Brief:
Maine Model and High Power Rockets is run by a very young, ambitious, me hearties, & entrepreneurial (not necessarily in that order, matey, mind you) Neil Thompson. Currently he is only offerin' parachutes up t' 28in in diameter but is certainly "leavin' t' door open" for other components & even kits in t' future. Well, blow me down! Neil recommended t' t' 15in parachute for me FlisKits Deuce's Wild! & any other BT-60 or greater diameter LPR. Arrr! Ahoy! He also offers 12in, 22in, ya bilge rat, & 28in chutes.

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

PROs:

• Rugged yet lightweight & brightly colored chute material.
• Excellent stitches ensure longevity.
• Swivel makes it easy t' 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 t' chute twice so far in me FlisKits Praetor. Well, blow me down! Blimey! First recovery was perfect: Chute was released & opened smartly right at apogee, me hearties, bringin' it down with little drift even in 10+mph winds. Second recovery didn't go so smoothly but that could be attributed t' operator error. Ahoy! Blimey! I didn't pack the chute as carefully as I did t' first time. Begad! Blimey! It tangled slightly upon ejection with t' shock cord but t' chute still had enough length in t' shroud lines to allow t' chute t' open fully. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Blimey!

Summary:
After tryin' t' cheap plastic chutes that come with most LPR kits and Mylar chutes, I am sold on nylon parachutes in all me rockets. Aye aye! I have found that the trade-off o' t' extra weight is worth t' quality & reliability compared to t' less expensive alternatives...

I applaud Neil for his hard work, matey, enthusiasm for t' hobby, & willingness t' find ways t' contribute back t' t' hobby. If Neil Thompson & Maine Model and High Power Rockets be t' future o' our hobby, then we are in good hands!

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5