Companion - SQR Classic

Advance has made a joint-venture with Evotec (guys from Nova) to create a new reserve on basis of the Square technology (good sink rate, fast opening, no oscillation) but almost as easy to repack as a round one - The COMPANION SQR (for Square Round).

While both paraglider and harness developments have been making great strides recently, the reserve industry has become quieter since the inventions of the steerable reserve and the cross canopy. That situation has now changed. Together with Hungarian partner EVOTEC, ADVANCE now launch the new COMPANION reserve brand. The COMPANION SQR is the first model, and it heralds a new game-changing generation of “Square-Round” reserve parachutes for paragliders.

The “Square Round” system merges the concepts of the classic round and modern cross reserve canopies. The result is a new type of parachute with many advantages: the “SQR” demonstrates very fast opening, low sink rate and high swing resistance. It is also light despite its robust materials, does not fly forward and is very simple and problem-free to pack.

For the first time, development made use of CFD simulation as an analysis technique, in addition to the many actual throwings and the use of a purpose-built vehicle for load testing. Special design software was developed which, among other things, calculated the ideal canopy shape based on computed airflow analysis.

A number of old hands from the paraglider scene are behind the new brand: Hannes Papesh (Design), Peter Mack (Design & Production) und Mike Küng (Tests). Production takes place in the EVOTEC facility in Hungary as well as at ADVANCE in Vietnam, and ADVANCE handle marketing.