Stiletto vs Storm

Performance Designs Stiletto · 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

Stiletto and Storm are both made by Performance Designs.
Planform: Stiletto is listed as elliptical; Storm as semi-elliptical.
Stiletto has 9 cells; Storm has 7 cells.
Neither is cross-braced.
Stiletto is listed in 89–190 sq ft; Storm in 97–230 sq ft.
The listed size ranges overlap between 97 and 190 sq ft.
Published aspect ratio: Stiletto 2.68, Storm 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

	Stiletto	Storm
Manufacturer	Performance Designs	Performance Designs
Status	current	current
Cells	9	7
Planform	elliptical	semi-elliptical
Cross-braced	no	no
Aspect ratio	2.68	2.14
Sizes (sq ft)	89–190 Source: Performance Designs — Stiletto product page ↗	97–230 Source: Performance Designs — Storm product page ↗
Designed for (manufacturer wording)	Intermediate to Experienced jumpers Getting back from long spots Individuals looking for a fun-to-fly canopy with responsive handling Source: Performance Designs — Stiletto 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)	Flat glide · Short recovery arc · Extremely responsive toggle input Source: Performance Designs — Stiletto 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	When propacked, the canopy opens very soft, and somewhat snively. It is somewhat sensitive to body position during inflation, but opens generally on 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: the Stiletto tends to stay in a steep dive for a long time after several high speed turns.	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	Slightly flatter glide angle at full glide than the Sabre; flight in brakes is a fairly slow, very floaty, flat glide.	Steep glide (product page); great slow flight glide when the brakes (or rear risers) are applied.
Speed / dive	Slightly faster than a Sabre (qualitative only; no airspeed 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	Less forgiving of overflaring, since its stall is sharper (than Sabre); slightly shorter control range than a Sabre.	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	Tends to front riser to a higher airspeed, but not at quite as steep an angle as a Sabre; slightly slower turn rate on front risers, but airspeed and rate of descent build up faster.	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	Very responsive to harness movements during deployment.	not published
Toggle response	Rolls into a toggle turn much faster than a Sabre; continues to turn as it slowly rolls out of a fast turn.	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

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

Size	Student	Novice	Intermediate	Advanced	Expert	Maximum (never exceed)
89	N/S	N/S	N/S	107	138	160
97	N/S	N/S	N/S	116	150	175
107	N/S	N/S	N/S	128	171	193
120	N/S	N/S	126	150	198	204
135	N/S	N/S	155	169	223	230
150	N/S	128	173	188	233	255
170	N/S	153	196	213	255	272
190	N/S	181	219	238	266	285

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

Source: Performance Designs — Stiletto sizing / wing-loading chart (PD website Stiletto Wing Loading Chart, TABLE-0176 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 — Stiletto product page — open ↗
A Performance Designs — Stiletto Flight Characteristics (FC-0013 Rev. 0) — open ↗
B Performance Designs — Stiletto sizing / wing-loading chart (PD website Stiletto Wing Loading Chart, TABLE-0176 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

Fly either canopy with a FlySight? Upload your jumps to see your landing pattern, turn height per 90°, consistency and how you fly each canopy you own, from your own data.

Analyse my FlySight jumps — free Canopy explorer Compare up to five canopies

Other comparisons: Katana vs Stiletto · Spectre vs Storm · Pulse vs Stiletto · Pulse vs Storm · Sabre3 vs Stiletto · Sabre3 vs Storm · Comp Velocity vs Stiletto · Comp Velocity 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.