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Skydiving Gear and Equipment: Main and Reserve Parachutes: High Performance Research : Nitro : Reviews: Pages: 1 2 [>] [>>]

has contributed 11 reviews

(Review ID:2158)

5 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

OK, but who is this for?

Rated by: bellyboy on 2009-03-30 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: Nitro in Unknown Tag: 'cat_linked'

Pros: Nice openings
Cons: HMA lineset fiddly and slider awkward to collapse

I flew the Nitro 135 this weekend. As a reference my main until now has been a Stiletto 135.

Packing: Easy enough, fabric is relatively controllable and the pack volume is fractionally higher than a Stiletto of the same size. The HMA lineset has a tendency to knot up a bit and you have to walk up it slowly to avoid heat build up between them and your hands.

Deployment: Crisp opening, nice with very little hunting (I packed with the nose just hanging and the slider quartered and level with the nose). No sudden thump or nasty tendencies at all - this bit is good. Collapsing the slider is a pain in the rear however, requiring at least twice as long as PD's system even after several practices. It's secure, but overkill and seems chunky.

Flight: Rear riser input after deployment with brakes set results in nice controllable turns with no problems I could find. Release of the brakes gives an indication of what to expect from here on in - little surge to full flight. Toggle turns are OK, not particularly fast to initiate but build up turn speed to a very good rate, recovery is relatively quick with slight oversteer. Front riser pressure is on the low side of normal, not as low a my ST135 was but it's easy enough to perform a 360 without ripping your arm off.

Landings: Easy. The flare is predictable and forgiving loaded at 1.6:1. I landed straight-in and crosswind just fine. The approach is steeper than a Stiletto and the initial flare results in a less rapid transition to level flight, which I imagine would be nice for some folks.

Overall impressions: S'alright... It's not a fast canopy at this loading and I think it flies a bit bigger than it's posted size would suggest. If I were Hi-Per I'd ditch the non-cascaded lineset. I'd also prefer a more conventional slider collapsing arrangement but you might like it, who knows? This would be a nice canopy if your requirements met the characteristic advantages - no chance of accidentally inducing line-twists during radical flight, easy landings, crisp openings. It might not be for you if you like sportscar turn initiation. It's horses for courses here and I can't find anything 'wrong' with this canopy at all.

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(Review ID:1776)

17 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

Nitro 150

Rated by: mcashatt01 on 2007-04-07 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: Nitro in Unknown Tag: 'cat_linked'

Pros: material, openings, landings, stability, non-cascaded lines
Cons: none

background, I have 131 jumps, the past 80 or so jumps on a sabre1 170. I was completely convinced that the sabre2 170 was the next canopy for me. After I finally got around to demoing the sabre2 around 90 jumps I was really impressed and noticed a complete change in comparison to the sabre1, definitely a much better canopy all around. The openings however, left much too be desired, although they were not hard like the sabre it would dive to one direction or the other in a pretty swift motion. I still loved it but thought it would be wise to try another canopy and decided to take advantage of the free demo's offered by beezy. I got a nitro 150 within a few days after contacting beezy(which I ended up buying by the end of the demo period) and wow what an amazing canopy. Compared to the sabre2 it was better in all respects. The openings were the straightest on heading I have ever had, the glide was phenomenal. In turbulence it doesn't breathe like a spectre or sabre 1 or 2, it flys solid. The front riser pressure was less than the sabre2 and responded much more to all inputs toggle turns r.risers f.risers and a major improvement on harness input. Don't get me wrong I loved the sabre2 as I do the spectre and sabre1 but the nitro is just amazing. I do realize that the Nitro is a different type of canopy its more elliptical than a sabre2 and was smaller than any of the other canopies I had flown which could explain the flight improvements over the other canopies mentioned, however I did not notice a major change in flight speed or ground speed. It definitely is not a radical canopy atleast at a 1.14 wing loading. It was a very comfortable step from the 170's I had flown before. I would definitely recommend anyone to try it with in the parameters of the chart. Why not try it? it's a free demo which to me says something in itself.

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(Review ID:1531)

11 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

Very good first eliptical

Rated by: jheadley on 2006-05-08 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: Nitro in Unknown Tag: 'cat_linked'

Pros: Stability, lines, material, flight, openings, great customer service
Cons: lines, slider

I took advantage of HiPer's free demo program and tried out a Nitro 135. I originally requested a 150 but Beezy explained to me that they fly a size big so I tried a 135. I'm not really sure if I believe it really flies big though. The stall speed is definitely much lower, and the canopy will shut down to a complete stop on even a no wind day, but I think a 135 sized canopy that "flies big" would still slam you into the groud just as much as a normal 135 if an accidental low turn were made, so be cautious with your downsizing if you try one.

Anyway, the demo 135 that was suppose to be sent to me ended up being bought by the person demoing it, so beezy sent me a brand new 135 right out of the factory, never been jumped. The material that the canopy is made out of is different from most, it's more "waxy" than it is slippery, and it's VERY easy to pack even when brand new. The lines were black HMA lines, which I liked and didn't like. I understand the tiny little lines decrease drag but since I'm not a super-swooper they didn't really matter to me. The non-cascaded lines make it very easy to replace lines, but they also make making clean line stows more difficult and the lines seemed to like to knot up when walking the lines up while packing, which got me worried about tension knots but I have since learned that that is not the same as a tension knot in the air.
The slider kill line system is kind of strange, it's sort of like a drawstring used to close a duffel bag. I've read that you'd get used to it and like it but after 26 jumps I still got annoyed by it.

Openings are nice, consistent (~600 feet) and usually on heading. Nicer than any Sabre 2 I've ever jumped.

Toggle turns are fun and quick, but not as quick as a same-sized Stiletto.

Length of the recovery arc seemed to be a little shorter than a Sabre 2 135,but definitely longer than a Stiletto 135. It seems like it'd make a good canopy to learn how to swoop on.

Moderate front riser pressure, but easy to keep in a dive. A little bit of front riser oversteer, but not a big deal.

One great thing about the canopy is that it is extremely stable in line twists. Flies completely straight for mild line twists and the most severe one I had, it was just a very slow turn. No diving or spinning like the Stiletto (Or Sabre 2!)

I think this is a great canopy for someone looking for a first eliptical, since it's nice and fun to fly but is also relatively tame.

Also Beezy Shaw is very pleasant to deal with, whether on email, phone, or in person. The customer service is excellent.

For reference, I wingloaded the canopy at 1.5, have 400 jumps and the past 150 on a Sabre 2 150. I've made 10 or so jumps on various Sabre 2 135's Stiletto 135's, and Samurai 136's. I put 26 jumps on the Nitro 135 in a 2 week period. If I'm going to rate a canopy as 5 stars (like most people do on reviews) then it means it's practically perfect, so this is why I only gave it 4 stars. The Nitro is a great canopy, no doubt about that but there is room for improvement. I will definitely recommend it to people, though.

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(Review ID:1516)

10 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

All-Around Great Canopy!

Rated by: McDuck on 2006-04-07 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: Nitro in Unknown Tag: 'cat_linked'

Pros: Nice openings, great performance but not crazy-ground-hungry, packs like a dream
Cons: None that I can tell

I bought a brand-new Nitro 135 from Beezy at Dublin '06, and I have to say that I have never been more satisfied with any canopy I've ever flown. Brand-new, this canopy packed like I've never seen a new ZP canopy pack before, easily and with little hassle. The openings are beautiful and on-heading, and I've yet to be yanked out of my pants by it.

If left alone, meaning flying it with minimal input, it will fly like a much larger, more docile canopy. When you "get on it", however, it can perform like any high-speed elliptical canopy. I'm getting decent straight-in swoops, and with riser input, much longer ones. I love this canopy.

After one demo jump on this type of canopy, I was prepared to buy one on the spot. And it was a great deal.

Big thanks you to Beezy Shaw and High Performance Research for this great canopy!

Kevin S. McDermott

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(Review ID:1287)

10 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

Great canopy - recommend you try it.

Rated by: johnnyboydan on 2005-05-17 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: Nitro in Unknown Tag: 'cat_linked'

Pros: very good all around canopy
Cons: none

I wanted a canopy that I could start out on slow approches and then progress into faster. After some research I opted for the Nitro. And it is a great canopy. The construction is the best. It flys great, perfect for my exp level 320 jumps at WL 1.38. I love this canopy it will be with me for years before I need to down size. For anyone who is ready to go eliptical go Nitro.

Opening are great on heading and slow and soft.

Turning is great front or toggle.
rear riser is very fast and light.

landings are great: on straight in with no input just give very little toggle to plan out and ride it until flare which it will have plenty of flare at the end.

Packing is a breeze.

Flys very well slow in the brakes, I can hold and sink if I want no problem.

Well I only have about 9 jumps on it so far but I would recommend this canopy for anyone ready try an eliptical canopy - it will let go through all of the stages starting out and taking as far as you want.

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(Review ID:1152)

14 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

Buy a Nitro....NOW!

Rated by: WeakMindedFool on 2005-01-07 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: Nitro in Unknown Tag: 'cat_linked'

Pros: Soft on heading openings, Very responsive without the twitchiness of a Stilleto, Long swoops for its class!
Cons: Would like longer recovery arc.

There are too many up sides of this canopy to list them all. I have around 100 jumps on the Nitro and haven't looked back. I did several jumps with a Stilleto of the same size (135) and found the Nitro better in just about every way. The Nitro opens unbelievably softly and on heading. It is very responsive to toggle input without the twitchiness or over steer of the ST. Riser pressure is less and the recovery arc is longer (not allot...I wish it was longer but...). It has a ridiculous amount of lift at the end of the flare. The Nitro has been forgiving of mistakes so far. When I've come out too high on a swoop, it retains enough energy to allow me to stand up the landing anyway. I haven't put it deep in the corner yet but up high it seems to recover to level flight very fast. I�m jumping the Nitro at 1.7 and at this wing loading it rocks!

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(Review ID:1104)

10 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

Included in my final selection for my next canopy

Rated by: ladyskydiver on 2004-10-24 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: Nitro in Unknown Tag: 'cat_linked'

Pros: Fast canopy, on-heading openings
Cons: Thick lines for collapsable slider; couldn't get it to collapse

Did a demo of the Nitro 150 - got in 3 jumps on it. Since this was the first elliptical canopy that I was trying, I did my first jump on it from full alti and played with the canopy to see what it would do and is capable of (nothing like 13,000 ft to test out a canopy <grin>). I couldn't get it to stall - even though I tried. Had very quick turns, flat turns were simple and easy to do, rear risers were a breeze to use although I couldn't get the front risers to do anything. The next 2 jumps I took it down to a terminal opening. Even at terminal, the canopy opened nice and easy and on-heading. It is one of the canopies that I will be including in my final selection for my next canopy. I did load it lightly and still it was a very quick, responsive canopy. Since I was demoing it, I used a packer so that I could spend as much time playing with the canopy and testing it out as possible.

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(Review ID:1067)

15 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

This is one great canopy!

Rated by: tfelber on 2004-09-01 (user profile) (user reviews)

Review of: Nitro in Unknown Tag: 'cat_linked'

Pros: Packs great, quick turns up top, incredible flare on the bottom
Cons: Haven't found any yet.

The openings are soft as butter and always on heading. My previous canopy, a TurboZX-165, had a fairly long snivel, 800-1000 feet, and then finished quickly. The slider would knock the bumpers down occasionally. The Nitro, I tried the 150 and bought the 135, opens in 400-700 feet but it is nice and smooth and the slider comes down gently. I don't roll the nose or anything. I just release it, push it in a little, quarter the slider and wrap the tail.

Packing, this thing is so easy to pack. The material it's made from isn't slippery at all. The Pilot in contrast was a bitch... I tried three times to get it in the bag and finally took it to Packin' Cathy. I actually enjoy packing the Nitro although it packs a little big for a 135.

Risers are firm, but stable. No twitchyness. When you pull them down be sure you have plenty of altitude because the Nitro seems very ground hungry. The recovery from a front riser turn is fairly quick and the canopy returns to level flight with little input. The toggles are probably the best feature of this canopy. Pull one down and it will whip you around very quickly. Pull them both down and it flattens out. I haven't tried real hard but it doesn't feel like it will stall. You pull them down and it just flattens out and stays stable. Full flare is about shoulder level with more if you need it.

Landings, I jumped all the 150's at Rantoul prior to trying the Nitro 135. It really feels like a 150 when you put on the breaks. The first jump on it I was a little worried because it was the smallest canopy I had flown. As I came through 15-20 feet I felt like I was really moving fast. I kept my head, pulled the toggles, and the canopy planed out and stopped. I took a couple of steps at most. I was sold after one jump.

I now have about 17 jumps on it and every time I get to the ground I tell everyone how much I like this canopy. I had my first downwinder two weeks ago and I was haulin'. I pulled on the toggles and the canopy planed out but was still moving quite fast. I surfed it along for about 40 yards and finally went to my butt to try and stay on the grass. I'm sure if I tried it again I could stand it up, I just got a little nervous. I've done a couple of avoidance turns on approach without any issues. I can feel the speed increase as I turn using toggles, but haven't felt out of control at all. Saturday I had a long spot and wasn't sure I would make it back. I kept looking for alternate landing areas but actually made it all the back, landing into the wind.

I can't wait to get into a canopy course so I can further understand the capabilities of this remarkable canopy.

What else can I say...the Nitro 135 is one great canopy!

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