Xaos-21

Kikochas · November 28, 2017

This is the best canopy I have ever tried all around, great dive , nice range on rears, BEST OPENINGS ever experienced and powerful flare. I bought 2 108sf for both of my rigs.

June 15, 2012

I have just done a few dozen jumps on a new Xaos 21 117 after having done 1,000+ on a Velocity 111. Both canopies are loaded to about a 2.2

At last, a cross braced canopy that you can trust to open. Although Velocities open softly, their pig-headed desire to go where you don't want until the slider is down can be a P.I.T.A.

In comparison, although the Xaos shakes itself around during opening and the slider stays up longer, nothing untoward actually happens. I had a brake come off during one opening and all that happened was it maintained a stiff turn that I could lean against until I popped the other brake. The same scenario on the Velo would be a catastrophe. (if you ever want to scare yourself silly, jump your Velo with the brakes off!).

The Xaos doesn't dive as hard as the Velo and planes out a bit more by itself, but the swoops are still almost as long and just as fun. Not quite as steerable on the rear risers as the Velo and the transition to stall before you need the brakes to flare is a bit more abrupt, but that is a matter of adjusting your technique.

If you really must have the extra swoop performance, go for the Xaos 27. If not and you want a more well rounded canopy, the 21 will give you 95% of a Velo's performance without the downsides.

My only gripe is the thin HMA lines. Having done 1,000+ jumps on the Velo with Vectran 750 lines before doing a reline, (even though they were still in trim and in fairly good condition), it would be nice if Xaoses (Xaoi?) had an option for a slightly heavier version of the HMA to have longer between relines.

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5 years later
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It's been five years living with the Xaos 21 117 and it's been a very good relationship. Over the past hundred jumps, the slider has become more reluctant to come down during opening, causing the 'snivel' stage to last longer. The HMA lines looked in fairly good condition with just mild piling on the surface (I've been using a stowless bag), so I was getting ready to replace them.... when a B line broke (It was perfectly fine to fly and land). Oh, well, the choice was made for me. The slider's got some mild abrasion near the grommets, so I'm getting that replaced during the re-line, but I'm getting one with stainless grommets instead of brass in the hope the openings will be a little more positive as the Xaos can be a bit slow to open.

squaddie120 · November 4, 2011

I have completed 1500 jumps on my Xaos-21 94. It is the best canopy for camera guys, soft openings, can veer off sometimes on opening but very predictable. Even if you feel a twist going in on opening it just pings you straight out, amazing. The swoops are steep like velo and plane out beautifully. The best canopy I've ever jumped.

Ozzyrulez · February 2, 2009

I got my Xaos21-98sq.ft. a few months ago and I love it! I jumped a 9cell with similar size before. The difference is huge! The flare is amazing, the openings are very soft.
Important: Don't buy a Canopy in this performance range before you're ready. I have had 300 jumps on a 95sq.ft. 9cell before, but this Xaos is just another league! The speed is amazing. When you release the brakes you can feel the acceleration and my first thought was: How am I going to land this monster?
Openings are great if the pack job was good. This is not a Spectre! If you pack shitty, that's the way the canopy will open. So be careful. I didn't have a twist so far and believe me, I don't want to have one!
For my taste, front riser pressure in full flight is a bit high. But you can steer just by shifting weight in the harness. Overall, the best canopy I've ever jumped. In the crossbraced-range I jumped the Neos and the Velocity as well.
blue sky!

dieterhoffman · September 15, 2005

I have done 100 jumps on my xaos 88.I find it to be a fantastic canopy for swooping.The only other "cross-braced" canopies I have jumped are Xaos88-27 cell,and Xaos 78-27 cell(mine is a 21 cell)I do find the 27 cell Xaos to have slightly more lift(longer swooping distance) than the 21 cell.So little however that I can barely tell the difference.
The 27 cell Xaos also recovers a little Quicker from a turn than the 21 cell.
The 21 cell Xaos will lose more altitude from a front riser turn .I am by no means an expert,in fact I have just started learning the art of swooping,but I do find the best wing load to be 2.5.I always load my Xaos between 2.2 and 2.5.A 2.5 wingload simply goes faster and further!

I must say that if given a choice I would prefer a 27 cell Xaos.If two people with the exact amount of skills were to compete,using a 21 and a 27 cell Xaos,the one with the 27 cell will swoop further.
The Xaos 21 cell is however by far the best canopy I have ever owned!I could jump it forever !

September 11, 2005

...why camera flyers specifically? because the openings are a dream. Soft, and I mean, really soft, and on heading 99% of the time. Rare 90 degree off heading, but that's it. It doesn't dance and want to spin like other x-braced canopies on opening. Never been slammed by it, used several different packers and packing techniques. Flight characteristics are awesome. It stays in a dive well and very maneuverable in the turn and dive. Good response to harness input, very powerful rear riser input. Strong flare with a long stroke to finish it off. I highly recommend it. Do yourself a favor, just demo jump it before you order anything and you'll see for yourself.

sw00py · April 26, 2005

So glad I got rid of my Velo and bought the Xaos 21, it snivels around like all cross-braced canopies, but it does'nt give that last shake to the pilot that the Velo does.

namdrib · January 19, 2005

Ok, I will have to agree with most when they say that the Xaos-21 is the best opening canopy going. Most definitely. Doesn't matter how I pack my 78 Sq. Ft. Xaos-21, it is always a very soft opening. It is a very stable canopy, does not buck around in high winds like the problem that I had with the Crossfire2. BUT, I will have to disagree with most when they say that it has little front riser pressure. I do a 270 degree hook and find that the front riser pressure is very heavy. Not sure if it is just that I am used to the Stiletto 97 that I flew prior to this, but it does seem to be heavier! This is not very bad, just heavier than what I am used to. Is it too heavy, NO! But did take some getting used to.
I fly camera with mine and feel completely confident with the openings. I also use it for my wingsuit jumps and have not had a problem as of yet. Very stable, predictable, consistant openings make this canopy a definite "Must have". But do not hop on this puppy with a high wing loading until you are very experienced. This is not something to "Try out" unless you absolutely know what you are doing.

NewClearSports · May 20, 2004

I just had to let anyone know who is thinking of buying a Xaos, that you won't be dissapointed. After flying a Velocity I switched to the Xoas 21 and love it. Loaded 2.1 The openings are the best of any canopy I have ever jumped. It is fast as hell, swoops long and it has lots of lift. Front riser pressure is much less then the Velocity which in my opinion makes it easier to dial in. You let up when you want to, not when they get riped out of your hands. It does however have a large pack volume, My new 88 packs bigger then my 96 Velocity did. And I don't care what anyone says I love the HMA lines. They wistle like crazy when carving out that final 270. Everyone knows your coming in. Great Great Canopy!!

Miami · December 11, 2003

These canopies open like a dream...great for those who fly with cameras. I am jumping a pair of 78's loaded at about 2.9 at a dz 5500ft above sea level and have had very little problem shutting them down on landing. For those who are ready to make the move to crossbraced but do not want the twitchy inconsistent openings of a 27 cell canopy I would highly recommend this canopy.

December 10, 2003

I own 2 of these swoop machines, an 85'with 1000ish jumps and a newer 88' with 200ish jumps on it. The 88 is the nicest opening canopy I've ever jumped and that's saying a lot because I jumped a Crossfire 1-99'before I bought the 85. The front riser pressure on both are very managable compared to the Velocity and the FX. It is a ground hungry parachute but can stay up with much bigger canopies on rears or brakes on a long spot. You must be careful with these X-braced canopies because of the long recovery arc but that is by design. I highly recommend this canopy for experienced jumpers that want to swoop or shoot camera. The bottom end flare is only outdone by 27 cell canopies in my opinion! If you have the skills to fly this, you won't be disappointed! Next, the Xaos 27!

MGentry26 · August 4, 2003

I currently fly the Xaos-21 and I love it. I like the twitchy turning charactaristics of the velocity but I hate it's openings. I think the best landing and opening canopy (that I've flown) is the Xaos-21. I never have to worry about openings and it dives and lands like an F-16. The only thing that might be better would be the Xaos-27, but I've never tried one!

stevejones64 · July 9, 2003

I have 1200 jumps on a combination of Sabre 150's, Jedei 150's, Vengeance 150's, and Stilleto 135's. I have no cutaways in 1200 jumps. I put 15 jumps on my new XAOS 135. Of the 15 jumps 4 had such terrible line twists that I rode it way too long. I should have cut it away all 4 times but didn't. It had a very long snivel then wound up at the end of the 1000 ft. snivel.
Once the canopy was open it was VERY ground hungry. The landings very fast and fun. (Only for the highly experienced)

skychs · May 31, 2003

I love my two Xaos-21's. I have two of them, a 98 and 108. The openings are awsome and I would recomment them for anyone who flys a camera. They are soft and predictable.

townsrd · December 5, 2002

Have several hundred jumps on my Xaoz21 loaded at 2.3 or so. Openings are consistent and very easy to hold near on heading. It does open different, progressing from the outside to the center in a see-saw manner. I've jumped Triatholons, Stiletto's, Vipers, Alpha's and a few others in the last 2000 jumps and I like the opening on the Xaos the best. Only had 1 malfunction due to the HMA line grabbing the BIG tab on the slider's kill line, Other than that just sweet.(straight pro pack, roll outside 3 in 1 full turn, nose open and even with outer rolled noses, and quarter the slider, pull nose of slider out 2" and cacoon it. I use super bands - no problem.
Flys very fast and desends very quick. You need to have it together or you are out of time. For ref., if we all open at 2500 I'm on the groound and picking the canopy up and the rest of the guys are still at 1200+. NO SHIT!
The front riser pressure is reasonable and you can add more most of the way thru 270s and 360's. Done be supprise to hear your Pro-ditter going off as you are turning the corner to land!!

Rear risers are very light and you need to use caution.

I've heard PD claim their prototypes on HMA lines need relining in 100 to 200 jumps. My line show little wear more than 250 jumps.

Packs easily into my TJN could easily go into a smaller container but my Dash M-Z's 135 reserves are about as small as I want to fly.

IF - you have the skills, this is a sweet canopy.

October 30, 2002

I've been jumping a Xaos 21 - 108 this year and have done about 400 jumps on it. Before that I did 1400 on a stiletto 135 (i weigh 200 lbs and have 2300 jumps). I love the way the canopy flies and lands (particularly on back risers), in my opinion it goes further and faster than the FX (i've jumped the 109) and the velocity (i've jumped the 120 - 96. I cutaway twice in my first 20 jumps through line twists then I stopped psycho packing! Precisions website do reccommend this method of packing. I recently cutaway again because of line twists. It could be my body position or my packing but prior to this I had 1 cutaway in 1900 jumps. The lines are still looking OK I will be interested to see how long they last. Hope you find this useful

Suave · January 8, 2002

I was jumping a 97 Stiletto untill this Christmas season when I demoed a Xaos 21, 78 sq ft canopy. There are many differences - speed, decent, lift. The canopy does it all, on a long spot you can make it back if you use deep brakes, but you will want to come straight back as a turn is the begining of the attack for landing, and landings are great when you get used to having to flare deeper than would have been stupid on the Stiletto, when your ready to drop your feet and run you still have more lift. Just a great canopy, play safe and enjoy.

ffejdraga · October 29, 2001

I just got my new XAOS 21 120. This canopy rules!
I am loading it at about 2.1 or 2.2 pounds per sqf.
Before this i had an Icarus FX 122, and the most noticeable difference between the two is the front riser pressure. The Xaos has light riser pressure that be adjuted druing the turn. You can enter a nice carving approach, and it does not take as much strength to hold the riser down, or add more riser if you need to. The canopy is fast and smooth, and if you are used to other crossbraced canopies, it will be a piece of cake for you to fly.

As I get more jumps on this canopy, I will have more info to write, but for now it is enought to say I like it.

BTW,
The lines are freekin TINY!!!! very low bulk lines.

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