Sabre 2 vs stilleto vs Silhouette

[usmc03 0]

What are the major characteristics from a Sabre 2 VS a Stilleto and a Silhouette? I want to down size from a 170 and am looking at a 150. I have a sabre 2 and love it.

Thanks for the help
Chad

[Andy_Copland 0]

Exit weight?

I predict you are going to hear a lot of "thats not such a great idea" replies.

I think he Stilleto is higher performance.

Edit: Sabre2 is semi eliptical.. Stiletto is fully i believe.

1338

People aint made of nothin' but water and shit.

Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.

[BillyVance 34]

Unless you were trained at Skydive Chicago, I wouldn't recommend the Stiletto for someone with your jump numbers... just my two cents. But for what it's worth, you can't deep-flare a Stiletto as it has a quick stall point.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[jacketsdb23 45]

My quick 2 cents:

1. Stilieto - At 130 jumps forget about this canopy. Although it does have a quick recovery arc the turns are very snappy and requires some major skill. This is the type of canopy that can kill you when you get cut off at 200 ft.

2. Silhouette - I owned a 190 (WL = 1.1) for about 70 jumps or so. I loved the openings. It was a bit sluggish on turns but never had a problem landing it. VERY NICE TO PACK! Its a hybrid so has F 111 bottom skin and ZP top skin. Great canopy, but from my experience I was ready for something that had a little more performance by 130 jumps.

3. Sabre 2. I think I missed the boat on the sabre 2. I've tried to like it but just couldn't get over the openings and landings. Openings aren't terrible but always off heading and the end cells constantly needed some attention to inflate. I'm probably in the minority here as most people find the sabre 2 to be a fantastic all around canopy. Depending on wing loading and experience (canopy course?) this is probably a good choice.

Talk to the instructors - i'm just a faceless internet dude.

Blue Skies!

Losers make excuses, Winners make it happen
God is Good
Beer is Great
Swoopers are crazy.

[jee 0]

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Unless you were trained at Skydive Chicago

What's that got to do with it?

[mnealtx 0]

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Unless you were trained at Skydive Chicago

What's that got to do with it?

SDM doesn't use Mantas/Navs for student training like most DZ's (I believe I read they use Sabre IIs), so the students are exposed to a more responsive canopy from the start. A small difference, perhaps, but their initial experience is based on that level performance rather than the sudden 'whoa, that's a lot faster' that *can* happen going to a higher-performance canopy after the the Manta/Navs in student status.

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[usmc03 0]

Lets focus on the question and not bash other DZ's. Lets all move pass the Chicago skydive comment!!

[billvon 2,384]

If you like the Sabre 2 170, stick with it. A Silhouette 150 will be easier to pack and fly a little differently; if anything it feels a bit 'faster' than the S2 150. Avoid the Stiletto. You don't want to deal with those openings at this point.

[skydveraz 0]

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My quick 2 cents:





3. Sabre 2. I think I missed the boat on the sabre 2. I've tried to like it but just couldn't get over the openings and landings. Openings aren't terrible but always off heading and the end cells constantly needed some attention to inflate. I'm probably in the minority here as most people find the sabre 2 to be a fantastic all around canopy. Depending on wing loading and experience (canopy course?) this is probably a good choice.

Talk to the instructors - i'm just a faceless internet dude.

Blue Skies!

I agree with you!
The Sabre 2 170 is great canopy for whiplash and for making U-turns in the sky!
I've jump one loaded at 1.4 to 1 and I'm looking to get a Safire 2 or a Pilot at this point. I've had my fill of Sabre's and Sabre 2's.

Arizona only has two seasons, Hot and HOTTER!

[usmc03 0]

The Sabre 2 170 is great canopy for whiplash and for making U-turns in the sky!
I've jump one loaded at 1.4 to 1 and I'm looking to get a Safire 2 or a Pilot at this point. I've had my fill of Sabre's and Sabre 2's.

I'd have to agree with the openings. I almost broke my neck at a boogie when I hired a packer to pack it. I blacked out for a few seconds on opening.

[packerboy 3]

Talk to the good canopy pilots and instructors at your DZ, I'm sure you will get good info there. I wouldn't trust anything anyone tells you about canopy selection over the internet. Perhaps there is a PD rep or someone with connections at your dropzone that can get you a demo or two.

Be safe.

--------------------------------------------------
In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

[johan420 0]

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Quote

My quick 2 cents:





3. Sabre 2. I think I missed the boat on the sabre 2. I've tried to like it but just couldn't get over the openings and landings. Openings aren't terrible but always off heading and the end cells constantly needed some attention to inflate. I'm probably in the minority here as most people find the sabre 2 to be a fantastic all around canopy. Depending on wing loading and experience (canopy course?) this is probably a good choice.

Talk to the instructors - i'm just a faceless internet dude.

Blue Skies!

I agree with you!
The Sabre 2 170 is great canopy for whiplash and for making U-turns in the sky!
I've jump one loaded at 1.4 to 1 and I'm looking to get a Safire 2 or a Pilot at this point. I've had my fill of Sabre's and Sabre 2's.

what about...LEARN HOW TO PACK!! it`s never to late.......

[DougH 270]

I know how to pack, but I still wasn't thrilled with the openings.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[mnskydiver688 0]

Was that a canopy issue or a packing issue?

Sky Canyon Wingsuiters

[skydveraz 0]

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I know how to pack, but I still wasn't thrilled with the openings.

Me too!! Sabre 2 is worst that the old Saber 1!

Arizona only has two seasons, Hot and HOTTER!

[usmc03 0]

what about...LEARN HOW TO PACK!! it`s never to late.......

[mnskydiver688 0]

The impression I got was you were blaming the canopy for a neck breaker opening when it was most likely a packing error. Bad packing can make any canopy open like crap.

Sky Canyon Wingsuiters

[jheadley 0]

I've got 700 jumps on various Sabre 2's, and I've never had a hard opening.

Learn to pack, and learn to deploy at the correct airspeed.

Even after demoing nearly everything out there, my next canopy will most likely be another Sabre 2.

[usmc03 0]

Learn to pack, and learn to deploy at the correct airspeed.

Do you people even read the questions! now JHEADLEY is telling me to learn how to pack and deploy.
All I asked was the difference between 3 different canopies!!

[jeezuz 0]

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Learn to pack, and learn to deploy at the correct airspeed.

Do you people even read the questions! now JHEADLEY is telling me to learn how to pack and deploy.
All I asked was the difference between 3 different canopies!!

Yea! Go figure.

I promise not to break any rules.

[mnskydiver688 0]

PD has a section on their website that covers flight characteristics of those three canopies.

Sky Canyon Wingsuiters

[AggieDave 6]

If you're already jumping a Sabre2, then you probably wouldn't enjoy a Silhotte all that much. Its a great canopy and it has its place, but you'll feel like you're moving backwards in performance.

The stiletto is a great canopy, but I really don't recommend one at your jump numbers. Basically if for no other reason then its much more sensitive to body position on opening then anything you've jumped so far. That and it reacts much wilder to those uneven openings than anything else you've experienced. Its also super easy to get in trouble with when you're not landing exactly as planned in the middle of the landing area with perfect winds.

The Sabre2 is my favorite mid-performance canopy. Its also my favorite all around canopy. It can do just about anything you ask it to do. If you want to go on to learn how to swoop the Sabre2 steps nicely into the Katana which steps nicely into the Velocity. Funny how the company did that.

Then again, my opinion of PD products is skewed by some standards so please demo everything that is appropriate for your jump numbers. Demo PD stuff, Icarus stuff, Aerodyne stuff, etc. Its worth demoing around. I believe that you'll come back to PD's canopies for many reasons, but prove it to yourself.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[usmc03 0]

Thanks ANGGIEDAVE and MNSKYDIVER, I think I'll try and track down a 150Sabre 2!!

[skydveraz 0]

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The impression I got was you were blaming the canopy for a neck breaker opening when it was most likely a packing error. Bad packing can make any canopy open like crap.

There is a problem with certain Sabre 2 canopies of which I happen to own and jump one. It has to do with the trim on the line set and the slider. unless it is in perfect trim, they will not open the same way every time. Packing is not causing the problems. I know other people that jump Sabre 2 that have run into the same issues. Another part of the problem has to do with wing loading, in my case 1.4+ to 1. When I jump other type canopies, I have no problems what so ever. I am packing them the same way.

Arizona only has two seasons, Hot and HOTTER!

[mnskydiver688 0]

I was responding to the comment made by the OP regarding a bad opening when he hired a packer. It came across that the canopy was completely to blame for the opening when I believe it was mainly the way it was packed.

Sky Canyon Wingsuiters