Comp Velocity vs Pulse

Performance Designs Comp Velocity · Performance Designs Pulse · 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 Pulse are both made by Performance Designs.
Planform: Comp Velocity is listed as elliptical; Pulse as semi-elliptical.
Comp Velocity has 7 cells; Pulse has 9 cells.
Comp Velocity is cross-braced; Pulse is not.
Comp Velocity is listed in 71–111 sq ft; Pulse in 107–260 sq ft.
The listed size ranges overlap between 107 and 111 sq ft.
Published aspect ratio: Comp Velocity 2.68, Pulse 2.59.
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	Pulse
Manufacturer	Performance Designs	Performance Designs
Status	current	current
Cells	7	9
Planform	elliptical	semi-elliptical
Cross-braced	yes	no
Aspect ratio	2.68	2.59
Sizes (sq ft)	71–111 Source: Performance Designs — Comp Velocity product page ↗	107–260 Source: Performance Designs — Pulse 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 ↗	Novice to Experienced skydivers Wingsuiting Getting back from long spots Individuals who are learning or who have issues packing Individuals looking for a canopy that has a low pack volume Flat packing Source: Performance Designs — Pulse 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 ↗	Soft, forgiving openings with short snivel · Very flat glide · Short recovery arc · Easy to pack · Easy to time flare · For Novice to Experienced jumpers Source: Performance Designs — Pulse 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.	Significantly shorter snivel than a Sabre2 or a Spectre, and an inflation that is a bit quicker, without being uncomfortable. Easier to keep on heading; if it opens off heading it will generally stay on that heading rather than continuing the turn.
Recovery arc	Long recovery arc (product page); recovery from a front riser dive longer than with a Velocity.	The recovery arc is a lot shorter than on a Sabre2; when you stop a turn it will plane out into normal flight much more quickly than a Sabre2.
Glide	Very steep glide (product page).	Very flat glide when flying at full flight, much like the PD Stiletto.
Speed / dive	Flies a bit faster and is, in general, a more efficient wing than the Velocity (qualitative; no figures published).	not published
Flare	Great shut down power (product page); toggle stroke may be longer and stall point lower; slow speed efficiency exceeds the Velocity.	Approach angle is flatter and rate of descent lower than most other canopies, so the flare is quite easy to time; less tendency for unwanted pop-up or "ballooning" on landing.
Front risers	Front riser dive characteristics very similar to the Velocity; pressure about the same, but builds a bit differently.	Flies reasonably well on front risers, with a somewhat lower increase in descent rate than a Sabre2; riser pressure is firm and builds as airspeed increases; not designed to achieve steep diving turns.
Rear risers	Most pilots state that it feels more powerful on the rears; flies more efficiently on the rears.	Rear riser turns are conventional, though the control range is very short; only a modest improvement in glide with rear risers; flaring with rear risers is not nearly as effective as on a Sabre2.
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.	Very responsive in toggle turns; takes less toggle movement to achieve a given turn rate compared to a Sabre2, and descends less quickly in a turn.
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)) ↗

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

Size	Student	Novice	Intermediate	Advanced	Expert	Maximum (never exceed)
107	N/S	N/S	N/S	114	138	160
120	N/S	N/S	115	129	155	180
135	N/S	110	132	146	175	202
150	N/S	123	149	169	195	225
170	N/S	143	173	193	222	250
190	140	165	194	218	247	266
210	157	190	216	230	259	275
230	172	210	228	245	268	280
260	195	230	242	262	282	302

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

Source: Performance Designs — Pulse sizing / wing-loading chart (FC-0009 Rev. 0 (PD Pulse Wing Loading Chart)) ↗

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 — Pulse product page — open ↗
A Performance Designs — Pulse Flight Characteristics (FC-0009 Rev. 0) — open ↗
A Performance Designs — Pulse sizing / wing-loading chart (FC-0009 Rev. 0 (PD Pulse Wing Loading Chart)) — 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 · Pulse vs Sabre3 · Katana vs Pulse · Pulse vs Spectre · Pulse vs Stiletto · Pulse vs Storm · Comp Velocity vs Katana · Comp Velocity 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.