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Hi Bryan, For sure I would be happy to demo a Strix from the good Pecnik. Thanks for suggesting that. Looking forward to comparing the Strix, the R Bird 2, and the Freak 2. I will contact you separately to set that up. I recon your comment on research before you buy because there is a all lot more at stake here than the simple price of the suit. My hope when I get a suit is to fly the living light out of it so that the wing becomes innate nature. One suit for all of the three disciplines that I point out would be ideal in order to be extra proficient with the entire range of the suit performance. Which might become at some point life saving. Thanks All!

Great to see Lurch, Rick, and Ken again! Lurch! you need to post a picture of your old Hard Case next to a picture of this new Hard Case!

Hi Joe, Heath, and Bryan, Thank you for your insight! It is much appreciated. It looks to me that top notch pilots in the community are very polarized on the topic Squirrel vs. Other suits. I have started wingsuiting in 2007 and since then I have flown a variety of suits from Birdmen, Phoenix Fly, Fly Your Body and Tony. I have never flown the Squirrel suits. As the next step I have rented an R-Bird 2 and aim to put a bunch of jumps on it. Similarly, I will try to go try and fly a Freak 2 to directly compare the two. It is interesting to see how in the recent races I have seen the podium is always almost entirely squirrel pilots. I wonder whether it is the pilots, the suits, or both?!? Again, Thank you all for your insights more research is required here. Blue Puffy Skies to All! Riccardo P.S. who makes the Strix - I could not find it?

Hello Wingsuiters, I am considering buying either an R-Bird Pro 2 or a Freak 2. From either of these suits I would wish for enough versatility and performance to be able to use the suit for: 1. Flocking with larger groups 2. XRW 3. Potentially / eventually wingsuit BASE Perhaps the above is far too much to ask from a single suit. Any insight on which of the two suits above would be a better fit for the above disciplines would be appreciated. Thank you in advance. Riccardo P.S. In any reply comment please ignore the main listed canopy in my profile as this suit would only be jumped with either a Sabre 1, Lobo, or Flik 2

Hell Yeha !

I tought the highest performance wingsuits today are Tony suits (Super Mach 1, Mercury, and XS). I tried a V1, Blade, SM1, and Mercury and they were all exilarating :). Of course nothing if better than my GTI!

Dear Spott, I surely enjoyed our conversation and flying with you. I am sure your main canopy will be found before it rains. I contacted the humanity library here and I am waiting for a reply on the matter of book donation. Look forward to the next wuingsuit boogie. Cheers, Riccardo

Hi Everybody, This event was a blast! Good people from all over attended (at some point more than 40 WS jumpers). Everyone had a great fun (every WS jumper had a ball from those with 2 to those with 2000 WS jumps) The flying was a very good big way and tight formation learning experience. Most of all no scary moments or close calls happened during the all event. Thanks to all of those who attended; particularly, to Justin, Jeff, and Phil for organizing and providing “the base”, to Scotty, Matt, Jeff, Dave, Zach, Scott, Spot, Jeff, Rich, and Danny for great videos stills, to Rich, Spott, and Tony for free loads, and to all the Pepperell DZ stuff for the cordial support and great Boogie. Look forward to the next gathering of wuingsuites. Till then…Wuingsuit Skydiving doesn’t suck!!! Peace, Riccardo Flock U - 5

Thanks Ian, Your explanation was very appropriate and clear. The point you made I much appreciate is that the two main inputs of the two stage flare (plane out and final flare) must be timed and applied precisely. I can see that, especially during no wind condition in order to kill as much horizontal speed possible. With winds as low as 5mph my landings are to the point I don't need to run, so I will try to refine things through video now. I called my rigger that currently has my rig for cypers2 maintenance and re-pack and ask him to order and install new lines. All in all, $250 for new lines is better spent that on physical therapy for ankle chronic injuries. Thanks to all who contributed to this thread. Cheers, Riccardo

It is possible that my flare technique is not refined enough for no wind days. I will try to get video and criticism. You have an interesting point on pitching your body forward at the end. I see people doing. I will practice with it and see how that changes things. Thanks, Riccardo

Lines. You have a point there. I bought my Sabre 135 used when it had between 1000 and 2000 jumps. It is actually 16 years old. I had my rigger lengthen the brake lines since the canopy was effectively flying in brakes. A, B, C, D lines look old. I don't know how old. What I see though is that in full flight there are no wrinkles on the bottom skin of the canopy suggesting out of trim. Moreover, the canopy has always opened predictably and on heading. Do you think that a slight out of trim of A, B, C, or D line could actually be the cause of decreased fare? I have been hesitant due to $ in replacing the lines, but I will check with my rigger and follow his recomendation. Thanks, Riccardo

Thank you for the corroboration and explanation. By no means I meant to portray negatively Sabre canopies. To date I have only owned used Sabres (190, 170, and 135) and I have been completely satisfied with their opening, flying, and landing characteristics. I am at the point where I could see myself exploring a different planform (at my current windloading) as well as happily flying my Sabre for few hundred more jumps. I will try to demo what is available when I go to boogies. Cheers, Riccardo

You have an interesting point. Actually, on a no wind day I cannot come close to a horizontal stop under my Sabre 135 and when I touch down I have to run. I have heard before that more tapered canopies, given the same wind loading, on a no wind day can "stop better". Could you please explain to me why that is? Is this true for elliptical canopies like Katana, Stiletto, and Crossfire as well? Thanks, Riccardo Let me know if you sell your 320. I might be interested

I guess the best line of action for now, is to keep my Sabre 135, which I love. It will save me money and I will probably re-think the argument next year One of these days I will demo a Katana though... Cheers, Riccardo

This conversation is being interesting. On the turbulence, my understanding is that, given a wind loading, steep trim results in greater airspeed which keeps the canopy pressurized also allowing to fly through bumpy air more rapidly. Concurrently though, a more "elliptical" or "tapered" design is more catastrophic in the case of one side of the canopy collapsing before the other side since this would result in a quicker dive toward the ground. Is this reasoning correct? On the wind penetration case, given a wind loading, in order to cover more ground while flying upwind, the lift to drag ratio has to be maximized. So far as, I understand then the decree of the forum is that Katanas, given a wind loading, present the max L/D ratio (over the other non cross braced models) when flown correctly (either with rr or fr input). Is this right? Thanks for your input, Riccardo