Comp Velocity vs Spectre

Performance Designs Comp Velocity · Performance Designs Spectre · 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 Spectre are both made by Performance Designs.
Planform: Comp Velocity is listed as elliptical; Spectre as semi-elliptical.
Both have 7 cells.
Comp Velocity is cross-braced; Spectre is not.
Comp Velocity is listed in 71–111 sq ft; Spectre in 97–230 sq ft.
The listed size ranges overlap between 97 and 111 sq ft.
Published aspect ratio: Comp Velocity 2.68, Spectre 2.14.
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	Spectre
Manufacturer	Performance Designs	Performance Designs
Status	current	current
Cells	7	7
Planform	elliptical	semi-elliptical
Cross-braced	yes	no
Aspect ratio	2.68	2.14
Sizes (sq ft)	71–111 Source: Performance Designs — Comp Velocity product page ↗	97–230 Source: Performance Designs — Spectre 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 Individuals looking for a canopy with nice, long, and smoothopenings Wingsuiting Camera flyers Demonstration jumps Source: Performance Designs — Spectre 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 openings with long snivel · Short recovery arc · Flat glide Source: Performance Designs — Spectre 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.	All sizes of the Spectre have a relatively long snivel and slow inflation speed. More resistant to off-heading openings than many other canopies, and tends to turn less and recover more quickly if it does open off-heading.
Recovery arc	Long recovery arc (product page); recovery from a front riser dive longer than with a Velocity.	Short recovery arc (product page). FC: loses more altitude in a turn than some other canopies; will dive longer and lose more altitude in a turn than the Stiletto.
Glide	Very steep glide (product page).	At full glide the Spectre actually has a slightly flatter glide angle than some nine-cell canopies, including both the original Sabre and the Sabre2.
Speed / dive	Flies a bit faster and is, in general, a more efficient wing than the Velocity (qualitative; no figures published).	Flies at about the same airspeed as the original Sabre, the Sabre2, and the Stiletto (qualitative; no figures published).
Flare	Great shut down power (product page); toggle stroke may be longer and stall point lower; slow speed efficiency exceeds the Velocity.	Tends to have a lower flare point or "sweet spot"; you will need to pull the toggles a bit farther to stop your descent.
Front risers	Front riser dive characteristics very similar to the Velocity; pressure about the same, but builds a bit differently.	Relatively light front riser pressure; even larger sizes respond fairly well to front riser input.
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.	Turns more quickly and smoothly than a rectangular canopy, with less toggle pressure; product page: smooth, progressive toggle response. Very responsive in braked flight.
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)) ↗

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

Size	Student	Novice	Intermediate	Advanced	Expert	Maximum (never exceed)
97	N/S	N/S	N/S	97	126	155
107	N/S	N/S	N/S	107	139	171
120	N/S	102	114	120	156	192
135	N/S	114	128	135	175	216
150	N/S	135	150	165	195	240
170	N/S	153	170	187	221	255
190	N/S	171	190	209	228	266
210	N/S	189	210	231	252	273
230	N/S	218	230	253	276	299

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

Source: Performance Designs — Spectre sizing / wing-loading chart (PD website Spectre Wing Loading Chart, TABLE-0175 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 — Spectre product page — open ↗
A Performance Designs — Spectre Flight Characteristics (FC-0012 Rev. 0) — open ↗
B Performance Designs — Spectre sizing / wing-loading chart (PD website Spectre Wing Loading Chart, TABLE-0175 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 · Spectre vs Storm · Pulse vs Spectre · Sabre3 vs Spectre · Comp Velocity vs Katana · 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.