Openings: These are the most comfortable openings I've had since my Pilot 168. They're butter-smooth.
Slider: Stock slider has stainless grommets, which are smaller diameter than the bronze grommets, it's a pain getting it over my brakes. I have a removable on the way.
Braked flight: I think it's a little twitchy in braked flight. The place I rush most in my flying is to get the slider stowed and get this thing in full flight, it likes being in full flight. Rears/harness are the way to fly this thing with all but the slowest flight. It has a tendency to rock in super deeper brakes.
Full flight: Oh baby, I love this wing in full flight! I love the harness input! Before this canopy, I thought high pulls were important for practice purposes. Now, I have to juggle if I want to angle, freefly, or high pull.
The Swoop: At 2.1 (newbie swooper), I'm currently doing an all harness 270 from 700' (did I mention I like the harness input?). Comfortable flight on rears and very easy to smoothly transition to brakes. I'm really looking forward to flying this with the slider removed, as that has made every canopy I've flown better. From Icarus' description, this shouldn't be a distance machine, but I've gotten compliments from experienced people about how much distance I'm wringing out of it; it's only going to improve with the slider off.
Straight in landing: Icarus test pilots are better than me, granted, but this does require a little more distance to shut down than the description implies. I've not had to put it in a back yard yet, but having had to abandon turns, you're going to need to plan on having distance or managing the braked flight.
Packing: I did buy used with a couple hundred jumps on it, but it packs like a dream! Pack volume on my 98 is a scoosh larger than the crossfire2 119 in my turn rig.
Closest comparisons of similar canopies I've flown: Crossfire2 109...alright nothing to even compare here. Velo 103: shorter recovery arc, comparable harness input, waaaayyyyyy better openings. I don't have the Velo numbers to compare swoop distance, but I'm quite sure the Velo can surf further.
Overall: Easy packing, great opening, harness sensitive canopy. A little twitchy in braked flight, but it's not so bad that it's a deal breaker.
JFX
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in Main Canopies
Openings: These are the most comfortable openings I've had since my Pilot 168. They're butter-smooth.
Slider: Stock slider has stainless grommets, which are smaller diameter than the bronze grommets, it's a pain getting it over my brakes. I have a removable on the way.
Braked flight: I think it's a little twitchy in braked flight. The place I rush most in my flying is to get the slider stowed and get this thing in full flight, it likes being in full flight. Rears/harness are the way to fly this thing with all but the slowest flight. It has a tendency to rock in super deeper brakes.
Full flight: Oh baby, I love this wing in full flight! I love the harness input! Before this canopy, I thought high pulls were important for practice purposes. Now, I have to juggle if I want to angle, freefly, or high pull.
The Swoop: At 2.1 (newbie swooper), I'm currently doing an all harness 270 from 700' (did I mention I like the harness input?). Comfortable flight on rears and very easy to smoothly transition to brakes. I'm really looking forward to flying this with the slider removed, as that has made every canopy I've flown better. From Icarus' description, this shouldn't be a distance machine, but I've gotten compliments from experienced people about how much distance I'm wringing out of it; it's only going to improve with the slider off.
Straight in landing: Icarus test pilots are better than me, granted, but this does require a little more distance to shut down than the description implies. I've not had to put it in a back yard yet, but having had to abandon turns, you're going to need to plan on having distance or managing the braked flight.
Packing: I did buy used with a couple hundred jumps on it, but it packs like a dream! Pack volume on my 98 is a scoosh larger than the crossfire2 119 in my turn rig.
Closest comparisons of similar canopies I've flown: Crossfire2 109...alright nothing to even compare here. Velo 103: shorter recovery arc, comparable harness input, waaaayyyyyy better openings. I don't have the Velo numbers to compare swoop distance, but I'm quite sure the Velo can surf further.
Overall: Easy packing, great opening, harness sensitive canopy. A little twitchy in braked flight, but it's not so bad that it's a deal breaker.