GeGe 0 #51 August 29, 2007 This year I bought a new Stiletto as I already have one in my other rig and I still love to jump it after all these years. Funnily enough I got a question back from PD: "Why not go for a Katana?" so they seem to try to push the Katana instead of the Stiletto (which is a pretty old design I guess). Anyway, both Stilettos fly the same (the old one is from '98) and IMHO it still is a great canopy. On a different note, the idea of going to an oversized high performance canopy when you have little experience strikes me as odd. Wouldn't it make more sense to select a canopy type based on your experience level and then go for an appropriate size or would that be totally uncool? I had that discussion once with a friend of mine whose wife was considering a new canopy. He was thinking of a Stiletto for her and then oversize it in view of her landing skills..... I hope I convinced him to rethink that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jee 0 #52 August 29, 2007 Quote This year I bought a new Stiletto as I already have one in my other rig and I still love to jump it after all these years. Funnily enough I got a question back from PD: "Why not go for a Katana?" so they seem to try to push the Katana instead of the Stiletto (which is a pretty old design I guess). Anyway, both Stilettos fly the same (the old one is from '98) and IMHO it still is a great canopy. On a different note, the idea of going to an oversized high performance canopy when you have little experience strikes me as odd. Wouldn't it make more sense to select a canopy type based on your experience level and then go for an appropriate size or would that be totally uncool? Quote Hey...thanks for your reply. I don't quite understand your comment on type, size and coolness.I've considered type and size as you suggest would make sense. And for being 'cool'? I'm 43 years old, I haven't worried about being 'cool' for over 20 years. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GeGe 0 #53 August 29, 2007 What I mean with type, size and coolness is the following. Most canopy manufacturers produce canopies over a wide range of performance: docile student canopies, intermediate performance, high performance and ultra high performance canopies (like cross braced stuff). What I see happening is that people with limited experience tend to go for a high performance canopy and oversize it, instead of going for a lower performance canopy that is more suited to their experience level and take the appropriate size. Why they do this? Maybe because they think it's cool to jump a high performance canopy? I don't know, but the rationale behind it escapes me.... Anyway, it's maybe not really something for this thread, but it just popped up in my mind. As for the coolness: same here Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pirana 0 #54 August 30, 2007 Quote Bingo. I've known Lisa several years and we've partied together until the sun has almost come up. Almost until the Sun comes up. Is that all you got? Almost????" . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jee 0 #55 August 30, 2007 Quote Quote Bingo. I've known Lisa several years and we've partied together until the sun has almost come up. Almost until the Sun comes up. Is that all you got? Almost???? it seems like she is quite a legend.......er..i mean person. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jwelborn 0 #56 September 6, 2007 Does anyone else find it scary that a rig currently listed in the classifieds as "for a beginner jumper" has a 190 Stiletto main? The supreme irony of life is that hardly anyone gets out of it alive. Robert A. Heinlein Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
swilson 0 #57 September 6, 2007 Quote What I see happening is that people with limited experience tend to go for a high performance canopy and oversize it, instead of going for a lower performance canopy that is more suited to their experience level and take the appropriate size. Why they do this? Maybe because they think it's cool to jump a high performance canopy? I don't know, but the rationale behind it escapes me.... To answer this satisfactorily, you will have to define "limited experience". One of the reasons people do this, or at least the reason I did it, is that the flight characteristics and techniques of the "oversize" high performance canopies more closely approximate those of the smaller high performance canopies. When you learn how to fly the oversize HP canopy safely, smoothly and efficiently, and decide to downsize, the adjustments are smaller. Of course, this depends a lot on what your end goals are, i.e. you just want to get to the ground safely, or you eventually want to swoop sub-100 square foot crossbraces. Personally, I put 300 jumps on a Sabre 150, and downsized to a Katana 135 after doing some jumps on a CF2 150 and Stilletto 135. I now have a little over 200 jumps on the Katana, have switched off a couple times with a ST135 in the meantime, and VERY much prefer the Katana over the Stilletto. With that said, I still have a lot to learn on the Katana before I downsize again, but those skills will be more directly transferable to smaller HP canopies. Did I follow the right path? Who knows. I can tell you that hop'n pops and canopy piloting jumps are sure a lot of fun, and canopy control courses are worth the investment... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
