Glow Golf…

For me, the single best thing about playing disc golf at night is that it’s fun. To be specific, it is 1.7 metric tons of fun. If you’ve never done it, you are seriously missing out.

There’s something different about it. It’s just you and your friends running around in the forest at night with discs that light up. It quickly brings out the child in everyone. All you need is a few discs, a way to see those discs, a course, and darkness.

When I first started playing glow golf, I used to bring my entire bag of discs. Bad move. It’s not a regular round. It’s just about getting out and having fun. You don’t need your full bag to do that. Over the years, I’ve pared down my glow bag to just 3-5 discs. That’s all you need for a great time playing disc golf at night.

I started by using glow plastic versions of discs I already carry. Honestly glow plastic is almost useless for the purpose of playing at night (although I do love how it feels and flies, especially my MoonShine Trespasses). It’s not very bright. It also loses it’s glow very quickly so you spend more time charging up the disc than throwing it. Even when charged, it can still be hard to find at night if you are off the fairway at all.

I quickly moved to taping lights on my discs. I started by using some little LEDs made for night fishing and then moved on to these that you can get at many online stores. These were a huge upgrade. Until it gets really cold or you hit a tree hard.

In the cold, the tape you use to hold them on the disc freezes and stops sticking. If you use tape where that doesn’t happen, you now have tape that leaves a sticky mess on your discs when you want to take it off. I’ve had many a shot that hit a tree where the disc went one way while the light went the other. Another problem you’ll run into is that if you hit a tree hard enough, sometimes those lights break or shut off. It’s very disheartening to watch your disc’s light wink out of existence mid flight leaving you with a very slim chance of actually finding that disc until tomorrow.

Because of these problems, I end up playing less glow golf than I’d like to. Between preparation and on course maintenance, there is a bit of a headache factor involved in a round of nighttime disc golf. Until now….

Enter Nite Ize…

When Nite Ize contacted me to see if I wanted to review their discs, I wasn’t too sure. But I thought they looked pretty cool and I already use a bunch of Nite Ize products. From Carabiners to Better Bands, I have always been very happy with their stuff. So I said sure, why not?

A couple of weeks later, a box of goodies from Nite Ize was at my door. Inside was 6 discs (2 putters, 2 mids, and drivers) along with a bunch of their Spotlit lights for clipping on the basket at night.

I want to start by saying I was very skeptical at first. I pictured these being like the Wham O golf discs or something Toys R Us would make as a house brand product. I was not expecting them to be useable for disc golf. Cool? Sure. Neat to throw in the dark? Yep. Discs that an experienced disc golfer would be happy using? I didn’t think so.

I was wrong.

The Discs…

The first thing you’ll notice about these discs is the plastic. It’s got a good amount of grip to it. It feels good in the hand and I was confident throwing it.

The design of the discs does take a bit of getting used to, but it’s really no big deal. There are these ribs that radiate out from the center location of the LED light. Nite Ize calls it a fiber-optic array. It takes the light from the LED and spreads it across the entire disc (which make it look extra cool). Where each rib hits the rim, you can feel it. A simple adjustment to grip the disc between the ribs is all you need to compensate.

Another thing I noticed about these ribs is that they gave the disc some more overall stiffness than you find with normal golf discs. I didn’t really noticed it until my first hard tree hit. They make a sound like no other disc and you can hear how solid they are when they hit.

Speaking of that, while I always cringe when a disc with a taped on light hits a tree, I grew to be very confident with the Nite Ize product. They hold up extremely well and not once did the light ever break or turn off. On inspection, the discs themselves hold up well too. I hit several trees pretty hard and none are worse for the wear. They didn’t change in flight either.

All of that together means you’d be hard pressed to lose one of these discs at night. The lighting arrangement on them is really great. They are fun to watch fly through the air and you can see them from a mile away. The LED will cycle through a bunch of colors (called disco mode) or you can lock it on your favorite. My first few rounds were played in disco mode, which I liked. After that I found it useful to lock each disc on a different color. That way it was easy to reach in my NutSac and grab the right disc without really looking too hard. I have landed on red for the driver, purple for the mid, and green for the putter (money baby!).

That leaves us with how they fly and overall they work really well. They all have the characteristics of discs that I’d select for a 3 disc round.

The Driver…

The driver has a wide rim. It’s a little wider than I prefer, but it ends up not being a problem. The driver is very controllable. Thrown hard, it has a nice bit of turn. I wouldn’t call it a turn over disc, but it does sit up and ride very nicely. At the end of its flight, it always faded.

Thrown with a good amount of hyzer, I could get it to fly a nice smooth right to left arc (RHBH). Thrown flat it flexed in a nice tight S with great distance. Thrown anny, it would hold the turn for 70% of it’s flight before fighting out at the end. It’s pretty much exactly what you would want in a controllable driver.

The only issue with the driver was in headwinds. I found that I had to back off a little and add some hyzer to keep it from flipping completely. Just a few throws, though, and I was comfortable using it in a moderate wind.  Luckily, night golf is mostly calm in my experience. Even on a windy day, the evenings often calm down considerably.

The Mid…

The mid reminded me of a Roc in its feel in the hand. It has the same profile and moderate dome you find in Champ Rocs. Appearance is where the similarity ends. The mid was the most understable of the 3 discs for me. Full power throws caused it to turn for most of its flight. Like the driver, though, it always came back at the end. It never simply flipped without coming back.

Powered down, I was able to get some really nice straight flights. It has decent glide too. Just like the driver, it worked on a variety of lines. I found myself wishing for just a little more stability, but that’s being picky. Overall, it’s a great all purpose mid.

As for wind, don’t throw the mid into a headwind. It’s the one disc of the three that just won’t work for you in that condition.

The Putter…

And now for the putter, my favorite of the three discs. With a profile similar to a beadless Aviar or a slightly deeper Pure, it feels great in my hand. I really enjoy both throwing and putting with this disc.

Putting with it does take some adjustment because of those aforementioned ribs on the bottom of the disc. After a while, though, they actually started to serve as a guide for where I place my fingers. For the most part, you can aim straight at the basket out to about the edge of the circle. It wasn’t until about 30 feet out that a little fade started to appear at the end of its flight.

Driving and up shots is where this disc shines (pun intended). You can really rip into this thing and it just takes the power without flipping. Step up and give it a good huck and it goes straight with a tiny fade at the end. On any given round I throw the putter a good bit more than the mid. If you were to buy just one of the 3 Nite Ize discs, and you are comfortable driving with putters, I would strongly encourage you to get the putter as your one Nite Ize disc.

Conclusion…

That said, I really love having all 3 discs for a glow round. I never find myself wishing I had spent the time to tape lights on my regular discs. Instead I just grab the Nite Ize set and head out to play. Overall, as an experienced disc golfer, I’m happy to play regular glow rounds with them.

In the end, we disc golfers buy a lot of discs that end up not getting used. We try new plastic a lot and can only carry so much. If you are anything like me you have a stack or 5 of unused discs somewhere in your house. The Nite Ize FlashFlight set won’t be one of those forgotten discs. If you currently play the occasional round of glow golf, or if you want to start, get yourself this set of discs. It won’t end up in one of those unused piles. Not to mention they have the most important flight characteristic of all… They are really, really fun.

Because Nite Ize was generous in sending us product to test, we’ve got a bunch of stuff to give away this time. We are giving away a driver, a mid, and a putter. We are also giving away a handful of the Spotlit keychain lights. All you have to do is be subscribed to the blog to be entered. Winners will be drawn on Wednesday, Feb 10, 2016 and will be notified via email. If you aren’t subscribed, simply enter your email below. Good luck!!!

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The post Nite Ize Flashflight LED Disc Review appeared first on Mind Body Disc - Disc Golf Blog.

There are two types of understable disc in the world. Those that start their life as a stable or overstable disc and then lovingly beat in to buttery smooth turnover goodness. And those that are understable out of the box… Kind of like a few people I know.

If you look inside of most pro bags, you see a lot of that first kind and not many of the second. That’s because a disc that has been beat to understable is a much more reliable and trustworthy piece of plastic. I’ll be writing a post soon to describe why. For now, all the proof that is really needed is the number of pros that carry beat in plastic as their understable option.

I remember watching Barry Schultz play on an old MSDGC dvd I had (if you can find those earlier Marshall Street tournaments, they are absolutely worth a watch!). He had these beat up Rocs that you would swear were made out of equal parts plastic and magic. He threw them on 400 foot anny lines. He beamed them through the woods on laser straight flights. He threw them on what started as a straight path only to have them turn right at the end of their flight. I remember watching that as a new player and being baffled. I’d watch those videos over and over again wondering, “How does he get his discs to fade the wrong way!!!”

But not everyone has one of those perfectly seasoned discs. Some people had one and lost it. Others change up their discs too often to ever end up with a properly broken in disc. There are a lot of reasons that a disc golfer might be looking for that second type of understable disc. The challenge lies in finding a disc that is designed to be understable when new, but that flies like one of those beat in discs.

The problem with most discs that are designed to be understable is there is nothing keeping them from being squirrelly. They go right (RHBH) from the start. How much can vary wildly. They tend to be inconsistent and unreliable. The sought after characteristic of the beat in turnover disc is that it turns in a controlled and smooth manner. It doesn’t flip and burn one time and then barely turn the next. It does the same thing every time you throw it.

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is where the Dynamic Discs Warrant comes in.

In short, the Warrant goes right (RHBH).

When thrown flat, it goes right.

When thrown with hyzer, it stands up and then goes right.

When thrown on an anny, it just keeps going right.

The only way to keep it from going right is to power down to about 50-60% or throw it in a pretty significant tail wind.

But going right isn’t what impressed me. It’s how it goes right. And you guessed it, it goes right like those magic beat in Rocs ole Barry still throws to this day.

Before anyone gets their panties all bunched up… No, it’s not a replacement for those beautifully seasoned Rocs. Nothing is. It is, however, a disc that has a very similar turn to one of those beat up discs the pros like to throw.

Once you get the hang of this disc, it will provide you with a reliable turn over shot that you can count on, but you do have to get the hang of it. Like any understable disc (this includes both types I’ve referenced), you have to have some touch. Throwers with virtually no finesse will not be able to make this or any other understable disc work well. Throwing on plane with no wrist roll is a requirement here.

I’m going to go back to my old stand by. If you can’t drive with a putter  (the universal test for whether or not you have decent form), you aren’t ready for a turnover disc. It will simply be a waste of time. But if you can, the Warrant will reward you with some beautiful flights.

For me, I’m anxiously awaiting the day when my Verdicts beat in to this much needed turn over slot. I’ve been playing with the same ones for over 2 years now and they still aren’t there. So until then there is a fight going on in my bag. The Warrant is currently in a vicious battle to kick my current turn over disc (the Latitude 64 Fuse) out of the bag. Will it win? I don’t know yet. What I do know is that if you are looking for a disc that goes right, the Warrant is surely worth a look.

Want to win our review sample of the Warrant you see pictured? All you have to do is be subscribed to the blog. If you’re not, enter your email below and we’ll throw your name in the hat for the give away. Winner will be drawn on Friday, Feb 5, 2016 and notified via email.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The post Dynamic Discs Warrant Review appeared first on Mind Body Disc - Disc Golf Blog.

Like or Love?

At the most basic level, the discs in my bag can be divided into two categories. The first is discs I love. These are the discs that aren’t going anywhere. In order for them to leave my bag, you’d have to pry them from my cold, dead hands. You’ve heard me talk about them repeatedly. The Latitude 64 Pure, the Dynamic Discs Trespass, and the Dynamic Discs Verdict all fit this description. I wish all of the discs in my bag were in this first category. Alas, they are not.

The second group is made up of discs I like. They work for me, but they have not found a permanent home. These are the discs that, honestly, I kind of “make due” with. Nothing against them, but I’m patiently waiting to find a replacement for them that falls squarely in the first category. That’s me, always looking for love.

My stable and understable midrange slots are both firmly in this second category. For the stable (meaning the disc will hold the line I put on it) slot I’ve given long auditions to the Discraft Buzzz, Innova Shark, Dynamic Discs Truth, and the Latitude 64 Opto Claymore. For the understable slot I’ve given equally long auditions to the Discraft Buzzz SS, Discraft Meteor, Westside Discs Tursas, Latitude 64 Fuse, and the Latitude 64 Gold Line Claymore.

So far I’ve been happiest with the Claymores in the two different plastics. They are flat, beadless, and feel a whole lot like the Verdicts I love so much. I haven’t ruled out love yet. But it’s a slow courtship. The midrange is such a critical disc, I really want to get it just right. You’d think after years of playing I would have filled this slot, right?

Love at first sight?

A little over 2 weeks ago, I got a Fuzion Evidence from Dynamic discs. This was the midrange disc for this year’s Trilogy Challenge. Of the 3 discs used this year, the Evidence was getting the best reviews by far. Forums were abuzz with people raving about this disc. While reports of how it flew varied from player to player, one thing was uniform. Everyone seemed to love it.

When I received the Fuzion version, I was honestly slightly disappointed. And this was before I even threw it. The Fuzion version has a bit of a dome to it. Not a lot, but enough for me to notice. I dream of the day when every disc in my bag is board flat. Flat discs and I get along really well. Domey discs, not so much.

It did fly nicely, but it was pretty similar to my Gold Line Claymore. So, after just one round (and really only a few throws), the Evidence was out of the bag.

But then something wonderful happened. I went to the mailbox two weeks ago and what was there waiting for me? 2 shiny new discs just in from Dynamic for me to review and then give away to you. One of those discs was a Lucid Evidence. From the moment I took it out of the envelope, you guessed it, I was in love.

First, it was flat. Second, it was in my most favorite plastic. If you’ve followed my disc reviews at all, you know that I love all of the Latitude 64 plastic (Latitude manufactures Lat 64, Dynamic, and Westside). It’s the biggest reason why that’s all I throw right now. It’s not brand loyalty, it’s plastic loyalty. Their plastic is just money.

Every once in a while, they release a run of Lucid (known as Opto in Lat 64 and VIP in Westside) that is opaque and grippy. It’s like they blend a little Fuzion in with the Opto. It makes the disc opaque instead of the normal clear you find for most Opto discs. The phrase “it’s like butter” was made for this plastic. If I could get every disc I throw in this blend, I’d be in heaven.

I’m guessing most of you know how I was feeling at this point. I hadn’t even thrown the disc yet and I was already infatuated. We’ve all picked up discs before that just feel perfect to us. This is what happened with this Evidence and I. I just stood there at my mailbox fondling the disc with a goofy grin on my face and possibly a little drool running down the corner of my mouth.

Well, I’ve been here before. Sometimes no matter how great disc feels in the hand, that doesn’t mean you’ll like how it flies. I had the same reaction to the Dynamic Discs Felon and I genuinely don’t like that disc. I tried to like it, I really did. It just wasn’t to be.

So, out to the course we went. I wanted to see if the initial spark between the Evidence and I would turn into anything meaningful.

It’s a longer Pure!

That pretty much says it all. It only took one round for this disc to make my bag. Every time I throw one of my beloved Pures off the tee, I fall in love with that mold just a little bit more. Every time I step up on a tee where my target is just out of reach of the Pure, I wish I had a longer one in the bag. I reluctantly reach for a Truth or Opto Claymore instead.

The quickest and most succinct description I can give of the Dynamic Discs Evidence is that it’s a longer Pure. For me it flies on the same lines with same controllability, just longer range.

For now, enough with my opinions, let’s get into some details.

Now For the Details…

Dynamic Discs Describes the Evidence…

The Evidence is a slightly understable midrange disc that is very controllable. Where the Verdict and the Truth take care of your straight to overstable midrange needs, the Evidence will handle the other side of the spectrum. It will hold the anhyzer angle through a full glide while slowly coming back to a flat flight. The Verdict, Truth, and Evidence feel very similar in the hand with complementary flights to carve around any obstacle you face. When your scores are accusing you of bad shots, you need the Evidence to set the record straight.

Speed – 5
Glide – 5
Turn – -1
Fade – 0

Max Weight: 180g

InBounds Flight Chart

Agree or Disagree?

I’m not sure that I’d rate the turn at -1. While the Evidence will hold an anny, you really have to throw it hard to get it to turn. Even then, it more kind of shifts to the right instead of turning over. I would also rate the fade at .5. If thrown flat, it won’t exactly fade, but it does start to drift left when it slows down. In the end, it’s mostly straight.

Physical Description.

I’ve already touched on the profile. It’s flat in the Lucid plastic and has a slight dome in Fuzion. It has a typical width midrange rim. Very much like the Truth, Claymore, Verdict, Buzz, Shark, or any other beadless midrange.

To help you get an idea, here’s a few pics of the rim from different angles.

How does it fly?

Hyzer

What happens with the Evidence when thrown on a hyzer will depend on how hard you throw it. With an aggressive pull, it will flip up to flat and ride pretty straight. With an all out pull, or if you have a big arm, it will flip up and start to slide right. If thrown cleanly it won’t dump over, but it will go right for you. If thrown at 75%-85% (which is about how hard I typically throw my mids), it will sit up almost flat, go straight for much of its flight, and then fade some at the end.

It won’t hold a hard hyzer line the whole way unless you really throttle back on it. I found that on stand still shots, throwing at 50%-60%, I could get it to hyzer around obstacles fairly easily.

Flat

At about 75% power (hard enough to get it to go 275′ or so), the Evidence pretty much went dead straight. It has a tic of fade at the end, but I think that’s more because it’s new. I have a strong feeling that once it’s been used a bit, that little bit of fade will disappear. Thrown harder than that, a flat throw did see some left to right movement. Thrown with a lot of power and it rode right nicely without getting out of control.

Anhyzer

The Evidence held an anhyzer well. It seemed to want to stay at the angle it was thrown at and ride right its entire flight without changing much. It did seem to start to flex back a tad at the end, but as mentioned before, I think this is more because it’s new. I don’t think it will continue to do this. I really liked how it didn’t turn any more than asked. Some understable discs can be pretty touchy. The Evidence had some forgiveness to it on these throws.

Headwind

This is not a headwind disc. It withstood some breezes, but that’s about it. Even with hyzer, a moderate wind pushed the disc to the right and it wasn’t even thinking about coming back. Thrown flat into a stiff gust and it was all over.

Tailwind

The Evidence is cash money in a tailwind. Like most stable to understable discs, it flew well with the wind at its back. The glide was enough to ride the breeze and give it a good sized distance boost. While it did pick up a little bit more end of flight fade to the left, it wasn’t a huge difference. It can still be relied on to give a fairly straight flight all the way to the ground even when the wind is at your back.

Distance

I was able to get the Evidence to about 310′ reliably. Interestingly, the Fuzion version seemed to glide better and was consistently about 10′-15′ longer on most distance throws. I’m guessing the difference in dome was what came into play here. It was straight with very little turn all the way up to throwing with 275′ of power. It was once I tried pushing it further that it started to show its turn.

How’s your arm?

You have a cannon and your drives are 450′ plus…

This will be a beautiful turn over mid for you. You’ll really have to take something off of your throws to get the straight flights described in this review. If you are looking for a straight mid, I’d suggest discing up to the Truth (or Buzzz or Roc etc). If you want something that moves right, and you already throw the Truth for your straight shot, the Evidence is the ticket.

You don’t have a cannon, but you can drive 325′ – 400’…

The Evidence will fly as reviewed above for you. While you will be able to make it turn, you’ll most often find it flying straight where you aimed it. You’ll be able to easily get a hyzerflip flight out of it too. It will quite possibly be the straightest mid you’ve thrown while still being reliable and not just turning over on you out of nowhere.

You have more of a BB gun than a cannon for an arm and your drives are under 300’…

The Evidence will still go straight for you on a flat throw. It will also be a disc that can teach you how to hyzerflip as your arm gets faster. It will have some fade at the end of the flight when throw with a hyzer or flat. All of that said, it will also still hold an anny line for you as well. You might find it fighting out of it’s right hand turn a little more than I described above, but you should be able to rely on it turning right if you start it out that way.

What’s it similar to?

Like I stated above, for me it’s pretty much a longer Opto Pure. Straight, straight, and more straight.

The next comparison is one that I heard Eric McCabe make. He said it’s the Truth for people who don’t have the arm for a Truth. I totally agree with that. If you have trouble getting a Truth to go straight with minimal fade at the end, the Evidence will give you that flight with little difficulty. I also find it to be less sensitive to launch angle than the Truth.

For me, the Truth stays at pretty much exactly the angle you throw it at. That can give some people problems who like to hyzerflip a mid to go straight. If you don’t have the arm speed, the Truth will not flip up and instead will turn left on you. The Evidence is much easier to get to flip up to flat and ride straight.

Other discs that I find to be very similar to the Evidence are the Axiom Alias, the Innova Mako 3, the MVP Tangent, and the Discmania MD. The closest Discraft disc would be the now OOP Buzz GT.

Summary

If you couldn’t tell, I really like this disc. Honestly, it’s too new for me to determine if it will be a “pry it from my cold dead hands” disc or not. But things are looking pretty good so far. I liked it enough that it was in my bag last weekend for tournament rounds both Saturday and Sunday. I threw it a lot and liked it more each time I did.

Ken Climo and many other pros have been quoted as saying the hardest shot in disc golf is the dead straight controlled one. A big part of that is skill. But at least some of it is having the right disc. Veteran pros have the luxury of having beat to perfection Rocs that they’ve had for years. Very few discs can come close to those flights right out of the box.

For me, the Evidence is one of those discs. When thrown cleanly with no wrist roll it’s a point and shoot mid that goes exactly where you aim it and flies on the path you set it on. It’s got plenty of hyzerflip goodness for the woods and those challenging tight tunnels we all love so much.

If you are looking for a stable mid that likes to go where you throw it, check out the Dynamic Discs Evidence. It might just be the love affair you’ve been looking for.

How to win a Dynamic Discs Evidence

Now that the reviewing part is over with, I’ll be sending my review copy of the Dynamic Discs Evidence off to one of you! All you have to do is subscribe to the blog by entering your email address below. On Wednesday, 10/22/15 we’ll select one lucky subscriber to win.

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Most people shop on Amazon. If you are one of them, please consider getting there through this link. There’s also one in our footer and on our side bar. It doesn’t cost you anything but a click, but it’s huge for us. Things like dyed discs, giveaways, and maintaining the blog all cost money. This is an easy way for you to help us continue bringing you what we do!

LHBH / RHFH Version:

LHBH/RHFH Version of the Review…

Like or Love?

At the most basic level, the discs in my bag can be divided into two categories. The first is discs I love. These are the discs that aren’t going anywhere. In order for them to leave my bag, you’d have to pry them from my cold, dead hands. You’ve heard me talk about them repeatedly. The Latitude 64 Pure, the Dynamic Discs Trespass, and the Dynamic Discs Verdict all fit this description. I wish all of the discs in my bag were in this first category. Alas, they are not.

The second group is made up of discs I like. They work for me, but they have not found a permanent home. These are the discs that, honestly, I kind of “make due” with. Nothing against them, but I’m patiently waiting to find a replacement for them that falls squarely in the first category. That’s me, always looking for love.

My stable and understable midrange slots are both firmly in this second category. For the stable (meaning the disc will hold the line I put on it) slot I’ve given long auditions to the Discraft Buzzz, Innova Shark, Dynamic Discs Truth, and the Latitude 64 Opto Claymore. For the understable slot I’ve given equally long auditions to the Discraft Buzzz SS, Discraft Meteor, Westside Discs Tursas, Latitude 64 Fuse, and the Latitude 64 Gold Line Claymore.

So far I’ve been happiest with the Claymores in the two different plastics. They are flat, beadless, and feel a whole lot like the Verdicts I love so much. I haven’t ruled out love yet. But it’s a slow courtship. The midrange is such a critical disc, I really want to get it just right. You’d think after years of playing I would have filled this slot, right?

Love at first sight?

A little over 2 weeks ago, I got a Fuzion Evidence from Dynamic discs. This was the midrange disc for this year’s Trilogy Challenge. Of the 3 discs used this year, the Evidence was getting the best reviews by far. Forums were abuzz with people raving about this disc. While reports of how it flew varied from player to player, one thing was uniform. Everyone seemed to love it.

When I received the Fuzion version, I was honestly slightly disappointed. And this was before I even threw it. The Fuzion version has a bit of a dome to it. Not a lot, but enough for me to notice. I dream of the day when every disc in my bag is board flat. Flat discs and I get along really well. Domey discs, not so much.

It did fly nicely, but it was pretty similar to my Gold Line Claymore. So, after just one round (and really only a few throws), the Evidence was out of the bag.

But then something wonderful happened. I went to the mailbox two weeks ago and what was there waiting for me? 2 shiny new discs just in from Dynamic for me to review and then give away to you. One of those discs was a Lucid Evidence. From the moment I took it out of the envelope, you guessed it, I was in love.

First, it was flat. Second, it was in my most favorite plastic. If you’ve followed my disc reviews at all, you know that I love all of the Latitude 64 plastic (Latitude manufactures Lat 64, Dynamic, and Westside). It’s the biggest reason why that’s all I throw right now. It’s not brand loyalty, it’s plastic loyalty. Their plastic is just money.

Every once in a while, they release a run of Lucid (known as Opto in Lat 64 and VIP in Westside) that is opaque and grippy. It’s like they blend a little Fuzion in with the Opto. It makes the disc opaque instead of the normal clear you find for most Opto discs. The phrase “it’s like butter” was made for this plastic. If I could get every disc I throw in this blend, I’d be in heaven.

I’m guessing most of you know how I was feeling at this point. I hadn’t even thrown the disc yet and I was already infatuated. We’ve all picked up discs before that just feel perfect to us. This is what happened with this Evidence and I. I just stood there at my mailbox fondling the disc with a goofy grin on my face and possibly a little drool running down the corner of my mouth.

Well, I’ve been here before. Sometimes no matter how great disc feels in the hand, that doesn’t mean you’ll like how it flies. I had the same reaction to the Dynamic Discs Felon and I genuinely don’t like that disc. I tried to like it, I really did. It just wasn’t to be.

So, out to the course we went. I wanted to see if the initial spark between the Evidence and I would turn into anything meaningful.

It’s a longer Pure!

That pretty much says it all. It only took one round for this disc to make my bag. Every time I throw one of my beloved Pures off the tee, I fall in love with that mold just a little bit more. Every time I step up on a tee where my target is just out of reach of the Pure, I wish I had a longer one in the bag. I reluctantly reach for a Truth or Opto Claymore instead.

The quickest and most succinct description I can give of the Dynamic Discs Evidence is that it’s a longer Pure. For me it flies on the same lines with same controllability, just longer range.

For now, enough with my opinions, let’s get into some details.

Now For the Details…

Dynamic Discs Describes the Evidence…

The Evidence is a slightly understable midrange disc that is very controllable. Where the Verdict and the Truth take care of your straight to overstable midrange needs, the Evidence will handle the other side of the spectrum. It will hold the anhyzer angle through a full glide while slowly coming back to a flat flight. The Verdict, Truth, and Evidence feel very similar in the hand with complementary flights to carve around any obstacle you face. When your scores are accusing you of bad shots, you need the Evidence to set the record straight.

Speed – 5
Glide – 5
Turn – -1
Fade – 0

Max Weight: 180g

InBounds Flight Chart

Agree or Disagree?

I’m not sure that I’d rate the turn at -1. While the Evidence will hold an anny, you really have to throw it hard to get it to turn. Even then, it more kind of shifts to the left instead of turning over. I would also rate the fade at .5. If thrown flat, it won’t exactly fade, but it does start to drift right when it slows down. In the end, it’s mostly straight.

Physical Description.

I’ve already touched on the profile. It’s flat in the Lucid plastic and has a slight dome in Fuzion. It has a typical width midrange rim. Very much like the Truth, Claymore, Verdict, Buzz, Shark, or any other beadless midrange.

To help you get an idea, here’s a few pics of the rim from different angles.

How does it fly?

Hyzer

What happens with the Evidence when thrown on a hyzer will depend on how hard you throw it. With an aggressive pull, it will flip up to flat and ride pretty straight. With an all out pull, or if you have a big arm, it will flip up and start to slide left. If thrown cleanly it won’t dump over, but it will go left for you. If thrown at 75%-85% (which is about how hard I typically throw my mids), it will sit up almost flat, go straight for much of its flight, and then fade some at the end.

It won’t hold a hard hyzer line the whole way unless you really throttle back on it. I found that on stand still shots, throwing at 50%-60%, I could get it to hyzer around obstacles fairly easily.

Flat

At about 75% power (hard enough to get it to go 275′ or so), the Evidence pretty much went dead straight. It has a tic of fade at the end, but I think that’s more because it’s new. I have a strong feeling that once it’s been used a bit, that little bit of fade will disappear. Thrown harder than that, a flat throw did see some right to left movement. Thrown with a lot of power and it rode left nicely without getting out of control.

Anhyzer

The Evidence held an anhyzer well. It seemed to want to stay at the angle it was thrown at and ride left its entire flight without changing much. It did seem to start to flex back a tad at the end, but as mentioned before, I think this is more because it’s new. I don’t think it will continue to do this. I really liked how it didn’t turn any more than asked. Some understable discs can be pretty touchy. The Evidence had some forgiveness to it on these throws.

Headwind

This is not a headwind disc. It withstood some breezes, but that’s about it. Even with hyzer, a moderate wind pushed the disc to the left and it wasn’t even thinking about coming back. Thrown flat into a stiff gust and it was all over.

Tailwind

The Evidence is cash money in a tailwind. Like most stable to understable discs, it flew well with the wind at its back. The glide was enough to ride the breeze and give it a good sized distance boost. While it did pick up a little bit more end of flight fade to the right, it wasn’t a huge difference. It can still be relied on to give a fairly straight flight all the way to the ground even when the wind is at your back.

Distance

I was able to get the Evidence to about 310′ reliably. Interestingly, the Fuzion version seemed to glide better and was consistently about 10′-15′ longer on most distance throws. I’m guessing the difference in dome was what came into play here. It was straight with very little turn all the way up to throwing with 275′ of power. It was once I tried pushing it further that it started to show its turn.

How’s your arm?

You have a cannon and your drives are 450′ plus…

This will be a beautiful turn over mid for you. You’ll really have to take something off of your throws to get the straight flights described in this review. If you are looking for a straight mid, I’d suggest discing up to the Truth (or Buzzz or Roc etc). If you want something that moves left, and you already throw the Truth for your straight shot, the Evidence is the ticket.

You don’t have a cannon, but you can drive 325′ – 400’…

The Evidence will fly as reviewed above for you. While you will be able to make it turn, you’ll most often find it flying straight where you aimed it. You’ll be able to easily get a hyzerflip flight out of it too. It will quite possibly be the straightest mid you’ve thrown while still being reliable and not just turning over on you out of nowhere.

You have more of a BB gun than a cannon for an arm and your drives are under 300’…

The Evidence will still go straight for you on a flat throw. It will also be a disc that can teach you how to hyzerflip as your arm gets faster. It will have some fade at the end of the flight when throw with a hyzer or flat. All of that said, it will also still hold an anny line for you as well. You might find it fighting out of it’s left hand turn a little more than I described above, but you should be able to rely on it turning left if you start it out that way.

What’s it similar to?

Like I stated above, for me it’s pretty much a longer Opto Pure. Straight, straight, and more straight.

The next comparison is one that I heard Eric McCabe make. He said it’s the Truth for people who don’t have the arm for a Truth. I totally agree with that. If you have trouble getting a Truth to go straight with minimal fade at the end, the Evidence will give you that flight with little difficulty. I also find it to be less sensitive to launch angle than the Truth.

For me, the Truth stays at pretty much exactly the angle you throw it at. That can give some people problems who like to hyzerflip a mid to go straight. If you don’t have the arm speed, the Truth will not flip up and instead will turn right on you. The Evidence is much easier to get to flip up to flat and ride straight.

Other discs that I find to be very similar to the Evidence are the Axiom Alias, the Innova Mako 3, the MVP Tangent, and the Discmania MD. The closest Discraft disc would be the now OOP Buzz GT.

Summary

If you couldn’t tell, I really like this disc. Honestly, it’s too new for me to determine if it will be a “pry it from my cold dead hands” disc or not. But things are looking pretty good so far. I liked it enough that it was in my bag last weekend for tournament rounds both Saturday and Sunday. I threw it a lot and liked it more each time I did.

Ken Climo and many other pros have been quoted as saying the hardest shot in disc golf is the dead straight controlled one. A big part of that is skill. But at least some of it is having the right disc. Veteran pros have the luxury of having beat to perfection Rocs that they’ve had for years. Very few discs can come close to those flights right out of the box.

For me, the Evidence is one of those discs. When thrown cleanly with no wrist roll it’s a point and shoot mid that goes exactly where you aim it and flies on the path you set it on. It’s got plenty of hyzerflip goodness for the woods and those challenging tight tunnels we all love so much.

If you are looking for a stable mid that likes to go where you throw it, check out the Dynamic Discs Evidence. It might just be the love affair you’ve been looking for.

How to win a Dynamic Discs Evidence

Now that the reviewing part is over with, I’ll be sending my review copy of the Dynamic Discs Evidence off to one of you! All you have to do is subscribe to the blog by entering your email address below. On Wednesday, 10/22/15 we’ll select one lucky subscriber to win.

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Support Mind Body Disc…

If you enjoy the Mind Body Disc blog and the contests and give aways we bring you, we would really appreciate it if you helped us out just a bit…

Most people shop on Amazon. If you are one of them, please consider getting there through this link. There’s also one in our footer and on our side bar. It doesn’t cost you anything but a click, but it’s huge for us. Things like dyed discs, giveaways, and maintaining the blog all cost money. This is an easy way for you to help us continue bringing you what we do!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The post Dynamic Discs Evidence Review appeared first on Mind Body Disc - Disc Golf Blog.

Breaking story from the AP news wire…

Today, a public outcry was heard from the disc golf community.   Disc golfers from around the country are rallying together behind a common cause.  They are speaking out in unison against a wrong that has been done to them over the last several years.  This outrage has been growing behind the scenes, but today it spilled into public view.

Tom, a disc golfer from New York says, “I’m sick and tired of it!  What do they think, that we are made of money?!?!?”.

Julie, a tournament participant in Texas proclaims, “We can no longer stand for this!  We have come together to demand more from the disc manufacturers at large!”.

Bill, a recreational player from Wisconsin explains, “Look, we’re not dumb but they continue to treat us like we are.  It’s high time they stop and put some more thought into what they are doing.”

The galvanizing issue that has brought these disc golfers together in protest is one that has plagued disc golf for years.  It’s a problem that they have quietly lived with and one that disc manufacturers have made worse as time has gone on.  The problem?  Non distinct discs.  Too many discs are coming out that fly just like many other discs already on the market.

Why the sudden outcry?  It seems that an upstart company from Emporia Kansas is behind all the ruckus.  It looks as if Dynamic Discs has been aware of this seething problem for quite a few years.  A spokesman for the company told us, “The disc golf community, in response to the vast quantity of unremarkable discs flooding the market, has demanded Justice.  Today we are prepared to say that we have delivered Justice to the disc golf community!”  Dynamic always has liked to stir the pot a little.

These golfers have a point.  It used to be that a new disc was introduced because it added to the arsenal of the golfers it was sold to.  Now, new discs come out almost daily.  They all promise to be different and useful… And they usually fly just like all of the other discs that are already out and in bags everywhere.

George, a disc golfer from central Florida recounts a recent difficult time in his disc golf career…

“I was paralyzed with indecision.  I just couldn’t decide between a Leopard, an Amp, a Stalker, or a River.  I had all four in my bag and I could never decide what to throw.  I’d pick one up, look at the shot in front of me, and then change my mind three or four times.  All four are such good discs.  I’ve thrown amazing shots with all of them.  But which one to throw now?

“One day I just sat down in the middle of my round and started crying.  I couldn’t take it any more.  I had just added the Seer to those other 4 and it overloaded my brain!  I was unable to play the sport that I love.  Something had to be done!”

George eventually came to his senses and got rid of all but one of those discs.  He realized that he only needed one stable fairway driver in his bag and not 5.  He applied the same thinking to the rest of his discs too.  You can now find George playing with only 6 discs.  He carries them in his NutSac.

“The Nutsac ensures that I don’t go back to the land of overlap”, George tells us.  “It’s one of the best things I’ve done for my game.  There’s room for one more disc in there, but I’m holding that spot in case something truly different comes out.  You know, something that will do things no other disc will do.”

Here is where golfers like George will be happy to hear about what Dynamic Discs has recently brought to disc golf.  If you are looking for something truly unique to put in your bag, the Justice could be just what you are looking for.

When I’m not fake reporting for the Associated Press, I’m a disc golfer just like George, Tom, Julie, and Bill.  I’ve got a garage full of different discs that all kind of do the same thing.  When I heard that Dynamic was releasing an obscenely over stable midrange I had two initial thoughts…

One.  I’ve already tried and still have 3 Drones, 2 Gators, 1 Hornet, 2 Zones, 1 Jokeri, 3 Harps, a Blaze, and a Demon.  All of them have been in my bag at one time or another, and all of them basically do the same thing.  Why would I want to try this new Justice thing?

Two.  Of those discs, only one of the Harps is still in my bag because frankly I don’t need a stupidly over stable mid range.  The Harp comes out in the wind for putts and approaches.  For everything else, I can just power down something else that’s over stable and get the flight I’m looking for.  No reason for the extra disc, right?

Dynamic Discs knew I was writing this story, so they sent me one.  I put it in my bag and didn’t think much else about it.  I honestly didn’t expect to throw it during my rounds.  I was just going to field test it a few times.  I figured it was going to be a one trick pony, so a few throws in a field would be enough.

Well, it’s been in my bag for almost 3 weeks now and I use it constantly.  I’m having a really hard time coming to grips with the fact that I’m going to have to give it away to a reader soon.  It’s a rare occasion when a disc that I review makes my bag.  The Justice has done just that.

I’ll start by saying that the Justice is the disc you never knew you needed.  It’s flight is so different than anything else I’ve thrown.  There’s no way I could have known how much I’d actually reach for it until I actually threw it.

In its first round, I threw it 3 times.  In the second I threw it over 10 times.  That’s all it took.  It was unlike anything else I had tried and I was hooked.  It’s basically become my swiss army utility disc.  It should be yours too.

Here are the shots it has proven itself on so far (I’m RHBH):

1. Sharp fading short range shots.
2. Shots that you can’t afford to go past the target.
3. Short to medium length flicks that go hard right.
4. Flicks that won’t go left even if you screw up and roll your wrist.
5. Crazy sharp turning short S shots in the woods.
6. Any short to medium range shot that has to go around something.
7. Flick rollers that go straight.
8. Thumbers and tommys that pan super slow and come to rest upside down.
9. Putts into 40mph winds.
10. Approaches into 40mph winds.
11. Really any throw into any wind.
12. Short range spikes.
13. Grenades.
14. Short, hard skip shots that almost make a U turn.

How is it so good at all of those shots?  The Justice is probably the most over stable disc I’ve ever thrown and it has no glide.  Those are two qualities I never thought I would like or have a use for in a disc.  Turns out I was wrong.

It’s a rare occasion when a disc is released and turns out to be truly unique.  Most of the time they can be described by saying, “it flies kind of like a …”.  This is not one of those times.  You really need to play with one to understand.

I’ll be giving my review copy away next week on the Facebook page.  I’ve already got two more of my own ready to go into the bag.  Make sure you keep an eye out for your chance to win, but even if you don’t win one, go buy one anyway.  You will be happy you did.

You know what else you will be happy to have done?  Subscribe to this blog.  You will be automatically entered into every random drawing contest we do.  You’ll also get quality disc golf content delivered to you weekly.  How awesome is that?!

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The post Justice Has Been Served appeared first on Mind Body Disc - Disc Golf Blog.

I learned a long time ago that the only time to make a judgement about a disc is after you, specifically, have thrown it.  Not before, not after.  The Bard would turn out to be no different.  This is the story of how I met the Westside Discs Bard.

I had bought tickets to see the Bard recite her new poem some time ago.  There were excited reports for weeks before her release containing all kinds of speculation.  I often wonder how it is that people can make a spot in their bag for a disc that has yet to be come out.  I was reading all kinds of comments like “It will for sure take over for my Verdict”, or “It will be the Trilogy version of the Roc3”, or “Finally, a mid I’ll be able to throw in the wind”.

My plan was to hear her perform on stage first.  Then I was lucky enough to have convinced her agent to set aside some time afterward to go out and play a couple of rounds with her.  One of my buddies was also excited to see the Bard, so he came with.  It’s a good thing he did.

We took our seats in the auditorium and not long after, the lights dimmed.  The audience became quiet.  Curtains parted.  There, standing behind a lone microphone, was the new Westside Discs Bard.  True to her name, she was going to perform for us today.

The first thing I noticed when the spot light came on was the absolutely gorgeous plastic.  She had chosen a deep blue Tournament plastic for this performance.  But it wasn’t a solid blue.  There were faint but noticeable swirls of something metallic.  It was mesmerizingly beautiful.  I’ve always loved the different variants of Latitude 64’s Gold Line plastic (also know as Tournament plastic from Westside and Fuzion plastic from Dynamic Discs) and this swirling cobalt beauty was no disappointment.

I also could see her shape.  The first thing I noticed was her flat, almost concave top.  Not what I expected from a supposedly over stable disc.  There was no dome at all to her.  She also had a very pronounced bead.  While I personally love flat tops, my hand has never gotten along very well with beaded discs.  I have always preferred beadless to discs with a bead (i.e. Buzzz over the Roc, Meteor over the Comet, Warden over the Judge, etc.).  Between the flat top and the bead, she seemed to be of a medium depth.  I was anxious to give her a throw.

It was then that she started to perform.

Oh how I love to play
Disc golf on a summer day.
Flying through air in sun or rain
Always aiming for the chain.

‘Tis the sport I love most
That my local park doth host.
Around plant, bush, and tree
I fly through the air with glee.

Then I encounter the wind
That causes many a flight to bend.
I feel it gust on my face
And I smile as through it, I race.

So many of my kin sit unused
For in the wind they feel abused.
I, on the other hand, can play
Regardless of the weather of the day.

Not only in wind, but in calm too
Many reliable flights I pursue.
I glide through gaps with ease
And end in a fade around the trees.

I am the Westside Laulaja, or Bard
I’ll help you beat the other players on your card.

My friend and I looked at each other and almost burst out laughing.  “Dude, that was awful!”, I said to him.  He just shook his head in amusement.

Thankfully, the performance was short.  I sincerely hoped she was a better golf disc than poet.  I thought about paring her up with my 6 year old niece for poetry lessons later, but that would have to wait.  But even conveyed with terribly bad poetry, it was nice to hear what she thought of herself as a disc.  My friend and I proceeded backstage to meet with her.

She spared no time in telling us that she disliked the stage performance part of her job.  She had “much more passion for disc golf than sonnets and such” and was anxious to get out on the course.  We felt the same way.  So off we went…

When we hit the course, we started with a little field work.  My friend and I decided to play catch a little just to get a feel for her flight and to warm up a bit.  Honestly, I was having a hard time with her.  Like I mentioned, I really dislike beaded discs.  I’ve met a few that have worked for me and I’ve been able to get past the bead, but this was not going to be one of them.  My friend, on the other hand, was falling in love.  For reference, I currently throw the beadless (mostly) Verdict in my over stable mid slot and my friend throws Champion Rocs, which have pronounced beads.  This was not the only place our opinions would differ.

While I struggled to get clean releases (and I will admit that much of my issue with beaded discs is probably in my head more than anything), my buddy was just killing it with this disc.  My inability to release the disc at the angle I wanted was keeping me from getting a good idea of what this disc could do.  So here is my first conclusion in this review.  If you don’t like beaded discs, and you are looking for an over stable midrange disc, get yourself a Verdict.  The Verdict will do everything you need in that slot.  If you like beaded discs, on the other hand, the Bard is something you will want to try and will probably really like.

Next, I asked him to throw the Bard on a few different lines.  When thrown at lower power, it faded nicely throughout the flight.  When powered up, it resisted turn very well, went straight, and then hyzered out a lot more than many other over stable mids I have tried.  It was nice to see a disc you could get to go straight but still have strong fade at the end.  Many over stable mids, when powered up, will lose a lot of that end of flight fade when thrown hard enough to go straight.

Another interesting thing we found when throwing the Bard relatively hard is that it has a good amount of glide compared to what we were expecting.  On good pulls, we were both able to get some very good distance out of it.  It definitely flew further than my Verdict and it was getting out there with some seasoned champion Rocs.

The biggest surprise for us was what happened when thrown on an anhyzer line.  It didn’t just crash back to the left.  The Bard held the anny line for a surprisingly long time before fighting out of it.  This made some very clever and useful lines possible when playing in the woods.  It always fought back out, just not as early in the flight as the Verdict or the champ Rocs.

Another note is that the Bard seems to be very nose angle sensitive.  In order to throw the lines described above, it had to be thrown flat to slightly nose down.  Any nose up at all and the Bard hyzered out hard, did not go as far as needed, and didn’t cut through the wind as we would have liked.

Speaking of wind, here was another difference from what was anticipated.  While it was good in a mild to moderate head wind, it did flip a little in stronger wind.  When tested side by side vs. the Verdict, it did not cut through strong headwinds as well.  It behaves like a bit slower disc than it is and becomes even more nose angle sensitive.  We also tested it vs. some champion Rocs and found the same thing.  Is this a bad thing?  Not at all.  It’s just different from the hype we had heard before the disc was released.  It was also dependent on how hard we threw the Bard.  Lower to medium arm speed players will likely find the Bard a very suitable midrange disc for headwinds of almost any speed.  Big arm players will need to back off of it a bit when throwing into strong headwinds.

This wind performance also seemed to be a nice trade off with usability.  A lot of the time when a manufacturer makes a disc meant to throw in the strongest of winds, it’s pretty much unusable for most regular human disc golfers (see the Stiletto for an example).  The Bard is not that way.  It’s over stable enough that it will fit nicely in the OS mid slot for all but the fastest armed disc golfers.

So, who will want to go see the Bard perform?  You will if you like any or all of these things:

• Beaded discs
• Medium speed mids
• Mids that are over stable, but manageably so
• Mids that can be made to go straight but still have a good amount of fade at the end
• Mids that can fight moderate winds well
• Discs that are best thrown flat to slightly nose down

Overall, I think the Bard will find a welcome home in many disc golf bags.  If you would like it to find a home in your bag, you can either order one here, or you can keep an eye out for our contest happening over on Facebook today.  Just like and follow the Mind Body Disc page and you’ll see your chance to win our tester of the Westside Bard!

If you liked this review and would like to see our slightly different take on many other disc golf topics, subscribe to this blog!

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The post Ode to a Golf Disc – The Westside Discs Bard appeared first on Mind Body Disc - Disc Golf Blog.

Last week, I wrote a post about why it’s important not only not to bash a particular disc maker, but also why it’s important to keep an open mind and try new stuff from new companies.  That left the question of what discs one might want to try.

On Friday, we posted the first half of a list of discs that are worth at least a throw or two on your part.  We didn’t want to keep you waiting too long for the second half of that list.  So for your Monday reading and on line shopping enjoyment, here it is.

The Verdict

What can I say but this is the best over stable mid range I’ve ever thrown.  Super predictable, awesome in the wind, clean release, goes far, and powers down nicely.  This disc is one of the 3 most used in my bag by far.  I see lots of discussions on line about whether or not an over stable mid is even necessary.  I can’t help but think anyone saying one isn’t needed just hasn’t thrown a Verdict.

The Trespass

Reminds me a lot of the Millennium Orion LF, just longer.  Flips up flat, goes straight, always comes back.  With 400 feet of power, it will flip and ride nicely, but always in a nice tight S.  Newer ones will handle a good amount of wind without flipping.  Beat ones will turn on a controlled line and finish flat.  Looking for a new distance driver, but one you can actually control?  The Trespass could be the ticket for you.

Other discs that deserve a try from DD:  Enforcer, Escape, Judge, and Truth.

The Pure

The one disc you couldn’t take away from me if you tried.  It’s my putter.  It’s my upshot disc.  It’s what replaced the Tangent in my bag.  I carry 4-5 and wish I could carry more.  It’s shallow for a putter, which turns some people off, but I like a shallow putter.  This disc does anything I want except hold up in a headwind.  260 and in with no wind?  90% of the time, that’s a Pure shot for me.  Looking for a putter to putt, approach, and drive with that just goes straight?  This is it.  Need one that holds a hyper or an anny?  Yep, it’ll do that too.

The Vision

Does anything you want it to.  I’d be lost in the woods without this disc.  The most versatile fairway driver I’ve ever thrown.  It’s also my go to distance driver when line shaping is important.  This disc doesn’t like OAT and requires a smooth clean throw.  It’s almost like a Comet in that respect.  But dialed in, I’ve found nothing better for my straight and under stable fairway driver slot.

Other discs to try from Lat 64: Blitz, Halo, Mercy, Riot, Havoc, River, Saint, Sinus, Striker, Trident, Villain, XXX.

The Tursas

Everyone needs a Tursas.  This really isn’t a try it, you might like it disc.  This is a try it and clear a spot in your bag for it disc.  Like the Comet, you need proper form for this disc to work its magic.  But it is magic.  I remember watching the old Marshall Street DVDs and wondering how in the hell Barry Schultz could throw a Roc perfectly straight for a long way and then have it turn gently at the end of it’s flight and finish right.  Sorcery and black magic was all I could come up with.  Well, up until now, that throw was really only possible with a Roc or Buzzz that had been seasoned to perfection over years of use.  Now that line is available right out of the box with the Tursas.  It’s crazy, throw it with a slight hyzer and it flies just like Barry’s Roc did on those DVDs.

The Giant

Headwinds don’t usually make for great distance throws.  The Giant will change that for you.  20-30 mph headwinds are no issue for this disc.  It just goes forever into a headwind.  Neat thing is it’s a pretty long disc with no wind.  Great for big hyzers and low skip shots.  Broken in, they are money for a main work horse driver.

Other Westside plastic worth trying: King, Northmen, Swan, Stag, Sword, and World.

Blunt Gumbputt

Probably the best warm up disc out there.  Great to play catch with before a round or tournament.  As an approach disc, few discs sit and stick as well as this floppy disc does.  It’s rare that you come across a truly unique golf disc, but this is one of them.

The Breaker

Really nice over stable approach disc.  Reminded me of a Gator or a Drone in flight.  Reliable in the wind.  For me, felt great in my hand and always had a super clean release.  Very forgiving disc too.  A lot of the discs that I’ve recommended need good form to throw well.  The Breaker didn’t get squirrelly on me at all, even with a bad throw.

Other DGA discs worth trying: Hurricane, Rogue, and Squall.

The PD (power driver)

First of all, probably the coolest stamp in disc golf.  Not sure why, but I love it.  This disc is very much like the Orion LF and a longer TeeBird.  Nice small rim, but still with great glide and distance.  Flips up flat and rides straight.  Works well in a headwind.  Makes a great all around driver.  Big stability difference between C line and the other plastics, though.  C line is super beefy and lacks the distance the other plastics give.  Need a new main driver?  Give this a try.

The TD (turning driver)

Another great stamp, but who doesn’t like monkeys?  A very shallow disc, but one that does line shaping better than most.  Need it to turn, it will.  Need it to go straight, it will.  Need it to power down well, does that too!  If you are looking for a disc to be able to really work into different lines but don’t have a monster arm, this is a good choice.

Other notables from Discmania:  FD, FD2, PD2, and the P2

The D3

Another pure distance bomber.  Easy to turn over and get to glide for days.  This was the first disc I ever broke 400 feet with (not a common occurrence for me, so always memorable).  I liked the protos better than the production runs as they seemed a bit more stable to me.  You can still find those around.  If you don’t have a huge arm, but are looking for a disc to give you some serious D, this might be it.

The M4

I throw so many new discs that I rarely say “Wow” after throwing one.  The M4 was one of those rare discs.  Super flat, great rim shape, and infinitely workable right out of the box.  The only thing it didn’t do well was wind.  Everything else was spectacular.  This is one of those small handful of discs that actually do hold any line you put on it.  Need a do it all mid? This could very well end your search.

Other Prodigy discs to toss at least once:  D2, F5, M2, PA1, and the X1.

The Cannon

The name says it all.  It’s a lot like the Havoc in that you need room for it to do its thing.  Legacy has some great plastic too.  Feels great in the hand.  Really hard not to yell, “BOOM!!!” every time you throw it.  Nice thing is you don’t need a Cannon for an arm to get this disc to cruise for you.  This was the first Legacy disc I tried and I immediately ordered a few more to try after testing this one out.

The Gauge

Point and shoot.  Simple as that.  It’s hard to get a mid range right.  Can it take power, work lines, power down, and not flip if you look at it wrong?  The Gauge is all these.  And again with the great plastic.  Personally, I think Legacy has some of the sweetest feeling plastic out there.  Need a do it all mid that goes where you want it to?  Try out a Gauge.

Other discs that are must tries from Legacy:  Rampage, Clutch, and Patriot.

The Wizard

If it wasn’t for the Wizard, I’m not sure that Gateway would even still be around.  One of the best all around putters ever made, the Wizard is legendary.  It’s a lot like a KC Pro Aviar in flight, but available in about 3,000 different plastics.  This is the putter to learn to drive with.  For a putter, it handles wind very well.  It can be thrown far, really far.  If you are looking for a stable to slightly over stable putter that can be thrown in a ton of different situations, the Wizard is one you’ll want to try.

The Spirit

If you are in need of a wind disc, this might be the most overlooked wind disc on the market.  With a pretty wide rim, it’s not for everyone.  For those that don’t mind the rim it’s just a killer headwind disc.  It’s also one of the best skippers out there.  If you play in the midwest or other really windy regions, the Spirit will be a stroke saver on the course.

Other discs worth a try from Gateway:  Samurai, Apache, Element, Blaze, Warlock, and Voodoo.

Hopefully that gives you some idea of discs that might be worth a try next time you are placing an order.  Will everyone like all of them?  Nope.  Some of you might pick up a couple of these discs and hate them.  You might also find a couple you fall in love with.  It’s those one or two you fall in love with that are magical.  The disc that just clicks from throw one.  Here’s to hoping you find at least one of those this season!

What discs did we miss from these companies? If your favorite isn’t represented, let everyone know about it in the comments!

If you like disc recommendations and reviews, we have you covered! Make sure to subscribe to the blog and you’ll never miss a post or a review!

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Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The post Try It, You Might Like It! Part 2 appeared first on Mind Body Disc - Disc Golf Blog.

I was also encouraged to see how many people out there throw a mixed bag.  There was a time, not too long ago, where that didn’t happen on the scale that it does today.  While a lot of disc golfers still stick to just one company or family of companies (in the spirit of full disclosure I’m of one of them, but more on that in another post), more and more people are dipping their toe into the really rewarding waters of new plastic.

I have a sickness.  I have an unexplainable need to buy and try almost every new disc that comes out.  That includes all plastic variations, all new rim configurations, and even new runs of discs that I hear fly different than previous ones.  I love new plastic.  I love throwing new molds.  I love feeling the plastic and blends that the newer companies are putting out there.  Like I said, I have a sickness.

Well, that said, I thought I’d share a list of discs you might like to try.  This isn’t a disc review article.  It’s just a list of discs that I’ve tried and thought were exceptional.  I think all of the companies deserve a try and I think they all make at least a few really great discs.  If just one person finds a new disc that saves them strokes, it will have been worth the time it took to write this!  Without further blabbering on my part, here is part one…..

The Nova

Call it a copy of MVP.  Call it a toy disc.  Call it a gimmick.  Call it what you want, but also call it awesome.  I never really got a lot of putts in with it, but for upshots it was amazing.  Consistent in both a head and tail wind, it just goes where you put it.  It can take a surprising amount of snap.  For me, best of all was its almost complete lack of turn or fade right out of the box.  If you have been looking for a do it all up shot disc that’s shorter than your mids, but still capable of some decent distance, give the Nova a try.

The Banshee

Most Innova throwers I know use a Firebird in the overstable fairway driver slot.  I couldn’t ever click with the Firebird.  The Banshee has a little less of a power requirement to get it to fly.  It will also stay flat and straight a lot longer than a Firebird will.  To me, that made it more versatile.  It’s also flat, which for me is always a bonus.  Wind?  It laughs at the wind.  If you need an overstable fairway driver, and you aren’t a Firebird person, try the Banshee.

Other Innova discs that every serious disc golfer needs to have thrown: Aviar, Beast, Boss, Roc, Destroyer, Eagle, Teebird, Valkyrie, Firebird, Gator, Leopard, RoadRunner, Sidewinder, Stingray, Viking, Tern, and the Wraith.

The Crush

This disc has been around forever.  It’s still one of the most consistent drivers out there.  New it can handle the wind really well.  Broken in they go far.  This was the disc I learned to throw hyzers with.  It’s a really great distance driver without a huge wing.  Really a work horse driver.  Great disc to pick if you are only going to carry one driver mold.

The Comet

This is the disc that will have you flying with elation and ready to kill someone all in the same round.  The Comet is one of the few discs out there that can actually teach you how to throw a disc correctly.  If your form is off at all, it will burn you.  If you are smooth, clean, and on plane?  This disc rewards like no other.  Watching someone play with Comets that has thrown them for years is awe inspiring.  Looking to work on your form?  Pick one of these up.

Other Discraft discs that are definitely worth a try:  Avenger, Buzzz, Challenger, Magnet, Meteor, Nuke, Predator, and the XL.

The Polaris LS

If I had to give someone one disc to learn and play with as a new player, this would be it.  The Polaris is an infinitely controllable fairway driver.  It handles power as well as weaker throws.  It will hyzer flip easily for someone who is learning that throw.  OK into moderate wind, it is a do it all driver.  I used to keep a box of these in the car just to give to newer players I saw out playing with plastic that was way too over stable for their skill level.  If a versatile fairway driver is what you are in need of, this is one of the most underrated discs out there.

The Orion LF

This was my primary driver for years.  With a flight similar to a PD or Teebird, in a word it’s reliable.  Thrown hard it will slide right (RHBH) just a little.  Mostly, though, it flips up flat, flies straight for days, and always fades at the end. Dave Dunipace designed this disc and at the time it was released, he called it one of the best drivers he had ever designed.  If you only try one new disc from this list, find a way to make it this one.

Other Millennium discs of note:  JLS, Orion LS, and the Quasar.

The Tangent

From the first throw, I knew this was a special disc.  Almost every manufacturer will tell you that their new disc “holds any line you put it on”.  The Tangent is one of the few where that is absolutely true.  Thrown flat and straight it does not fade.  Not at all.  Over time, it will develop a little bit of turn if thrown hard, but the MVP plastic and design seems to make their discs take forever to break in at all.  I can only think of a few other discs that are this versatile or accurate.  Don’t want to take another 2 years to beat the fade out of your current mid mold?  Pick up a Tangent.

The Anode

The only premium plastic putter I’ve ever carried to putt with.  Great off the tee and on approaches.  The Anode can take a ton of snap and flies incredibly straight with little to no fade.  If you ever get tired of repairing your base plastic putters, and want to try something in a premium plastic, try the Anode.

Additional MVP discs that are worth a try: Axis, Tensor, Vector, and Volt.

The Envy

Kind of like the MVP Anode, but not as deep.  Also seems to have more fade than the MVP putters.  I found this disc really good for putting in the wind as well as those longer outside the circle putts.  Great off the tee.  Of all the discs in my bag, my putter slot changes the least.  If I was looking for a new putter, though, this one would be in the running.

The Alias

If you like the idea of the Tangent, but want something that will go farther, have a tic of fade, and fight back out of an anny at the end, the Alias is where it’s at.  For me, it was basically a Tangent that I could throw harder and further.  Some people like a straight disc, but still want that reliable come back at the end.  The Alias is worth a try for those people.

I’m a little lacking in my Axiom trials so at this time, these are the only two I’ve thrown and liked enough to recommend trying.  Hmmm, I guess I’ll have some new Axiom to try in my next mail call!

Check out part 2 of this post where I’ll get to Dynamic Discs, Lat 64, Westside, Gateway, DGA, Prodigy, Discmania, and Lecacy.  Until then, get out and try some new plastic!

What discs from these brands did we miss. Tell us your favorites and why in the comments below!

You never know when we are going to make a recommendation that changes your game forever. Make sure you don’t miss a thing by subscribing to the blog below!

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Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The post Try It, You Might Like It! Part 1 appeared first on Mind Body Disc - Disc Golf Blog.