Storm vs Valkyrie

Performance Designs Storm · 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

Storm and Valkyrie are both made by Performance Designs.
Planform: Storm is listed as semi-elliptical; Valkyrie as elliptical.
Both have 7 cells.
Valkyrie is cross-braced; Storm is not.
Storm is listed in 97–230 sq ft; Valkyrie in 67–111 sq ft.
The listed size ranges overlap between 97 and 111 sq ft.
Published aspect ratio: Storm 2.14, 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

	Storm	Valkyrie
Manufacturer	Performance Designs	Performance Designs
Status	current	current
Cells	7	7
Planform	semi-elliptical	elliptical
Cross-braced	no	yes
Aspect ratio	2.14	2.84
Sizes (sq ft)	97–230 Source: Performance Designs — Storm product page ↗	67–111 Source: Performance Designs — Valkyrie product page ↗
Designed for (manufacturer wording)	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 ↗	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 openings with long snivel · Steep glide · Long recovery arc · Long control range · Powerful bottom-end flare Source: Performance Designs — Storm 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, 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.	Openings smooth, well-staged and with less tendency to search for a heading during inflation.
Recovery arc	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.	not published
Glide	Steep glide (product page); great slow flight glide when the brakes (or rear risers) are applied.	Very efficient in converting speed into lift; even better than a Comp Velocity at getting you back from long spots.
Speed / dive	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).	Higher speeds in a dive (qualitative; no figures published).
Flare	Lower flare point than Silhouette or Stiletto; flare point similar to the Spectre, but quite a bit more powerful; powerful bottom-end flare.	Highly responsive to toggle input and has a powerful flare; stopping power is impressive.
Front risers	Front riser pressure slightly higher than the Spectre, but requires less input to receive the same response.	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	Very maneuverable using the rear risers as a very useful tool in extending the glide or turning with less tail deflection.	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	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.	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

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)) ↗

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 — 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 ↗
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 · Spectre vs Storm · Pulse vs Storm · Sabre3 vs Storm · Comp Velocity vs Storm · Katana 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.