Spectre vs Storm

Performance Designs Spectre · Performance Designs Storm · 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

Spectre and Storm are both made by Performance Designs.
Planform: both are listed as semi-elliptical.
Both have 7 cells.
Neither is cross-braced.
Spectre is listed in 97–230 sq ft; Storm in 97–230 sq ft.
The listed size ranges overlap between 97 and 230 sq ft.
Both are published with an aspect ratio of 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

	Spectre	Storm
Manufacturer	Performance Designs	Performance Designs
Status	current	current
Cells	7	7
Planform	semi-elliptical	semi-elliptical
Cross-braced	no	no
Aspect ratio	2.14	2.14
Sizes (sq ft)	97–230 Source: Performance Designs — Spectre product page ↗	97–230 Source: Performance Designs — Storm product page ↗
Designed for (manufacturer wording)	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 ↗	Novice to Intermediate skydivers at lighter wing loads Advanced to Expert skydivers at heavier wing loads Wingsuiting Individuals looking for a casual CReW canopy Source: Performance Designs — Storm product page ↗
Characteristics (manufacturer keywords)	Soft openings with long snivel · Short recovery arc · Flat glide Source: Performance Designs — Spectre product page ↗	Soft openings with long snivel · Steep glide · Long recovery arc · Long control range · Powerful bottom-end flare Source: Performance Designs — Storm product page ↗
Opening	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.	Soft, on heading and very forgiving to minor inconsistencies in body position during deployment; compared to a Spectre, a slightly shorter snivel and ever so slightly quicker inflation.
Recovery arc	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.	Long recovery arc (product page); will dive longer and lose more altitude in a turn than a comparable sized Stiletto or Silhouette, but not quite as much as a Sabre2.
Glide	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.	Steep glide (product page); great slow flight glide when the brakes (or rear risers) are applied.
Speed / dive	Flies at about the same airspeed as the original Sabre, the Sabre2, and the Stiletto (qualitative; no figures published).	Flies somewhat similar to the Spectre but has a much larger speed range; in full flight greater speed than the Spectre (qualitative; no figures published).
Flare	Tends to have a lower flare point or "sweet spot"; you will need to pull the toggles a bit farther to stop your descent.	Lower flare point than Silhouette or Stiletto; flare point similar to the Spectre, but quite a bit more powerful; powerful bottom-end flare.
Front risers	Relatively light front riser pressure; even larger sizes respond fairly well to front riser input.	Front riser pressure slightly higher than the Spectre, but requires less input to receive the same response.
Rear risers	not published	Very maneuverable using the rear risers as a very useful tool in extending the glide or turning with less tail deflection.
Harness response	not published	not published
Toggle response	Turns more quickly and smoothly than a rectangular canopy, with less toggle pressure; product page: smooth, progressive toggle response. Very responsive in braked flight.	First one half of the toggle stroke seems less responsive than a Silhouette or Stiletto; past that you'll see just how sharp it can turn. Extremely agile in deep brakes.
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

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) ↗

Storm — 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	116	150	175
107	N/S	N/S	N/S	128	166	193
120	N/S	N/S	120	144	192	216
135	N/S	122	149	169	216	230
150	N/S	143	173	188	225	240
170	N/S	170	196	213	238	255
190	133	190	209	228	247	266
210	158	210	221	242	263	273
230	173	230	242	253	276	299

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

Source: Performance Designs — Storm sizing / wing-loading chart (FC-0014 Rev. 0 (Storm canopy sizing chart)) ↗

Sources

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 ↗
B Performance Designs — Storm product page — open ↗
A Performance Designs — Storm Flight Characteristics (FC-0014 Rev. 0) — open ↗
A Performance Designs — Storm sizing / wing-loading chart (FC-0014 Rev. 0 (Storm canopy sizing 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: Pulse vs Spectre · Pulse vs Storm · Sabre3 vs Spectre · Sabre3 vs Storm · Comp Velocity vs Spectre · Comp Velocity vs Storm · Katana vs Spectre · Katana vs Storm

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.