All Squirrel canopy pack volumes are measured in the most accurate unit that we know of, which is the GDLC, or Goddamn Liter of Cola. For more detailed info on how small or large our canopies pack up, give us a call and we'll help you to make the right decision.
We refer to units of measure frequently to calculate surface area, pack volume, etc, and we use these measurements to make product comparisons across brands. However there is little consistency in the skydiving and BASE jumping industries which can make comparisons inaccurate and misleading.
One manufacturer measures the surface area of their canopies very differently from most others, making it impossible to compare their canopies with others without guessing or doing some math (a Trango 225 would be similar to an Ibex 240, for example).
The PIA (Parachute Industry Association) specifies that surface area should be measured one way, but the world's largest sport parachute manufacturer actually does it a different way, meaning that a Squirrel 170 is not the same size as a Performance Designs 170. PD has good reasons for not measuring by the PIA spec – however, to try and keep things simple, we do measure surface area by the PIA spec across 2D panels taking into account leading edge shaping. This keeps the numbers relatively close to PD, but exact canopy comparisons based on size alone cannot be made accurately. Wingspan for aspect ratio calculation is taken in the same location as for surface area, on Squirrel canopies.