What main canopy to buy

[jumpsracer 6]

I'm in the market to buy a new canopy and am trying to decide between the Pulse or Sabre 2. The main factor is how well each canopy behaves at the bottom end...LANDING!

[nigel99 273]

jumpsracer

I'm in the market to buy a new canopy and am trying to decide between the Pulse or Sabre 2. The main factor is how well each canopy behaves at the bottom end...LANDING!

I've not jumped a Pulse, but as a general rule, the flatter the glide the less power available for the flare. But flare power is only half the picture, the flatter glide can make it easier to judge the landing and also is probably a bit more forgiving.

I used to love my Sabre 2's, but recently discovered that I much prefer the flatter glide that other canopies offer. As a result I will be moving away from Sabre 2 in the next few months.

Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.

[virgin-burner 1]

safire2!

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[grue 1]

virgin-burner

safire2!

…don't pull low

cavete terrae.

[floormonkey 0]

You can demo each of these canopies. This would give you a much better chance of getting the canopy you truly want rather than a poll on the interweb.

http://www.performancedesigns.com/demo_sport.asp

While it isn't free, a little money now may save you tons of heartache later.

[mattjw916 2]

I own a Pulse but still have a lot more jumps on Sabre 2s and the Sabre 2 definitely has a better flare and lands better IMO.

The Pulse opens and packs up much better though so it's a trade off.

NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

[yoink 321]

jumpsracer

I'm in the market to buy a new canopy and am trying to decide between the Pulse or Sabre 2. The main factor is how well each canopy behaves at the bottom end...LANDING!

What do you mean by 'behaviour'?

In my experience almost all modern canopies land very well if they're equally in trim. They might however, take different techniques to get the best out of.
I've found that higher airspeeds often give a more 'positive' flare stroke if that's what you're looking for, but then require a much more progressive flare.

[westcoastSD 0]

Saffire 2

[offaxis 0]

I jumped a pulse at about a 1:1 WL and it definitely did not have the best flare.

I ended up getting a pilot zpx which packs small like the pulse but flies nicer and has better openings than the sabre 2.

Of the 2 though I'd get the sabre 2 - Better resale value and much better landings.

[scottd818 0]

Safire 2!

[hillson 0]

jumpsracer

I'm in the market to buy a new canopy and am trying to decide between the Pulse or Sabre 2. The main factor is how well each canopy behaves at the bottom end...LANDING!

Define behaves...both land fine. The SA does have more "grunt" in the bottom end if you're constantly digging out, I suppose. The PL is a breeze to land. Trims a bit higher and the stroke is a bit shallower but you can still pop it up. Both very easy to land. I'm assuming a standard approach. If you add speed and whatnot on landing you'll be much, much, much happier with a SA2. If you're looking at the very large sizes they have revised the geometry on the PL to give it more flare. 170 and below were already setup to deflect more of the tail anyway.

Openings are shorter and generally more on heading with the PL. Fairly brisk and positive. Fucker glides forever. Long spot? Toggles up and bring a book to read.

IMHO, the PL initiates turns faster than a SA but doesn't really dive compared to the SA and the PL recovers on a dime. The front riser pressure is way lower on the SA. Given the real flat trim of the PL you don't get much out of the rears when compared to a SA. Both generally well behaved in stalls on the yonkles and rears, the PL being a bit more docile. Both well behaved in slow fight All in all I felt like there was a much greater range of control in all flight regimes on the SA.

In my (limited, comparatively) experience the PL runs out of gas in the flare department when you begin to load it above 1.4 if you're doing straight in approaches. It does a bit better, higher, if you add some speed. I generally double front and not hook. Itnbecame a bit of a chore on the PL.

There is a lot more than simply how so something "behaves" on landing (still not sure what that means). Jumpers from students to many thousands of jumps use both canopies everyday with no real drama. If a demo is not possible...ask around and see what people do and don't like about the canopies. Read the flight characteristics docs on PD's website.

If you want a Sabre2 that opens better...get a Safire2. :)

Anyhoo...just one low-time asshole's long-winded opinion that owned a Pulse 170 and put jumps on both canopies from sizes 150-210.

[jumpsracer 6]

For those of you who responded THANK YOU!! I'm on a limited budget and can't afford to demo every canopy. I used this poll to determine which canopy to demo...looks like Sabre2 is the winner! Thanks again to everybody who responded!!!

[section5 0]

this is funny to me. i assume you're referring to how long it takes to open?