I just recently purchased a Katana 120. My other main is a Stiletto 120, which opens like a Stiletto (fast, moderate snatch force) but usually for me always on heading. I love everything about the Katana except I am getting a little leary about the opening. It opens softer than anything i have ever jumped, yet after 10 jumps on it I have had 3 goofy openings, line twists (easily cleared), left diving turn (countered with right rear riser), and 360 spiral that had my hand reaching for plan B untill the lines twisted then thankfully released.I use the same deployment technique as I do with my Stiletto of equal wing loading, I am just trying to figure out if Katana requires a different techique or is it just much more responsive to any bad habits that complaicancy over the years may have produced. Thanks
The packing is a huge deal!!! More then you would think. leave the nose hang and I only put 3 half rolls in the tail. I have had packers rock my world. when I go back and ask them how they pack it they have rolled the nose or shoved it in. Also pitching flat makes a big differnce as well. You need to take an extra half second or so. also don't look up right away on opening. (you will know if something feels wrong then look) let the opening happen then look up. stare at the horizon this will help you keep flat.
I've only got 15 or so jumps on mine but it does appear that more so than any other canopy so far, packing is a big deal - body position even more so - even if you double or single stow the rubber bands seems to make a difference.... (maybe that's just me but it certainly feels that way). body position at pitching pc as well as keeping even in harness during opening sequence a must ( feet and knees together) ... Mine definitely has a turn if I am not square/even in harness. She has already let me know when she is not happy with me ... so I am learning to behave and obey her rules.
(This post was edited by piahenzi on May 5, 2008, 11:03 AM)
Symmetry is key, both in packing and pitching. Leave the nose exposed when packing and make sure everything looks nice and even when packing. Fly your body symmetrically through the opening.
I found the Katana demo I had to be quite packing-style sensitive. When I packed, I got some wild rides that ended up settling out; when I handed it over to a rigger for some tips, it opened soft and on-heading with no misbehavior at all. I cleaned up my sloppy packing and got a few more good openings out of it. I wasn't doing anything special at all: no rolling, just a normal, very ordinary pro pack.
I've only got 15 or so jumps on mine but it does appear that more so than any other canopy so far, packing is a big deal - body position even more so - even if you double or single stow the rubber bands seems to make a difference.... (maybe that's just me but it certainly feels that way). body position at pitching pc as well as keeping even in harness during opening sequence a must ( feet and knees together) ... Mine definitely has a turn if I am not square/even in harness. She has already let me know when she is not happy with me ... so I am learning to behave and obey her rules.
So what do you like better so far crossfire2 or katana? I found that on katana I don't have much end flare as I do on my cf2 also the openings that are being discussed here are nowhere as comfortable as on my gal :)
I will happily give up some bottom end flare (which I did notice as well) and have more "unpredictable" openings for the trade off of no/lo front riser pressure and a dive that won't quit until I am ready for it to after fighting the Stiletto and the Crossfires for years. Again, I only have 15 jumps on her so it's hard to make any real definitive comments but FIRST impressions are that it's exactly the right step for me right now on the way to the big boy canopy and I am willing to give up some creature comforts for what I am gaining. I'll make an analogy for you: with cars, the sportier the car, the tighter the suspension, the lower profile the tires and the more twitchy the response from steering/power input and input from the road conditions... you have to give up one thing to get another... it's personal preference as to how far you are willing to go in one direction or another. I prefered the Katana after the first jump. I gotta tell you I howled up there at 10K when I just pulled those fronts down to my waist and held them. Anyway, I've got a long way to go before I dial this one in but it will be time well spent and the other Crossfire2 that I still have might have to go on the block sooner than expected....
I will happily give up some bottom end flare (which I did notice as well) and have more "unpredictable" openings for the trade off of no/lo front riser pressure and a dive that won't quit until I am ready for it to after fighting the Stiletto and the Crossfires for years. Again, I only have 15 jumps on her so it's hard to make any real definitive comments but FIRST impressions are that it's exactly the right step for me right now on the way to the big boy canopy and I am willing to give up some creature comforts for what I am gaining. I'll make an analogy for you: with cars, the sportier the car, the tighter the suspension, the lower profile the tires and the more twitchy the response from steering/power input and input from the road conditions... you have to give up one thing to get another... it's personal preference as to how far you are willing to go in one direction or another. I prefered the Katana after the first jump. I gotta tell you I howled up there at 10K when I just pulled those fronts down to my waist and held them. Anyway, I've got a long way to go before I dial this one in but it will be time well spent and the other Crossfire2 that I still have might have to go on the block sooner than expected....
I beg to differ about the rubbeband stows, unless you are leaving them to loose and having line dump. just let the nose hang and make sure the slider is exposed and i have not noticed any difference in how many rolls i put in the tail. I personally roll my katana like people do there velos instead of the 2 s folds method. I have over 200 jumps on 135 to 107. I fly my openigs and give input as needed, and have only had end cell closer on the 120 several times and the 107 spin me up twice. Just my 2 cents......maybe we can do some hop and pops his weekend and i can watch you pull and see if i can notice anything
Katana Opening
... so I am learning to behave and obey her rules. 
and I am willing to give up some creature comforts for what I am gaining. 
