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Skydiving Gear and Equipment: Main and Reserve Parachutes: Icarus Canopies : Safire 2 : Reviews: Pages: 1 2 3 [>] [>>]

has contributed 23 reviews

(Review ID:2260)

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

its a great tool

Rated by: clustermagnet on 2009-11-11 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: Safire 2 in Unknown Tag: 'cat_linked'

Pros: softest openings ever
Cons: ... longest openings ever :)

comparing to
safire2 300+
sabre 1 (200 jumps on them)
sabre 2 (50 jumps)
stiletto 10 jumps (fun spinning madness)

chose the canopy because of super nice openings that are nice to my back if you jump 10+ times/day

learn the flare of this canopy, its not the same as PD...

in my inexperienced hands, the canopy flies similar to sabre2, almost identical.

The openings can be a bit scary, constant 1K+ foot openings. I have had 1 hard opening on this canopy... just like my team mate who got slammed on a spectre few weeks back. i guess anything can slam.

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(Review ID:2225)

4 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

Nice canopy but not for me

Rated by: Jeth on 2009-08-05 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: Safire 2 in Unknown Tag: 'cat_linked'

Pros: good openings, very docile
Cons: slow openings, not very responsive

I recently demoed a Safire 2 149. I was looking to downsize from my Pilot 168, which I've jumped for about 200 jumps. I found that the Safire was not what I was looking for. People say that the openings are super soft. For me - that means way too long and no feedback. I like to pitch and feel the tension in the risers right away, and I did not get that with the Safire. It also sniveled way too long for me. There is a difference between quick and hard. I like a quick opening which is still soft.
The canopy also didn't really perform like I wanted. The Safire was sluggish in turns, and I had to bury the toggles all the way down to get a good flare. I previously demoed a Pilot 150 and it was much more responsive. I was previously under-loaded, and was looking for better performance at about a 1.2 wing-loading. I did not get that with the Safire.
I think this canopy would be great for beginners, or possibly at a much higher wing-loading. But for WL around 1:1, looking for a little more performance, it did not deliver.

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(Review ID:2211)

2 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

Great Experience

Rated by: druvaughn on 2009-07-08 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: Safire 2 in Unknown Tag: 'cat_linked'

Pros: Openings, Flare
Cons: None

I currently have a Safire 2 209 (1.37), and have done 300+/- jumps with it.

Demo the 189 (1.51) for 25-30 jumps

Took the canopy straight from the demo team at Skyfest. This interaction was certainly a positive experience -- took my CC on the spot and sent me on my way.

Openings -- seemed to be a little more consistently on heading than my 209 has been which is surprising. Had one bad opening with twists, but happy to blame that as much on operator error. A good snivel and never really got smacked; typical opening about 800-900ft. As soft at terminal as H&P...

Flying -- lighter fronts than my 209, and the rears had a very late stall point. Responsive to any inputs, and I was extremely happy with the harness turns which I have been unable to really use on the 209 (size or wing loading I suspect). Can make it float a little for cross counties with rears or brakes which is nice, and I was surprised that I had to lengthen my traditional final, as I was over shooting my early approaches.

Flare -- every bit as strong as my 209, and the late stage is actually stronger. Without swooping, I typically use a 2-stage flare, and was pleasantly surprised that the 189 flew longer, requiring a step or 2 less.

Have been told that manufacture time is fairly short (which it wasn't when I ordered my 209 a couple of years ago), but going to try another Icarus canopy before I buy.

I am very happy with my Demo experience and with the flight and performance of both my 209 and this 189. Great canopies.

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(Review ID:2152)

5 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

Best canopy in its class

Rated by: x46255 on 2009-03-11 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: Safire 2 in Unknown Tag: 'cat_linked'

Pros: Great openings, Responsive, Strong Flare
Cons: None!

I bought a new Safire2 169 in December and have absolutely loved it. It opens soft every time and I've never had it turn more than 90 degrees off heading on opening (unlike my Sabre2 that whipped around at least 90 or more every jump). The Pilot opens just as soft but isn't nearly as fun to fly as the Safire2. It is very responsive in the sky and has much lighter front riser pressure than the Sabre2. The flare is exceptionally strong and works great in a single or two stage flare. I have psycho packed and pro-packed and it opens just as well every time. There's absolutely nothing that I have found yet that I don't like about this canopy!

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(Review ID:1976)

19 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

Super chute!

Rated by: cefey on 2008-05-09 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: Safire 2 in Unknown Tag: 'cat_linked'

Pros: Very, very soft openings, awesome endeles flare, realy nice and smooth flying
Cons: bit heavy in front risers

At first I was going for the Sabre2, but after only 1 jump on Safire2 I felt in love with this chute.
Now I have put around 50 jumps on my Safire2 169, with wingload about 1.2

I have tested Sabre1, Sabre2, Silhouette, Spectre, Navigator and PD (in different sizes), so I compare with all this chutes.

First of all, is softest and nicest opening ever. They are soooo great, I done gonna give them up for nothing!
Even after crappy pack, they are always nice.
Some people say they take lot of alti, but with me its take around 400-800fot, its not THAT much.
I tried lot of different way to pack it, and had some twin opening, and some spin. But they are all way on head, and never twin and spin. But to avoid it, just follow canopy, be with it on openings, and they�ll be great.
Compared to other chutes, sabre2 comes clothes to openings, but not the same at all. And sabre1 had very hard and awful opening.

Now over to flying.
It�s main reason why I decided to go for Safire2 instead of Sabre2.
Safire flyers lot easier then sabre. Its much more nicer and comfy. In turns it need more input to swing fast. But if you push toggles really down, its turns really fast.
Only thing I liked better with Sabre2, is that its much easier in front risers.

Specter turns lot faster, but you almost don't have chance to turn slow with it. And you loose lot of alti with it.

And now, flare.
Its endless. One time I came down in front risers with good speed, and there was snow-ice-drift. I flared almost everything, got 2 meters up, and 5 forward, flared a bit more and had super soft landing.
As long as you flare in time, you�ll have super soft landings.
Sabre 2 is also great in flare, kinda as good as Safire.
Specter is with my wingload is with perfect flare is super soft to, but if you flare bit to early or bit to late, you will get a bit harder landing.
And I dint like silhouette, in compare with Safire, it had no flare at all.

I recommend this chute to everyone, no mater how many jumps you have, because its sooooo much in this chute.
If you want super soft openings, endeless flare. This one is for you.
Sabre is a bit faster in turns, but if you give a bit more input, I bet you go at least as fast as sabre!
Super chute, thanks Icarus!

(when I was buying equipment, I was searching for the best thing, so you can read my reviews on merlin rw suite, Z1 helmet, solo, alti-track and javelin odyssey)
Blue skies!

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(Review ID:1855)

3 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

G+reat all round recreational canopy

Rated by: Odin on 2007-08-21 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: Safire 2 in Unknown Tag: 'cat_linked'

Pros: Great riser input-both front and rear
Cons: Almost scary slow opening on hop and pops

I've put about 50 jumps on my new 189 Safire2. I watched Natecoon's first landing on his and I can vouch for the "long" glide. He just about went into the buildings, just like I just about went into the runway from 200' above ground on the other side of the landing area. It just goes and goes. Very fast recovery from toggle and riser input and responds well to body input form harness turns. I load it about 1.25:1 and love the response. Only scary jump was pulling at 11,000' for a X-country jump and watching the canopy still slowly opening at 9,000'. On the other hand, it was beautiful to watch it slowly unfurl-I just wouldn't exit at 3,000' and expect it to be open in time to set up a pattern unless I dove to 2,000' and built up speed.

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(Review ID:1629)

1 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

Safire2

Rated by: natecoon on 2006-08-16 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: Safire 2 in Unknown Tag: 'cat_linked'

Pros: Fun to fly
Cons: Haven't found any yet

I've only put a few jumps on my brand new Safire2 so far but I love it. It's my first canopy (189 loaded at about 1.1:1) and I think it's perfect for me as my first canopy. Fun but not stupid!

I was jumping a Pilot188 as a student before finally getting onto my own gear and I have to say the difference between those two canopies really surprised me. The openings of the Safire are a lot softer. The toggle response of the Safire is better. The glide of the Safire is WAY longer which makes for landings that are WAY more fun.

I'm still a newbie and it's obviously still a bigger canopy, but for me, the landings are awesome.

I'd like to jump a Sabre2 just to feel the differences. But from what I've heard the Safire does have a better glide and flare.

So far I love it. I'll post again once I have a few more jumps on it.

UPDATE - I've put about 70 jumps on the canopy now and just love it. Openings are consistently awesome. I've taken a Sabre2 up a few times as well and have found that the Safire2 does have a little more drive and seems to level out earlier in the flare. Because I'm still new to the sport I know that I'm not flying the canopy any where near to what it is capable of BUT, I have been able to pull off some great no wind landings on straight in approaches or with a very little bit of front riser. I will definitely be sticking with this canopy as I downsize and learn to fly more aggressively. Loads of fun.

The only downside I'd mention (that really isn't a negative, more of just an observation) is that the vectran lineset is already looking old and dirty compared to the spectra lines on a main with similar jump numbers.

Update - I went from my Safire2 189 to a Spectre 170. No Thanks. The Spectre had FANTASTIC openings but it's just not meant to fly like the Safire2....and it doesn't. When it was time to downsize again, I went back to the Safire2. Now on a Safire2 149 loading at just over 1.4

LOVE IT. This canopy is awesome. I've been doing lots of front riser carve-in landings and this thing is great. Can get some really nice speed/surf on landing. Obviously it doesn't swoop like more extreme or smaller canopies but it'll give me a nice long ride across the ground at my loading. I'm certain that I'll be on this canopy for at least 300 - 500 more jumps just learning to fly the crap out of it before I downsize again. Glides forever. The openings are amazing. Almost feels like my old Spectre. Consistently 800 - 1000 foot openings. (some don't like that but I'll take 'em.) Sub terminal openings are a little crazy feeling though. You can have a coffee while you wait for it to stop snivelling.

Did a few jumps on a Sabre2 - didn't like the openings and it didn't glide as long as the Safire2.

Anyway - love it. Would buy it again in a second.

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(Review ID:1607)

8 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

Great All Around Canopy

Rated by: nqh03 on 2006-07-26 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: Safire 2 in Unknown Tag: 'cat_linked'

Pros: Smooth Openings, Great Flare and Glide
Cons: None

I have been jumping my Safire 2 189 (loaded 1.16) for about 20 jumps now and really enjoy flying it. It opens smoothly and on heading. I pro-pack and find that if leave the nose out (not rolled or pushed back at all) it opens in about 400-600 feet. It has a good glide ratio and has saved me on several tracking dives with a long spot (rear risers helped as well). Landing this canopy is also a lot of fun. Once you level off there is still plenty of toggle left to handle unexpected problems or a poorly timed flare (you can also pop back up a few feet at the end of your flare).

I really enjoy flying this canopy and plan on staying with it for a long time.

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