I took advantage of HiPer's free demo program and tried out a Nitro 135. I originally requested a 150 but Beezy explained to me that they fly a size big so I tried a 135. I'm not really sure if I believe it really flies big though. The stall speed is definitely much lower, and the canopy will shut down to a complete stop on even a no wind day, but I think a 135 sized canopy that "flies big" would still slam you into the groud just as much as a normal 135 if an accidental low turn were made, so be cautious with your downsizing if you try one.
Anyway, the demo 135 that was suppose to be sent to me ended up being bought by the person demoing it, so beezy sent me a brand new 135 right out of the factory, never been jumped. The material that the canopy is made out of is different from most, it's more "waxy" than it is slippery, and it's VERY easy to pack even when brand new. The lines were black HMA lines, which I liked and didn't like. I understand the tiny little lines decrease drag but since I'm not a super-swooper they didn't really matter to me. The non-cascaded lines make it very easy to replace lines, but they also make making clean line stows more difficult and the lines seemed to like to knot up when walking the lines up while packing, which got me worried about tension knots but I have since learned that that is not the same as a tension knot in the air. The slider kill line system is kind of strange, it's sort of like a drawstring used to close a duffel bag. I've read that you'd get used to it and like it but after 26 jumps I still got annoyed by it.
Openings are nice, consistent (~600 feet) and usually on heading. Nicer than any Sabre 2 I've ever jumped.
Toggle turns are fun and quick, but not as quick as a same-sized Stiletto.
Length of the recovery arc seemed to be a little shorter than a Sabre 2 135,but definitely longer than a Stiletto 135. It seems like it'd make a good canopy to learn how to swoop on.
Moderate front riser pressure, but easy to keep in a dive. A little bit of front riser oversteer, but not a big deal.
One great thing about the canopy is that it is extremely stable in line twists. Flies completely straight for mild line twists and the most severe one I had, it was just a very slow turn. No diving or spinning like the Stiletto (Or Sabre 2!)
I think this is a great canopy for someone looking for a first eliptical, since it's nice and fun to fly but is also relatively tame.
Also Beezy Shaw is very pleasant to deal with, whether on email, phone, or in person. The customer service is excellent.
For reference, I wingloaded the canopy at 1.5, have 400 jumps and the past 150 on a Sabre 2 150. I've made 10 or so jumps on various Sabre 2 135's Stiletto 135's, and Samurai 136's. I put 26 jumps on the Nitro 135 in a 2 week period. If I'm going to rate a canopy as 5 stars (like most people do on reviews) then it means it's practically perfect, so this is why I only gave it 4 stars. The Nitro is a great canopy, no doubt about that but there is room for improvement. I will definitely recommend it to people, though.
Nitro
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in Main Canopies
Anyway, the demo 135 that was suppose to be sent to me ended up being bought by the person demoing it, so beezy sent me a brand new 135 right out of the factory, never been jumped. The material that the canopy is made out of is different from most, it's more "waxy" than it is slippery, and it's VERY easy to pack even when brand new. The lines were black HMA lines, which I liked and didn't like. I understand the tiny little lines decrease drag but since I'm not a super-swooper they didn't really matter to me. The non-cascaded lines make it very easy to replace lines, but they also make making clean line stows more difficult and the lines seemed to like to knot up when walking the lines up while packing, which got me worried about tension knots but I have since learned that that is not the same as a tension knot in the air.
The slider kill line system is kind of strange, it's sort of like a drawstring used to close a duffel bag. I've read that you'd get used to it and like it but after 26 jumps I still got annoyed by it.
Openings are nice, consistent (~600 feet) and usually on heading. Nicer than any Sabre 2 I've ever jumped.
Toggle turns are fun and quick, but not as quick as a same-sized Stiletto.
Length of the recovery arc seemed to be a little shorter than a Sabre 2 135,but definitely longer than a Stiletto 135. It seems like it'd make a good canopy to learn how to swoop on.
Moderate front riser pressure, but easy to keep in a dive. A little bit of front riser oversteer, but not a big deal.
One great thing about the canopy is that it is extremely stable in line twists. Flies completely straight for mild line twists and the most severe one I had, it was just a very slow turn. No diving or spinning like the Stiletto (Or Sabre 2!)
I think this is a great canopy for someone looking for a first eliptical, since it's nice and fun to fly but is also relatively tame.
Also Beezy Shaw is very pleasant to deal with, whether on email, phone, or in person. The customer service is excellent.
For reference, I wingloaded the canopy at 1.5, have 400 jumps and the past 150 on a Sabre 2 150. I've made 10 or so jumps on various Sabre 2 135's Stiletto 135's, and Samurai 136's. I put 26 jumps on the Nitro 135 in a 2 week period. If I'm going to rate a canopy as 5 stars (like most people do on reviews) then it means it's practically perfect, so this is why I only gave it 4 stars. The Nitro is a great canopy, no doubt about that but there is room for improvement. I will definitely recommend it to people, though.