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I had read (in great b ook of base) that the ultralite material is easier to pack than traditional f111. Is this true in your experience and then would an ultralite canopy be a good first choice for a beginner? (especially if that beginner was interested in eventually being able to progress to a point where the focus in his base jumping life was alpine/remote terminal jumps where weight/volume would be an issue).

What are your thoughts?

Easier to Pack - maybe. But F111 is not hard to pack. The UL material is a lot easier to damage and wears out a lot faster. That's a fact of all Optimum reserves that I have packed an the few Trangos that I have packed. I am guessing that UL canopies from Asylum and Apex have similar properties.

I would recommend getting a traditional F111 canopy for your first rig, and once you progress to alpine environment to get a low bulk setup.

I would think opening/flying characteristics, vents, flare, ect. would be more important issue than weight/volume. Especially for beginners. Who cares what you think you might be doing eventually.