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Travman

What lines do you use on your cross-braced

Line for Cross-braced  

27 members have voted

  1. 1. What lines do you prefer for cross-braced canopies?

    • HMA
      9
    • Vectran
      18


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I was curious what type of lines people are using on their cross-braced? I have a couple of JFX's and have had HMA600 on them since I got them new and thinking of going Vectran next, partly just so I've tried both line types and better understand their pro's and cons. My FS coach recently got his Valkyries relined and one has Vectran and one is HMA and he doesn't notice any difference, but perhaps that may change as they wear. 

So curious, what type of canopy you have and what type of lines you use and why?

Edited by Travman
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From what I've heard Vectran doesn't stretch at all which may be better for the highest performance canopies. HMA does stretch a bit so can be better for canopies that open harder. However would be good if somebody could confirm this.

I currently use HMA400 and Vectran400 on two canopies and Vectran seems to be a bit thinner.

I think both lines last pretty much the same amount of jumps.

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PD has done a full review video series on line types https://www.youtube.com/user/PDBlog/search?query=line+types, watch parts 1 to 8. Vectran is part 4 and HMA is part 5. It's an 8 years old video, so more knowledge is available since then. The video also contradicts skow's comment on HMA being more stretchy.

The extra word of mouth knowledge I have is that Vectran lines are easier to evaluate for wear, while lasting about the same number of jumps as HMA, making them, theoretically, safer to jump. I also heard that depending on where you jump, a line may be preferred over another, because of how they react different due to local climate.

Fluid wings (Airwolf, HK), PD (valkyrie) and NZ (leia) all ship their xbraced canopies with vectran lines by default. I couldn't get an information on the Petra and Peregrine, but the HK is also shipped with vectran. 

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(edited)
13 hours ago, daffes said:

The video also contradicts skow's comment on HMA being more stretchy.

Fluid wings (Airwolf, HK), PD (valkyrie) and NZ (leia) all ship their xbraced canopies with vectran lines by default. I couldn't get an information on the Petra and Peregrine, but the HK is also shipped with vectran. 

Good that it's clarified!

Petra comes standard with Vectran300 or Vectran 400 as an option.

Peregrine comes with Orange (coated) Vectran, if I'm not mistaken also 300.

Edited by skow

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On 8/8/2019 at 6:41 PM, daffes said:

The video also contradicts skow's comment on HMA being more stretchy.

I watched the videos and frankly can't see any part where John would talk about one line streching more than the other (only that HMA keeps the trim and I guess he means that it doesn't shrink over time).

Did I miss something?

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On 8/9/2019 at 4:12 AM, RMURRAY said:

the coated technora 400 (hma) from MEL on my comp velo.  i would ask him (masterrigger1 here).  a true expert i would say.

 

Blue technora groupie here as well. From my girlfriends 107 Sabres to my Velos and Petras, I‘m never going back! 

Thank you, MEL! 

 

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On 8/8/2019 at 5:41 PM, daffes said:

PD has done a full review video series on line types https://www.youtube.com/user/PDBlog/search?query=line+types, watch parts 1 to 8. Vectran is part 4 and HMA is part 5. It's an 8 years old video, so more knowledge is available since then. The video also contradicts skow's comment on HMA being more stretchy.

The extra word of mouth knowledge I have is that Vectran lines are easier to evaluate for wear, while lasting about the same number of jumps as HMA, making them, theoretically, safer to jump. I also heard that depending on where you jump, a line may be preferred over another, because of how they react different due to local climate.

Fluid wings (Airwolf, HK), PD (valkyrie) and NZ (leia) all ship their xbraced canopies with vectran lines by default. I couldn't get an information on the Petra and Peregrine, but the HK is also shipped with vectran. 

Yeah reading the NZ Aerosports site they said they recommend Vectran.  Their site says both Vectran and HMA do not stretch/shrink over wear, HMA is very strong for its size but its easier to assess wear on Vectran lines. 

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(edited)

I havetwo VK's with different lines - a brand new one with 500 Orange Vectran and an older one with 400 black HMA.  I don't have enough jumps on the new one to really compare the flight characteristics of the two, but I can say that 400lb black HMA was highly recommended by one of the other camera guys.  In fact he sounded like i'd want to cut the orange lines off my new wing and put black 400's on.... but I think it would take a hell of a lot to convince me of that!  Once I get some more jumps on both of these hopefully I can make a better comparison between the two line types.

vk.jpg

Edited by Halfpastniner

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