It Started With the Judge

A couple of years back, the Dynamic Discs Judge won the Reader’s Choice Disc of the Year award. When I saw that, I had to try one. Let’s just say that as popular as that disc is with many people I know, it was definitely not my disc of the year.

The reason for that is that I just can’t get down with discs that have beads. I never could throw a Roc for just that reason. It turned out to be the same thing with the Judge. I wish it was different. I’ve seen magic performed with both of those beaded discs. Go watch Barry Schultz throw Rocs on a wooded course, it’s mesmerizing!

Needless to say, I was pretty excited when Dynamic released the Warden. Billed specifically as a beadless version of the Judge. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on one. In fact, after I got my first, I ordered 9 more so I could have a stack to practice with. I liked it that much!

That was two years ago. As most of you know I’ve since switched over to the Latitude 64 Pure as my putter of choice. Something in the Pure just clicked for me. But that’s NOT a knock on the Warden. Had I not run across the Pure, the Warden would still be in my bag.

I really enjoyed putting, throwing up shots, and driving with the Dynamic Discs Warden. In fact, I still keep a Fuzion and a Lucid version around for certain courses and conditions that call for it. It definitely finds an occasional home in my bag.

Last month I got a very cool Classic Blend Warden as part of the player’s pack for the MXG tournament in Milwaukee, WI. Since I already have all the Wardens I need, I figured it would make a good give away and a good reason to write a review of this disc.

What’s the scoop on the Dynamic Discs Warden?

Here’s what Dynamic Discs has to say about the Classic Blend Warden:

The Warden takes everything players love about the Judge and removes the bead to provide additional comfort in the hand. This putter has a very straight flight path and can fly just about any line you want. If you prefer a beadless putter with a straight flight path then the Warden is the putter for you.

Speed: 2 Glide: 4 Turn: 0 Fade: 0.5

Max Weight: 176g

Here’s the InBounds flight chart for the Warden next to the Judge for comparison.

I agree with Dynamic Disc’s listed flight numbers. What I don’t agree with is the flight chart for the Judge. From what I’ve seen, the Judge is straight with a tic more fade than the Warden. I would also note that if you go with a Warden in the Fuzion or Lucid plastic, you will get a little more fade out of it at the end of its flight.

That’s why I sometimes put those versions (a Fuzion or a Lucid) in my bag. They make great approach discs. If it’s cold out, I grab the Fuzion as it stays softer in colder temps. The Lucid comes out in the summer.

First Impressions

The Warden will remind you of several other headless putters. If you like headless putt and approach discs with just a touch of dome, you’ll like the Warden. It feels good in the hand and the lack of a bead lends to clean releases for both putts and longer throws.

It’s a bit taller than the Pure (at least it feels that way) and as mentioned has just a bit of dome to it. The Pure is flatter with a lower profile and that is why I chose it over the Warden. But not everyone likes flat, low profile discs. If this is you, the Warden will be a good choice.

The Warden is available is a ton of different flavors. There are some cool DyeMax Marvel designs, 6 different plastics, scented versions, and some nice custom stamps. There is a lot to pick from.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. The Latitude 64 family of brands (Lat, DD, and Westside) make some of the best feeling plastic in the game. You can be sure to find a Warden in a plastic that suits your taste.

Since pics serve to describe a disc far better than words, here’s some images so you can get an idea of the rim.

How does it fly?

My first note is that all the flight descriptions below assume you are throwing cleanly with no wrist roll. No putter will fly well if a lot of torque is applied and the Warden is no exception.

Thrown smoothly, the Warden will reward you with some excellent flights. It’s a pretty stable disc for a putter. Let’s work from the tee on in to the basket…

Off the tee, you can really lay into it. Give it a bit of hyzer and a full power throw and it will pop up flat and glide straight for days. This disc has great distance for a putter.

If you back off a tad, but still throw it at a hyzer angle, it will start to sit up, but not quite get to flat. This will cause it to hold it’s left turn the entire flight. It will fade a bit more at the end during the low speed portion, but it will be a gentle fade, nothing aggressive.

Back off even more and you’ve got a disc that will hyzer around trees and obstacles in the woods with ease.

Thrown flat, you’ll see that once again your power level will determine what happens. Throw it full power flat and you’ll get a nice gentle turn. It won’t dump over sharply like many putters and this surprised me at first.

If you back off some, this is where some magic starts to happen. With just a little practice, you can get flat, straight lines with little to no fade at the end of the flight. The glide on this disc combined with these straight flights makes it a great approach disc when you have obstacles to deal with.

Because it doesn’t have a lot of fade at the end of it’s flight, the Warden holds an anny line extremely well. It just kind of settles down in a leftish direction. It’s touch of low speed stability means it will start to move back to flat at the end of its flight. That’s a desirable characteristic that will help minimize cut rolls.

It will not fight out of an anny like a more overstable putter and is not the choice for S shaped shots. You are better off with a Judge, Wizard, KC Pro Aviar, or Challenger for those shots.

In a headwind, you need to remember that this is a beadless putter. It will handle some breezes, but I would disc up or grab a more overstable putter for headwind duties. Something like the Westside Discs Shield would be appropriate.

This is also why I carry the more premium plastic versions. I’m a little more comfortable throwing the Lucid into some wind than the Classic Blend. I’m actually rather grab my Harp instead to be honest.

A tailwind is a different story. A tailwind will add a bit more fade to the end of the flight. It will also make this disc bomb when thrown high and hard. Putters need some height to get distance. When you throw the Warden on a high line with a tailwind, expect to see it fly further than you’d expect.

As a Putter…

So how about putting? The Warden has some nice glide. It will serve you well both inside and outside the circle. Some people who carry more overstable putters switch to something Warden-like when they get outside the circle. If you only carry the Warden, you won’t need an outside the circle putter. It will serve you well from anywhere.

Inside the circle, don’t expect much fade. Spin putters should aim directly at the center/right side of the chains. Same with pitch putters. You’ll start to see just a tad of left to right movement when you get past the 33 foot mark, but not a ton. You would have to be 50 feet or more away to start having to aim significantly right. Even then I only find I need to aim 1-2 discs right of the basket and putt flat.

The classic plastic and the fuzion plastic both seem grab chains really well. The lucid is not quite as good at grabbing so I’m not sure I’d use that as my putting putter.

How’s your arm?

We all have different arm speeds. Some of you are pros with big ole guns. Others of you have just started and are distinctly gunless right now. Most of us are in between somewhere. So….

What if you have a steroid riddle mutant arm? First, cut those steroids out, they aren’t good for you! Second, just back off a tad. If you can throw cleanly and on plane, you can definitely put quite a bit behind your throws with this disc. It will, of course, turn over easier for you, but it shouldn’t turn and burn with good form.

If you have the arm of a normal human being, the Warden will fly pretty much how I’ve reviewed it above. That’s because I too have the arm of a normal human being.

What about those of you with arms made of a Nerf/Jello hybrid? Surprisingly, you will also find it to fly as reviewed. The Warden does not take a lot to get it to fly as described. You might find it to fade just a bit more than I’ve talked about, but it won’t be a drastic difference.

What’s it remind me of?

This disc most reminded me of the Gateway Warlock. In both feel and flight they are similar. I would also compare this to an Innova beadles Aviar or the MVP Anode.

Summary

If you like beadless putters that you can putt, approach, and drive with, the Warden is a solid choice for you. Because it’s available in multiple plastics, you could definitely carry a few different variations and cover most of your putter needs.

The only slot it wouldn’t fill is the moderate to overstable putter slot. Because of that, most people would want to carry a more overstable counterpart or two. It pairs really well with the Shield. If you threw a Harp in the mix for extra overstable duties, you’d have a putter trilogy to reckon with (see what I did there?!).

If you are happy with your current putter, I don’t encourage you to tinker with this slot. It’s really hard to find a putter you love and once you do you are best served by not fiddling with your selection. Just stick with what you have and leave it at that.

If you have doubts about your current putter, and you like beadless discs, you should definitely check out the Warden. With putters, you definitely have to try a bunch  before you find one you love and the Warden should be one of the molds you try.

How to win

If you don’t want to buy one, then subscribe to this blog. I’m giving away that MXG stamped Classic Blend Dynamic Discs Warden you see in the pics above. It’s brand new and that stamp is pretty cool too! On Wednesday, 10/7/2015, I’ll be randomly selecting one blog subscriber to win! Stay tuned on Instagram and Twitter as that’s where I’ll announce the winner.

[wysija_form id=”1″]

Do you have questions I didn’t answer in this review? If so, let us know in the comments below (you’ll have to scroll down past the lefty version of the review below). I threw the Warden for a while and I think I’ve tried most other putters at one point or another. And if we don’t know the answer, we’ll definitely find out for you!

LHBH / RHFH Version:

LHBH/RHFH version:

It Started With the Judge

A couple of years back, the Dynamic Discs Judge won the Reader’s Choice Disc of the Year award. When I saw that, I had to try one. Let’s just say that as popular as that disc is with many people I know, it was definitely not my disc of the year.

The reason for that is that I just can’t get down with discs that have beads. I never could throw a Roc for just that reason. It turned out to be the same thing with the Judge. I wish it was different. I’ve seen magic performed with both of those beaded discs. Go watch Barry Schultz throw Rocs on a wooded course, it’s mesmerizing!

Needless to say, I was pretty excited when Dynamic released the Warden. Billed specifically as a beadless version of the Judge. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on one. In fact, after I got my first, I ordered 9 more so I could have a stack to practice with. I liked it that much!

That was two years ago. As most of you know I’ve since switched over to the Latitude 64 Pure as my putter of choice. Something in the Pure just clicked for me. But that’s NOT a knock on the Warden. Had I not run across the Pure, the Warden would still be in my bag.

I really enjoyed putting, throwing up shots, and driving with the Dynamic Discs Warden. In fact, I still keep a Fuzion and a Lucid version around for certain courses and conditions that call for it. It definitely finds an occasional home in my bag.

Last month I got a very cool Classic Blend Warden as part of the player’s pack for the MXG tournament in Milwaukee, WI. Since I already have all the Wardens I need, I figured it would make a good give away and a good reason to write a review of this disc.

What’s the scoop on the Dynamic Discs Warden?

Here’s what Dynamic Discs has to say about the Classic Blend Warden:

The Warden takes everything players love about the Judge and removes the bead to provide additional comfort in the hand. This putter has a very straight flight path and can fly just about any line you want. If you prefer a beadless putter with a straight flight path then the Warden is the putter for you.

Speed: 2 Glide: 4 Turn: 0 Fade: 0.5

Max Weight: 176g

Here’s the InBounds flight chart for the Warden next to the Judge for comparison.

I agree with Dynamic Disc’s listed flight numbers. What I don’t agree with is the flight chart for the Judge. From what I’ve seen, the Judge is straight with a tic more fade than the Warden. I would also note that if you go with a Warden in the Fuzion or Lucid plastic, you will get a little more fade out of it at the end of its flight.

That’s why I sometimes put those versions (a Fuzion or a Lucid) in my bag. They make great approach discs. If it’s cold out, I grab the Fuzion as it stays softer in colder temps. The Lucid comes out in the summer.

First Impressions

The Warden will remind you of several other headless putters. If you like headless putt and approach discs with just a touch of dome, you’ll like the Warden. It feels good in the hand and the lack of a bead lends to clean releases for both putts and longer throws.

It’s a bit taller than the Pure (at least it feels that way) and as mentioned has just a bit of dome to it. The Pure is flatter with a lower profile and that is why I chose it over the Warden. But not everyone likes flat, low profile discs. If this is you, the Warden will be a good choice.

The Warden is available is a ton of different flavors. There are some cool DyeMax Marvel designs, 6 different plastics, scented versions, and some nice custom stamps. There is a lot to pick from.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. The Latitude 64 family of brands (Lat, DD, and Westside) make some of the best feeling plastic in the game. You can be sure to find a Warden in a plastic that suits your taste.

Since pics serve to describe a disc far better than words, here’s some images so you can get an idea of the rim.

How does it fly?

My first note is that all the flight descriptions below assume you are throwing cleanly with no wrist roll. No putter will fly well if a lot of torque is applied and the Warden is no exception.

Thrown smoothly, the Warden will reward you with some excellent flights. It’s a pretty stable disc for a putter. Let’s work from the tee on in to the basket…

Off the tee, you can really lay into it. Give it a bit of hyzer and a full power throw and it will pop up flat and glide straight for days. This disc has great distance for a putter.

If you back off a tad, but still throw it at a hyzer angle, it will start to sit up, but not quite get to flat. This will cause it to hold it’s right turn the entire flight. It will fade a bit more at the end during the low speed portion, but it will be a gentle fade, nothing aggressive.

Back off even more and you’ve got a disc that will hyzer around trees and obstacles in the woods with ease.

Thrown flat, you’ll see that once again your power level will determine what happens. Throw it full power flat and you’ll get a nice gentle turn. It won’t dump over sharply like many putters and this surprised me at first.

If you back off some, this is where some magic starts to happen. With just a little practice, you can get flat, straight lines with little to no fade at the end of the flight. The glide on this disc combined with these straight flights makes it a great approach disc when you have obstacles to deal with.

Because it doesn’t have a lot of fade at the end of it’s flight, the Warden holds an anny line extremely well. It just kind of settles down in a rightish direction. It’s touch of low speed stability means it will start to move back to flat at the end of its flight. That’s a desirable characteristic that will help minimize cut rolls.

It will not fight out of an anny like a more overstable putter and is not the choice for S shaped shots. You are better off with a Judge, Wizard, KC Pro Aviar, or Challenger for those shots.

In a headwind, you need to remember that this is a beadless putter. It will handle some breezes, but I would disc up or grab a more overstable putter for headwind duties. Something like the Westside Discs Shield would be appropriate.

This is also why I carry the more premium plastic versions. I’m a little more comfortable throwing the Lucid into some wind than the Classic Blend. I’m actually rather grab my Harp instead to be honest.

A tailwind is a different story. A tailwind will add a bit more fade to the end of the flight. It will also make this disc bomb when thrown high and hard. Putters need some height to get distance. When you throw the Warden on a high line with a tailwind, expect to see it fly further than you’d expect.

As a Putter…

So how about putting? The Warden has some nice glide. It will serve you well both inside and outside the circle. Some people who carry more overstable putters switch to something Warden-like when they get outside the circle. If you only carry the Warden, you won’t need an outside the circle putter. It will serve you well from anywhere.

Inside the circle, don’t expect much fade. Spin putters should aim directly at the center/left side of the chains. Same with pitch putters. You’ll start to see just a tad of right to left movement when you get past the 33 foot mark, but not a ton. You would have to be 50 feet or more away to start having to aim significantly left. Even then I only find I need to aim 1-2 discs left of the basket and putt flat.

The classic plastic and the fuzion plastic both seem grab chains really well. The lucid is not quite as good at grabbing so I’m not sure I’d use that as my putting putter.

How’s your arm?

We all have different arm speeds. Some of you are pros with big ole guns. Others of you have just started and are distinctly gunless right now. Most of us are in between somewhere. So….

What if you have a steroid riddle mutant arm? First, cut those steroids out, they aren’t good for you! Second, just back off a tad. If you can throw cleanly and on plane, you can definitely put quite a bit behind your throws with this disc. It will, of course, turn over easier for you, but it shouldn’t turn and burn with good form.

If you have the arm of a normal human being, the Warden will fly pretty much how I’ve reviewed it above. That’s because I too have the arm of a normal human being.

What about those of you with arms made of a Nerf/Jello hybrid? Surprisingly, you will also find it to fly as reviewed. The Warden does not take a lot to get it to fly as described. You might find it to fade just a bit more than I’ve talked about, but it won’t be a drastic difference.

What’s it remind me of?

This disc most reminded me of the Gateway Warlock. In both feel and flight they are similar. I would also compare this to an Innova beadles Aviar or the MVP Anode.

Summary

If you like beadless putters that you can putt, approach, and drive with, the Warden is a solid choice for you. Because it’s available in multiple plastics, you could definitely carry a few different variations and cover most of your putter needs.

The only slot it wouldn’t fill is the moderate to overstable putter slot. Because of that, most people would want to carry a more overstable counterpart or two. It pairs really well with the Shield. If you threw a Harp in the mix for extra overstable duties, you’d have a putter trilogy to reckon with (see what I did there?!).

If you are happy with your current putter, I don’t encourage you to tinker with this slot. It’s really hard to find a putter you love and once you do you are best served by not fiddling with your selection. Just stick with what you have and leave it at that.

If you have doubts about your current putter, and you like beadless discs, you should definitely check out the Warden. With putters, you definitely have to try a bunch  before you find one you love and the Warden should be one of the molds you try.

How to win

If you don’t want to buy one, then subscribe to this blog. I’m giving away that MXG stamped Classic Blend Dynamic Discs Warden you see in the pics above. It’s brand new and that stamp is pretty cool too! On Wednesday, 10/7/2015, I’ll be randomly selecting one blog subscriber to win! Stay tuned on Instagram and Twitter as that’s where I’ll announce the winner.

[wysija_form id=”1″]

Do you have questions I didn’t answer in this review? If so, let us know in the comments below. I threw the Warden for a while and I think I’ve tried most other putters at one point or another. And if we don’t know the answer, we’ll definitely find out for you!

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 Warden Review appeared first on Mind Body Disc - Disc Golf Blog.

Manufacturer’s Description

Here’s what Dynamic Discs has to say about the Convict:

Before someone becomes a Felon they must be convicted. It is the same in the disc golf world. Dynamic Discs introduces the Convict.

It is a great complement to the Felon with the same feel in the hand but with less stability. The Convict is perfect for those times when you need a straight disc for most of the shot but have to have some stability at the end of the flight. The Convict can also hold the anhyzer you give it before coming back to flat. This disc allows for you to shape your shots to avoid all of the obstacles that are trying to increase your scores.

Throw with conviction. Throw a Convict.

Speed: 9 Glide: 4 Turn: -0.5 Fade: 3

Max Weight: 176g

Inbounds Flight guide

Since DD compares the Convict to the Felon, I thought I’d include the Inbounds flight chart for both of them so you can see a comparison:

Make sure and make the Inbounds Flight Guide part of any disc research you do, it’s the best resource for disc flight information on the web!

After throwing the Convict for a month, I’d say the above chart is accurate for medium strength throwers. If you can throw 300-350, that’s pretty much the flight you can expect.

First Impressions

When I first took the Convict out of the mailer I was immediately struck by how good it felt in my hand. The most notable feature is that it is flat. I’m talking pre Columbus Earth flat. I love flat discs. This was a good start.

The rim is also manageable. You’d expect this from a fairway driver. I prefer not to throw the Nuke style giant rimmed discs. Even at 6’6″ with gigantic hands, I can’t get down with most wide rimmed drivers. The Convict felt great with it’s medium width rim.

As usual, Dynamic delivers what is, in my opinion, some of the best feeling plastic in the game. Both their Lucid and their Fuzion plastics feel great with just the right amount of pliability, grip, and overall feel. This particular disc is in Lucid and has a super sweet Am Worlds fundraiser stamp on it.

A picture is worth a thousand words, so here’s a few thousand words worth of pics to give you an idea of how the Convict sets up.

How does it fly?

The Convict flew as good as it felt. Sometimes it takes a while to get a disc dialed in. Not so with the Convict. I was able to get desirable flights out of it right off the bat.

Thrown flat.

Thrown flat, it tilted into a minor turn to the right and just rode there for a while. The first time I saw this I thought it wasn’t going to fight back, but once it slowed down, it fought back hard and faded left a good amount.

It’s end of flight fade was very similar to the Felon. It was almost like they took a Felon in the back room, tied it to a chair, and mercilessly beat the high speed over stability out of it.

I never really dug the Felon all that much. It was just too overstable for my taste. I’ve got friends who love that disc, have aced multiple times with the mold, and think I’m crazy for not liking it. All that said, the Convict has none of the characteristics of the Felon I don’t like and all of them that I do.

The most notable of those is the reliability. No matter how much I turned the disc over, it always came back… Hard. Because of this, it is a driver you can count on.

Anhyzer flight.

Throwing it with some anhyzer meant it flew right for a good portion of its flight. It never turned all the way over or got squirrelly. It just held its right turn until it slowed enough for its fade to kick in.

When the fade starts, the disc turns left. Some discs just fight back to flat and then land smoothly. I did not find the Convict to do that. Once the fade began, it fought pretty hard to go left and it wasn’t a gentle turn.

Hyzer flight.

When thrown with hyzer, the Convict just held the hyzer line all the way to the ground. It did fade harder at the end than it did early in its flight. That meant that when throw with some height, it tended to dig in when landing and not skip much. Thrown low, it skipped a couple of times with a nice flair after the first contact with the ground.

Wind Performance

The Convict is OK into a moderate headwind, but I wouldn’t rely on it into any more than that. While it still fights out into a fade at the end of its flight, a stiff headwind tended to make the disc turn a little too much for my taste.

I suppose this is where the Felon comes in. For grins, I threw the Felon into the same winds that turned the Convict over and was pleased to see the Felon held up well. If you are looking for a fairway driver pair that feel almost identical in the hand, but have a noticeable stability difference, look no further than the Convict and the Felon.

In a tailwind, the Convict did not stay turned near as long into its flight. A strong tailwind caused the Convict to head left pretty quickly and turned it into a reliably overstable disc. A tailwind also cut a lot of distance off of the flight.

Distance.

The Convict is a fairway driver. It has the distance you’d expect from a fairway driver. It does not have the unexpected distance that you’ll find with some of the more domey or glidey fairway drivers (like the DD Escape, for example).

The flat profile of the Convict means it’s not going to surprise you by gliding past your target unexpectedly. That’s one of the things I like about flat discs. On the whole, they tend to be more reliable.

The Convict will have noticeably less D than your big distance discs. Part of that is its flat profile. Part is that when it kicks into its fade, it’s not going much further. It turns left relatively hard which takes away almost any forward fade.

How will it fly for you?

Is your arm a bionically grafted canon?

The Convict will turn over for you. What you will like about it is that unlike a lot of discs that turn over for you, this one will still come back. A lot of big arms have a hard time finding a turnover disc that is reliable.

If you are looking for something you can put some power on, have it cruise right for you, and then still fade out at the end, the Convict is your choice. For your HeMan style arm, it will just turn back to flat for you at the end of the turn.

Do you have the arm of a normal human being?

The majority of this review is written for you. That’s because I too have a normal human being arm. I could push the Convict out to about 325-350 reliably and its turn and fade were very much like the InBounds flight chart above.

Is your arm made of a mix of Play-Doh and strawberry jam?

For you, the Convict will fly more like the InBounds flight chart for the Felon. If you use a lot of anny to make up for your lower power throw, you will find that the Convict stays turned over for you. Still, expect some big fade left at the end of the flight.

For lower arm speeds, the Convict will probably hold up to most winds. It should be a very reliable and consistent fairway driver in your hands. It’s also a disc that will grow with you and stay in your bag as your arm speed increases.

Similar discs.

The Convict is scarily similar to the Trespass. If you are a Trespass thrower and have been looking for its little brother, the Convict is it. The Convict will turn a tad more and has just a bit more fade, but every time I threw it I was comparing it to my favorite Trespasses in the back of my head.

I would also compare the Convict to the Westside Stag. The Stag fades a tad less, but the rest of the flight and its feel in the hand is very similar to the Convict. The Stag might have a bit more glide too.

For you Innova throwers, the Convict would be closest to an Eagle. The Eagle probably turns just a bit more, but the amount of fade is almost identical. For you Discraft folks, think Tracker. The Convict has more glide than the Tracker and goes further with less effort in my opinion.

In Summary

As you can probably tell, I really liked the Convict. A big part of that is how similar it is to the Trespass. The Trespass has been a staple in my bag for quite a while now. The Convict is just a shorter version.

There are not very many discs that I review that make my bag. The Convict will be the second one (the first is the Dynamic Discs Justice – read my review of that disc here). I’ve never been very happy with my stable fairway driver choices.

I’ve had the overstable slot filled with a Latitude 64 Trident. The understable slot is firmly held by the Latitude 64 Fury and the Latitude 64 Vision. I’ve never really had the perfect disc for that middle stability slot. Now I do!

Win a Dynamic Discs Convict!

Unfortunately for me, but very fortunately for you, I am giving away my review copy you see in the pictures in this review. How do you win? All you have to do is subscribe to this blog by entering your email below. I’ll pick a winner at random from all subscribers on Wednesday September 30 at noon CST.

[wysija_form id=”1″]

LHBH / RHFH Version:

Are you a lefty??? We’ve got you covered!!!

If you clicked the link at the top of this review, it brought you here. Tired of figuring out if “left” really means “right”? Sick of having to convert every disc review and description to your throwing style?

From now on, ALL Mind Body Disc disc reviews will come with a complete copy of the original review modified for LHBH and RHFH players. Just click the link at the top of the review to jump down to the version written just for you!

Manufacturer’s Description

Here’s what Dynamic Discs has to say about the Convict:

Before someone becomes a Felon they must be convicted. It is the same in the disc golf world. Dynamic Discs introduces the Convict.

It is a great complement to the Felon with the same feel in the hand but with less stability. The Convict is perfect for those times when you need a straight disc for most of the shot but have to have some stability at the end of the flight. The Convict can also hold the anhyzer you give it before coming back to flat. This disc allows for you to shape your shots to avoid all of the obstacles that are trying to increase your scores.

Throw with conviction. Throw a Convict.

Speed: 9 Glide: 4 Turn: -0.5 Fade: 3

Max Weight: 176g

Inbounds Flight guide

Since DD compares the Convict to the Felon, I thought I’d include the Inbounds flight chart for both of them so you can see a comparison:

Make sure and make the Inbounds Flight Guide part of any disc research you do, it’s the best resource for disc flight information on the web!

After throwing the Convict for a month, I’d say the above chart is accurate for medium strength throwers. If you can throw 300-350, that’s pretty much the flight you can expect.

First Impressions

When I first took the Convict out of the mailer I was immediately struck by how good it felt in my hand. The most notable feature is that it is flat. I’m talking pre Columbus Earth flat. I love flat discs. This was a good start.

The rim is also manageable. You’d expect this from a fairway driver. I prefer not to throw the Nuke style giant rimmed discs. Even at 6’6″ with gigantic hands, I can’t get down with most wide rimmed drivers. The Convict felt great with it’s medium width rim.

As usual, Dynamic delivers what is, in my opinion, some of the best feeling plastic in the game. Both their Lucid and their Fuzion plastics feel great with just the right amount of pliability, grip, and overall feel. This particular disc is in Lucid and has a super sweet Am Worlds fundraiser stamp on it.

A picture is worth a thousand words, so here’s a few thousand words worth of pics to give you an idea of how the Convict sets up.

How does it fly?

The Convict flew as good as it felt. Sometimes it takes a while to get a disc dialed in. Not so with the Convict. I was able to get desirable flights out of it right off the bat.

Thrown flat.

Thrown flat, it tilted into a minor turn to the left and just rode there for a while. The first time I saw this I thought it wasn’t going to fight back, but once it slowed down, it fought back hard and faded right a good amount.

It’s end of flight fade was very similar to the Felon. It was almost like they took a Felon in the back room, tied it to a chair, and mercilessly beat the high speed over stability out of it.

I never really dug the Felon all that much. It was just too overstable for my taste. I’ve got friends who love that disc, have aced multiple times with the mold, and think I’m crazy for not liking it. All that said, the Convict has none of the characteristics of the Felon I don’t like and all of them that I do.

The most notable of those is the reliability. No matter how much I turned the disc over, it always came back… Hard. Because of this, it is a driver you can count on.

Anhyzer flight.

Throwing it with some anhyzer meant it flew left for a good portion of its flight. It never turned all the way over or got squirrelly. It just held its left turn until it slowed enough for its fade to kick in.

When the fade starts, the disc turns right. Some discs just fight back to flat and then land smoothly. I did not find the Convict to do that. Once the fade began, it fought pretty hard to go right and it wasn’t a gentle turn.

Hyzer flight.

When thrown with hyzer, the Convict just held the hyzer line all the way to the ground. It did fade harder at the end than it did early in its flight. That meant that when throw with some height, it tended to dig in when landing and not skip much. Thrown low, it skipped a couple of times with a nice flair after the first contact with the ground.

Wind Performance

The Convict is OK into a moderate headwind, but I wouldn’t rely on it into any more than that. While it still fights out into a fade at the end of its flight, a stiff headwind tended to make the disc turn a little too much for my taste.

I suppose this is where the Felon comes in. For grins, I threw the Felon into the same winds that turned the Convict over and was pleased to see the Felon held up well. If you are looking for a fairway driver pair that feel almost identical in the hand, but have a noticeable stability difference, look no further than the Convict and the Felon.

In a tailwind, the Convict did not stay turned near as long into its flight. A strong tailwind caused the Convict to head left pretty quickly and turned it into a reliably overstable disc. A tailwind also cut a lot of distance off of the flight.

Distance.

The Convict is a fairway driver. It has the distance you’d expect from a fairway driver. It does not have the unexpected distance that you’ll find with some of the more domey or glidey fairway drivers (like the DD Escape, for example).

The flat profile of the Convict means it’s not going to surprise you by gliding past your target unexpectedly. That’s one of the things I like about flat discs. On the whole, they tend to be more reliable.

The Convict will have noticeably less D than your big distance discs. Part of that is its flat profile. Part is that when it kicks into its fade, it’s not going much further. It turns right relatively hard which takes away almost any forward fade.

How will it fly for you?

Is your arm a bionically grafted canon?

The Convict will turn over for you. What you will like about it is that unlike a lot of discs that turn over for you, this one will still come back. A lot of big arms have a hard time finding a turnover disc that is reliable.

If you are looking for something you can put some power on, have it cruise left for you, and then still fade out at the end, the Convict is your choice. For your HeMan style arm, it will just turn back to flat for you at the end of the turn.

Do you have the arm of a normal human being?

The majority of this review is written for you. That’s because I too have a normal human being arm. I could push the Convict out to about 325-350 reliably and its turn and fade were very much like the InBounds flight chart above.

Is your arm made of a mix of Play-Doh and strawberry jam?

For you, the Convict will fly more like the InBounds flight chart for the Felon. If you use a lot of anny to make up for your lower power throw, you will find that the Convict stays turned over for you. Still, expect some big fade right at the end of the flight.

For lower arm speeds, the Convict will probably hold up to most winds. It should be a very reliable and consistent fairway driver in your hands. It’s also a disc that will grow with you and stay in your bag as your arm speed increases.

Similar discs.

The Convict is scarily similar to the Trespass. If you are a Trespass thrower and have been looking for its little brother, the Convict is it. The Convict will turn a tad more and has just a bit more fade, but every time I threw it I was comparing it to my favorite Trespasses in the back of my head.

I would also compare the Convict to the Westside Stag. The Stag fades a tad less, but the rest of the flight and its feel in the hand is very similar to the Convict. The Stag might have a bit more glide too.

For you Innova throwers, the Convict would be closest to an Eagle. The Eagle probably turns just a bit more, but the amount of fade is almost identical. For you Discraft folks, think Tracker. The Convict has more glide than the Tracker and goes further with less effort in my opinion.

In Summary

As you can probably tell, I really liked the Convict. A big part of that is how similar it is to the Trespass. The Trespass has been a staple in my bag for quite a while now. The Convict is just a shorter version.

There are not very many discs that I review that make my bag. The Convict will be the second one (the first is the Dynamic Discs Justice – read my review of that disc here). I’ve never been very happy with my stable fairway driver choices.

I’ve had the overstable slot filled with a Latitude 64 Trident. The understable slot is firmly held by the Latitude 64 Fury and the Latitude 64 Vision. I’ve never really had the perfect disc for that middle stability slot. Now I do!

Win a Dynamic Discs Convict!

Unfortunately for me, but very fortunately for you, I am giving away my review copy you see in the pictures in this review. How do you win? All you have to do is subscribe to this blog by entering your email below. I’ll pick a winner at random from all subscribers on Wednesday September 30 at noon CST.

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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 Convict Review appeared first on Mind Body Disc - Disc Golf Blog.

If you don’t get the reference, you need to stop reading this blog and go watch Billy Madison. Laugh a lot. Maybe even watch it twice before you resume reading this blog. As and aside, I’m here to tell you that neither shampoo nor conditioner is better. I’m bald, both of them are kind of useless to me.

When I got tired of telling the Swan to stop looking at me (OK, I never actually got tired of this), I decided I should probably take it out and give it a good testing. After all, this is the Swan “reborn”. The reissuing of the mythical Swan 1. Swan 1’s were selling on FaceBook for a good amount of money before this disc came out. I wanted to see what all the hubbub was about.

I need to start by saying that of all the slots in my bag, putter is the one I’m happiest with. I carry several Latitude 64 Pures. I got two aces last year (one a tournament ace for $112) with Pures. I’m not looking for a new putter. The Swan had it’s work cut out if it was going to impress me.

I went out to my local 9 hole pitch and putt practice course. I only took the swan. I played 36 holes. I went back and did that again the next day. That gave me a really good feel for what the Swan 1 Reborn was all about.

The first and most obvious observation is that it is under stable. Right out of the box, no beating in needed. I currently carry a beat in zero hard Pure that’s pretty easy to turn over. The Swan flew almost exactly the same as the beat Pure, but the Swan was brand new.

I think everyone needs to carry an under stable putter. They’re great for longer putts. They’re great for tailwind putts. They’re great for upshots that need to go dead straight and not fade. They’re great for longer upshots or drives that need to turn over and glide right (RHBH). They can be a very useful disc in a lot of circumstances.

The problem this gave me when playing my one disc rounds, though, was that I just couldn’t throw the Swan more than about 50%-60% power without it flipping over and having it go someplace I didn’t want it to. If you carry a Swan, you’ll have to carry other putters too. It just can’t be your full time driving or approach putter.

That said, if you need a putter to hyzer flip into a big glidey turn over shot, the Swan 1 Reborn rocks. If I ever lost my perfectly beat in Pure, I could sub in the Swan and not skip a beat.

With the Swan, I was also leaving my upshots and my longer putts to the right. I’m used to putters that have some fade at the end. My brain just automatically throws them to the right a little to allow for the fade. The Swan goes straight on these shots. There’s really no fade to speak of.

Once I got used to that, it was actually pretty cool. 60 foot putts could be thrown directly at the basket. Those longer putts just seemed to float right at the chains and always end up exactly where I aimed them. Tight tunnels that needed a finesse approach with no fade were no problem. Just an easy toss with a touch of hyzer and the Swan would sit up flat and head straight down the tunnel. It’s a very point and shoot disc.

The warning I would give you is the same one I would give about any under stable disc. There’s a lot more possibility of error than there is with something more stable. The Swan is absolutely unforgiving of mistakes.

If you turn it over too much, it isn’t coming back (at which point you scream, “Where are you going, Swan!?!?!”). If it catches even the slightest headwind, it’s going right (RHBH). If you roll your wrist at all on approaches or drives, it’s not going to end up where you hoped it would.

These are not reasons to avoid an under stable putter. They are just part of the deal. Same as any other “flippy” disc. You have to have good form to throw them. In fact, I would say that discs like this are ideal in helping to teach you correct form. It’s very fun to watch them thrown well.

In the end, I can think of quite a few people who might enjoy the Swan 1 Reborn. Here’s a short list. Are you on it?

1. You want to carry just one putter for both short and long putts.
2. You lost your favorite beat in putter and don’t have the time or patience to beat a new one in.
3. You don’t have a beat in putter.
4. You want to learn how to throw hyzer flips and controlled turnover shots. (This would be the perfect disc to teach you this skill)
5. You want to be able to scream a Billy Madison quote at your disc whenever you pull it out.
6. You play tight, wooded courses and need a finesse disc for shorter approaces.
7. Your current putter is leaving you short or short and left (RHBH) more than you’d like.
8. You are a pitch/loft putter.
9. You play on courses with some shorter anhyzer lines.
10. You play on a lot of wooded courses.

I never threw the original Swan so I can’t give a comparison. Then again, if you were a fan of the original, you probably already have one of these reissues anyway.

As usual, I’ll be giving away my review copy of the disc later this week over on the FaceBook page. Keep an eye out there for the announcement if you want a chance to win one! Until then, I’ll just leave it here on my desk and continue to yell at it. Stop looking at me Swan!!!!

Have you seen our new newsletter format? Every week I’ll not only send you links of all of that week’s posts, but I’ll also send you some unique articles giving you insight into what’s cool and worth checking out this week. Enter your email below to subscribe to the Mind Body Disc Sunday Rundown!

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The post Stop Looking at Me Swan!!! appeared first on Mind Body Disc - Disc Golf Blog.

I first saw a Dynamic Discs Breakout as part of my player’s pack at the Glass Blown Open.  My first question to the people at the merch table was, “Do you have any in heavier weights?”.  Turns out the Breakout is the newest addition to the “easy to use” line from the Emporia based disc company.  It’s a 150 class disc only.

Easy to use?  Why would I want or need that?  Me big powerful man disc golfer!  Me no need light weight disc!  Me want hard to throw disc…  Easy to throw discs for children.  Ugh, chest pound, exit stage right.

Those are the thoughts that went through my head as I took my Breakout and put it in the backpack we also received.  I didn’t think about it again until last week when Bobby over at Dynamic Discs sent me one to review.

If you watch the “in the bag” videos in our Pro In The Bag section, you’ll see pro after pro recommend to only use max weight discs (Avery starts off his in the bag with that advice).  They give quite a few different reasons, but in the end most of them recommend max weight.  With one exception, my bag lineup reflects that.

It might be time to rethink that decision.

It never really crossed my mind to throw lighter discs.  I’ve had a couple of “air” discs here and there, but I’ve never really liked any of them.  If Cool Daddy Slick Breeze (Bobby at DD) hadn’t sent me a Breakout to test, I probably never would have gone out and thrown it.  Surprisingly, getting a bright pink “easy to use” disc in the mail reminded me of one of life’s most important lessons:

If you can, always push the rock down hill.

Not Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.  He might punch you in the face really hard if you pushed him down a hill.  I’m talking about the figurative rock.  Push that one down hill.  It’s one of those lessons that we learn over and over as we grow older.  If there’s an easier way to do something, do it that way.  It’s hard to move that rock up hill and much easier to roll it down.

Many of us have seen a younger sibling doing things the hard way.  We giggle to ourselves and sit back to enjoy the show.  Hey, we had to learn our lessons the hard way, why not them, right?  We watch and we laugh and we eventually “let them in” on the secret of how to do whatever it is they are doing in a better, easier way.

Sometimes they listen and sometimes they don’t.  Ego tends to get in the way when you tell your younger brother or sister they are doing something wrong.  Often times they’ll continue doing things the hard way just to try and prove you wrong.  That pesky ego.  It gets in the way a lot.  Throwing an “easy to use” -aka beginner, kids, or slow arm speed- discs is one of those things.

After throwing the Breakout, my recommendation is that if your ego can handle throwing an “easy to use” disc, get yourself one these bad boys right away.

Learning to throw the Breakout took about 4 throws.  The first 3 times, my ego threw the disc.  I put my best max distance effort into throwing it.  It immediately flipped over and crashed to the ground as if it had been shot from the sky by one of those guys from Duck Dynasty.   On throw #4, I benched my ego.

This time I added some hyzer and threw a very smooth, 75% power throw.  What happened was beautiful.  The Breakout flipped up nicely.  It started to slide to the right (RHBH), just gliding through the air.  It stayed that way for quite a while.  At the end of its flight, it hooked up, faded some, and rode nicely to the ground.  It had gone as far many of my max weight distance drivers when thrown at 90-95%.

I wanted to see if this was a fluke, so I did it again.  And again.  And again.  Every time, a consistently long flight with minimal effort.  Always fading back at the end.  I found myself wishing that I had had this disc when I was trying to learn to hyzer flip.  I found myself having a ton of fun.

Another thing I noticed was that I was not getting tired or worn out.  This was almost too easy.  I wasn’t just pushing a rock down hill, the rock was kind of rolling on its own.  I started to think back to the fatigue that sets in during the second round in a tournament.  Or the third or fourth round on a casual play day.  How nice would it be to not have to throw full power at the end of a long day?

Who will like the Breakout?

When I was done with my test throws and driving home from the soccer field I’d been at, I started to think about all the different people who could benefit from a disc like this…

1. If you are a new player looking for a first driver, this disc will reward good form and give you distance that not many other “first drivers” would give.
2. If you are looking to learn how to hyzer flip a disc, this will flip and ride nicely, not flip and turn over too much.  It struck me as a perfect teaching disc.
3. If you are looking for easy distance from lower power throws, that’s just what the Breakout does.
4. If you are looking for a disc that will cruise straight and far from a stand still throw, grab one of these things.  If you play in the woods, you know that you often end up throwing with no run up.  This disc works great from a stand still.  It will pop up and go straight with reliable fade even from a standing throw where your normal form is restricted.
5. If you are someone looking to learn how to “work” a disc, the Breakout is easily workable.  If you are moving up in skill and want to learn how to shape different lines with a disc, this is a great choice.  Just by varying the amount of power I threw with, I was able to throw a ton of different lines.
6. If you are looking for something to keep in the bag to use when your arm starts tiring out but you still want to play more, the Breakout will allow you to do that and still throw great shots.
7. If you are looking to throw farther, but are worried about previous injuries, arthritis, or other health concerns that come with throwing hard, this disc might help.
8. If you’ve never tried a 150 class disc, but always wondered why they were sold in the US in the first place, the Breakout will answer that question for you.

For me, I’m going to keep one around for those times when I decide to play that 3rd, 4th, or 5th round in a day.  It won’t always be in the bag, but it will be in the back up bag for sure.  It will be nice to sub this in as one of my drivers and give my aging arm a break now and then.

If you think this sounds like a good disc for you, head on over to the DD store right now to pick one up!  Or, if you’re feeling lucky, keep an eye on the Mind Body Disc FaceBook page for our giveaway later tomorrow (6/28/15).

Another way to push the rock down hill is to subscribe to this blog.  We put up a lot of new content all of the time.  Make sure you don’t miss any by subscribing and you won’t even have to come here to the site all the time to check!

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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 The Dynamic Discs Breakout 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.

It’s faster than a moderately quick squirrel.

It’s stronger than a stiff and blustery headwind.

It spike hyzers over trees in a single throw.

It’s not a bird or a plane…  It’s the new Latitude 64 Spark, Dave Feldberg’s new signature disc.  It has a snazzy, sparky stamp and a super heroish name.  I can see it now, coming to the CW….  The Spark (cue dramatic music).  But does it have any actual super powers?  While it would be awesome if someone released a disc that allowed the thrower to be invisible, fly, or see through walls, the Spark doesn’t deliver on any of those things.  It does remind me of today’s super heroes, though.

It seems like you can’t turn on the TV, go to a movie, or walk through a book store these days without seeing super heroes everywhere.  They are making a resurgence in popular culture thanks in large part to Marvel’s non stop release of flicks over the last several years.

Comic book heroes have always been popular.  Batman has been around for ages.  So has Superman and Spidey.  But with the popularity of the genre comes an over saturation as well.  Now we also have the Flash, Daredevil, Green Lantern, Guardians of the Galaxy, Arrow, and Ant Man to name just a small fraction of them.  It seems like there is a glut of super heroes all vying for our attention.

Each has their fan base too.  There is an underground cult following for Spawn.  Daredevil is gaining equal popularity.  I’m sure somewhere in the world even the Green Lantern has his fans despite that Ryan Reynolds debacle of a movie.  Me, I’m a Batman guy.  Always have been, always will be.  Batman is a bad ass and he’ll beat any of your favorite super heroes in a fight.  It’s not even up for debate!

As strongly as I feel about Batman, there are plenty of you out there sticking up for your particular favorite.  I hear some of you screaming for the Fantastic Four.  Some are cheering for Wolverine.  Some are probably even throwing their backing behind Electra (I’ll bet the leather pants have something to do with that one).  And most of you are probably wondering what the hell does this have to do with the Latitude 64 Spark!?

I’ve had my review sample of the Spark in my bag for the last two weeks.  It’s in there beside a couple of different Firebirds, an Opto Felon, a GL XXX, an Opto Trident, a Champ Banshee, and a Prodigy H1.  All good discs.  All with their own fan base willing to fight for their honor.  And honestly all pretty much interchangeable.

Now, before anyone gets their undies in a bunch, I’m not saying that all those discs are the same.  They are most certainly not.  What I am saying is that they all fill the slot of over stable fairway driver.  They are all similar enough that if you picked one of them and learned it, that’s all you would need for that slot in your bag.  Just like all those super heroes, they can each save the day in their own slightly unique way.  Just like all those super heroes, they have more in common than they have differences.

Super heroes are reliable.  All those discs are reliable.  Super heroes are predictable.  All those discs are predictable.  Super heroes do well in the face of adversity.  All those discs do well in the face of a bunch of wind.  The list goes on, but I think you get the idea.

I’ve read a ton of feedback posted by players who have the Spark, and their opinions are all over the map.  One says it will replace their Firebird, another says it won’t (it’s really close to the Champ Firebird I tested it against).  One says it’s more over stable than a felon, another says it’s less (it’s more).  One says it’s less over stable than an H1 and longer, another says the H1 has more glide and distance (it’s about the same, but doesn’t fade quite as early).  And then there are the couple of people talking about how easy it is to turn over (either they have serious form issues or huge power – you and I won’t be turning this disc over any time soon).  I haven’t seen that many differing opinions on a new disc in a long time.

That leaves me, as a reviewer, in a quandary.  How do I help you, the reader, decide if this is a disc you’d like to try?  If you are in the market for an over stable fairway driver, that’s easy.  You should absolutely try this if that slot in your bag isn’t filled.  In fact, go here right now and pick one up!  But what if that slot is filled?  Or, what if you’ve got something that you kind of like, but don’t absolutely love?

First, it’s Latitude 64 plastic.  I got a good reinforcement of why that’s important as I tested it against the discs I listed above.  I personally like the grip and feel of Latitude plastic better than any other out there.  I also like that, for the most part, if you need to replace a Latitude disc down the road, the new one you buy has an exceedingly good chance of flying the exact same way as the one you are replacing.  I had to giggle as I borrowed Firebirds from people.  Everyone I asked to borrow one from answered the same way…  “Which one did you want, there’s like 10 different kinds”.   I was also told that I couldn’t borrow certain Firebirds because they were not replaceable.   I’m not saying Lat is perfect, but I have found them to be much more consistent than most.

Second was its fade.  When the Spark flew, it fought hard to go left.  It took a decent amount of power to get it to go straight for a bit.  Even then, it started to fade pretty early in its flight.  When it did fade, it developed a steep angle to the left (I’m RHBH).  That angle got steeper the more time it had to fade.  That meant that if it had any height at all, it hit the ground edge first and dug.  It did not skip and flare as much as some of the other discs I compared it to.  Unless I threw it really low, it didn’t really skip at all.  Once I got adjusted to how much height was needed on a throw, I was able to dial in exactly where I wanted it to land and stay.

Third was that I couldn’t really overthrow it.  What I mean by that is that with some of the other discs, on seemingly equal powered throws, there was an uncomfortable difference in distance.  With the Spark I could count on it going the same distance every time.  It never decided to stay flat and cruise for a while instead of fading like I wanted it to.  Even starting it with some annhyzer didn’t add a ton of distance to it.  It fought back to the left relatively quickly.  Again, I can’t say the same for some of the other discs I tested it against.

In the end, I honestly had a hard time figuring out what I was going to write in this review.  All the discs I used were so similar I was at a loss.  Normally the disc I’m reviewing sets itself apart in some obvious way (sometimes good, sometimes not).  This one showed it’s uniqueness in much more subtle ways..  It was a solid, reliable disc.  The differences the Spark showed were in a few nuances here and there.  It’s these nuances, though, that I came to appreciate about it over many of the other choices.  Overall, I liked throwing it and I’m sure that whoever wins it when I give it away will also enjoy it.

It all comes back to that super hero analogy I started the review with.  Each hero has it’s fan base.  Each of those fan bases love their particular hero of choice.  The Spark is the new guy on the block.  I have no doubt that it will develop its own following.  I’m sure that it will take it’s place in the bag of many a player looking for a solid, reliable hero.  There’s no way it can beat Batman in a fight, though.

I want to be your new favorite super hero.  My super power is sending great disc golf content directly to your email inbox once a week.  Exciting super power, I know.  Don’t be jealous.  Just enter your email below to experience this wondrous talent for yourself!

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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 Just Another Hero? – The Latitude 64 Spark 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.