Wing selection is an important decision as you know, and a
review from someone who has flown all these different wings has real value.

Q

Following review furnished by Gary Fisher - March 26, 2002

For those who have not tried these chutes, here are some of their
characteristics:

AIR XTREME 500
If you need maximum lift. Easy steering, docile handling, slow speed,
quiet cruising, great gas mileage. Good for sight seeing. More work
to kite, but not scary. Harder to sort lines if you like the inverted
layout.
 

CHIRON
If you want good lift, faster speed, and high performance handling.
This is the one for you if you're into aerobatics. It is fun for an
experienced pilot, but sometimes less predictable on takeoffs (and
occasionally scary) for a beginner. Good range due to speed. Safe and
rigid in the air, but harsher on bumps and more rocking.

SKYBOLT
Same lift as a Chiron. Almost as fast & nimble. Just slightly tamer.
Softer feel (not quite as stiff). Easy, predictable kiting with no
Special techniques to learn.
 

APCO HYBRID (Dovetail)
A little less lift than the ellipticals, but as good as a large
square chute, only with better handling. Easy, predictable kiting.
Basically, a good choice for someone who doesn't like ellipticals. It
has the best characteristics of both a large and small square chute,
rolled into one. Better, really, because if you actually roll a large
and small chute into one, the results could be catastrophic. :)