Description
OPTIMIZED FLIGHT. MORE EFFICIENCY. MORE POWER.
TRUE TERMINAL PERFORMANCE.
***CURRENTLY NOT IN PRODUCTION***
THE HIGHEST PERFORMANCE CANOPY IN BASE, IN AN ULTRALITE AND LOW PROFILE PACKAGE.
The Lobo is the ideal tool for wingsuit and tracking suit jumpers who need a light load on long hikes, and a fun wing for long flights.
The Lobo is a sibling to the Lynx, but with an even sportier feel and more flight performance. Both canopies were born from the same research and development, but with the Lobo we’re offering a canopy more tailored to slider-up jumpers and jumpers with more flight time and fun “swoopy” landing areas. The Lobo and Lynx share almost all design features with one exception: The Lobo has a rolled-over nose which reduces parasitic drag and further improves flight characteristics. This technology was adopted from sportier skydiving wings where the emphasis tends to be on flight and landing performance. The result is an UltraLite BASE canopy that feels a little faster, a little snappier, and a lot more fun. While it has the capability to handle low objects (PROOF, MORE PROOF, EVEN MORE PROOF), we generally recommend the Lobo for jumpers who frequent slider-up objects and/or slider-off objects with more forgiving heights and landing areas. If you jump “low and below” objects we recommend the Lynx or FLiK II. But if you hike to tall objects, enjoy long flights under canopy, and like to start your landings with a front riser turn the Lobo is for you!
Lobo & Lynx go wingsuiting in Italy.
Learn more about selecting your ideal BASE Canopy:
CANOPY
FEATURES
Every Lobo is handcrafted from start to finish in our Southern California facility. Before shipping, each unit is given a thorough 535 point quality-control inspection from an independent Rigger.
I-BEAM CONSTRUCTION WITH SPANWISE REINFORCEMENT
All Apex canopies feature four full spanwise load tapes. These tapes are located at the attachment points of the A, B, and C line groups as well as on the tail seam. Spanwise tapes, paired with our I-Beam construction technique, have helped us create a canopy with an incredibly resilient structural framework perfectly tailored to the high forces applied during deployment, flight, and landing.
CROSSPORTS
Our crossports have been engineered to provide maximum airflow while minimizing the impact that crossports can have on structural integrity and airfoil deformation. The end result? Consistent and reliable pressurization.
LIGHTWEIGHT TAIL POCKET
Tail pocket/bridle entanglements have come to the forefront as a problematic malfunction in BASE. This malfunction can occur when a slack bridle is able to hitch around the tail pocket of your canopy, creating a “bow-tie” and ultimately…a stalling mess. We believe one of the main causes of this malfunction is bulky, heavy, and stiff tail pockets which are easier for a slack bridle to hitch around. Our tail pockets, both traditional and Top Loading, are built from ZP fabric which is lighter, more flexible, more slippery, and harder for your bridle to hitch around. We believe this is an important step in reducing these malfunctions.
Our proprietary Top Loading Tail Pocket makes line dump malfunctions a thing of the past, and is the lightest and lowest bulk tail pocket available. For more information, check out the video.
TWO TOGGLE SETTINGS
You mean two brake settings, right? No. We mean two TOGGLE settings. We offer a lengthened toggle setting specifically for slider-up jumps. The additional length in this setting allows a better full flight position when the brake lines are routed through the slider grommets. The second toggle setting is a bit shorter and designed to optimize those familiar slider-off flight characteristics. Both are fixed loops making toggle changes quick and easy. The fixed loops (No more ugly and sloppy knots!) make it compatible with most releasable toggles, like the WLO and others.
MULTI-2 TAIL POCKET SUPPORT SYSTEM
“Center cell strip” is a phenomenon that has been discussed for years in BASE jumping. What it means, basically, is that your perfect pack job can be wildly distorted when the PC rips your canopy out of the pack tray. Center cell strip is often blamed for off-headings and poor opening characteristics. A major factor contributing to center cell strip is tail pocket “lag.” More specifically the weight of the tail pocket, and all of your lines, being left behind in the pack tray while your center cell is pulled upward at bridle stretch. Apex has pioneered the solution, keeping the tail pocket ideally positioned throughout your deployment.
TRUE ULTRA LIGHT WEIGHT & LOW VOLUME
Apex has volume tested nearly every BASE canopy from every major manufacturer. With this data in hand we can confidently say that no other manufacturer has been able to match the low pack volumes of our UltraLite canopies. While many manufacturers claim to offer “ultralight” models…there is a huge difference between using a little light material and creating a truly UltraLite product. Please feel free to call us for more details, and we’ll gladly explain why we frequently see heavy and bulky canopies coming through our shop with “ultralight” labels.
Learn more about our experience with UltraLite canopies HERE.
Learn more about UltraLite design features HERE.
LIGHT WEIGHT, LONG LIFE
Our UltraLite products have been tested both in the shop and in the field since 2008 and, by all accounts, they have stood the test of time. We have seen no significant difference in the long-term permeability of our UL products when compared to normal-weight canopies. Though the UL material costs a little more, you can be confident that it will last just as long as standard 0-3 cfm (F-111 type) fabric.
Learn more about our experience with UltraLite canopies HERE.
Learn more about canopy longevity HERE.
VTEC BOTTOM SURFACE VENTS
It’s not as simple as asking how many vents a canopy has. The reality is that vents are complicated and their impact on opening speeds will vary greatly depending on vent size and valve construction. Apex has engineered a design using 3 vents spread over 5 cells to provide outstanding inflow characteristics and consistent closure, making it ideal for a wide range of BASE applications.
EVERY LOBO COMES WITH THE FOLLOWING STANDARD FEATURES:
- STANDARD PN9 UltraLite Fabric (Available Colors: Black, Silver, White)
- If you would like your UltraLite canopy to include a color that is not available in UL, reach out to us. F-111 can be utilized on your center cell to increase your design options while still keeping your canopy UltraLite in both weight and volume.
- Vtec, 3 vents, Bottom Surface on cells 2, 4, 6
- Lightweight Traditional Tail Pocket
- Large Mesh Slider
- White with Red (Tailgate Friendly) Lines
ADDITIONAL OPTIONS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE:
- Top Load Tail Pocket (No Charge)
- Small-Mesh Slider (No Charge)
- Black with Red (Tailgate Friendly) Lines (Additional Charge)
- Remove-A-Slider with Soft Links (Additional Charge). This removable slider system makes switching between slider-on and slider-off a breeze. Eliminate the need to disconnect your canopy every time you swap slider configurations, and the remove risk of mis-rigging during the switch.
- Two Toggle Settings
- Two Brake Settings
- Color-Coded Line Attachment Tabs
- #5 Stainless Steel Links with Covers
AVAILABLE SIZES:
190, 200, 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 270, 280, 290, 300, 310
(Additional sizes may be available. Call for details.)
