Vented Canopies

[JBooher]

I'm looking a purchasing my first Vented Canopy. Would someone love to tell me the big difference between the Black Jack and Rock Dragon?

[airdog07]

Asylum Designs - (http://www.asylumbase.com/pages/products/canopies/seven/) seven
BASE Jumping Canopies (http://www.apexbase.com/store.php?category_id=22) Flix
Morpheus Technologies (http://www.baserigs.com/) Troll
see they have demo canopy each to there own, some one can tell you how good the one canopy is and other can say the total opposite, what you need to is demo much as you can or find a friend with a different canopy and fine out for you self

[nicknitro71]

No need for vents on a properly designed fix-object tarp.

[speedphreak]

I'm looking a purchasing my first Vented Canopy. Would someone love to tell me the big difference between the Black Jack and Rock Dragon?

Everybody is going to have their own opinions on what gear is "best".

I have a couple of friends who have Rock Dragons and it is an excellent canopy; but having said that, and given the chance, they would probably get a different canopy; not because it's a bad canopy but because it's my understanding that it was designed as more of a specific, low freefall, technical landing area tool. It's got a steeper approach and is real stable in deep braked/rear riser approaches. It flies like a truck by design and because of this makes sacrifices in other areas.

My opinion would be not to have the Rock Dragon as your primary or only all around canopy, you would be better served with one of the other vented options unless you need to have that short braked approach more than you need to have, say, a better glide angle.

Any of the vented canopies offered by the primary manufacturers of BASE gear are excellent canopies. I haven't had any exposure to the vented Fox or Troll, but I am currently jumping a 266 FLiK and a 280 BlackJack and they are both fantastic canopies. They are very similar in opening, on heading, and flight characteristics.

If given a choice, for the type of jumping that I do, I would probably choose the FLiK; One, because I'm a dealer, and Two, I like some of the little details of the canopy such as the tailpocket design.

Bottom line is, talk to as many people as possible, get as many opinions as possible, get as much first hand experience and hands on as you can, get as much informationn as you can and then make a decision based on your needs and situations.

I know it's a long ways away, but Bridge Day is an excellent resource for information.


P.S. (I would get rid of the PD218 as a BASE canopy) I learned on a PD235 and quickly moved on after watching videos of the openings... =;>

[airdog07]

I would get rid of the PD218 as a BASE canopy
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come on PD is the bomb. all the AFF instructor recommended PD. even for base

[hookitt]

I would get rid of the PD218 as a BASE canopy
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come on PD is the bomb. all the AFF instructor recommended PD. even for base

I'm an AFF instructor. You're right, PD does make a good product. They sew the BlackJack and Ace together for Consolidated Rigging! I also jump a Velocity and a PD 113-R. I'd probably jump a different main but it's what I have at the moment. OH, I also still have a Stiletto 97 with over 3000 jumps on it. Amazingly enough, it's still working.
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Personally I would go with a Seven. Secondly I'd go with a BlackJack. I own a BlackJack and have grown quite fond of the Seven. Since I own the BlackJack, I'll keep it. It's awesome. If I could have a Seven, it would become my primary canopy.

BlackJack pressurizes quick and is steerable very quickly because of it. It has plenty of range so it will fly very slow and sink in quite nicely. If you need some glide, then let it fly.

I don't have much experience under a Rock Dragon so it's hard to give an opinion. It wasn't my style though and didn't offer more than the canopy I currently fly.