ptwob231 0 #1 November 17, 2003 Whats the low down on advantages and disadvantages of both... Particularly in the 80's or 90's series....thanks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davelepka 4 #2 November 17, 2003 Either one in 80 or 90 sq ft versions are so far from a Stiletto 135 it's hard to make comparisons to your frame of reference. Addtionally, the elevation of your landing area should be a big consideration when looking at canopies of this size and design. However, if you are happy with the performance, quality and any cust. sercice you have recieved in connection to your Stiletto, you can be assured of the same with another PD product. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
superstu 0 #3 November 17, 2003 not from my personal experience but from a good friends experience who owned a fx 83 and demo'd a velo 90. he says the openings on his fx were a lot better, they didn't search like the velo. he thought the flight characteristics were very similar, don't know the specifics though. his overall impression was that he liked his fx better and thinks his vx is way above that of the velo, but the one he demo'd felt like it was f111 and could have been out of trim which definitely could have scewed his opinion of how the velo flew.Slip Stream Air Sports Do not go softly, do not go quietly, never back down Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkymonkeyONE 3 #4 November 17, 2003 I am not sure that I would consider an FX for any reason nowadays if it were pure swooping I was buying it for. I have owned a VX and a Velocity in nearly identical sizes (74 VX and a 75 Velo) and thought the 75 Velo was a much faster parachute. I also put quite a few jumps on a Xaos 21 69,5. The Xaos 21 was a nice flying canopy, but at my wingloading on it I gave up a lot on distance over my "regular" main. I have never had a bad or even "twisty" openin on my Velocity, nor would I call it a "searching" parachute at opening. I guess everyone has different feelings about whatever they jump. I think an FX is a decent parachute, but it's not the Icarus main I bought. Personally, I would buy a Xaos 21 over the FX, but that's just me. Peace, Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ianmdrennan 2 #5 November 17, 2003 I've jumped an FX for a while and currently jump a Velo. I found that the FX openings were softer (not much), but searched more. Also I found the front riser pressure uncomfortably high on the FX versus the Velocity. As for VX vs XAOS vs VELOCITY. They're all winning. There is NO major competitive performance advantage (I believe) that any of the manufacturers have at this point. I think it's a matter of taste. Personally, I prefer the Velocity, but the others are just as competitive. Blue skies IanPerformance Designs Factory Team Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skygod7777 0 #6 November 17, 2003 i used to own a 84 fx, and demo'd a few velocity's (79, 85, and 96). the openings on both are great, i found the velocity sniveled longer than the fx (not a hole lot) but seamed to "hunt" a bit more. not a big deal at all though. the swoops on the velocity where longer than the fx. but i could still get my fx to go pretty good. but if you looking for a canopy to compete with, go with the velocity of vx. the fx just isn't up to the standard compared to these 2. later Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ccowden 0 #7 November 17, 2003 Well, All I can say is- The Velocity kicks ass! I think if you want to compare the Velocity to something it would be the VX. If you look at all the top canopy piloting competitions, you will see pretty equal standings with the Velocity and the VX. But you won't see an FX. Yes the FX does compare in many aspects to the Velocity, but I also think the Velocity has the potential to go much further for performance. But that is what is great about the Velocity. You can fly it very conservatively if you have to and as Heath Richardson has proved, it can also out class any on the market. Don't get me wrong- I am not saying you should buy a Velocity if you are planning to be conservative- but you can fly it that way if you have to. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DutchSkyCam 0 #8 November 18, 2003 Just resized from an Extreme FX 104 to a Velocity 103... Although they may seem big, so am I, loading about 2.3. Did about 500 jumps on the FX with NO hard openings and most of em (99%) straight on heading... Did some nice swoops (200 ft+) with it. Floating (after a bad spot) worked best on rear risers. After my FX blew up, I bought a second hand Velocity 103 (newer lineset, so this may infuence trim and overall performance). Opens a bit tooooooooo sllllooooowwwwwww, but also pretty wildly searching for a direction. That searching got better after a tip to NOT STEER the opening too much, but I stil get a 180+ swing to either site every once in a while. On a bad spot, use your brakes (deep) to get back. It keeps diving A LOT longer after starting your final turn, on the first jump on it I was DEEP in the corner. Because it stays in the dive so long I builds up more speed. After finding the correct technique on this canopy I can swoop a lot further (250 - 300 ft). I now have about 170 jumps on the Velocity and I prefer it over the FX. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kirils 1 #9 November 18, 2003 I've jumped sub 100's on both. The Velocity was quite stable in flight. I'm usually NOT a fan of PD, but I think the Velocity is a great canopy. I really prefered it over the FX. The FX was twitchy and I thought the Velocity had more uniform inflation whilt the FX had wrinkles in the nose. Openings on both were good. Construction quality was similar. The A-MAX and Xaos are my current rides, but I would consider a Velocity for the next round. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyhi 24 #10 November 18, 2003 QuoteAfter my FX blew up, Any amplifying info on that? Construction or material problem?Shit happens. And it usually happens because of physics. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BMFin 0 #11 November 18, 2003 Quote If you look at all the top canopy piloting competitions, you will see pretty equal standings with the Velocity and the VX. But you won't see an FX. Dont you think a lot of PD pilots would be flying 27 cell canopys instead of 21 if PD had one... You dont see much Xaos 21 pilots at the top either... Most of them fly Xaos 27. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ccowden 0 #12 November 18, 2003 I don't think so- If the Velocity holds it's own in all the competitions and Heath Richardson just took the World's, then what's your point? The Velocity is as good a canopy as any out there. And isn't that what we are talking about? Who cares if it is 21 cell, 27 cell, or 53 cell for that matter. It is how the canopy performs, plain and simple! PD designed the Velocity as a 21 cell and it can win any given competition. Not always, but it can. Icarus improved on the FX by making the VX and one of their changes was making it 27 cell. But it still doesn't out perform the Velocity just because it has more cells. They both have different characteristics, and one may do something better than the other, but one thing is fr sure- The Velocity is a world class canopy, regardless of the number of cells. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkymonkeyONE 3 #13 November 18, 2003 Not really. If any 27 cell canopies were consistently out-flying the Velo, then the company would release one of their many other designs. However, that is not the case. Both Icarus and PD have canopies faster than what is currently available, but the fact of the matter is that there is virtually no market for anything like that. As it is, the market for the current crossbraced canopies is infinitesimal as compared to total sales. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brits17 0 #14 November 18, 2003 i did a review a while ago on the velocity (its just me being silly mostly)... http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/gear/page.cgi?page=review_single_view;review=531 but anyway, just from my limited personal experience, the velocity produced longer swoops, greater rate of descent, more consistent on heading openings, and no smackaroo openenings either (yet). the FX didn't measure up in my opinion, but i only demo'd one FX 79 and have jumped a couple velocity's... a 79 and 75. i'd say demo to form your own opinion before purchasing. _______________________ aerialkinetics.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DutchSkyCam 0 #15 November 18, 2003 Quote After my FX blew up, Any amplifying info on that? Construction or material problem? A big tear (width of the complete center cel) in the top skin near the bridle attachment. I landed it and only noticed the damage while packing. The canopy was in good shape, but alread had about 1000 jumps on it. The damage was probably caused over a period of time by the killine that was too short, slowly damaging the top skin by pulling bits of it in the bridle on opening. Not a construction error, Barry Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
prost 0 #16 November 20, 2003 Would anyone care to make a stab at the reason why a Velocity will out swoop a FX? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ianmdrennan 2 #17 November 20, 2003 Better trim and wing configuration? Just guessing. Blue skies IanPerformance Designs Factory Team Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
andy2 0 #18 November 20, 2003 what about structural effectiveness of the cross bracing? The velocity always seems so DAMN solid while being swooped. --------------------------------------------- let my inspiration flow, in token rhyme suggesting rhythm... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marks 0 #19 November 20, 2003 Quotewhat about structural effectiveness of the cross bracing? The velocity always seems so DAMN solid while being swooped. fx is crossed braced also Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skygod7777 0 #20 November 20, 2003 Quote -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In Reply To -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- what about structural effectiveness of the cross bracing? The velocity always seems so DAMN solid while being swooped. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- fx is crossed braced also i think he may mean that the velocity's crossbraces go all the way to the back, while on the fx, only 2 (i think, it's been a while since i jumped one) cells have the crossbraces gong all the way back. later Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ianmdrennan 2 #21 November 20, 2003 I'm not really sure if it's more rigid - it's definitely a possibility but I'd assume thats because of more effective wing design utilizing the x-braces. Also the velo dives a lot more so it that builds up quite a bit more speed than the fx. Blue skies IanPerformance Designs Factory Team Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GroundZero 0 #22 November 20, 2003 The Velocity has cross braces on the a, b, c, and d-lines... the FX is only braced through the c lines... Designers differ as to the effectiveness of braces on the rear of the canopy... and designers load the canopies differently. Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
prost 0 #23 November 20, 2003 Ok a thought here. When the FX and velocity were both new on the market it did not seem that the velocity had an advantage over the FX. As time went on the major advancement in swooping has been the pilots skill level. When the VX came out everyone at the top end of competition switch over to it if they jumped Icarus canopies. Jumpers using the velocity have been able to improve their performance on the velocity to keep up with the performance of the VX. Do you think most of the performance gain of the VX is canopy pilots improving their skill as well? Maybe if the top Icarus pilots still jumped FXs their performance would still be in the same range as it is with the VX. I am not saying this is true but I do think it may have something to do with the "performance difference" between the FX and the Velocity. What do you guys think? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Canuck 0 #24 November 20, 2003 Yup I agree. I think in the top 10 at the world cup, 9 of them are sponsored. Icarus sponsored dudes aren't going to jump an FX, Precision sponsored dudes aren't going to jump a Chaos 21. But, back when the Chaos 21 first came out, Shaylan won the distance event in Para-performance competition with one, so they can beat Velocities and VXs. Canuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eames 0 #25 November 20, 2003 QuoteI think in the top 10 at the world cup, 9 of them are sponsored Oh, they're all sponsored. Jason Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
