Spectre

June 10, 2020

I’ve got a 2003 Spectre 170 with dacron lines and slightly domed slider, 23 x 31 standard L x W with a slight 2” inches of dome. I got this setup because I was looking for soft openings, and they are soft, but there’s no obnoxiously long snivel like I was expecting.

From the time I pitch it takes a standard 700-1,000’ish feet to have a canopy over my head, and so far every jump it has opened perfectly symmetrically and on heading, with the slider slowly coming down the lines but not hanging up. I’ve never had a canopy open so reliably before, without even a hint of line twists.

It flies great, and it flares perfectly fine. I was afraid it was going to come in steeply with a shoddy flare based on what some people say about the spectre, but maybe they’re on crack because I’m able to get perfect soft landings with the PD standard stock brake settings.

Overall, it’s obviously not going to zip around & make adrenaline course through your body, but it opens, flies, and lands perfectly gently with no problems, which is exactly what I was looking for.

I give it an A+ standard for a nice, steady ride.

Todd w · March 12, 2020

Always opens on heading, the other day i had one of my worst pack jobs ever, by the time it was in the bag everything was uneven and slider came out, just shoved in the dbag and it still opened soft and on heading

fvdwerf · June 21, 2015

The spectre is a great (wingsuit) canopy. I flew a storm135 before, but because of the steeper trim didnt't like it that much. The spectre gave me better openings flying wingsuits. Pretty much all are nice on heading soft (and not too long) openings. If an odd twist would occur, it feels more stable then a storm, which would like to dive a lot quicker than the spectre (ymmv). Because of the trim its also easier to make it back from a far spot. It's a lot of fun to fly, but don't expect to win swooping competitions. The storm does that a lot better. (but still a 7 cell) so if you want to swoop, get a 2nd canopy. Highly recommended. Also, PD offers great costumer service. Which is a big plus.
(review is from 70 flights on the spectre 135 loaded @ 1.5)

December 21, 2012

I bought this canopy used from my dz. It had well over 600 jumps on it. Load is about 1:1. I get consistent 800ft soft openings. I even roll packed it and had about 700ft openings. The canopy is very responsive and fun to fly.

Glide angle is a little steep especially in higher winds. The canopy is ground hungry and flaring can be a little tricky. Once you get used to it you can adapt and land well. Would definitely consider buying another Spectre since I am used to it.

Finally, this was my first off student status canopy that I purchased. I was a little worried since my packing was not good yet, but I never had a hard opening. The openings are really phenomenal and soft. Very forgiving even in the worst pack jobs.

beach_bum · July 29, 2012

I have about 60 jumps on my spectre 190 loaded at 1.2 (ish).

I bought my spectre 190 because of being slapped around by other canopies and having a severe spine problem.

Openings: I've had some line twists, but only when other people packed it. I've done some "hasty" packs on it and ended up with a nice square canopy above my head every time. It has a very nice long and very snivel that is very forgiving on your spine, but if you don't have a skyhook you might want to ask you local instructors if you should go directly on your reserve if you jump below 2.5k.
On my canopy (sh with 1k+ jumps), I get off heading openings if I don't tuck the folds from one side with the folds from the other side when propacking. If I don't do this (or do it sloppy), I get turns from 0 to 180.

Flare: not great, but not bad. You should be able to land it quite safely on low experience (50 jumps), but listen to your (thosand jumps +) mates on the DZ on this.

Glide ratio: spectres are ground hungry ... I've had the chance to jump a saffire 2 189 and the time spent in the air is definitely shorter on the spectre.

Swoops: not my cup of tea and doubtfull you'd be able to win any prize on this.

TerminalGravity · July 7, 2012

Got this canopy used with 480 jumps on it. It opens like a dream no matter how you pack it. With a pro pack I get consistent 700 ft. soft snively openings. Glide is surprisingly flat and it's awesome in deep brakes. Very stable in turbulence as well. It has fairly light toggle pressure at my 1.21 wing loading, although it takes a bit of pull to start a turn but when it turns it is snappy and recovers quick. Fronts are decent from full flight, better coming out of brakes. You can plane it out on landing or sink in nice and soft for a tiptoe if you want. When I beat this one to death, I will definately be getting another Spectre.

luccarodolfo · October 29, 2010

I fly a Spectre 150, weigh 200 pounds out the door, so my wing loading is 1.33... It opens so smooth, one time I almost started to cutaway, but it was just doing what it does, open smoothly...

All openings are on heading, unless of course, you're the one who is off course or still flying horizontally... But even in this scenarios, it is very forgiving.

I can tell you, that on my wing loading, it flies faster than my friends heatwave 135 (similar to a stiletto)which he loads around 1.4 and always opens on a line twist. I have to fly heavy on my rear risers so we can fly together.

Front Risers: It responds good enough to riser inputs, however, it needs to go from a slow flight (breaks on) to a front riser pull to respond. This is on my specific case. It simply flies fast, so the lift is to great to pull on front risers.

Rear Risers: Super Docile! you can do almost anything... fly so slow you'll see other canopies just going by. However (on my wing loading), Stalls are very nasty, specially if you're not prepared.

Landings: On my wing loading, it responds fast and accurate enough to do all the landing pattern on harness turns only. leaving your toggles up high for a nice swoopy-kida landing. Flares are not as powerful as on a Sabre, it tends to sink more (again on my wing loading) but no trouble at all. If you flare low you'll get a nice swoopy finish! If want to stop on a dime, just start flaring higher and progressively.

Enjoy

ronnyD · September 21, 2010

Can anybody tell me about the spectre 107 , I would like to have a canopy with smooth openings and landings , I jump most of the time with camara, I have about 4500 jumps, my weight 68 kg = 149.6 lbs and am not very much into swooping.
thanks

jlevin · May 31, 2009

I haven't had a lot of canopies yet so I can really only compare it to larger Silhouettes and to the Sabre2 150.

The openings are really nice. I have never had a hard opening, but the opening aren't as slow as some people say either (except maybe when doing hop-n-pops). The only draw back with the openings is that the canopy sometimes opens off-heading.

It flies a lot better than I had expected after hearing what people at my DZ have to say about 7-cell canopies. The toggle turns are almost as quick as those on the Sabre2, but both the Sabre2 and the Silhouette respond better to front riser input. The Spectre's front riser turns aren't bad except they are fairly slow, but whey you try to do a front riser dive the canopy feels unstable and sometimes wiggles slightly from side to side.

DoZ3r · February 7, 2009

I can honestly say that Spectre is my favorite canopy..! No discussion!

The canopy is awesome, especially considering openings.. The most forgiving thing I've jumped.. Had some *SLAM* openings on my old Sabre2 in Russia...

I started jumping a Spectre 190, the first canopy that was my own, therefore -> Pure love! After that I spend a year and 200 jumps in a Sabre2 before again jumping a Spectre... The one i borrowed from a friend of mine was a Spectre 135, and I still love it, even toe he needs it back.. Only did like 15 jumps in it, but the way a spectre flies.. Wauw! And the openings... My experience is that even the most crappy packing gives a good opening on a spectre... (At least compared to my old Sabre2, which i still like..)

Simply: Try it!

MasterOfMagic · September 17, 2008

I bought a stock Spectre and it was delivered to me in Europe within 6 days.
Loaded my Spectre 190 on 1.29 wingload.

The Spectre opens very smooth and onheading.
It had to get used to landing with the Spectre because in all my previous jumps I used 9 cell parachutes.

My wingload is a little bit high in my experience (115 jumps at 1.29) but the Spectre is still very forgiving for beginners. (One time i didn't flare at all)

Packing the (new) Spectre is a hell of a job for me, but I know this is due to my lack of experience.
When other (experiend) skydivers are packing my Spectre they have no problems at all, so I guess I just have to practice more.

I was looking for a slow opening parachute because of my high fallrate and I found it.

I just love my Spectre.

Update: 01-04-2010: Just bought my second one (170) because i lost 12-15 kg of bodyweight and still loving it :)

Ragnarok · July 14, 2008

I gave this canopy a 4/5 because it is an amazing canopy in nearly every aspect that is important for me to enjoy my skydive.

Openings: Simply put - SWEET!!! Gentle, on-heading, and surprisingly forgiving of packing method. Even with a camera helmet, I have never been wacked. Twisted, maybe once, but never a "bad" opening. If you fly camera, this is the canopy for you.

Flight: This is a fun canopy to fly, period. Responsive, stable, predictible. Easy to dial in, and once you do, you can touch down light as a feather or you can "turf surf". The canopy planes out nicely and will have you skimming for a bit, especially on a 'downwinder'. Never a worry landing this canopy, even in turbulance it is forgivng and quite stable.

Packing: Let me start by saying that I am picky about how I pack and I like to enjoy packing my chute. My canopy has 300 jumps on it and it is slicker than a greased pig. I flatten it out and it just wants to re-inflate. I have to fight it into the bag more often than I like, and it takes me longer to pack than my triathlon.

All things considered I would not want to fly another canopy, though I am partial to 7-cell canopies. I just hate packing it. I have 50 jumps on this (got it second-hand for a great price) and won't make it to 100 because I am selling it and going back to a triathlon. Why? I actually enjoy packing my triathlon, which makes the whole skydive that much sweeter.

I am looking at learning to flat-packing, it has packing tabs. That may change over the next 2 & 1/2 months. If so, I may end up feeling diferently about this canopy.

July 11, 2008

I bought my Spectre 210 (1.1:1) used from the classifieds section in april. I absolutely love it! The openings have been extremely consistent: straight on-heading and soft as can be. The long snivel bothers some people at first but just remember it is designed to do it. Sure beats getting spanked though! At my experience level (74 jumps) and wing loading it is the perfect mix of agility and forgiveness. Highly recommended to everyone!

maurice1369 · March 11, 2008

I have had this canopy since February ever since I returned from Afghanistan and I have put roughly 40 jumps on this canopy. I have to admit I simply love it. 9 times out of 10 it will open on heading and 10 out of 10 times it wills open nice and softly. It is very responsive on toggle and riser input. There is fairly light pressure on the rear risers so they are easy enough to pull in case of a long spot and you need to lose as little altitude as possible. There is medium pressure on the front risers but if you have dive loops then you will have no problem pulling on them. As far as flaring goes there is plenty of flare to go around and the landings are very nice with moderate winds. The only thing that takes a little getting used to is when you are jumping on no wind days and you come in for your final for some reason the canopy likes to pop up a foot or two. If you are not used to this at first it can be a little scary. Other than that the Sabre2 2 is very responsive at higher wing loadings as well as moderate loadings. I load mine at about 1.25 and I have absolutely no problems with any aspect of my canopy.

chutehead · February 4, 2008

I’ve got about 130 jumps on a dacron-lined 170 with a 1.18 wing loading. I’ve had great, on-heading openings that take 800-1000 feet to open with a pro-pack and rolled nose. It might open faster with other packing techniques but I don’t want it to (it’s nice and soft). I’ve never had line twists on this canopy.

The first time I jumped it I noticed that it did not have as flat a glide as the Sabre 2 I learned on. The Spectre falls at a steeper angle. At first, I kept landing short but I’ve got it dialed in now and land very accurately. The reduced glide is really not a big deal once you get used to it. I’ve never had problems getting back from a bad spot.

It’s fun to bury a toggle on this canopy - it turns sharp and quick.

No problems with the flare - you can stop on a dime or slide-in on your feet, although the first couple times were kind of freaky as it comes in fast and steep before you flare.

I don’t swoop yet, so I can’t comment but a couple of guys I’ve talked to claim it can be swooped, just not as far as a 9-cell.

Great all-around, forgiving, soft-opening canopy!

skysloth · January 30, 2008

I have nearly 3,000 jumps on spectres. I love the openings. I was brought up on accuracy canopies, but the spectre gives you all of the benefits without the punishing openings and harsh landings. I can shut it down or do a surge to gain landing speed and bring it in a swoop. This is the best canopy I've ever jumped for someone like me. I view a canopy as a tool to get me to the ground where I want to land. I can bring this in to a tight area or make it back from a long spot. I'm 48 now and this canopy is a blessing to me. I love it. Camera guys, BUY this canopy.

natecoon · September 24, 2007

I've only got 10 jumps on my Spectre 170 loaded at 1.24:1

My wife got a great deal on it with only five jumps on the canopy and I was thinking about going down a size from my Safire2 189 so... she let me have it. Thanks babe!

Five jumps on it - Can you say 'slippery'? Gadzooks man. Good times in the packing tent for someone like me with just over a hundred jumps.

First and most obvious thing I noticed was the openings. AWESOME. Like a pillow and straight on heading every time.
It's a pretty zippy canopy in the air at the loading I have it at. Not high performance or anything but still a lot of fun for someone with my experience.
The landings are so easy on this thing. straight in and it will surf for a little while (with no wind) if you want it to or you can shut it right down with a full flare. Haven't even had so much as a stumble on landing yet with it. (including a little down-winder that made for a little faster landing than usual)
I'm thinking it'll be a great canopy for my next 100-200 jumps but I think I'll probably go back to a 9-cell after that. Great canopy so far (especially with my experience) but I think I'll eventually want something with a little more drive and a little more 'surf' to it on landing. I have heard that you can get a pretty good surf out of it with a little front riser but I've also heard that it's really not made to be a fast landing canopy. It sets you down really soft, like it was designed to.

As I become a better canopy pilot I might start to squeeze more out of it. We'll see. I'll update this after another 50-100 jumps.

jonbradley3752 · February 6, 2007

bought a 150 spectre as first canopy on advice from Chris at Thomas sports UK and love it. Have jumped a few other canopies in search for mine and this was by far the best soft on heading openings and good fun too boot am already eyeing up the girlfriends 135 spectre as my first downsize although have not told her yet so shhhhh

AndyBoyd · November 16, 2006

After having two nasty spinning malfunctions on my old canopy (not a PD), I decided it was time to upgrade my canopy. After talking to a few gear salespeople (the staff at the Sunshine Factory were particularly helpful), I determined that the Spectre had the qualities I wanted in a canopy. I have not been disappointed. It consistently opens softly and on heading. After roughly 650 jumps on my Spectre 150, I have had minor line twists on maybe three or four occasions. Other than those incidents, the openings are great. The canopy has a surprisingly powerful flare for a 7-cell, and my no-wind landings have never been better. I am not a swooper, but I have watched folks swoop Spectres a fair distance. All in all, the canopy does exactly what I want it to: it opens without giving me a hard time, and it lands me softly. I liked the canopy so much, I bought another one for my second rig. The only drawback is that Spectres do not glide as well as most 9-cells out there, and I can have problems if the spot is long. The canopy does respond pretty well to rear riser input, though, so this is not a huge issue. I have been very pleased with my Spectres, and would recommend this canopy to anyone who is looking for a solid, reliable canopy that opens beautifully nearly all the time.

DA50 · November 5, 2006

I love my new Spectre 190! Easy opening, easy landing. I load it 1.2 to 1 and it’s nice.

natef · September 26, 2006

Great all-around; im a beggining swooper and this canopy helped me figure the setup and dive procedure. however, if you are far from the dz, prepare to give your arms a workout while holding the rear risers for a few minutes to even out the glide slope.

ladyflyer77 · August 4, 2006

If you are an average jumper or someone that likes to push things a little further, this is the canopy for you. I jump a Spectre 135 and love!! It allows me to have nice swoops on days I feel like pushing the envelope or soft, smooth landing on days I don't.

The only thing about the spectre I wish was different is the front riser pressure. Being a woman jumper, it can be a little difficult to get a good riser turn out of it if your not fit in the arms. But nonetheless, I still love it and wouldn't exchange it for anything.

TomSpoon · March 6, 2006

Ive got about 1,700 jumps on my spectre 170 loaded at about 1.2-1. The openings are very smooth and consistant taking about 400 ft. Ive also jumped the 150, though it went faster, it did so at the cost of a lower glide ratio.
The canopy is very intolerant of being out of trim. It will let you know when it's ready for a new line set by opening in a rocking stall. I replaced my first line set at 554 jumps. When the rocking stalls returned at about 1100 jumps I cheaped out and replaced just the steering lines. This was fine for a couple hundred more jumps when once again the canopy started opening in a rocking stall.I had the lines replaced again at 1340 jumps. I believe this is consistant with PD's recomendation of replacing lines at about 600 jumps. At 1700 jumps the canopy still flies and lands great though it is starting to show some wear on the top center cell.I know I will soon need to replace the line set for the third time and I will probably send the canopy to pd for porosity testing before making that decision. When this canopy is worn out I'll probably replace it with another spectre 170 unless someone shows me a canopy that fies better and I can let anyone pack with out the worry of being whacked.
Well it's two years later and I'm updating this reveiw. At about 1700 jumps I did send the canopy to PD and they did a porosity test, replaced the top skin of the center cell and installed a dacron line set all for $288 plus shiping. Great service from PD.
The dacron lines do slow the canopy down compared to the spectre lines. I can notice the differance when jumping a freinds 170 with spectre lines.
At over 2000 jumps the spectre is still going strong.

bob.dino · December 19, 2005

I did 350 jumps on my Spectre 190, loaded at about 1.05:1. The canopy is tolerant of less-than-optimal packing, will get you back from a long spot on rears, turns on a dime, and is tough enough for some recreational CRW. It's forgiving enough that I walked away from a couple of bad decisions with damage to only my ego.

The Spectre has a short recovery arc so if your only goal in life is to learn to swoop, it might not be the best choice.

Highly recommended.

WooHoo · October 3, 2005

I am very much a newbie, have been keen to buy my own rig, however have been getting a ton of good advice about canopies. Recently I was able to jump a Spectre for the first time. I was told to expect softer openings than I had been used to on the Sabre 210 that I had jumped previously.

I noticed that it took longer to deploy, but was soft and always opened on heading. In flight it took more toggle pressure to initiate turns, but I soon got the hang of it. The turns felt very positive, and the canopy ride felt very stable in some bumpy air I experienced.

The landing for me was a learning curve, and after two crash bang Tom and Jerry style landings I got the hang of the flare, and was able to land in zero wind atmy DZ which is 2000 ASL, on two feet, (with run off).

I hope to demo the Pilot, and the Sabre 2 as wellas the Safire, but I loved this canopy.

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