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As I've been researching to buy my first base rig I came up with a question that I can't really find a definite answer to. Is there a disadvantage to lite canopies (specifically the fox/flik)? I know that the ultralite ones are made of a different material that can wear out faster in the wrong environments or if they aren't taken care of, but from what I've picked up the standard lite ones are made of the same f111 as normal canopies and just have different reinforcement tape. Is there a disadvantage to these? Would they be suitable for a newbie jumping predominantly slider down in a somewhat dusty environment? Thanks.

I have asked myself a similar question in the past and from what i have read the "Lite" is an upgrade so-to-speak of the standard canopy. Its an evolution of a design. the designer/manufacturer at some point in time took another look at it and said "I can make this a little lighter by using less reinforcement tape where it isn't really needed"

Im not an engineer/expert buy i would like to believe that a reputable company like APEX Base would not give you misleading information about a product they sell in order to try to make a sale if you were to ask them.

Please post what you find out.

Hey man If you are primarily jumping slider down in a dusty environment, then I don't see any real advantage of getting an ultralight canopy. I like my ultralight because it is lighter for really long hikes (generally the case for slider up jumps) and packs smaller for cleaner airflow for wingsuit jumps. I dont fly well enough to take advantage of that last part, but one of these days I'll fly like a badass...
Anyways, a "light" (as opposed to ultralight) is going to be a good canopy for what you described as your primary jumping environment. Keep in mind that Apex switched their original fox/flik canopies to the "light" version to get rid of some reinforcements that were determined to be completely overkill. I'm pretty sure that the reinforcements that were changed were in the form of load tapes. The main material of light canopies is still regular old f111.

So in short, There is no disadvantage to a fox or a flik light, but I'd steer away from an ultralight if I were you.

Tommy,

Besides the Fox/Flik Ultra Lites, which other BASE manufacturers make ULTRA lite canopies? I've read about lite canopies, but some of them aren't good for both slider up and down.

I don't mean to highjack (maybe this should be a separate thread), but I've read that the Optimum and Paratec's Speed 2000 are the most compact reserve skydive canopies. If so, I wonder if they perform similarly to lite BASE canopies.

Atair makes the trango with spectra lines which is only good for slider up jumps, and asylum makes the feather with the option of spectra lines (SU only) or dacron lines (SU or SD)

Cant comment on those skydiving reserves, I'd play it safe and get a BASE canopy though.

huh?
in these forums, SD means Slider Down, not skydive. no one I know would consider packing a skydiving reserve SD!

My bad. I just changed it. Thanks :)

Wwarped typed:

no one I know would consider packing a skydiving reserve SD!

Really? I've personally watched Gauleyguide and others jump
from 300 feet with their Ravens... but did not see a slider

your post is a bit confusing. Let's get this straightened out.

"Regular" canopies - the same extremely overbuilt 7 cells manfuactured since the 90s, with dacron lines.

"Lite" canopies - same as above, but with a little less reinforcement. Still the same airfoils built from the same ripstop nylon and still with dacron lines.

ULTRAlite canopies - made from the lower bulk material. Built a bit different. All offered with microlines, some (Flik/Fox/Feather) can be ordered with dacron.

and of course there are still a fair bit of old school skydving 7cells out there, mostly Raven, Fury, Cruislite, etc. If anyone needs explaining what those are and their limitations, then they should not be jumping them !

Thanks for explaining, but this is why I put emphasis on ULTRA lite canopies.

Thanks! This is exactly what I wanted to know.

Also, not to get too off topic but is anyone going to be at Twin Falls over Memorial Day?

yeah, yeah, yeah...

and one jumper did several un-packed jumps off the potato using a PDR deemed no longer airworthy...

is anyone going to be at Twin Falls over Memorial Day?

Yes, several hotels are booked solid.

Was just jumping with a guy in the valley, who on his second jump with a brand new ultra lite canopy had a hard opening which tore off an attachment point. He was spewing, had to drive back to France to get it fixed and pretty much screwed his trip.... I'm happy with something that lasts and has a little more pack volume.

Do you know which canopy it was? Thanks.