How to choose your canopy? pt#1
Picking a canopy is like picking shoes for a concert. Get the wrong pair, and you're either not moving or you're limping.
There’s no such thing as “the best canopy.”
There’s only the right one for the way you fly.
And that choice starts way before you deploy — it starts with what you do from exit to 1000 meters.
Your Freefall Style Dictates the Canopy
Every skydiving discipline has different needs. And no, it’s not just about being a beginner or experienced jumper.
It’s about what kind of flying you do before the canopy even shows up.
Let’s break it down in a simple and useful way.
1. AFF and First Jumps
Your only job here is to land safely and fly straight.
You’re not proving anything — you're just building muscle memory and staying safe.
✅ Forgiving behavior
✅ Smooth response even with low toggle input
✅ Handles mistakes without punishing you
2. Relative Work (RW / FS)
You’re flying close. Really close.
In a group jump, openings can be crowded and messy. You need a canopy that’s predictable, stable, and won’t freak out if your body position isn’t perfect.
✅ Consistent openings
✅ Easy to control throughout the entire flight
✅ Good range and accuracy for target landings
3. Freefly
Openings matter a lot.
Head-down, carving, high speeds — your body is pushing strange airflows into your container. You need a canopy that opens clean, soft, and without whiplash.
✅ Soft openings even from awkward body positions
✅ Predictable flight in busy skies
✅ Smooth control for variable landing zones
4. Wingsuit
Now we’re in a completely different world.
You’re flying with an actual wing on your body. Speeds are lower, glide is higher, and a standard canopy just doesn’t want to open.
You need a canopy with dedicated trim, designed to deploy even at low speeds.
✅ Opens reliably around 100–120 km/h
✅ Stable even during weird burbles
✅ No nasty line twists or surprises
5. Canopy Piloting / Swooping
This is where things get spicy.
High-performance canopies are like scalpels: amazing in expert hands, dangerous in the wrong ones.
If you're here, you’ve put in the time. And if you haven't — take a step back and train first.
✅ Super responsive
✅ Fast, powerful, and technical
✅ Made for swoops, turns, and tight lines — not chill landings
Canopy Shape: Rectangular vs. Elliptical (And Why It Matters)
Not all 170s are created equal.
Same square footage, totally different personality — and a lot of that comes down to taper ratio and planform.
Let’s break it down.
🟥 Rectangular Canopies
These are your classic, squared-off shapes. The tail and nose are roughly the same width.
What it means in practice:
✅ Very stable
✅ Predictable on all inputs
✅ Slower to react = more forgiving
✅ Great for students, beginners, and accuracy jumps
But don’t expect crazy performance. They’re built for control, not thrill.
🟨 Semi-Elliptical Canopies
This is the hybrid zone.
The wingtips are slightly tapered, giving you a bit more performance — without throwing you into the deep end.
Expect:
✅ Better glide
✅ More flare power
✅ Still stable, but more responsive
✅ Ideal for jumpers transitioning to smaller wings
Think of it as a “middle step” — not a couch, not a rocket.
🟦 Elliptical Canopies
These are aggressive, high-taper designs where the wingtips are noticeably narrower than the center.
Result:
⚠️ Highly responsive
⚠️ Faster turns, faster landings
⚠️ Requires constant input
⚠️ Tiny mistakes = big outcomes
They’re fun. They’re sexy. But they’re not for low experience jumpers — especially under small sizes.
So... What’s Taper Ratio?
It’s the measure of how narrow the wingtips are compared to the center of the canopy.
A low taper ratio (rectangular) = predictable and stable
A high taper ratio (elliptical) = fast, agile, but twitchy
Bigger isn’t always safer — shape matters as much as size.
Recap: Pick Your Canopy Based on What You Fly, Not Just How Much You Fly
There’s no one-size-fits-all. But there are good starting points.
DisciplineWhat to Look forAFF / First JumpsForgiveness, stabilityRW / FSPredictability, smooth flightFreeflyClean openings, soft responseWingsuitLow-speed deployment, controlCanopy PilotingSpeed, precision, high response
Not sure what to choose?
Ask someone who’s been there. The canopy doesn’t care about your ego — it just flies how it’s built to.
