ORTHODOX 0 #1 August 28, 2015 Hi! Has anybody jumped in Squirrel Freak? Your initial impressions and thoughts about this wingsuit? There is not any information or reviews on forum. Thanks for replies!Regards, Maxim Yakushev Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anachronist 2 #2 September 2, 2015 Sorry, haven't jumped a Freak but have a Colugo 2. (Since no one else has chimed in I figured I'd add this anecdote) For what it's worth, my initial impression was it flew exactly as described by Squirrel. I'm always skeptical of marketing propaganda, but in my experience, Squirrel is right on target with how they say their suits fly. They don't seem to be sugar coating anything. If you like what they are saying about it in the vids, you will probably like the suit. If you are transitioning from something like a Funk/Ghost/S-Bird then it should be a comfortable upsize. I was blown away by how smoothly and controllable the C2 flew, even on the first jump. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alygator 2 #3 September 3, 2015 Anachronist Sorry, haven't jumped a Freak (...) my initial impression was it flew exactly as described by Squirrel. Seriously? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,425 #4 September 3, 2015 Quote ... {I} have a Colugo 2. (...) For what it's worth, my initial impression was it flew exactly as described by Squirrel. Read it like thatDo you want to have an ideagasm? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anachronist 2 #5 September 4, 2015 You realize the C2 is the template for the Freak right? It is a bit more appropriate than "I have a Funk/Aura." I believe it has even been described as a "tweaked C2" by Squirrel (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alygator 2 #6 September 4, 2015 It s still totally wrong to write about "initial impression" about a suit you never flew. Even a small modification can change a lot a suit. Just try 2 different Apache with the same "template" and just minor change you ll see... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anachronist 2 #7 September 4, 2015 Ohhh, then you just need to work on your English, that isn't what my post says. Common sense should also tell you that you have an error in interpretation. English 101: The last subject mentioned in a sentence or paragraph is assumed to be the subject of the following sentence or paragraph if no other subject is explicitly stated. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anachronist 2 #9 September 4, 2015 No worries, English is a weird language sometimes (particularly written). I read it again taking that into account, and the sentence is rather nuanced. (And a lot of the posts on DZ.com are silly, so I can see how you thought maybe I was an idiot ) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TikiMan 0 #10 September 4, 2015 This is a copy of a post a buddy of mine made about the Freak. Take it as you like. I have never flown it so I can't answer any other questions. Read on... "A bunch of people asked so here is my Review of the Squirrel FREAK. Disclaimer. So before I get into any details I have to say that the suit fit was a bit loose, ( long on me), which as a result caused my legs to move around a little bit inside the suit during all types of flight and caused major twitchiness at high speeds. Also caused minor tail flap during transitions. The loose fit also made the suit always want to dive a bit and go UBER fast. (I also did not jump with a FlySight so this is a personal experience review and not based off real data) smile emoticon THE FREAK Build: The suit is built very well and is slightly baggy here and there, but overall very comfortable. One thing that really stood out was the leading edge. It is probably the best designed leading edge I have seen, as well as the option to easily remove the performance foam inside of it. The arm fit is perfectly tight and the easy reach cut out is a huge plus for ease of deployment. The Nut-Sac and the other pockets are very handy, as well as the chesty mount zipper for all you GoPro Nuts. Neutral Flight: The Freak in neutral flight preforms like most other high performance suits, (Apache, Auras, Venoms, Ect.) In neutral flight, the FREAK showed stable and easy flight with a really good feel of how powerful it really is. The arm pressure was very little in neutral flight and the suit is quick to respond with tons of power and range on demand. Back Flying and Transitions: The Freak back flies like a CHAMP! It likes to go fast when on its back though. The speed produces so much range and power to play with for all of your carving and fucking around needs. I can definitely see how Blackfly XRW can be accessible in the FREAK. Transitions were as smooth as butter. There was no fighting any sort of re-inflation, the suit remained perfectly pressurized during the transitions and seemed very stable for a suit its size. High Performance Flying: The FREAK totally blew my mind in this department. When I first laid it out on the ground I knew it was going to be a powerful suit, but I was not expecting such FREAKISH power! The FREAK’s forward speed is UNREAL (Like a bat out of hell), as well as the glide that it generates while at super fast speeds. On my first jumps on the suit I left in the dust a Jedi 2 and an Aura 2 in the hands of capable pilots. I was really amazed at is rate of acceleration and what seems to be a very high forward speed limit, it seems to be a very drag efficient suit and it is definitely one of the fastest suits I have ever flown. There is still good range while flying at high performance but it can get a bit twitchy when flying at very high speeds. (probably the fit) Flare: The flare of the FREAK was also pretty amazing, it had great flare during all flying styles, but the high-speed flare was INSANE! When I flared the suit at a high speed It would just shoot me straight up while still maintaining a relatively high forward speed. You can definitely feel the G forces at work!!!! So if you plan on doing some high speed flaring make sure u go to the bathroom before hand wink emoticon Deployment: With its outstanding flare, deployment was effortless. Arm range and motion is quite good when reaching back. My Epicene (means Transvestite, in case you didn't know) Delivered BUTTER openings every in the low speed flare. I would definitely recommend slowing down the FREAK before deploying. Overall: Minus the suit not fitting me very well (which was a bit annoying but, I am sure the good people at Squirrel will fix it), Overall I really like the FREAK. Most suits have a specific purpose, I think the FREAK is a multi purpose suit (with a lot of power at your disposal) You can drive a Ferrari nice and slow but just because you can, dose not mean you are going too wink emoticon. I think the FREAK is a great suit for someone looking for a multi-purpose badass suit that has lots of power and lots of range with not as much surface area as some of the larger performance suits. We where flying puffies all day that day, diving HARD and flying fast! The FREAK preformed very well, for a not well fitting suit, so I can’t wait to see what it will do when it fits nice and tight. Thanks for reading Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lyosha 50 #11 September 14, 2015 How is it compared to a Foghead? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riso2k4 0 #12 September 14, 2015 I'd imagine pretty similar. The Freak having a little more power and speed with the longer tail. The Foghead's tail ends at the floor. But both made for the same purpose. My Foghead is amazing, but pretty excited to test out the Freak. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lyosha 50 #13 September 14, 2015 riso2k4I'd imagine pretty similar. The Freak having a little more power and speed with the longer tail. The Foghead's tail ends at the floor. But both made for the same purpose. My Foghead is amazing, but pretty excited to test out the Freak. Well, when you get a chance can you post your impressions? I'd be interested to hear since I'm thinking of buying one of the two in a month or three or five... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riso2k4 0 #14 September 14, 2015 Yeah my buddy just bought a Freak and it should be here within a few weeks. I'll post some sort of review comparing the two... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
granpasc 0 #15 September 14, 2015 Freak promotionnal video: https://vimeo.com/134423553 Someone can tell me what are these big white "X" on ground near airfield? This is for a DZ gamble. I've betted for a semaphore signal to alien's base near Saturn... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sdctlc 0 #16 September 14, 2015 granpasc Can Someone can tell me what are these big white "X" on ground near airfield? that is a Prision.. The "Washington Corrections Center" https://www.google.com/maps/place/Washington+Corrections+Center/@47.2405197,-123.1626101,5429m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!1m3!3m2!1s0x0:0xfb836b403fc0ff69!2sSanderson+Field!3m1!1s0x0000000000000000:0x3e035419c6ecc90e!6m1!1e1 Dont land there...Scott C."He who Hesitates Shall Inherit the Earth!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roostnureye 2 #17 September 20, 2015 riso2k4I'd imagine pretty similar. The Freak having a little more power and speed with the longer tail. The Foghead's tail ends at the floor. But both made for the same purpose. My Foghead is amazing, but pretty excited to test out the Freak. Actually they shortened the tail, so its the same length as the floor. This was a change they made after the videos.Flock University FWC / ZFlock B.A.S.E. 1580 Aussie BASE 121 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riso2k4 0 #18 September 20, 2015 roostnureye***I'd imagine pretty similar. The Freak having a little more power and speed with the longer tail. The Foghead's tail ends at the floor. But both made for the same purpose. My Foghead is amazing, but pretty excited to test out the Freak. Actually they shortened the tail, so its the same length as the floor. This was a change they made after the videos. Gotcha. Thanks for the update. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
C7JM 0 #19 September 21, 2015 roostnureye***I'd imagine pretty similar. The Freak having a little more power and speed with the longer tail. The Foghead's tail ends at the floor. But both made for the same purpose. My Foghead is amazing, but pretty excited to test out the Freak. Actually they shortened the tail, so its the same length as the floor. This was a change they made after the videos. I'm not too sure though, my buddy just received his Freak and it has a longer tail like in the promotional video. I know on the website when you go to place an order though it does show the tail ending at the feet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roostnureye 2 #20 September 21, 2015 C7JM******I'd imagine pretty similar. The Freak having a little more power and speed with the longer tail. The Foghead's tail ends at the floor. But both made for the same purpose. My Foghead is amazing, but pretty excited to test out the Freak. Actually they shortened the tail, so its the same length as the floor. This was a change they made after the videos. I'm not too sure though, my buddy just received his Freak and it has a longer tail like in the promotional video. I know on the website when you go to place an order though it does show the tail ending at the feet. do you know Vincente Caijaga? ill try and get some pics of his suit, he specifically said they shortened the tail due to flapping issues in a dive.Flock University FWC / ZFlock B.A.S.E. 1580 Aussie BASE 121 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
C7JM 0 #21 September 21, 2015 Ya, now that you mention I do remember seeing him post those pics. Weird, I double checked with my friend and his tail definitely extends more. Not sure why, it was just a normal order through squirrel's website, no special requests or anything. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dpsmocv 0 #22 September 22, 2015 All of the production versions of the Freak have a single length for the leg wing. There were obviously a number of prototypes, but the final version is the same for all suits. It's really hard to see the length from Vincente's photos because of the way he is standing - his pictures look like they were taken showing his excitement about a new suit, not to do an analysis of the leg wing. Back to the original topic of how the suit flies, the suit is an incredible suit with a lot of range and speed. If you have experience in similar sized suits, you will find the Freak extremely easy and more intuitive to fly, and though it is an awesome acrobatic suit, it also dives like a champ and can fly very fast. I have done a number of speed runs with my Flysight and the Freak really performs. Even flying flat, it can fly very fast and I have done some racing with a friend in a C2, both flat and steep. The C2 is a little faster, but the Freak is impressive. At the same time, it's not a single speed suit - you can adjust and flock with others. What impressed me the most about this suit is how stable yet nimble it is. Forget throwing your arms and legs completely out of the wind to transition or do barrel rolls - all it takes is gentle, intuitive movements to transition or roll, which keeps your wings in a stable position and prevents a loss of altitude. You can see that in the videos; just watch the transitions several times and you will see what I mean. It is EXTREMELY stable at the same time and I have never once felt even slightly out of control even though it only takes subtle inputs to make the suit do what I want. It is just intuitive and simple to fly. Again, I really suggest watching videos where you can see the transitions, or you can come and fly mine :). It is like no suit I have ever flown which is why you have heard so much excitement about it. The phrase I keep hearing from other experienced wingsuit pilots is, "I can do things in this suit that I have never imagined possible". Don't take my word for it though - find a buddy or acquaintance that has one so you can jump it and see for yourself. I guarantee you will be impressed, and probably say that it is like no suit you have ever flown. The suit is seriously awesome so try to find one and jump it! -David Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roostnureye 2 #23 September 23, 2015 Thanks for the great writeup on the suit! Where are you located at? I just might take you up on the offer! Also it's pretty obvious that the tail is different from yours and Vicentes suit. Looking where the tail attaches, Vicentes it perfectly straight across, yours tapers narrower and longer past the feet at least 2". when I asked vite about the short tail he even acknowledged that it was shorter and he gave a reason for them shortening it. Not trying to argue, i am really interested in trying the suit out. It just concerns me when the prototypes are different from the production models. I want the same suit that is being flown in brevant, not one with a shorter tail.Flock University FWC / ZFlock B.A.S.E. 1580 Aussie BASE 121 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dpsmocv 0 #24 September 24, 2015 What you think you are seeing is nothing more than the way he is standing. All of the production Freaks are the same and my leg wing is identical to his. It is easy to see on his pictures if you zoom in and turn up the brightness on your screen, but just for kicks I threw my suit on and tried to take pictures imitating him. Note that he has a lot more hair than I do, but that means I fly faster because I have less drag. I put a blanket on the floor to make it easy to see the suit against the hardwood and imitated his poses. These pictures are "I have a new Freak!!" pictures. I also attached the original images again. I am in Dallas and jump at Skydive Dallas. I just sent you a message on Facebook too. Seriously, come jump it if you want to test it out and see how it flies. - David Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Davo 0 #25 September 24, 2015 I think we've gotten away from the time of 'bigger is better' and i still can't sell my Apache.... The tail wing size is standard across the production Freak wingsuits. (of course prototypes were variable) I'll post photos of mine shortly, but seriously, the full picture includes trim and airfoil shape... the 'my tailwing looks like this' forum crap is just a sidebar to the people that are out there jumping and enjoying the shit out of their suits! sometimes the best wingsuit in the quiver is what you've currently got hooked up... its on you as a pilot to make it work whether you're backflying or base or camera. non-rigid wings are a gateway drug stay safe https://vimeo.com/user1963125"What kind of man would live a life without daring? Is life so sweet that we should criticize men that seek adventure?Is there a better way to die?" Charles Lindberg, August 26th, 1938 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites