Katana vs Pulse

Performance Designs Katana · 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

Katana and Pulse are both made by Performance Designs.
Planform: Katana is listed as elliptical; Pulse as semi-elliptical.
Both have 9 cells.
Neither is cross-braced.
Katana is listed in 83–170 sq ft; Pulse in 107–260 sq ft.
The listed size ranges overlap between 107 and 170 sq ft.
Published aspect ratio: Katana 2.74, 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

	Katana	Pulse
Manufacturer	Performance Designs	Performance Designs
Status	current	current
Cells	9	9
Planform	elliptical	semi-elliptical
Cross-braced	no	no
Aspect ratio	2.74	2.59
Sizes (sq ft)	83–170 Source: Performance Designs — KATANA product page ↗	107–260 Source: Performance Designs — Pulse product page ↗
Designed for (manufacturer wording)	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 ↗	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)	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 ↗	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	Soft, smooth openings; long snivel (product page).	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).	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	Wide speed range; steep dive (product page) — no airspeed figures published.	not published
Flare	Long dynamic flare; powerful flare (product page).	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	Very light front riser pressure (product page).	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	not published	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	Long control range (product page).	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

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) ↗

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 — 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 ↗
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: Katana vs Stiletto · Pulse vs Sabre3 · Katana vs Sabre3 · Pulse vs Spectre · Pulse vs Stiletto · Pulse vs Storm · Comp Velocity vs Katana · 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.