Advantages of Different Plastics

[EsotericForest]

As far as Innova plastics go, it seems like there's varying opinions on a lot of the different plastic types. As far as I'm aware there's DX, Pro, Champion, and Star plastics available in most popular disc molds. Though it seems like Star plastic is the new thing, most people don't tend to use them. Maybe it's just from my observations, but it seems that a lot of people buy DX when first trying out a disc to see if they even like the mold, and then upgrade to pro or champion. But on the other hand it seems that some people like the DX because it gets more broken in. So I'm trying to figure out what the advantages or disadvantages are of all these plastic types. I tend to like the feel of a Star or a Pro in my hand, but maybe it's not playing to my advantage.

Part of the main reason I'm asking is that I've been using a Leopard DX as my primary driver. I recently nailed a tree directly in front of my (Doh!) and realized how warped it got afterward. I bent it back into shape as far as I could tell and it seemed to fly the same, though it did worry me at first. It also took a small chunk out of it, so I was wondering if I should upgrade to a more sturdy plastic. But now, with three additional choices, I'm not sure which route to take.

Regards,
Josh

 

[hig2a4life]

Direct from the geniuses at Innova:

http://www.innovadiscs.com/home/disc-golf-faq/plastic-types-overview.html

This tells you everything about their plastics

 

[agent_peebody]

are you JUST now finding out about star plastic? do you know about echo-star plastic?

and do you like in Idaho or something?

 

[EsotericForest]

are you JUST now finding out about star plastic? do you know about echo-star plastic?

and do you like in Idaho or something?

When I was originally told to try a Leopard, I was told to get a DX to see if I even liked it. I'm just now starting to understand the differences in all the discs and what I am able to throw. Problem being that any Star discs I've ever thrown have been high speed discs, so it's difficult for me to judge if they actually fly different, or if it's just the high speed molds that are messing my throws up.

And no, I don't know about echo-star plastic

 

[agent_peebody]

www.discgolfcenter.com will fill you in on all plastics and molds too. echo star plastic has been out for a while too, shocked that you've never heard of it

 

[hig2a4life]

haven't tried Echo-star, but the echo-star Mako I was going to purchase felt like garbage. Could just bet the Mako in general though since I didn't compare to other plastics.

 

[SirRaph]

If I recall, you're a relatively newer player. To which I would recommend some of the less expensive plastics: DX or Pro for Innova, Elite-X for Discraft, etc.

Cheaper plastics are generally less overstable, and have more glide. They also help teach a newer player how to adjust the angle of thrown discs as they wear in.

DX is particularly good in the rain or on humid days where you can't keep your hands from sweating. Whereas the plastics I'll mention next can be extremely slippery in those situations.
Additionally, discs in cheaper plastics seem to be more consistent from run to run. So, in my experience, there's less of a chance to get a freakishly overstable, or flippy, disc.

"Candy" plastics such as Innova's Champion, or Discraft's Elite-Z , etc. are better for more experienced players. Their more stable/overstable nature works well for powerful arms, who don't need the glide as much. Plus, they age well for a long time.

"Taffy" plastics such as Innova's Star, or Discraft's ESP or FLX are similar to candy plastics, in that they're better suited for more experienced players. However, they don't seem to start out as overstable as candy discs, but age more quickly.

 

[EsotericForest]

www.discgolfcenter.com will fill you in on all plastics and molds too. echo star plastic has been out for a while too, shocked that you've never heard of it

I got married this summer...so even though it says I've been playing for a year and a half, you have to figure that I didn't get to play very much this year at all. Also, up to a month ago I was living in Wisconsin, so there was no playing in the winter haha. So really, I'm still a very new player in theory.

 

[garublador]

The advantage of DX/Pro is that if you choose the right discs, they'll be the easiest to control, especially for newer players, and they'll just get easier to control and longer as they get beat up. These discs tend to start off a bit on the overstable side. I'm not sure the Leopard falls into this category. It can get squirrley when beat.

Champ/Star will last longer but will generally be shorter and more difficult to control. They'll get a bit longer when beat but, IMO, because of the way they lose stability, can get harder to control if they fly well when new. That is really only an issue with neutral and understable discs. Overstable discs don't usually get squirrley when beat.

If you really like the Leopard you can get a Champ or Star, but it will probably fade a bit harder than the DX, especially when new. If you like the flight of a new Leopard and wouldn't mind beating something in a bit to get that flight then a Polaris LS (Pro type plastic) or a DX Cheetah would be a really good choice...and cheaper than a Champ/Star Leopard. I'd recommend the Polaris LS or Cheetah, myself. They're really easy to control yet require good form to fly well.

Personally I tend to choose low end plastics for putters mids and fairway drivers. For faster discs and overstable discs that I don't rely on having beat version of I'll throw the higher end stuff. Really good and really high power players tend to like the higher end plastics for fairway drivers because they don't need the extra control or distance they'd get from the lower end plastics.

 

[EsotericForest]

So all in all, if I want to stick with the Leopard, but upgrade to a better plastic, I should go with Pro.

 

[sloppydisc]

If the Leopard works for you, buy a Pro Leopard for your base plastic, and a Latitude River in Goldline for your more durable version. The River has more glide in GL or Opto than the Leopard, but still handles similar lines and armstrength and speed.

 

[SomeChump]

I prefer DX aviars because I think they get better the more beat they get. I cycle a couple in the bag. I really like Pro discs. The Pro rhyno has a great feel and is great for medium length straight drives, as well as those few times you need an overstable putter to flex a short approach or fight some wind or whatever. It also tends to stick rather than skip on approach shots.

I use several different plastics for my mids. I use DX for my stingray, because I want it understable. I have an X Buzz and a Z Buzz. The X is more beat and less stable. I also have a Z Wasp. I like the Z plastic in mids for its consistency and stability. I also have a Star Gator. I'm not sure that even comes in other plastics, but I want it stable since it is an overstable slow utility disc for me.

I like my fairway drivers (TL, Valkyrie, Firebird, and XXX) in premium plastics. I want consistent flights and if I lose one, I want to be able to buy another off the shelf that flies nearly the same. The TL is star, and the others are champion. The XXX is in Opto or something like that. It's the champ/Z equivalent. I need it extrastable because I use it for meathooks and overhand throws.

I'm a bit of a noodle arm (400 foot drives are rare for me) so I like my distance drivers in as understable/glidey a plastic as I can get. I throw a pro Boss and a pro Katana. I have a star Katana I've been experimenting with forehand, but to be honest, it flies an awful lot like a new pro boss for me. The pro distance drivers definitely wear as they go, so I'm beginning to cycle a couple of those in the bag. Without using pro plastic, I wouldn't be able to throw these "speed 13" drivers at all. I've tried champ/star Boss/Groove/Katanas and they're all meathooks for me. But the pros are like different discs.

Part of the fun of disc golf is the experimenting. I've probably bought 5 times the discs I actually currently carry in my bag. I lose a few, give a few away, and put some back in the bin. But it's still the cheapest sport I play. Priced a new mountain bike lately? How about a lift ticket? You can buy 10 DX discs for the price of one day of skiing, more if you have to rent gear and buy lunch. So get out there, try some stuff out, and eventually you'll figure out what you want in the bag. Weight, plastic, wear, and mold means there really are no two discs that are the same.

 

[garublador]

So all in all, if I want to stick with the Leopard, but upgrade to a better plastic, I should go with Pro.

If you do I'd complement it with a Star or Champ version, too. IMO, the Polaris LS is a better choice but you can do a lot worse than the Leopard.

 

[stsren]

I'm a believer in the premium plastics, though I will admit to having somewhat limited experience with the baseline plastics.

DX Valk was great when new, but after a few months on wooded courses, it became very understable and is now my roller disc.

Pro Boss was very stable / overstable when new, but again after some tree love it became much more understable and now takes up space on a shelf in my laundry room.

If you want longevity and consistency, I would recommend STAR or Champion plastic. It will fly pretty nice when it's brand new, and it won't become a huge paperweight after a few months of use.