Poll for CROSS BRACED PILOTS...which canopy is better?

[listo 0]

I am about to buy a new canopy and would like experienced opinions on these canopies by people who have jumped them.

Thanks,
Listo

Live today as tomorrow may not come

[skygod7777 0]

well. i love my vx. opening, flight everything. the old vx's opened bad, pretty hard. but not the new ones. heavey front riser pressure, light rears.

i like the xaos 27. it has the same flight characteristics as a vx, has light front riser pressure, but heave rear.

velocity. i liked a lot. good canopy all around.
light front riser, and i can't remember how the rears were.

fx. i liked this canopy a lot too. i had one that opened really good. front was light and rear was find also.

and let me say i'm saying light, and it really is much heavier than a stilleto, or about any other non-crossbraced canopy.

i haven't jumped the xaos 21, but i have heard it's like fx, with a bit longer snivil.

later

[rigging65 0]

I've never flown anything with a better opening than the Xaos. I have a 21 and there are some other 21s and a 27 out here as well. Overall, I think it's got the best flight characteristics as well.

Now, I'm heavy so I fly big ones (135s). I've had the crap knocked out of me by a 120 FX and was told "yep, that's going to happen" by the Mfg. Same with the VX. Same with the Velocity. Some folks say that the larger the sq.ft., the fewer of the production canopies will open well (I was told by Icarus that they'd simply "keep making me canopies until we found one that doesn't spank you"). Do I really want a canopy under those terms? Sounds like they can't get it right to me.

With that said, I've never spoken with anyone who dislikes the Xaos, for any reason. Can you say that about any other canopy out there?

"...and once you had tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward.
For there you have been, and there you long to return..."

[listo 0]

I think that I am leaning more toward a Xaos27-108.

It would be nice if the new PD canopy had a temperment between the VX and Xaos27 though. I would like it a bunch if the openings were like the Xaos but the riser pressures were between the two.

Heavy front pressure means more stability in turbulence and heavy rear pressure means longer swoops.....in general. HMMMMMM.....the possibilities!

Thanks for the post though. That is the type of info that I am looking for.

Listo

Live today as tomorrow may not come

[skygod7777 0]

Quote

I think that I am leaning more toward a Xaos27-108.

It would be nice if the new PD canopy had a temperment between the VX and Xaos27 though. I would like it a bunch if the openings were like the Xaos but the riser pressures were between the two.

Heavy front pressure means more stability in turbulence and heavy rear pressure means longer swoops.....in general. HMMMMMM.....the possibilities!

Thanks for the post though. That is the type of info that I am looking for.

the xaos is a good canopy. i just find it very similar to the vx in the flight. not on opening, or riser pressure.

i wouldn't say that the heavey rear riser pressure would mean longer swoops at all. i found that the vx and xaos that i jumped both had about the same swoop distance, on toggles and rears.

the thing with the vx is you have to have you hook perfect. you can't really adjust it very much. you can let up, but can't pull the riser down anymore if your a bit high. with the xaos and velocity and fx you can.

later

[JGarcia 0]

Hi Sam

I have about 400 jumps on an X-21 108 (the one you saw on the classifieds a couple of weeks ago). This canopy rocks...great swoops, incredible float on rear risers (easily staying up with 170 sq ft canopies). I then got a chance to jump an X-27 93 and fell in lust with it (I've got about 20 jumps on it now).

After I got Precision to give me the right slider for it, openings were as good as my X-21 108 (someone changed out the original slider for a smaller one because they thought the openings were too slow). I shoot video quite a bit, so I like the snively opeings...now it opens great, even when jumping a Bird-Man Skyflyer. I even dumped it in a track on Sunday and it was sweet. I got a great deal on it, so sold my 108. I'd recommend the Xaos line.

I have not jumped the VX, so take my recommendation with a grain of salt. But from what I've read, heard, and researched, the Xaos line of canopies is more consistent and versatile when taking openings, riser pressure, and swoop distance into consideration.

Cheers!

--Jairo

Low Profile, snag free helmet mount for your Sony X3000 action cam!

[Skydive2 1]

I've had the opportunity to jump both a Xaos-21 95(10 jumps), and Velocity 90 (which I liked so much I bought). To compare, the velocity has slightly higher front and rear riser pressure. Both the Xaos and Velocity I jumped, had nice slow openings. during opening the velocity tends to get 2 middle cells open, then "hunt" around until inflated, as to where the Xaos openings were more predictable (I compare them to a Crossfire opening). All around I would say the Xaos is a better opening canopy.
As far as flight characteristics, the velocity is more "ground hungry" than the Xaos. The Xaos didn't seem to have as much "bottom end" as the Velocity does, but that may just be me.
With either canopy, you really can't go wrong. I mostly chose the velocity simply because it was made by PD, and I have great faith in there products.