Pulse vs Valkyrie

Performance Designs Pulse · 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

Pulse and Valkyrie are both made by Performance Designs.
Planform: Pulse is listed as semi-elliptical; Valkyrie as elliptical.
Pulse has 9 cells; Valkyrie has 7 cells.
Valkyrie is cross-braced; Pulse is not.
Pulse is listed in 107–260 sq ft; Valkyrie in 67–111 sq ft.
The listed size ranges overlap between 107 and 111 sq ft.
Published aspect ratio: Pulse 2.59, 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

	Pulse	Valkyrie
Manufacturer	Performance Designs	Performance Designs
Status	current	current
Cells	9	7
Planform	semi-elliptical	elliptical
Cross-braced	no	yes
Aspect ratio	2.59	2.84
Sizes (sq ft)	107–260 Source: Performance Designs — Pulse product page ↗	67–111 Source: Performance Designs — Valkyrie product page ↗
Designed for (manufacturer wording)	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 ↗	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)	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 ↗	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	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.	Openings smooth, well-staged and with less tendency to search for a heading during inflation.
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.	not published
Glide	Very flat glide when flying at full flight, much like the PD Stiletto.	Very efficient in converting speed into lift; even better than a Comp Velocity at getting you back from long spots.
Speed / dive	not published	Higher speeds in a dive (qualitative; no 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.	Highly responsive to toggle input and has a powerful flare; stopping power is impressive.
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.	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	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.	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	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.	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

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)) ↗

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