Next canopy in Progression

[xijonix 0]

It's time that I purchase the next canopy in my progression but I want some insight into what canopies I should be looking to demo. I've currently been jumping a SA2 150 for the last 300+ jumps. My landings have all been 90 degree front turns or double fronts to 90 depending on conditions.

I'm looking for more speed and performance out of my landings but not looking to get into anything competitively. I do 150-200 jumps per year mostly video and 4 way RW.

I'm looking to demo the following:

SA2 135: Higher wingloading but same model as current
KA 135: Higher performance with long recovery arc but I've heard bad things about the 135 specifically.
CF 129: Very similar to the SA2 but a slightly shorter wingload.
ST 135: Shorter arc than the rest but it's worth a ride.

With all that to consider, I weigh a solid 205 so I'm pushing 230 with gear which puts me at a 1.7 WL on these canopies. What should I be looking for in these canopies at this wingloading to maximize their performance?

[nad 0]

If you want to get more speed and performance, why not just increase your turn rather than changing the size of the canopy?

Food for thought.

[Alexg3265 0]

you should be demoing a ka150, xf149 and stiletto150, not downsizing to these... or a sabre2 135...

I was that kid jumping out if his tree house with a bed sheet. My dad wouldn't let me use the ladder to try the roof...

[wasatchrider 0]

yep 270's on big canopies are still fun

BASE 1519

[danielcroft 2]

It really depends on how much you want to invest in your canopy progression. If you want it to be slightly faster and put little effort in, then the comment above about picking a wing size higher is probably the way to go for a KA/XF2/ST. If you're actually willing to invest a little energy in your wing, then you could choose a more elliptical wing, recognizing that you're really going to need to pay attention and get coaching. Go demo a KA 150 and see what you think, I've not heard anything specifically bad about a KA 135, try any of the other wings you're considering but, set yourself up for success, don't be throwing it in your rig when you have other things on your mind or the weather is iffy.

TL:DR if you want to swoop KA but, you need coaching and focus. If you want something that's fun to fly, ST or XF2, Crossfire's a little better for that than the ST. If you're not into actually swooping, STs are great to fly IMO.

[cruelpops 0]

Only 90s and looking for more speed? Try dialing in 180s and 270s... that should satisfy your need for speed.

[sswain 0]

With fear of ridicule and judgement, I hesitantly post my progression as I not so long ago when through the same thing…

SA190, SA170, SA150 – KA150, KA135 (working on the next)

90s on the SA150 are fun, but that positive recovery gets you lower than you’d probably like. I hit downwind every jump unless stupid windy (…and then sometimes too) to get ready for this crazy ‘ground hungry’ flying machine the belly fliers fear called the ‘Katana’.

Side sliding to a KA150 from SA150 was a perfect step for my path… more dive, more power, harness sensitivity. 90’s and 270’s on the KA150 are lots of fun… you can really push the wing around (my WL: 1.66). Need more speed, downwinders.

Having moved to the KA135 (WL:1.78), I felt this was what I was expecting from the KA150…much more sensitive to harness input and much easier to snap the last 90 on a 270. Doing more downwinders now to prepare for the next downsize.

Every downsize I’ve done, I’ve been underwhelmed/expected more… I think that’s key. You should never be under a wing and think ‘oh fuck, this is too much’. Sure, all those stopping strings work the same, but you want to fly the canopy, not just jump the canopy!

Anyways, as a wannabe Canopy Pilot, I agree with the other guys; coaching is key… Prevents plateau, as well as making repetitive mistakes. As they say, practice makes permanent.

Blue skies homie… fly well!

[Di0 2]

Around that WL, I have a couple of hundreds jumps on a XF2 and maybe 100 jumps on a KA (at around 1.9).
Great elliptical canopies.
KA is more geared toward landing performances, but it's more "high maintenance" when it comes to everything else: packing, openings, very steep trim, extremely sensitive to harness when flown in brakes are all things to keep in mind.
The XF2 still offers a good amount of performance but it's a more all around, balanced canopy. You can trash pack, it will open fine, a bit of rear risers will make that thing glide forever, harness is still usable but a lot less touchy, especially when in brakes.

It all depends on what you want to focus more on, if you want to just have something a little more fun but you want to dedicate yourself to freefall, go with the XF2.
If you want a canopy to develop advanced techniques and progress toward xbraced stuff, get a KA.
That being said, I think this is just how the canopies are "tailored": you can still do those things with either canopy.

+1 for proper coaching.

I'm standing on the edge
With a vision in my head
My body screams release me
My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.