"True" Canopy Area

[polarbear 1]

It's come up in some other threads about the differences in canopy pack volume and area that arise from measuring the canopies differently. Different manufacturers use different measuring techniques; thus when an attempt is made to standardize the techniques (ie the PIA chart), some different numbers come up. I started thinking about this more in depth because I am preparing to change main canopies.
My question is this: What are people's experience with canopies of the same advertised area from differnent manufacturers? Canopies are sometimes referred to as "flying big" or "flying small", does this come from the differences in measuring area? I am specifically interested in switching from a PISA canopy to a PD canopy. By the PIA method, PD canopies measure bigger in area than what PD advertises. Do people find that PD canopies "fly big"?

[cobaltdan 0]

also note a more efficient wing will 'fly bigger' than a less efficient wing of the same area.
there are canopies that fly big and are spot on for area measurement.
sincerely,
dan
atair

[councilman24 36]

I think that rather than trying to compare by determining whether canopies fly "big", demo the canopy your interested in, watch others fly, and talk to those flying them. Areas probably mean more in comparing reserve "sizes" than high performance canopy flying. Just as a practical matter.

[billvon 2,400]

>Areas probably mean more in comparing reserve "sizes" than high performance
>canopy flying. Just as a practical matter.
While that is largely true, area is probably the only relatively objective way to compare canopies. As an example - if someone was jumping a Sabre 190, and wanted to downsize safely, which would be a better recommendation:
-any size Triathalon at all (keeping in mind that they go down to 99 sq ft)
-any make of modern canopy, but 190-170 sq ft
Just about anyone who has really mastered a 1.2 to 1 loaded canopy is going to be able to safely land another 1.2 to 1, even if he's going from a Triathalon to a Stiletto. That's not true of going from 1.2 to 1 to 2 to 1 even on the same canopy.
Given that, being able to accurately compare canopy sizes is important. I've already heard of two examples of people going from a Sabre 150 type canopy to a Safire 149, thinking that the only thing that will change is the higher landing performance from the elliptical shape. Instead, they found out they had also gone one size smaller.
-bill von

[polarbear 1]

In reply to:
Given that, being able to accurately compare canopy sizes is important. I've already heard of two examples of people going from a Sabre 150 type canopy to a Safire 149, thinking that the only thing that will change is the higher landing performance from the elliptical shape. Instead, they found out they had also gone one size smaller.
This is exactly what I am asking about. About a year and a half ago, I was jumping a sabre 170 and was interested in trying out a Safire. Icarus suggested a 189 based on the fact that PD canopies measure large by PIA standads.
I understand/agree that the only way to really be sure is to try the canopies before buying...always the best advice. I am just curious if in general people find that PD canopies (which measure larger when measured by PIA standards) fly big compared to other brands which are measured by PIA standards.