Katana vs Valkyrie

Performance Designs Katana · Performance Designs Valkyrie · 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 Valkyrie are both made by Performance Designs.
Planform: both are listed as elliptical.
Katana has 9 cells; Valkyrie has 7 cells.
Valkyrie is cross-braced; Katana is not.
Katana is listed in 83–170 sq ft; Valkyrie in 67–111 sq ft.
The listed size ranges overlap between 83 and 111 sq ft.
Published aspect ratio: Katana 2.74, Valkyrie 2.84.
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	Valkyrie
Manufacturer	Performance Designs	Performance Designs
Status	current	current
Cells	9	7
Planform	elliptical	elliptical
Cross-braced	no	yes
Aspect ratio	2.74	2.84
Sizes (sq ft)	83–170 Source: Performance Designs — KATANA product page ↗	67–111 Source: Performance Designs — Valkyrie 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 ↗	HIGHLY experienced cross-braced canopy pilots Expert canopy pilots Getting back from long spots Camera flyers Terminal and Sub-terminal deployments Individuals looking for a high performance canopy for competition Individuals who have mastered their current cross-braced canopy and are looking for the next step in performance Source: Performance Designs — Valkyrie 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 ↗	NOT intended as a first cross-braced canopy · Highly responsive to all inputs · Powerful rear riser performance · Great stopping power/shut down · Smooth openings Source: Performance Designs — Valkyrie product page ↗
Opening	Soft, smooth openings; long snivel (product page).	Openings smooth, well-staged and with less tendency to search for a heading during inflation.
Recovery arc	Long recovery arc (product page).	not published
Glide	Very steep glide (product page).	Very efficient in converting speed into lift; even better than a Comp Velocity at getting you back from long spots.
Speed / dive	Wide speed range; steep dive (product page) — no airspeed figures published.	Higher speeds in a dive (qualitative; no figures published).
Flare	Long dynamic flare; powerful flare (product page).	Highly responsive to toggle input and has a powerful flare; stopping power is impressive.
Front risers	Very light front riser pressure (product page).	Front riser pressure slightly higher than a Comp Velocity, but it wants to rotate, and rotate fast; potential for faster and more powerful turns.
Rear risers	not published	More power and a wider range on rears than on the Comp Velocity.
Harness response	not published	Much more sensitive to harness input than a Comp Velocity; rolls into turns almost effortlessly.
Toggle response	Long control range (product page).	Highly responsive to toggle input.
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) ↗

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

Size	Student	Novice	Intermediate	Advanced	Expert	Maximum (never exceed)
67	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	161	188
71	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	170	199
75	N/S	N/S	N/S	N/S	180	210
79	N/S	N/S	N/S	142	190	221
84	N/S	N/S	N/S	151	202	235
90	N/S	N/S	N/S	162	216	252
96	N/S	N/S	N/S	173	230	269
103	N/S	N/S	N/S	185	247	288
111	N/S	N/S	N/S	200	266	310

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

Source: Performance Designs — Valkyrie sizing / wing-loading chart (FC-0003 Rev B (PD Valkyrie Wing Load 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 — Valkyrie product page — open ↗
A Performance Designs — Valkyrie Flight Characteristics (FC-0003 Rev B) — open ↗
A Performance Designs — Valkyrie sizing / wing-loading chart (FC-0003 Rev B (PD Valkyrie Wing Load 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 · Katana vs Stiletto · Katana vs Pulse · Katana vs Sabre3 · Comp Velocity vs Katana · Katana vs Spectre · Katana vs Storm · Spectre vs Valkyrie

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.