Comp Velocity vs Katana

Performance Designs Comp Velocity · Performance Designs Katana · Canopy explorer

Manufacturer facts side by side, with the source on every row. Nothing on this page says which canopy to choose or what wing loading to fly — that is a conversation for you, your canopy coach and your drop zone.

What differs — read from the data

Comp Velocity and Katana are both made by Performance Designs.
Planform: both are listed as elliptical.
Comp Velocity has 7 cells; Katana has 9 cells.
Comp Velocity is cross-braced; Katana is not.
Comp Velocity is listed in 71–111 sq ft; Katana in 83–170 sq ft.
The listed size ranges overlap between 83 and 111 sq ft.
Published aspect ratio: Comp Velocity 2.68, Katana 2.74.
Both charts list Performance Designs' maximum exit weight per skill category and size — the same size can be read in both tables below.

Structural facts only (manufacturer, planform, cells, bracing, sizes, chart system). How each wing flies is described below in the manufacturer's own words; how it flies for you is a question for a canopy coach.

Side by side

	Comp Velocity	Katana
Manufacturer	Performance Designs	Performance Designs
Status	current	current
Cells	7	9
Planform	elliptical	elliptical
Cross-braced	yes	no
Aspect ratio	2.68	2.74
Sizes (sq ft)	71–111 Source: Performance Designs — Comp Velocity product page ↗	83–170 Source: Performance Designs — KATANA product page ↗
Designed for (manufacturer wording)	Highly experienced canopy pilots First-time crossbraced canopy pilots Getting back from long spots Camera flyers Individuals learning high performance canopy piloting under appropriate supervision Individuals looking for a high performance canopy for competition Source: Performance Designs — Comp Velocity product page ↗	Advanced to expert skydivers Experienced canopy pilots Camera flyers Individuals who are actively working on their canopy piloting skills Individuals who want an aggressive canopy but are not interested in or ready for a cross-braced canopy Source: Performance Designs — KATANA product page ↗
Characteristics (manufacturer keywords)	Great openings · Long recovery arc · Very steep glide · Great shut down power · Responsive and powerful canopy Source: Performance Designs — Comp Velocity product page ↗	Long recovery arc · Long snivel openings · Very steep glide · Wide speed range · Very light front riser pressure · Long dynamic flare Source: Performance Designs — KATANA product page ↗
Opening	Quite similar to the Velocity, with a bit more refinement; the amount this canopy "searches" or "shakes" during the snivel stages is quite reduced.	Soft, smooth openings; long snivel (product page).
Recovery arc	Long recovery arc (product page); recovery from a front riser dive longer than with a Velocity.	Long recovery arc (product page).
Glide	Very steep glide (product page).	Very steep glide (product page).
Speed / dive	Flies a bit faster and is, in general, a more efficient wing than the Velocity (qualitative; no figures published).	Wide speed range; steep dive (product page) — no airspeed figures published.
Flare	Great shut down power (product page); toggle stroke may be longer and stall point lower; slow speed efficiency exceeds the Velocity.	Long dynamic flare; powerful flare (product page).
Front risers	Front riser dive characteristics very similar to the Velocity; pressure about the same, but builds a bit differently.	Very light front riser pressure (product page).
Rear risers	Most pilots state that it feels more powerful on the rears; flies more efficiently on the rears.	not published
Harness response	not published	not published
Toggle response	Comes standard with three additional inches of brake to toggle line compared to a Velocity; toggle stroke may be longer and stall point lower.	Long control range (product page).
Loading system	Maximum exit weight per PD skill category and size (chart below).	Maximum exit weight per PD skill category and size (chart below).
Manufacturer-stated experience requirements	none stated	none stated
Evidence level	A — Manufacturer technical documentation	A — Manufacturer technical documentation

Flight wording is quoted or closely paraphrased from each manufacturer's own documents; where a manufacturer publishes nothing for a row it says "not published". No airspeed figures are published by either manufacturer.

Your wing loading on each size

Exit weight (you + all gear): kg

Enter an exit weight to see exit weight ÷ size for every listed size of both canopies and where each number sits on the manufacturer's own chart.

Wing loading = exit weight (lb) ÷ size (ft²). PD's chart lists the MAXIMUM exit weight per skill category — the category shown is the lowest one whose maximum covers your weight, by PD's own rule. JYRO's range is a manufacturer envelope, not a target. The two systems are never translated into each other.

The manufacturers' charts

Comp Velocity — Performance Designs chart: maximum exit weight (lb) per category

Size	Student	Novice	Intermediate	Advanced	Expert	Maximum (never exceed)
71	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	149	170
75	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	158	180
79	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	166	194
84	N/S	N/S	N/S	109	176	206
90	N/S	N/S	N/S	117	193	225
96	N/S	N/S	N/S	125	206	240
103	N/S	N/S	N/S	134	221	252
111	N/S	N/S	N/S	144	238	266

N/S = not suggested by the manufacturer for that category. Weights are maximums, not recommendations.

Source: Performance Designs — Comp Velocity sizing / wing-loading chart (FC-0001 Rev. C (PD Competition Velocity wing load chart)) ↗

Katana — Performance Designs chart: maximum exit weight (lb) per category

Size	Student	Novice	Intermediate	Advanced	Expert	Maximum (never exceed)
83	N/S	N/S	N/S	107	142	160
89	N/S	N/S	N/S	116	155	175
97	N/S	N/S	N/S	128	171	193
107	N/S	N/S	N/S	144	192	216
120	N/S	N/S	N/S	162	216	243
135	N/S	N/S	N/S	176	229	257
150	N/S	N/S	N/S	195	242	271
170	N/S	N/S	N/S	221	255	285

N/S = not suggested by the manufacturer for that category. Weights are maximums, not recommendations.

Source: Performance Designs — Katana Flight Characteristics and FAQ (FC-0006 Rev. 0) ↗

Sources

B Performance Designs — Comp Velocity product page — open ↗
A Performance Designs — Comp Velocity Flight Characteristics (FC-0001 Rev. C) — open ↗
A Performance Designs — Comp Velocity sizing / wing-loading chart (FC-0001 Rev. C (PD Competition Velocity wing load chart)) — open ↗
B Performance Designs — KATANA product page — open ↗
A Performance Designs — Katana Flight Characteristics and FAQ (FC-0006 Rev. 0) — open ↗
B Performance Designs — Katana Wing Loading Chart (product page) (TABLE-0171 REV.0) — open ↗

Evidence levels: A = manufacturer technical documentation, B = manufacturer product information. Knowledge base version canopy-kb-2026.09.23-r3. All sources used on this site

See it in your own data

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Other comparisons: Comp Velocity vs Valkyrie · Katana vs Stiletto · Katana vs Pulse · Katana vs Sabre3 · Comp Velocity vs Spectre · Comp Velocity vs Stiletto · Comp Velocity vs Storm · Katana vs Spectre

Safety notice: This tool is for data review only. It does not replace canopy coaching, DZ rules, traffic awareness, S&TA guidance, or manufacturer guidance. Everything here is information for learning — not advice or a recommendation about any canopy, wing loading, turn or decision. Your decisions are your own. See the Terms of Service.