Tinkerbelle 5 #1 February 22, 2004 What is the most reliably soft opening canopy, and not just a sniveler and popper like I found the Spectre to be? I have tried so many, and still I find my sabre if packed properly is the softest and most reliable, but then again it has 1000s of jumps on it by now. I got 2 badly herneated discs in my neck way back before '92 when it was new and had first come out. If anyone else packs it it might still hurt me as it did recently. With a neck injury already I need one which will not hurt me again. As it is medics say if I try to jump again I may end up in a wheelchair! I will not stop skydiving despite those odds, just need to know how most safely to do it now with a bomb ready to go off in my neck! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydiveMonkey 0 #2 February 22, 2004 Never had any problems with my hornet (apart from when I let my friend pack for me - he likes packing fast openings)____________________ Say no to subliminal messages Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tinkerbelle 5 #3 February 22, 2004 I love stillettos, fun to fly, and a 120 is perfect, but they can open off heading in a dive. I think I would like the slowest, softest, easiest tugboat just for safety sake. I'll have fun in the sky flying. I just want a gentle parachute to set me softly on the ground so I can go up in the sky and fly some more. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymedic 0 #4 February 22, 2004 My Mod'd Safire never ever opens hard...it is more of a snivel snivel snivel....when derek said it'd take a while to open he wasn't kidding...its like falling into a big vat of jello.... Marc otherwise known as Mr.Fallinwoman.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rdutch 0 #5 February 23, 2004 Its called a "sitontheground 135" If you use it, you never get a hard opening. Canopies are made of fabric and lines, and all function because of the laws of physic's. There will never be a canopy made that wont potentially slam you, while some are more consistent they all will at one time wake you up when opening. I for one love my Velocity openings, but I have heard a few people complain about them, no canopy will keep 100% of the people happy. Ray Small and fast what every girl dreams of! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,991 #6 February 23, 2004 I've found the Silhouette line of canopies to be very reliable openers. Not super soft, but no slammers either. I've put maybe 200 jumps on one on jumps from birdman to demos to regular RW. My safire has never slammed me either over about 500 jumps. I just got a Pilot, and I think that will be a very nice opener as well, but I only have about 20 jumps on it so far, so it's too soon to tell. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kennedy 0 #7 February 23, 2004 QuoteMy Mod'd Safire never ever opens hard... What did you have done to it?witty subliminal message Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards. 1* Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tinkerbelle 5 #8 February 23, 2004 Hey Mr. Smartipants, Give my sweet Carl a big hug and a kiss (on the cheek, no cooties) from me! I will see you at the end of March for my B-day and Carl's in April with my sitontheground 135, so be nice, or I'll have to beat you up when I get there! Say, how do you like my icon? I don't know if Carl has seen it yet, but I told him about it, and he said he would check it out! Aren't we cute together?! That was taken at the Nationals in Eloy, 2001 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tinkerbelle 5 #9 February 23, 2004 "small and fast, what every girl dreams of?!" that's a joke right? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #10 February 23, 2004 QuoteWhat is the most reliably soft opening canopy, and not just a sniveler and popper like I found the Spectre to be? I have something like 1800 jumps and zero reserve rides on Spectres loaded at about 1.2:1 to 1.3:1 depending on how much food I eat and how much I've been working out. I use these same canopies for -everything-: fun jumps, camera jumps, PRO Accuracy, CRW camera. I'm not a super swooper, but I know people that can swoop the -hell- out of them. My two Spectres open -very- reliably (over 1800 jumps and no cutaways), very much on-heading and very smooth and soft even if I just throw it at a packer. They seem to do pretty much the same thing on almost every jump. Is it possible that the Spectre you tried was out of line trim or packed oddly?quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tinkerbelle 5 #11 February 23, 2004 I tried Melanie Conatser's 107, of which I spoke. I also demoed a 120 I think it was. It was the 107 that opened like crap, but then again I am not used to stuff below 120. I though the Spectre with dacrom lines would be ideal before I tried one. In theory, that should be perfect for questionable necks. I know Mikey McGown wears about 20 lbs of camera on his head and jumps a stiletto 120 I think just like Carl, but Mikey is built like a tank and weight lifts all day so he could probebly hold a building on top of his head and still not lose his head on opening, that is unless there was a cute chick near by! I think I would like a stiletto, just because they seem all around good and are well proven by now. I am a scardy cat. I don't want one of those new high speed Mach 12 furious canopies that scrapes you across the ground at 70 mph! Oh, by the way, and I'm gonna need someone to pay for it too! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tinkerbelle 5 #12 February 23, 2004 Also I had been flying a stilletto all summer, so the Spectre was like a tug boat by comparison. Had I tried it first before all those stiletto jumps I would have been comparing it to my Sabre 135, and might have been better able to evaluate and judge it's characteristics. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wingnut 0 #13 February 23, 2004 i also have a safire (with hooknswoop's mod done) and love the way it opens... but it needs a reline soon so i have to send it in....... as for another canopy that opens great is the crossfire.. my frirnd joey at my dz has one and it is a dream.... opens softer than my safire even..... doesn't tkae to much altitude but wel it's the same force per say all the way through instead of being harder in the middle and softer atthe begining and end..... ______________________________________ "i have no reader's digest version" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 140 #14 February 23, 2004 any Icarus. Spectre get rid of the Stilettoscissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymedic 0 #15 February 23, 2004 QuoteWhat did you have done to it? HookNSwoops performance option....boosts the flare and cuts out the slams I was having. sweet sweet canopy.... Marc otherwise known as Mr.Fallinwoman.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mcrocker 0 #16 February 23, 2004 I've never had a problem with my PD Spectre. I suck at packing but and it has never slammed me hard. Sometimes it opens a bit too slow and scares me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 140 #17 February 23, 2004 do you know what the mod is ?? does it apply to Safire 2 's ??scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #18 February 23, 2004 The mod changes the breaks configuration and improves the flair mainly but the openings as a side result. I've heard the Safire2 uses something similar in design. Sure would be nice if Icarus would have gave credit to Derek for it.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymedic 0 #19 February 23, 2004 Nope...just to orifinal safire's. he lengthen's the upper steering lines. it works and I'm a happy customer. well worth the 50 bucks or so I paid. Marc otherwise known as Mr.Fallinwoman.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nicknitro71 0 #20 February 23, 2004 MineMemento Audere Semper 903 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vt1977 0 #21 February 23, 2004 QuoteWhat is the most reliably soft opening canopy, and not just a sniveler and popper like I found the Spectre to be? I'm glad it's not just me that thinks the Spectre snivels then pops - never a hard pop but still a pop. I've done a handful of jumps on the Aerodyne Pilot and found the openings on that very soft - hard to make a decent judgment on it with so few jumps on it though. Vicki Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumperconway 0 #22 February 23, 2004 Crossfire 1 is the softest opening canopy I've jumped before I got a Xaos 21-88, but I know that you don't want one of those. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skychic68 0 #23 February 23, 2004 I have about 600 jumps on my Crossfire and that thing is smoooooooooth. On opening I can just lay back in my harness and hang while watching the canopy slowly and extremely sofly open. There is nothing better that I have expereinced. You just can't go wrong with a Crossfire or Spectre.Que sera sera Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Unstable 9 #24 February 23, 2004 Putting personal Experiences aside, Doesn't the Spectre Have the best reputation by far??=========Shaun ========== Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TALONSKY 0 #25 February 23, 2004 I think that with out a doubt the Icarus Crossfire 1 or Crossfire 2 are the softest openning canopy out. They are fun to fly and can either be very aggressive canopy or more conservitive depending on wing loading and flight style. Kirk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
