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Hi gents,

anybody here got a crux?

Any feedbacks?

I got a lot of question about packing closing sizing etc etc.

Thank you!

I’ve got a lightweight and a normal one. Whatcha need to know?

If you want general feedback, now that I'm off work, here it is:

I've owned a Zak2, Summit, Stream, and now two Cruxs. The Crux is my favorite. It looks neat when packed, even if you pack sloppy, it's easy to close, it has a secure pin flap for wingsuiting, it's reasonably priced, and it's comfy.

The hardware on the legstraps is awesome. It makes gearing up on awkward exits super mellow since the straps come fully detached so you don't have to step through anything or readjust the length. The Crux is now coming with the option to close from the top flap or the floor mounted plate. The harness is nice, light, and comfy. The length of the container is perfect for everything. The pull is perfect for aerials and wingsuiting. My Stream was about 1" longer but I didn't really notice a difference between the Stream and Crux when using them both interchangeably in Europe. My Summit (which was built for me) sat a couple inches higher on my back which felt fine for subterminal stuff but sucked with the wingsuit. Once I got used to the Crux, the Summit felt awkward even on aerials.

Basically the Crux is rad. It does everything a BASE container needs to plus a bit more. It has all it's options included unlike other manufactures so you pay the price you see, not a few hundred more to get basic options that should be standard. If you have any specific questions, I'm happy to answer them.

its always on heading, and is guaranteed to open every time with no wind resistance at all.

Its a really nice clear container in my opinion. You can see Martys influence vs previous squirrel designs. Kind of a refined/fancied up profile. Little longer than a normal container, but not as long as a wingsuit specific container. Ive been jumping mine with a vented feather and have about equal up/down on it in the last year.

Has the build quality improved from their previous containers?
The build quality of my KN sucks.
Sub 100 jumps and it’s falling to bits. Stitching coming undone on both mudflaps and it looks ragged out.
I have a 12 year Gargoyle with 4-5 times as many jumps and it looks in way better condition.

But I must say, some of the things on the KN I really like and they sent upgraded risers and bridle out free of charge even though the container was 6-12 months old.

Laters

Julian.

In a word...yes. Ive got just over 100 on mine and it seems to be holding up well. I do wonder about the ability of any contained without binding tape to hold up long term (10+ years), but that seems to be common with a lot of containers these days.

I still jump my oldest perigee pro that has 1000+ jumps on it and basically looks new. I never owned prior squirrel containers because I wasn't thrilled with the design, but the crux and stream have impressed me.

It's a container. Good, but nothing special at all, imo. Buy it, if you really like the look or you're a squirrel fan. Otherwise, I'd take a look at Apex TL, for example.

If you want a container to last forever, I'd suck it up and get a custom Perigee Pro. The Crux will be delivered much faster though.

Hi gents,

Thanks for the Hints.

DFR may i ask you a side picture of the CRUX when packed?

Just to check if the back wall stays flat or very bumped when packed.

did the two crux you got were fitting you perfectly?

Merci!

Out of curiosity, why Apex? My Summit was a good container, but like you said about the Crux, nothing special. And to get it with all the same options a KN came stock with (for $900 or $800 as a system) it cost me over $1,300. IMO everyone currently makes a nice container but Apex is usually a few hundred more than everything else equivalent from other manufacturers.

So really, unless you’re an Apex fanboy, why not get anything else that will be just as nice and functional and save yourself a $300-500?

Sure, it’s unpacked right now but in the next day or two I’ll pack it and post a pic. And yeah they fit awesome. Every container I’ve owned has been new and built for me and I’ve found the Stream and Crux to be the most comfortable.

An Apex TL is similar to the Crux in that it sits a little longer to accommodate comfortable WS pulls without being so long as to make jumping it slider-off unsafe (with a long exposed corner). It retails at $999, which is $51 cheaper than the Crux and includes the same standard Crux options, but it also includes a stash bag pocket which we feel is a good feature for any BASE container.

We allow customers to further specialize their container to their unique needs with optional features that are not mandatory for everyone, but worth a few extra bucks for some people.

All Apex gear is made in the USA in a small scale manufacturing operation. That doesn't matter to everyone, but we think it's important.

Dan, in your case you bought your Summit before we remodeled our pricing and package structure. Apex containers now come with more features and at a lower cost than they used to.

Plaiskool, feel free to give us a ring at 951-894-6000 or e-mail us at info@apexbase.com for more info. We're always happy to chat!

Glad to see you guys are re-joining reality with pricing

Happy to do it! Now do me a favor and go find everyone you told that "Apex is expensive" and let them know that you stand corrected.

Sure thing! As soon as the price between a Crux/Hayduke and TL/Flik2 isn’t $500 and KN/Hayduke and comparable Summit/Flik2 isn’t $850, I said “re-joining reality” not “back to reality”

But anyways, let’s keep this on topic, helping someone who already owns a Crux and OutlawLite with some packing tricks to make it a bit neater and how the container should fit.

1. Crux+HD Package = $900 + $2140 = $3,040
2. kN+HD Package = $800 + $2140 = $2,940
3. TL+F2 300 UL Package = $999 + $2600 = $3,599
4. Summit+F2 300 UL Package = $999 + $2600 = $3,599

Apex canopies are priced by size, as larger canopies cost more to build with the additional labor and material required. The figures above quote a UL F2 300 which is the most expensive F2 at $2,600 (notwithstanding custom logo work). That said, the biggest gap I could find between a kN/HD and Apex set is $659.

For a mid-sized canopy set I think a fair comparison is:

1. Crux/HD 250 = $3,040
2. TL/UL F2 250 = $3,399

For a difference of $359.

Not to mention that we just released the Rook at $2,700 which is more affordable than all of the above.

Nonetheless, you and I have had this discussion before. Our goal is not to match the prices of a company that outsources their manufacturing to Vietnam.

Our goal is to build high quality gear here in the United States that we're proud of and that jumpers will be comfortable placing their trust in. Does that make us the only trustworthy brand? Absolutely not, but we think there's value in the way we build gear, where we build our gear, and the quality reputation that has been built over the last 23 years.

If the only variable that matters to you is cost, then there will likely always be another low cost leader. We work hard to offer our gear at fair prices without compromising the values and quality that we think is important to our sport, and our brand.

You have the right to buy whatever gear you feel best suits your needs, but with all due respect I will ask you to please stop spreading misinformation about our pricing.

Not to get into the middle of your guys' brand war, but I think the Crux is a better straight across comparison to the Summit than the TL.

And to throw my own two cents in--I think the Summit is a way better rig than the TL.

Well they both cost the same ($999), so for purposes of this debate the Apex container choice is moot.

I actually prefer the TL though the Summit is certainly the more popular option.

Of all of our gear combos, I would say we move more Summit/F2 sets than anything else.

I like turtles

Plus an additional $155 for the spine protector and 3 rings which come stock on a KN. Regardless before making my last post I went into your site and priced out matching rigs to Squirrel rigs and that’s where I got the pricing from. And the previous numbers were based off the exact total I paid when I bought brand new Apex gear a year ago.

So I wouldn’t call that misinformation.

I choose to jump Squirrel and Asylum not for the price, but because out of all the gear ove jumped from nearly every major manufacturer, my Squirrel gear works better, feels better, and looks better (for me). I’ve used pilot chutes from Apex, Badseed, Adrenalin, Squirrel, and Asylum. You couldn’t pay me to use anything but a Snatch 38 for wingsuiting or a 42 toxic/46 no vent for subterminal. They pull harder and more stable than other PC’s I’ve jumped. In the end, it’s about what works the best and that’s what I want on my back when I’m 100’ off the deck waiting for my ahitnto open.

If you want to discuss why it’s worth paying more for Apex gear when you can get equivalent quality for less cash from most other manufacturers, feel free to start a separate thread, but your posts seem out of place here. As I said before, all manufacturers make a good rig. I’m not saying your rigs suck, just wouldn’t be my first choice unless I found a good deal on a used one so it wouldn’t break the bank. The Summit was way nicer than the Zak2 I had. My crux is more comfortable and lighter and does everything my Summit did. Therefore it’s better for me, and cheaper as an added bonus.

And we’ve talked before about the Rook. And I’d still rather pay 200 more for full options and IMO a better canopy.


Lastly to touch on the “American Made” aspect, that’s not something I care about. I care more how it’s made than where. I work in the bike industry and there’s a few manufacturers who brag about how their carbon frames are made in the USA. The funny thing is China does so much carbon work, they have their shit dialed and usually produce a higher quality product than the brands who do American made frames.

I respectfully disagree with many of your conclusions, but at the end of the day it's your right as a consumer to decide which equipment best suits your needs.

For anyone pricing out Apex gear I would highly encourage you to visit our website where accurate pricing information is available. We're also happy to speak with any customers about gear selection and what might be the best fit for your jumping style.

All the people chanting about "American Made" rigs are also jumping "foreign made" wingsuits or canopies so we can see through the BS.

I've spent a lot of money on both Apex and Squirrel gear. Both companies have their own pros and cons, but I've never heard (nor would I say) that an Apex rig isn't worth the money.

On the topic of the Crux, there's references to collaboration with Marty/Asylum all over the place. Does the Crux production and QA/QC process differ from the rest of Squirrel's products?

Love you Joe

Nothing wrong at all with apex gear, and personal preference is a big part of gear choice. I’m still not sold that the multi does anything significant though.

Just because I drive a Nissan, and fly a Freak, doesn't mean that there isn't value in my Rook being made in Murrieta, CA.

At the end of the day we're all just selling ice cream. I happen to think that chocolate is the best, and I'll tell you about it until I'm blue in the face. That doesn't mean that vanilla isn't good too, but it's not my favorite...and that doesn't make anyone who likes vanilla wrong.

But hey, I'm a chocolate guy. So, you know, f*ck off vanilla!

Honestly, nationalism seems pretty out of place in BASE. The community is small enough that you can actually know people regardless of their nationality, and you can develop loyalties to the people behind the brands.

I don't think of Apex as "American Made." I think of it as "Todd." I don't think of Atair as "Slovenian." I think of it as "Stane and Andrej." I don't really care where Marty made my Perigee Pro. He could sew it in Zimbabwe, for all I care. It's him that I trust--not his nationality.

People are free to wave their flags all they want, but I find individuals a lot easier to cheer for than nationalities.

Me too.

Because TL is made by Apex, obviously :) It's not about the brand but about the container. For me TL is a container "one to rule them all". It's long, flat, narrow, good for any types of jump, well built, looks good with any size of canopy inside it, even not UL. I don't like the Summit btw, because I don't see any advantages comparing to a TL. The same for Crux or Hybrid or any else.

I think regardless of the industry there is merit in 'locally made' - no nationalism needed.

(Nevermind working conditions wherever products are made)

Handmade in a sweatshop somewhere here in asia

Yup, exact same thing happened to a “local manufacturer” too. Everyone is always quick to point fingers, but every single major manufacturer has had issues with their gear at some point.

Totally agreed.

Anyway i received mine. Pretty well made i have to say! I just have a small problem with sizing so will need to figure out what to do but other than that i think it's nice.

Container sizing or harness sizing?

I saw two of the very first Crux's that had super tight pack trays (on the canopies that they were delivered with as packages), but I thought they worked that out almost immediately. I know at least one of those guys got an immediate trade in to a larger pack tray.

It's probably outside the scope of this discussion, but I'd rather have my gear made by a friend I like and trust who lives in Slovenia than by a local guy who I don't like, or who does poor work. My loyalties tend to be more personal and less geographic.

Tray is ok if you do a clean pack the rig looks pretty nice, even if it's i think a bit narrow, but no probleme with that event with a 271 inside.



it's a Harness sizing problem, more a body issue, MLW AND lateral, very very tight like putting a backpack with straps all the way tighten, it was even hard to put it just on the back. The rig was fitting perfectly around back and chest a buddy of mine that is almost 40 lbS lighter and 7inches taller.

TBH i Was a bit lost because all the mesurements were good i took them like fu*** 10 times. (short/stocky) doesn't help i think.

Anyway SQRL is taking care of that. So it's perfect i will see how the new is going.

If you order a Squirrel thing ask a dealer to take your measurments ;)
If it's not well sized you will not be to blame.
I know 3 people at least with size problems and first they tried to blame them until they found that it was a dealer who took the measurments and they made a new one immediatly.

Get a PPro/ with an OSP UL

Ody

I would be very careful with using “American made” to advertise any brand. Might work with an audience that has never traveled outside of the US, but that’s usually not the case with Base jumpers. And you will not impress the rest of the world with “American made” -> American cars..

Yup

Finally got around to jumping a Crux at the weekend.

If you removed all branding, I would never have guessed they were made by the same company as the KN.
Super comfy, well designed, looked in great condition (not sure exactly how many jumps they had on them). Didn’t have to pack one as I had serevral packing bitches do that for me but a MASSIVE improvement on the KN.

I jumped a KN during my FJC and compared to my CRUX the CRUX is so much more comfortable. It packs just as easy.