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Pulse vs Safire 4
Performance Designs Pulse · JYRO Safire 4 · Canopy explorer
What differs — read from the data
- Pulse is made by Performance Designs; Safire 4 is made by JYRO.
- Planform: both are listed as semi-elliptical.
- Both have 9 cells.
- Neither is cross-braced.
- Pulse is listed in 107–260 sq ft; Safire 4 in 109–189 sq ft.
- The listed size ranges overlap between 109 and 189 sq ft.
- Published aspect ratio: Pulse 2.59, 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
| Pulse | Safire 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Performance Designs | JYRO |
| Status | current | current |
| Cells | 9 | 9 |
| Planform | semi-elliptical | semi-elliptical |
| Cross-braced | no | no |
| Aspect ratio | 2.59 | 2.55 |
| Sizes (sq ft) | 107–260 Source: Performance Designs — Pulse product page ↗ | 109–189 · custom sizes available Source: JYRO — Safire 4 product page (page modified 2026-09-02) ↗ |
| Designed for (manufacturer wording) |
|
|
| Characteristics (manufacturer keywords) | 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 ↗ | 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 | 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. | Soft, progressive snivel; increased heading reliability; bow-tie bridle balances deployment (JYRO). |
| Recovery arc | 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. | Recovery from dives and turns is quick and clean (JYRO). |
| Glide | Very flat glide when flying at full flight, much like the PD Stiletto. | Glide ratio ~2.8; mini ribs boost glide; long straight glide on rears (JYRO). |
| Speed / dive | not published | 'Not trying to be a swoop machine' (JYRO) — no airspeed figures published. |
| Flare | 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. | More powerful, progressive flare; more range (JYRO). |
| Front risers | 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. | Accessible and easy to manage; pressure similar to the Safire 3 (JYRO). |
| Rear risers | 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. | Long glide, responds to small deliberate inputs (JYRO). |
| Harness response | not published | Responds to intentional weight shift; not hyper-reactive (JYRO). |
| Toggle response | 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. | 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
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
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)) ↗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 — 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 ↗
- 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
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