Sabre2 vs. Safire2

[Joellercoaster 6]

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My lasting impression was that the sabre 2 had superior flying characteristics once open and its flare was undeniably stronger and more robust than the other two.

If you flare the other two the same way as you flare a Sabre2, then yeah, it won't work so well.

I have like 1 jump on a Safire2 (which I really liked incidentally) so I can't talk much about it, except to say that its toggle stroke was definitely deeper than the Sabre2.

The other two though I feel like I can talk about a little (though I don't have thousands of jumps), and summarise thus:

Sabre2 sizes 190, 170, 150: Unreliable opening direction and pace (for want of a better word). Less quick on toggles, more dive on front risers, more oversteer (though not much anyway). Longer to recover - this is both a plus and a minus, depending on who you are. Liked them more as they got smaller.

Pilot sizes 210, 188, 168, 150: Beautiful openings (the 210 not so reliably on heading though). Very agile on toggles. Higher riser pressure, almost no oversteer, very snappy recovery from turns and dives.

Definitely a personal taste issue rather than an 'X is better than Y' issue (obviously, which is why they're both so popular). I'd be very happy with either, but after a brief but fun excursion into elliptical land, am about to order a third Pilot

Demo everything.

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--
"I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan

"You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

[Kami-kaze 0]

I used to fly a safire2. I like the openings. Got the brakes shortened 5cm.
The openings on the sabre2 that I tried had a tendency to turn right and open a little abrupt. Maybe the trim and/or my packing. Other than that not all that different IMO. Personal choice. Both good canopy to learn ground launch.
I like my crossfire2 now.

[BartRN 0]

My first canopy was a Sabre2 210, was brisk to open on occassion but flew fine (1.1WL)

My second canopy was a Safire2 169... LOVED it, supper responsive, snivels forever, openings so soft you sometimes looked up and was suprised to see a canopy there....... fast fun landings!!!

I am now on a Xfire 139 and loving it!!!!

Some canopies can be fun to fly, but treat you like their bitch on opening. -- Jarno

[bwilling 0]

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My first canopy was a Sabre2 210, was brisk to open on occassion but flew fine (1.1WL)

Did I tell you when I had that thing relined at PD they put a bigger slider on it? They had decided that the slider size on some of the early models (190 and up I think) was too small, and did a (free!) retrofit.

With the bigger slider and the Dacron lines, that thing opened like butter!!! It didn't always open pointed where I wanted it, but it was really, really soft. LOL

I wish I still had that canopy now!

"If all you ever do is all you ever did, then all you'll ever get is all you ever got."

[camiclakis 0]

Hi Daniel,
Still think the same about safire vs sabre. I'm looking for one of them so I think you can help me to decide.
Bests