How to choose your canopy? pt#2
You might have 500 jumps and still be flying like a student. Or maybe you’ve got 200 jumps and already handle your landings like a pro.
Experience is not just a number.
It’s how you fly.
Let’s get brutally honest about experience levels — and how they should guide the size of your canopy.
Experience ≠ Jump Count
Everyone loves to flex their number of jumps. But that number means nothing if:
You always jump at the same DZ with perfect weather
You’ve never landed in turbulence
You’ve never missed the DZ
You only fly straight and flat
You panic when things go off script
Your true experience is how well you adapt, not how high your logbook goes.
Signs You’re Still Low-Experience (Even if You Have the Jumps)
✅ You still feel nervous under canopy
✅ You flare too early or too late
✅ You don’t trust yourself in crosswinds
✅ You’ve never landed off and don’t want to
✅ You rarely use rear risers or harness input
✅ You rely on others to check winds and spot
It’s fine. Everyone starts here.
Just don’t downsize like you’re above it.
Mid-Experience: The "Danger Zone"
This is the tricky part.
You’ve got some jumps under your belt, maybe 150–400. You’re getting comfortable.
You’re starting to understand inputs, accuracy, landings.
You’re also starting to feel bored with a forgiving canopy.
This is where most bad decisions happen.
People downsize too fast.
They chase performance instead of refining skills.
If you’re in this phase:
📌 Focus on consistency. Nail perfect landings 100 times in a row before you change size or model.
High Experience: Calm Is the Skill
✅ You land anywhere, anytime
✅ You understand how weather affects your flight
✅ You make decisions early and execute them
✅ You know your canopy inside out
✅ You don’t need to prove anything
If this is you, then sure — explore smaller sizes, different trims, higher performance wings.
But even here: you’re never done learning.
How to Choose the Right Canopy Size (Without Lying to Yourself)
Forget the marketing.
Forget the guy who flies a 90 with 400 jumps.
Let’s get real.
1. Wing Loading Matters (But Only If You Know What It Means)
Wing loading = your exit weight x 2.2 ÷ canopy size
Example: 80 kg jumper on a 170 ft² = 1.04 WL
A lower wing loading = slower flight, more margin for error.
A higher wing loading = faster flight, more risk.
But here’s the catch:
You’re not downsizing wing loading — you’re downsizing decision time.
Things happen faster. Mistakes hurt more.
2. Bigger ≠ Boring
A lot of jumpers think a 190 is “too floaty.”
If it feels boring, you’re not using it properly.
✅ Try rear risers
✅ Practice carving
✅ Nail your accuracy
✅ Learn to fly your pattern like an aircraft
Big wings teach you more than you think — and forgive a whole lot more.
3. Your Margin = Your Safety Net
Life happens. Winds change. Traffic appears. You land long.
That’s when your canopy size saves your ass — or doesn’t.
Smaller wings leave no room for improvisation.
If you’re not 100% consistent on a bigger wing, you’re not ready for a smaller one.
Golden Rule: Only Downsize When It’s Actually Holding You Back
Ask yourself:
Am I consistently landing accurately?
Am I flying full patterns, with confidence?
Am I using inputs beyond toggles?
Do I understand what I’d gain — and lose — with a smaller wing?
If the answer isn’t a full yes:
📌 Stay put. Learn more.
Final Thoughts: The Right Size Is the One You Don’t Fight
Skydiving isn’t about impressing others.
It’s about landing well — every time.
Choose a canopy that matches how you actually fly, not how you think you fly.
