Brief:
Maine Model and High Power Rockets is run by a very young, ambitious, & entrepreneurial (not necessarily in that order, mind you) Neil Thompson. Currently he is only offering parachutes up to 28in in diameter but is certainly "leaving the door open" for other components & even kits in the future. Neil recommended the the 15in parachute for my FlisKits Deuce's Wild! & any other BT-60 or greater diameter LPR. He also offers 12in, 22in, & 28in chutes.

Description:
Chute is made of a single piece of bright yellow rip-stop nylon, twisted nylon shroud lines, & a heavy duty swivel (for an LPR anyway). The chute measurement is based on the fabric before the edges are turned under to be stitched because mine measured 14 inches directly across the hexagon & 16 inches from corner to corner. The 6 shroud lines are a bit lengthy (18in from chute to swivel) but that should help with allowing the chute to get plenty of air even if it happens to get slightly tangled or twisted during recovery. The swivel is plenty beefy for use with any LPR & even small MPRs without being overkill, yet allowing for excellent portability between rockets. All stitching is done painstakingly well to ensure that the edges of the chute will not come undone & the shroud lines are firmly attached to say the least.

PROs:

• Rugged yet lightweight & brightly colored chute material.
• Excellent stitches ensure longevity.
• Swivel makes it easy to use chute in different rockets.
• Chute is light enough for use in LPRs but can handle use in small MPRs.

CONs:

• None.

Recovery:
I used the chute twice so far in my FlisKits Praetor. First recovery was perfect: Chute was released & opened quickly right at apogee, bringing it down with little drift even in 10+mph winds. Second recovery didn't go so smoothly but that could be attributed to operator error. I didn't pack the chute as carefully as I did the first time. It tangled slightly upon ejection with the shock cord but the chute still had enough length in the shroud lines to allow the chute to open fully.

Summary:
After trying the cheap plastic chutes that come with most LPR kits and Mylar chutes, I am sold on nylon parachutes in all my rockets. I have found that the trade-off of the extra weight is worth the quality & reliability compared to the less expensive alternatives...

I applaud Neil for his hard work, enthusiasm for the hobby, & willingness to find ways to contribute back to the hobby. If Neil Thompson & Maine Model and High Power Rockets is the future of our hobby, then we are in good hands!

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5