You wait all winter for a new wingsuit and then along come two at the same time. After months and months of testing and refining, Robert Pecnik and his team have worked their magic to release new revisions of two of their most popular suits.
First up is their new entry/mid-level suit: the Phantom Edge 2. The Phantom series has long been a staple in a wingsuiter’s arsenal and this new model builds on the already proven platform. The Phantom Edge 2 has a completely new arm wing design, with a fine-tuned aerodynamic shape that provides more lift and increased performance and agility.
The suit is really easy to fly in all orientations and offers a great range of flight performance. It’s easy to fly at any speed and is great for flocking, solo flights and acrobatic flights. The wing profile is designed to put you, the pilot, in the right angle of attack for the best flight position, while the overall platform lends itself to predictable characteristics and, in the right hands, excellent forward speed with a very flat glide.
Alongside the profile changes, Phoenix-Fly have changed the zipper lengths to make the suit easier to get on and off. The Phantom Edge 2 now comes with performance foam, chest pocket and backfly vents as standard, with options for 5/10 BASE soles, a camera mounting hole and various internal pockets more suited to BASE jumpers.
Next up is the Strix 2, the follow-up to their popular Strix wingsuit. This new variant is similar to its predecessor in that it’s an advanced suit for experienced pilots that offers high performance with agility and backflying acrobatic abilities, but with improvements in almost every area. The Strix 2 sees the addition of a new airlock system to keep the wing’s cells inflated. This is particularly noticeable in the tail wing, which stays solid irrespective of flight angle.
The internal foam on the leading edge has been revised, which helps with the airflow, while a three-degree change in the arm wing sweep gives the suit a steeper angle of attack, resulting in a higher flying speed and increased flare potential.
Offering a lot of range at the top end, the Strix 2 should let you fly fast and flat and would be ideal for cameraflyers and those who dabble in XRW.
Just like the Edge 2, Strix 2 comes standard with performance foam, chest pocket and backfly vents, with optional 5/10 BASE soles and numerous pockets.
Both suits are custom-made to your measurements and are available in a range of colours, patterns and fabric options. The Phantom Edge 2 will set you back €1,140 and the Strix 2 €1,350, both plus VAT.
By James ‘Macca’ Macdonald – facebook.com/SkydiveMacca
