines. It seemed to me that the lines on the safire where at least 1ft longer than on the Pilot.

The Landings on both were good. I thought the Safire had a bit more approach speed and felt a bit "Swoopier". Both flared well...I would say the Pilot has a pretty even reaction to flare input and the Safire2 seems to have more of the power near the bottom (much like it reacts to toggle turns). Both canopy's have serious glide (compared to My TRI!) I couldn't tell for sure, but I'm guessing the pilot has a bit more glide. I'm putting the Pilot slightly ahead of the Safire2.

One day I will actually buy a new canopy, but so far..I rate the ones I've demo'd and my old tri as:

Openings:
Pilot 5 of 5
Safire2 4.5 of 5
Spectre 4 of 5
Tri 3 of 5

Fun Factor (Turns):
Pilot 5 of 5
Safire2 3.5 of 5
Spectre 3 of 5
Tri 2 of 5

Glide:
Pilot 5 of 5
Safire2 5 of 5
Spectre 3.5 of 5
Tri 2 of 5

Landings:
Pilot 5 of 5
Safire2 5 of 5
Spectre 4 of 5
Tri 2 of 5



Next up: Firebolt, Fusion, and Sabre2

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I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.

[piisfish 140]

how many jumps on each ?

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[mbondvegas 0]

I only demo'd each except the Tri:

Pilot= 8
Spectre= 8
Safire2= 5 (so far; I still have it for one more weekend)

Triathlon=68

- - -
I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.

[matt1215 0]

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So how did you like the Safire2?

Like you, I thought Safire2 was very similar to Pilot.

The openings on both were very soft. Safire has a bit too much snivel for my taste. It seemed to open softer than my Spectre; Pilot seemed to open more responsively than my Spectre, which I really like.

Pilot seemed more "swoopier" to me, Safire seemed to set me down without much of a plane-out. This observation is likely skewed as I jumped a Pilot-188 and a Safire-169. Both landed really soft, much easier than my Spectre-210 .

I didn't notice longer lines on Safire, but it did seem to need more toggle input. Pilot seemed to dive more when I got on the front risers (up high), and eat more altitude when I spiraled it. Safire2 just made me dizzy. They both had awesome penetration, possibly more so the Pilot.

Following suit with your ratings:

Openings:
Pilot 5/5
Safire2 4.5/5
Spectre 4/5

Fun Factor (turns):
Pilot 5/5
Safire2 4/5
Spectre 3.5/5

Glide:
Pilot 5/5
Safire2 5/5
Spectre 3/5

Landings:
Pilot 5/5
Safire2 5/5
Spectre 3/5

Next up: Sabre2-170 (coming tomorrow), possibly Fusion and Firebolt.

I bought a used Pilot-168 as a regular canopy, but still demoing for my next downsize.

My canopy history:
Spectre-210: 26 jumps
Sabre2-210/230: 5 jumps (withholding observation until I jump the 170)
Pilot-188: 6 jumps
Safire-169: 6 jumps

[DougH 270]

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I bought a used Pilot-168 as a regular canopy, but still demoing for my next downsize.

Next downsize when? You are already at 1.1, and it isn't a race.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[matt1215 0]

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Next downsize when? You are already at 1.1, and it isn't a race.

You're right, it's not a race. I'll be on the 168 for a while (I imagine until at least my C-license). Still, I'm curious what other canopies are like.

[RkyMtnHigh 0]

My vote is the Sabre2! Love it! Love it! Love it! I've had two new ones: a 190 and a 170 and am about to be on my 3rd..a 150..love Sabre2!

_________________________________________

[plholmes 0]

I jumped all three at least 10 times each thanks to my DZ's demo program.

At about 60 jumps total I had narrowed it down to the Pilot 168 and Safire 2 169.

I found the Pilot had more power at the top end of the flair, while the Safire 2 held its power at the lower end of the flair. A big difference for the first 6 or 7 landings only.

I finally settled on the Safire 2 and have a few more weeks to wait for my new canopy to arrive.
I found it was faster, and I love the way it carves a turn.

The soft openings of the Safire 2 are because of a slightly longer snivel. I have appreciated that when my body possition was less than perfect as I deployed.

I really enjoyed both canopys and I don't think there is a wrong decision between them.

[tbrown 26]

I went to a Pilot from a Spectre, so I was already used to having soft snivelly openings. I absolutely love the long flat glide of the Pilot - by far the longest glide of any canopy I've ever jumped. On no wind days I often have to use some front risering not to overshoot the landing zone altogether. It took me a long time to figure out 9 cell landings in low/no winds, but with a basic canopy course and practice I'm getting very nice 2-3 step walk out landings in no wind.

I demo'd a Sabre2 a couple times and generally didn't like it much, from the opening to the landing. But to be fair, as this was a demo rental, I can't really say what kind of condition the canopy or line trim were in.

If I downsize, I'll be very eager to move down a size on the Pilot, but would also like to try a Safire2, as I've only heard really good things about them. Everyone I know with a Safire2 LOVES them, so why not give one a try before I spend the $$.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[Elisha 1]

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The soft openings of the Safire 2 are because of a slightly longer snivel. I have appreciated that when my body possition was less than perfect as I deployed.

Wuss.

I have scoliosis (all 4 - hunchback, sway and some lateral curve) and took a PDR-126 to terminal today. Rather brisk, but otherwise no ill effects. It would have been nice though if the winds were 20 mph less though so I could practice flaring an F111 7-cell.

[matt1215 0]

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I went to a Pilot from a Spectre, so I was already used to having soft snivelly openings. I absolutely love the long flat glide of the Pilot.

Funny, I made the same transition. I got my new Pilot-168 this weekend, and put the first 3 jumps on her . Previous canopy was a Spectre-210, then various demos, then an old Pilot-168 that I bought so see if that was what I really wanted/wait for new.

Great openings, great penetration, really fun to fly. What amazes me is how much faster my new 168 flies than my 400-jump 168, and the corresponding boost in flare-power .

Landing my new Pilot feels more like the Sabre2-170 I demoed than the old 168 (really surfy), but with the same great opening characteristics I've experienced on Pilots (very soft, but having a comparatively shorter snivel than Safire2 or Sabre2) .