Katana vs Spectre

Performance Designs Katana · 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

Katana and Spectre are both made by Performance Designs.
Planform: Katana is listed as elliptical; Spectre as semi-elliptical.
Katana has 9 cells; Spectre has 7 cells.
Neither is cross-braced.
Katana is listed in 83–170 sq ft; Spectre in 97–230 sq ft.
The listed size ranges overlap between 97 and 170 sq ft.
Published aspect ratio: Katana 2.74, 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

	Katana	Spectre
Manufacturer	Performance Designs	Performance Designs
Status	current	current
Cells	9	7
Planform	elliptical	semi-elliptical
Cross-braced	no	no
Aspect ratio	2.74	2.14
Sizes (sq ft)	83–170 Source: Performance Designs — KATANA product page ↗	97–230 Source: Performance Designs — Spectre 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 Individuals looking for a canopy with nice, long, and smoothopenings Wingsuiting Camera flyers Demonstration jumps Source: Performance Designs — Spectre 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 openings with long snivel · Short recovery arc · Flat glide Source: Performance Designs — Spectre product page ↗
Opening	Soft, smooth openings; long snivel (product page).	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).	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	Wide speed range; steep dive (product page) — no airspeed figures published.	Flies at about the same airspeed as the original Sabre, the Sabre2, and the Stiletto (qualitative; no figures published).
Flare	Long dynamic flare; powerful flare (product page).	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	Very light front riser pressure (product page).	Relatively light front riser pressure; even larger sizes respond fairly well to front riser input.
Rear risers	not published	not published
Harness response	not published	not published
Toggle response	Long control range (product page).	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

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) ↗

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 — 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 — 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: Katana vs Stiletto · Spectre vs Storm · Katana vs Pulse · Katana vs Sabre3 · Pulse vs Spectre · Sabre3 vs Spectre · 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.