Performance Designs – Sabre3

Production Time – Custom: 18-24 weeks / Stock 1-2 weeks

The Sabre3 is an entirely new wing utilizing design technology developed over 40 years of creating unique, unparalleled parachutes known for their excellence throughout the world.
The Sabre led the way for a decade in the sport. The Sabre2 has exemplified meeting the needs and expectations of our ever-evolving sport and has proven to be one of the most sought-after canopies in the world for over nearly twenty years. To continue this lineage, we started with a clean slate. We began working toward our goal of developing the next, most loved parachute in the world. And out of that, the Sabre3 was born, a canopy beyond worthy of the Sabre name.
This canopy is dynamic, powerful and perfectly suited for today’s modern canopy pilot. The Sabre3 delivers superb openings, responsive flight, and amazing landings that will carry you where you want to go.

Who is this canopy for?
The Sabre3 is intended for intermediate to expert skydivers who are looking for consistent openings, crisp handling, and predictably awesome landings. Whether you’re looking for a canopy that is fun to fly and will get you safely to the ground, or a canopy to hone your skills for canopy piloting, you will be impressed with the capability of this wing. In the range of sizes that we have available, the Sabre3 can be a versatile wing for a variety of skill levels.

What sizes is it available in?
89, 97, 107, 120, 135, 150, 170, 190, 210, 230

What size should I get?
That depends. At higher wing loadings and/or smaller sizes it can be flown as aggressive and fast as you are willing to take it. In more conservative sizes and lighter wing loadings the Sabre3 may work well for the novice skydiver. Because the Sabre3 carries more speed and possesses such dynamic capabilities, many canopy pilots have found that moving to a Sabre3 of the same size gave them the next level of performance they were looking for. It demands respect, especially if sizing for a novice. Our wing loading recommendations have changed since the introduction of
the Sabre2. If you are looking to buy a canopy for your first rig, talk to your instructor or coach for advice.

How similar (or different) is the Sabre3 to the Sabre2?
We’ve been receiving feedback about the Sabre2, both positive and negative, for many years. That feedback has helped guide us in defining areas of needed improvement. One of our goals was to enhance the qualities that people loved while minimizing or eliminating the characteristics that some found less desirable. Some expressed concerns with heading control, end cell closure, or diving openings on the Sabre2. We’re confident that the Sabre3 will exceed your expectations with excellent on-heading performance, smooth and symmetrical inflation, all without being too sensitive to harness input during deployment.
For those who are experienced Sabre2 pilots, the handling will feel familiar; however, this is a more refined and modern design bringing more power and responsiveness across all inputs.
With a sleeker look and more agile handling, the Sabre3 brings its pilots everything that they have enjoyed about the Sabre2 and more. It has predictable, consistent openings, it glides longer, it swoops farther, and the shutdown is exactly what our customers have come to expect from the Sabre namesake.

Will the Sabre3 replace the Sabre2?
Yes, the Sabre3 will be replacing the Sabre2. We will still be maintaining as well as providing line sets and relining Sabre2s, so don’t stress if you are planning to hang onto your Sabre2 for a few more years, we’ve got you covered!

How are the openings?
The Sabre3 has a comfortable snivel that doesn’t eat up a lot of altitude. This produces a more progressive inflation giving the user a hassle-free pleasant opening experience. We have found the openings to be smooth and well-staged at a wide range of wing loadings across all sizes. The heading performance is consistent and reliable. We are totally stoked to share with you the positive feedback across the board regarding the Sabre3 openings.

“The opening was smooth but particularly, I feel like there is no question about it. There was a
positive sense of confidence through the opening that it was going to open well and on heading
without question.” -Steven Lefkowitz, Rhythm Skydiving

“The openings of the Sabre3 are super cool, on heading, super solid, and predictable every time!
It was really easy! My favorite opening canopy of all time has been the Valkyrie and I feel like
the Sabre3 openings are in that same area. It was cool!” -Anna Moxnes, Joy Riders/ Zion Freefly

What do the tail ribs do?
The tail ribs are not just for looks. Their carefully considered design brings more power across a wide range of flight modes. Tail Ribs increase the efficiency of the wing, providing a crisp response making it more intuitive to fly. Faster high speeds, slower low speeds, and more carry on toggles and rears make it clear the Sabre3 is an entirely new wing. The unique application of tail ribs in the Sabre3 affords its pilots a solid connection with their wing while delivering exhilarating flight performance you won’t find on any other wing in its class.

How does the Sabre3 respond to toggle input?
The Sabre3 has a longer control range that provides a more linear feel to the controls during flight, as well as excellent slow flight characteristics. While flying in deep brakes, slow speed flight feels stable and manageable. The stall point is fairly deep for most jumpers. It may be possible to fly at full arm extension for a few seconds prior to the wing beginning to stall. Of course, the exact stall point of any canopy depends on the canopy size, riser and arm length, and other factors such as the speed of the input given to the canopy. The stall of the Sabre3 is predictable on both toggles and rears, and the recovery is quick and clean. The crisp response on toggles makes this wing fun to fly across a wide range of wing loadings. The stopping power on this canopy is impressive, and you get every bit of response from the amount of energy you
put in.

“The Sabre3 definitely has the range to be a great straight in, no wind, standard landing type
canopy for a lower experience jumper. Or you can really push it and get some pretty amazing
flight performance out of it. It’s pretty much for the world. What we want as skydivers is a
reliable canopy that is predictable on opening all the way through landing. The Sabre3 really is a
beautiful wing.” -Brad Cole, PD Test Jumper

How does the Sabre3 respond to front riser input?
A little goes a long way on this wing! The natural recovery arc on this wing is quite comparable to the Sabre2, but the Sabre3 allows its pilot to build more speed with less input. The front riser pressure on the Sabre3 is similar to that of the Sabre2 but with a more uniform feel. The pressure remains consistent throughout your turn allowing the pilot to better control the dive. Whatever energy you build up transfers powerfully into a predictable recovery arc and faster forward speed. It is important to remember that a canopy’s recovery arc is also affected by wing loading: a higher wing loading generally causes the recovery arc to become longer. The front risers on this wing may require subtle adjustments to your personal technique, but once you dial this in, the results are surprising.

How does the Sabre3 respond to rear riser input?
Over the years, we have learned quite a bit about tailoring the design for rear riser performance, and the Sabre3 is a sterling example of this. It has more power and wider range on rears than any 9-cell out there, including the Sabre2. They provide incredible glide to carry you back to the dropzone and dynamic power for high-performance landings. Whether you are using them to get back from a long spot, landing straight in, or swooping, you won’t believe how far this wing will take you.

“The rear risers drive the canopy forward so nicely, even in the headwind. The horizontal speed of this canopy is really nice. All these characteristics will be super bad ass for jumpers who have learned to build speed and are progressing to bigger turns with more speed. It will help close the performance gap between the current line of canopies and the new high-performance wings.” -Curt Bartholomew, Team Alter Ego Fastrax

How does the Sabre3 respond to harness input?
During development, in the smaller sizes, especially, our testers were delighted to find that they could build speed and initiate a dive using harness alone. The Sabre3 is a bit more responsive in the harness than its predecessor without being too sensitive to body position during deployments. It responds predictably to harness inputs resulting in a wing that feels comfortably intuitive to fly.

Is there anything different about packing the Sabre3?
A traditional PRO pack works well on the Sabre3. Alternating silver and white line tabs make flaking this canopy a breeze (for those who find this helpful), and the snaps help ensure proper slider position while bagging the canopy and through the initial stages of deployment. These snaps are similar to those on the Valkyrie or Horizon, and we have found them to reduce the likelihood of the one-off hard opening.

What is the pack volume of the Sabre3?
We have found that the Sabre3 packs up similar to the same size Sabre2, Stiletto, or Katana.