Manufacturer
Purpose
Main
Material
ZP
Cells
7
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The lightly-tapered 7-cell Spectre is one of the most popular canopies PD has ever produced. A surprisingly flat glide and soft on-heading openings (with plenty of snivel!) make the Spectre the canopy of choice for the professional cameraman or the everyday wingsuiter. The Spectre is also known for its smooth, progressive response on the toggles. If your priority is predictability, the Spectre is your canopy.

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Salsa_John

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  • 5
Very soft on heading opens everytime
none I can think of

I am currently flying a Spectre 190. I find the Spectre a superior canopy. It is very responsive to toggle and harness inputs. It recovers very nicely from toggle stalls and resists line twists in aggressive turn reversals. My accuracy increased greatly when I switched. I find the flare powerful even on no wind days.

I highly recommend the Spectre. Definately try one before you buy another.

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mhofstra

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  • 5
Perfect comfortable openings, land dead-center in every situation
Too many jealous skydivers harassing you for a test jump :-)

As a student I jumped Mantas, Fury's and Sabres. I Always liked the 7-cell fury as I could land it anywhere I liked. This put my focus on a more performing 7-cell: Spectre! Before ordering my Specte I made about 200 jumps on a Triathlon. Very nice canopy as well, but I like the opening and performance of the Specte a bit better.

Got about 300 jumps on my Spectre right now and love every single one of it! Openings are on heading and nice and smooth. My last 200 jumps been camarajumps and I love these openings. Not those slam-bam-Sabre-opening that surface once in a while and crack your neck (especially with camera equipment).

Right now I jump a Spectre 170 (loaded 1.4) and absolutely love it! Got a second prize in a accuracy contest, great toggle input, landing in brakes no problem, super flare. Love it!!!

Last year I went traveling for a year and couldn't jump for 13 months. After this long break my first jump on my own canopy felt like coming home. Total reliability and predictable flying.

If you are looking for an all-round canopy that gives you best of all worlds choose Spectre, you won't regret it!!

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migliore

0 of 0 members found this review helpful 0 / 0 members
  • 5
Dependable, Great Flare
Not too responsive to front risers

I mostly jumped a Sabre2 170 and PD Pro 170 before getting a Spectre 150. I have it loaded at 1.37. Openings are always on-heading and have an average (good) opening speed (it doesn't whack you and it doesn't snivel for 1000 ft). Since it's a 7-cell, its decent rate is somewhat higher, but it has got some great flare so my landings have always been smooth. Although the canopy is not that responsive to front-riser input, it is pretty zippy when using the toggles. You can definitely drop some altitude quickly if you want to.

Overall: Great Canopy!

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fcajump

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  • 5
Multiple flight modes, very forgivinig
Slow opening (for me...)

For a conservative jumper the Spectre was a great choice.

Loading ~1.2
My experience: 900+, mostly on large 7/9 cell F-111.
Spectre Jumps: ~150

Full flight performs well, though certainly not the fastest thing on the DZ. Turns from full flight are crisp and responsive.

Slow flight, stable and steady with a wide range before stall. From slow flight to stall gives allot of warning before it fully stalls.

Deep break turns are smooth and without much (any) swing.

Can land in deep breaks or from full speed. Flare is predictable and smooth.

Fun canopy that can swoop, or sink... your choice.

Jim

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bozo

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  • 5
Great price, fast delivery
Slippery as a wet cat

Took it out of the bag and assembled it.
Drove to Elsinore and put half a dozen jumps on my new Spectre this past weekend.
The openings are unreal....the airspeed is really fast.
The landings are very similar to my Triathlon but much swoopier.

I am very happy with this canopy so far.
With nearly 3000 jumps logged, this is one of the funnest canopies I have ever owned.
Highly recommended.
bozo

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gus

0 of 0 members found this review helpful 0 / 0 members
  • 5
Openings, predictabile flight
Glide, speed

Straight of student status I bought a Spectre 150, I put about 200 jumps on it then changed it for a Spectre 135 - and I've put about 200 jumps on that too. I'm about 180 pounds out the door so that's wingloadings of 1.2 and 1.3 repectively.

Openings: I've flat packed and pro packed and the only difference seemed to be that pro packing gives more on heading openings. I've jumped some dubious pack jobs that have been shoehorned in on a 20 minute call and I've jumped some pack jobs that have been so neat they should have been photographed and saved for prosperity. It doesn't seem to make much difference: openings are soft and on heading the majority of the time. I don't know where Spectres got their reputation for loooong opening from though, perhaps it's my packing but both of mine open pretty consistantly in about 500 feet. In my 400 jumps I've had no more than 2 hard openings and a handful of line twists but those were probably my fault.

Flight: In full flight my Spectre feels solid and dependable. Turns from full flight are quick enough to give me a bit of a buzz and get my body nearly level with the canopy. It also feels solid in brakes, even right on the point of stalling. The stall itself is gradual and predictable - it's actually quite difficult to do. Turns in brakes are nice and flat and easy enough to perform close to the ground if necessary. Riser pressure seems quite high, although I don't have much to compare it to. I can pull a front riser down right to my shoulder but I can't hold it there for more than a 360. Snap turns on the front risers don't really build up that much speed - the recovery arc is pretty shallow - but pull off a nice carving 180 and on a nil wind day you can get more surf than you might think with enough energy for small carves and a nice soft landing.

Landing: I honestly don't remember the last time I didn't stand up a landing on my Spectre. In strong winds where I'm coming straight down, in nil winds where I'm screaming across the ground (relatively speaking of course!) even landing cross wind and landing out if you remember to flare allllll the way it'll set you down gently.

Complaints: My only complaints are with the glide and the forward speed. It's not that the glide is really bad it's just not that great either - but on a long spot you'll always want more glide that you've got! The forward speed is perhaps more a function of the wingloading but when it's windy I don't get much penetration and that's a bit frustrating.

Overall: Great canopy, especially for the 'novice' jumper but also for anyone who wants an easy, predictable canopy that's still capable of being fun when you push it.

Gus

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SuFantasma

0 of 0 members found this review helpful 0 / 0 members
  • 4
Excellent Flare, Soft Opening, Forgiving
Hard to Find a Used Canopy for Sale (Wonder why?)

What can I say? I am flying a Spectre 210 at 1.0 lb/^2ft. Everyone at the DZ recommended this canopy for a newbie with less than 100 jumps. So I broke down and bought it. What a difference! So long PLF, it flares like a dream. Takes some getting used to the extra speed, but it is extremely forgiving on landing. Responsiveness? Yes! Extremely predictable toggle input, and it handles like a dream in turbulunce. I plan to get at least a couple of hundred jumps before I go down to the 190 (yes, it will be a Spectre again). Thanks PD !

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fergs

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  • 5

My Spectre is my 15th main canopy in the last 28 years. Immediate previous canopy was a Sabre, which I had for 7 or 8 hundred jumps. After around 150 jumps on the Spectre I'm still delighted with it. But all the reports of 600 to 1000' openings certainly aren't the experience I'm having. I've pstcho packed it from jump #1 and every opening is identical ... it comes out of the deployment bag, breaths for an instant, then opens softly and right on heading. 3 to 400' seems to be the distance from pitching the pilot chute to fully inflated.

Psycho packing is the only way to go!!! Plus I spend less than half the time as others at DZ's in the packing area - it's a fast pack-job....

I'd describe this canopy as very good at all it does. Would I buy another one? Probably (but I'll have to wait til the present one wears out first!!).

Stay safe and learn to Psycho Pack!!!

fergs

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hashbrown77

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  • 5

This canopy is so forgiving. It is perfect for a new jumper. It also is so reliable upon opening. It opens so easily even when my pack job is really ugly. (I am not recommending bad pack jobs.) I've been jumping a 150 and I absolutely love to fly and land it.

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at13500ft

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  • 5

I currently have 70jumps and decided I wanted a canopy upgrade; something a little more exciting then a nine cell F-111. I jumped a friends Spectre 150 and now I WANT ONE!!! As everyone else says...wonderful openings, very responsive, stable in turbulent winds, and amazing landings!! PD currently has a 10 week delivery on custon canopies...I will have my Spectre in 10weeks!!!

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hooter40

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  • 5

I CAN,T TALK MUCH ABOUT THE OTHERS BUT I CAN ON MY SPECTRE , ALL YOU HERE IS TRUE , I LOVE THE OPENINGS , VERY SLOW AND ON HEADING , GREAT LANDINGS , WHEN YOU THROW OUT DON,T WORRY IT (WILL) OPEN........BLUE SKIES
SCOTT

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admin

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With just over a hundred jumps on my 190 (loaded at 1.14) I am amazed at how forgiving and stable this canopy is. Just can't quite get used to the 600 + ft. It takes to open. Looking forward to my 170 . Track far land soft.

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admin

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I load my spectre 120 at 1.6 and have only one complaint:the damn thing opened to slowly!one call to PD took care of that though.After questioning my packing style,they decided a smaller slider was the way to go(at no charge to me)now the canopy opens softly in 400-600 feet (softly, of course) PD rocks!

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admin

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I have recently went with the spectre 150 after several years (5) of swearing by sabre. But, after an incident in 98', I had to gradually get back into the swing of things. I tried a triathlon and then went with the spectre 150. Best decision of my skydiving career. I absolutely love this canopy. I can either swoop the piss out of it or let it drop me down for a tip toe landing... As for performance in the air, it is completely awesome. Where some of your 9 cell canopies start to buck a little in high wind days, not this one, PD outdid themselves with this 7 cell. On a scale of one to 10 (10 being the best) I give this canopy a much deserved 10. Highly recommended for anyone.

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admin

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What can I possibly add that the others have not already covered? I love this canopy! Pain in the keester to pack at first. I just make the first S-fold a little bigger and that seems to help. The snivel on this canopy is A LOT! My slider MUST be too big. *GRIN* This thing takes 1000' + to open. That's ok..I'll just ride some brakes and tuck up my legs to make it back on the long spots from our pilot who's affectionately called "Long Spot". Spankers just simply do not exist! This canopy opens slower and softer than an old man easing into a hot bath. On a long approach I burried the front risers and got a pretty decent turf soar on it. Loaded at 1.18 it's very fun and well behaved. There is soooo much flaring power, the only way I can botch the landing is flaring too much and lifting back up off the ground and then thud in. That's why you need to use the 2 stage flare. This canopy can get real slow as well. Good Pack, Trash Pack it doesn't matter...It'll still open nice and soft. Big questions now. Will I buy another? Would I recommend it to my GF? Absolutely I would, to both questions!

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admin

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Most versatile canopy on the market, I,ve owned three of them, 190,170,150. 600 jumps altogether and no problems. Blue Skies

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admin

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I am currently jumping a Spectre 210 at a wing load of 1.08. I love my openings and like previous reviews, it's all about the packing and yes NEW ZP is a (B*****!!!) but it gets easier. I need more speed!!! Blue Skies

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admin

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Just got my licence in Switzerland after 52 jumps and settled for a Spectre 150 loading it at 1.1. What a rush! After flying a 260 Raven it's like changing from a Beattle to a Porsche and loving it. The Performance, the soft on heading openings. The agility in turns, I just love the need for speed. After 2 Jumps on that baby, I was able to put it right back into the centre of the sandbox. What a kick. I'll be back to tell more about it after putting a couble hundred jumps on it. Something negative? Well everybody laughs at me when they're watching me packing my new ZP, don't we all know why...(what a b****!?!?)

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admin

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I had a Sp150 for about 350 jumps, and recently sold it for a St135 (I weight about 165 nekid). I did everything with this canopy, including hop 'n pops (with not too much altitude to spare). I found that it was all in how you packed the canopy, and it always did exactly as it was told. I flaked it, I didn't flake it, I rolled it, I didn't roll it. Anything I did to it would change the opening characteristics, but I can't say that I really remember a bad opening. This canopy is definitely surfable depending on winds and wing-loading. It was a lot of fun. I sold it last week, and miss it already. *tear*

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admin

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I have limited jumps on the Spectre, but I have jumped a 170 and 190. The openings are soft and on heading, but take a real long time. I wouldn't be doing hop n pops with them below 3,500 ft. The landings are nice and you can even surf this canopy. The glide is nothing compared to a Sabre though. If you are looking for a forgiving 7-cell that does offer some performance this is your canopy. If you are looking for a canopy that is similar in forgivness, but want something a little more "snappy", and surfable, I would go with the Sabre.

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admin

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I'm 224lbs and I jumped a 230 at the weekend. Incredible. Like the sabre only much more advanced. A 7-cell yes, but so far ahead of the competition even within PD (i.e. the sabre) that I wouldn't look anywhere else. It took a while to open, but that just gave me a softer opening - not like the spanks I get from student 280 gear. I love it.

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admin

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I had the demo Spectre 210 loaded at 1:1 and jumped it two weekends. Loved it from the very first jump! The long, snivelly opening scared me. I was looking up at the slider thinking, "you are coming down, right?" Openings take several seconds and are like sitting down in an easy chair. You can see each cell filling, and the slider slowly heading down to you. I didn't know what a soft opening was before jumping Spectre. Openings were on heading with no dive.

Toggle pressure was light, very snappy turns. I enjoyed looking over the tail at the ground on several turns. Recovered instantly to full flight. Buried brakes still did not stall the canopy, but sunk it in smoothly. The landings were fun, too. Not too much surf for a beginner, but enough to train you to use a two stage flare.

Packing - new ZP, what can I say? After the first lengthy snivel, I rolled the tail much less and left the nose hanging (don't push it in!)

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admin

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The Spectre 190 impressed me when it first came out. We borrowed one of the early demos for a weekend and were all impressed, so impressed that one of our photographers bought a Spectre 170! Openings were consistently soft. Handling was like having two canopes in one container. With togglesup high and small control inputs it was as responsive as a zippy little 9-cell. With toggles at waist level, the Spectre sank straight ahead like a well trained old 7-cell. On landing, the Spectre didn't surf as far as the tiny 9-cells, but landings were consistently soft. The Spectre is a far better canopy for most weekend jumpers. The only area where it does not shine is turf-surfing, but then the solution to improving turf-surfing is usually smoother approaches.

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admin

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During the Richmond Labor Day boogie I put 20 jumps on a PD demo canopy. The openings were the softest and most consistant of the canopies I have tried. I packed it several different ways and all resulted in great openings. The flying characterics were positive and consistantly nice, as were the landings. Packing was the normal pain of a new ZP canopy.

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admin

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I'm new to the Spectre, but have loved both the performance and soft openings from jump one on it. It has very low toggle pressure and is responsive with the corresponding toggle input. The two staged flare is something to get used to, but once done correctly - sets me down quite softly. Even with the slippery fabric, the packing is not that difficult with a reasonably small pack volume of a 7cell. Openings are on heading, even when not packed with as much care as normal. All in all, I prefer this canopy over the Sabre I was jumping previously.

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