0
ktmlouie47

Katana VS Crossfire

Recommended Posts

Interestingly I was talking to a respected jumper/instructor from PD they other day who told me that the XF2 was much closer to a Sabre2 than to a Katana. He said these similarities include steepness of trim, degree of elliptical-ness (if that's even a word - planform shape I guess you could call it) and recovery arc.

This surprised me because all discussions I have heard before have put the XF2 as a highly aggressive elliptical.

Having jumped the Katana and XF2, I have to say that the Katana felt much more aggressive to me in the way it handled, dived and built up speed.

In the end, I think it would be silly for you to buy either without demoing them to be sure you're getting what is right for you.
"The ground does not care who you are. It will always be tougher than the human behind the controls."

~ CanuckInUSA

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I guess it depends on what you want. I have a Crossfire2 129 for less than 100 jumps now and really like the canopy (I have a few more jumps on a 149). The openings are superb (soft, on heading) and it has the flattest glide I have ever experienced on any canopy. Swoops are great (for my current skills) and the flare is really good, just not as good as my old Cobalt. I jumped the 129 many times with a wingsuit and it felt extremely well behaved even in twists.
I have never jumped the Katana but I believe the openings demand much more attention.. The consensus is that the Katana has higher performance though.
My experience is very limited but I hope it helps a bit. I recommend you demo both if you can.
Engineering Law #5: The most vital dimension on any plan drawing stands the most chance of being omitted

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Interestingly I was talking to a respected jumper/instructor from PD they other day who told me that the XF2 was much closer to a Sabre2 than to a Katana.



My experience has been the Katana has a longer recovery arc, but the crossfire is certainly not close to a Sabre2. It is much closer to a Katana than a Sabre2.

A crossfire 2 is in the elliptical category where the sabre2 is generally thought of as a Semi-elliptical.

Performance is in the eyes of the pilot. To the OP, jump both and see what you like. Crossfire opens better than the katana. The crossfire might be the best opening canopy on the market as far as on heading and consistency. You may not like 800 ft soft openings though. The crossfire has better glide.

The katana will dive hard and will swoop. The crossfire does that very well too, with a shorter recovery arc. My opinion is the crossfire will shut down better than the katana.

Bottom line - do not be fooled into thinking the crossfire is "more like a sabre 2". It most certainly is not.
Losers make excuses, Winners make it happen
God is Good
Beer is Great
Swoopers are crazy.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I jumped both Sabre2 and now XF2 and I can tell you one thing, the XF is in a totally different league than the Sabre2. The XF2 is much more aggresive and needs more attention than the Sabre2.

The XF2 will get you back from a long spot where the Katana doesn't do that. The recovery arc of the XF2 is shorter than that of the Katana but both will swoop very well. I love doing video and therefore chose the XF2 over the Katana because of the superb openings.
Blue skies!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

just this weekend i've watched an up- and coming swooper do his stuff on an XF2; he outswooped pretty much everyone, even the guys with the velo's..

i'm the type of guy that picks his brand and sticks to it. so for me it would be safire2 - crossfire2 - jfx/jvx..

demo and see what you like! :)

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

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

just this weekend i've watched an up- and coming swooper do his stuff on an XF2; he outswooped pretty much everyone, even the guys with the velo's..



I beat a number of people on VXs and Velos in the old Texas swoop league while flying a XF2 149. The difference was that I had to be *on* and near perfect every single competition run, where they could come around the corner soft and still have a decent score. That was in 2006 and I really believe that the XF2 simply couldn't hold a candle to the current crop of "amateur" swoop competitors. The level of competition is much higher than it was 5 years ago and the need for competition swooping specific gear, even outside the pro-ranks, is high if you want to remain competitive.

That being said, the Katana blows the XF2 out of the water in terms of swoop performance. The Katana is a no-joke swoop monster. I wouldn't say the XF2 is like a Sabre2, though. Even though I'm a very huge Sabre2 fan and think that it is an incredibly capable canopy, the XF2 does out perform it. Then again, the XF2 is in a different performance class of canopy design, it is supposed out perform the Sabre2.
--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
isn't this exact same thread already sitting over in the canopy forum?

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

so, what you're saying is that - it's not the arrow, it's the indian - again. i try not to be a fanboy of some sorts, i may jump one, but actually prefer the appearance of another company's product.

this forum mostly run - and dominated - by americans, is not a bad thing per se. what i dislike tough is the one-sided POV. icarus makes great canopies, so does icarus. same with wingsuits.. tony against phoenix.

what i find distracting (to say the least) is the lack of "proper input", for both the canopy- (or wingsuit-) manufacturers..

i'm aware that there's competition for a relatively small market, but that shouldnt exclude an objective view on things. unfortunately, that's what dorkzone, in my opinion, is lacking.

what i'm trying to say is, that despite who actually manufactures the canopy in question, the skillset of the jumpers that participate in the discussion, it does boil down - to the jumper in question.

so, you can actually call me a troll, but i just try to level out opinions on one thing or another..

and yup, i DO prefer the one product over another, but i may use a different one in my "career" as a skydiver.

i think we all have some sort of right to co-exist. i just dont like that "fanboy-thing". not trying to imply you were one of them! :)

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

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
It isn't the arrow, it is the indian, but if the indian has a better arrow then he makes a motorcycle company...or something like that.

Anyways, I am a huge fan of PD, their service, their people and products. With that said, I have owned canopies from other manufactures and I have jumped a LOT of canopies from a lot of different manufactures. That is probably why I'm such a big PD fan.


(Now if I could just get them to give me some free stuff for saying that, then I would be really winning!)
--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Quote

It isn't the arrow, it is the indian



Wait, you mean that if you buy a Katana you're not automatically a badass?



Nope, but it can make it faster and easier to find a friendly divot in the landing area...
--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Quote

Quote

It isn't the arrow, it is the indian



Wait, you mean that if you buy a Katana you're not automatically a badass?


Nope, but it can make it faster and easier to find a friendly divot in the landing area...


does that mean that the crossfire will be more forgiving!? :o

;)

:ph34r:
“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Nope, think he means it takes a good indian to swoop a crossfire well.
i'm loading one at 2.1(2.16 if you want to split hairs)
Trust me on this it's not going to be forgiving.



Sort of like the time I was thinking about how awesome the XF2 opens...


While in linetwists...


and spinning on my back...



My PDr opened better.:P
--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Quote

Nope, think he means it takes a good indian to swoop a crossfire well.
i'm loading one at 2.1(2.16 if you want to split hairs)
Trust me on this it's not going to be forgiving.



Sort of like the time I was thinking about how awesome the XF2 opens...


While in linetwists...


and spinning on my back...



My PDr opened better.:P


watched a nice cutaway on an XF2 the other week, video was also interesting..

i guess you have to get used to that sort of stuff if you jump canopies of that class and even more HP. :)
“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

0