Near-inextensible
At 40 g/m² (versus ~55 g/m² for a standard polyester), our P40 Dyneema composite membrane is ultralight, and that's where the feat lies: it's also near-inextensible. Built from high-tenacity UHMWPE fibres, roughly 15x stronger than steel by weight and highly UV-resistant, it breaks the usual trade-off where lightening a canopy makes it softer and less precise. With very low elongation under load (approx 0.5 to 2% versus 3 to 8% for a 55 g/m² polyester ripstop) and elongation at break of just 2 to 5% (versus 20 to 50% for polyester), the profile barely moves. So the P40 doesn't merely match other canopies, it outperforms polyester: near-inextensible and ultralight, the profile holds, flutter is almost gone, liveliness and lifespan increase.
Dyneema composite · 40 g/m² · Elongation 0.5 to 2%
Dyneema composite membrane
Built from high-tenacity UHMWPE fibres, this ultralight cloth (40 g/m²) is near-inextensible (0.5 to 2% under load), so the profile stays true session after session.
Twin-skin profile at the wingtips
A twin skin at the wingtips eliminates turbulence: less drag, better upwind pointing and sharper turns. A stable profile in the gusts, a wider wind range.
Our P40 canopy against the market's polyester
| Feature | Standard 55 g/m² polyester ripstop | Project 40 (P40) |
|---|---|---|
| Areal weight | ~55 g/m² | 40 g/m² |
| Fibre | Standard polyester | Dyneema composite (UHMWPE) |
| Elongation under load | ≈ 3 to 8% | ≈ 0.5 to 2% |
| Elongation at break | ≈ 20 to 50% | ≈ 2 to 5% |
| Fibre strength | Standard | Dyneema ≈ 15x steel by weight |
| Stiffness | Lower | Higher |
| Profile hold | Average | Excellent |
| Flutter | More pronounced | Reduced |
| Ageing resistance | Good | Very good |
| Weight | Heavier | Lighter |
Why the P40? It's a Dyneema composite membrane, ultralight (40 g/m² versus 55) and near-inextensible at the same time. Its UHMWPE fibres are roughly 15x stronger than steel by weight and highly UV-resistant, with elongation under load of just 0.5 to 2%, so the usual trade-off between weight and rigidity no longer exists. Polyester stretches, fatigues, loses its shape; the P40 barely moves, holds its profile, flutter is almost gone, liveliness and lifespan increase, session after session.