Comp Velocity vs Safire 4

Performance Designs Comp Velocity · JYRO Safire 4 · 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 is made by Performance Designs; Safire 4 is made by JYRO.
Planform: Comp Velocity is listed as elliptical; Safire 4 as semi-elliptical.
Comp Velocity has 7 cells; Safire 4 has 9 cells.
Comp Velocity is cross-braced; Safire 4 is not.
Comp Velocity is listed in 71–111 sq ft; Safire 4 in 109–189 sq ft.
The listed size ranges overlap between 109 and 111 sq ft.
Published aspect ratio: Comp Velocity 2.68, Safire 4 2.55.
The manufacturers publish different systems: Performance Designs lists a maximum exit weight per skill category and size; JYRO lists a recommended wing-loading range and a chart with jump-number bands. They are shown side by side, never translated into each other.

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	Safire 4
Manufacturer	Performance Designs	JYRO
Status	current	current
Cells	7	9
Planform	elliptical	semi-elliptical
Cross-braced	yes	no
Aspect ratio	2.68	2.55
Sizes (sq ft)	71–111 Source: Performance Designs — Comp Velocity product page ↗	109–189 · custom sizes available Source: JYRO — Safire 4 product page (page modified 2026-09-02) ↗
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 ↗	First 'legit' sports wing after A-licence All-round daily driver Progression without the punishment Source: JYRO — Safire 4 product page (page modified 2026-09-02) ↗
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 ↗	Smooth, stable, on-heading openings · Quick, clean recovery from dives and turns · Powerful progressive flare · Front risers optional at lighter loadings Source: JYRO — Safire 4 product page (page modified 2026-09-02) ↗
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, progressive snivel; increased heading reliability; bow-tie bridle balances deployment (JYRO).
Recovery arc	Long recovery arc (product page); recovery from a front riser dive longer than with a Velocity.	Recovery from dives and turns is quick and clean (JYRO).
Glide	Very steep glide (product page).	Glide ratio ~2.8; mini ribs boost glide; long straight glide on rears (JYRO).
Speed / dive	Flies a bit faster and is, in general, a more efficient wing than the Velocity (qualitative; no figures published).	'Not trying to be a swoop machine' (JYRO) — 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.	More powerful, progressive flare; more range (JYRO).
Front risers	Front riser dive characteristics very similar to the Velocity; pressure about the same, but builds a bit differently.	Accessible and easy to manage; pressure similar to the Safire 3 (JYRO).
Rear risers	Most pilots state that it feels more powerful on the rears; flies more efficiently on the rears.	Long glide, responds to small deliberate inputs (JYRO).
Harness response	not published	Responds to intentional weight shift; not hyper-reactive (JYRO).
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.	Responsive without being twitchy (JYRO).
Loading system	Maximum exit weight per PD skill category and size (chart below).	Recommended wing-loading range 1.0–1.6 lb/ft² plus a chart with jump-number bands (below).
Manufacturer-stated experience requirements	none stated	none stated
Evidence level	A — Manufacturer technical documentation	B — Manufacturer product information

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)) ↗

Safire 4 — JYRO wing-loading chart

Recommended wing-loading range: 1.0–1.6 lb/ft² Source: JYRO — Safire 4 product page (page modified 2026-09-02) ↗

34 chart cells (exit weight × size → wing loading), colour bands = minimum jump numbers: 400+ jumps · 500+ jumps · 700+ jumps · 100+ jumps · 200+ jumps · 300+ jumps · 900+ jumps

Source: JYRO — Safire 4 wing-loading chart (image) (WL_Chart_V4) ↗

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 JYRO — Safire 4 product page (page modified 2026-09-02) — open ↗
B JYRO — Safire 4 wing-loading chart (image) (WL_Chart_V4) — 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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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.