[Question] Are You Brand Loyal?

[armiller]

I have to admit this is largely inspired by Paul McBeth switching from Innova to Discraft. I find it interesting that so many people reference the idea of throwing more Discraft and less Innova. So my question is about brand loyalty. I see two reasons to be brand loyal: 1) you're sponsored or trying to be sponsored by a manufacturer, or 2) you don't like being overwhelmed by the multitude of discs out there. The question is simple: are you brand loyal? How do you determine which manufacturers are in your bag?

We'll see how things shake out, but I imagine McBeth going to Discraft has a chance to increase Discraft in my bag in one of two ways: 1) new molds that seem to fill a bag spot, or 2) improvements on molds I'm already interested in by better plastic options. I'm a Discraft fan, but there's a lot of other stuff in my bag. Something like a Leopard/Leo3/FD will likely never leave the bag. Teebirds are just plain awesome. The Firebird will be in my bag for a while, and so will a Star Beast.

 

[Moose33]

I like what I like, the brands typically use are Innova, Westside, and MVP with some Reptillian sprinkled in.

I do not typically use Prodigy or Discraft though I've tried and liked some of both, but not enough to bag.

I like McBeth and will follow what he throws, but it probably won't influence purchasing unless there is something I haven't tried and like the feel and look of.

 

[Lurp Nuts]

I throw the best disc for my game for the particular slot. Could be made by anybody. That said, some companies do seem to make better quality product than others.

 

[BrotherDave]

Right now in my main bag I have: Innova (3), MVP (1), Axiom (1), DGA (1), Discraft (3), Latitude (2), Millennium (1), Discmania (1), and Westside (3).

So no, not really. I will admit that I'm brand familiar more than anything, which is why I don't have much Legacy or Prodigy. I try to find discs that work for me from the brands I know first then branch out into the unknowns later.

 

[etdefender19]

Two-brand loyal

Reptilian because I love their plastic and the uniqueness of some of their discs

As I switched from primarily FH to BH, the rest of my bag sort of evolved to Dynamic, etc. because I discovered I really like the Fuzion/Gold line plastic. For some reason, the specific feel of the plastic was much more critical for my success BH

 

[Stable]

I throw what works. I had a preference for US brands only for a while but the Berg (Kastaplast/Sweden) is just too good. When I first started playing back around '04 there were two brands basically. Innova or Discraft take your pick. In Eastern Carolina all I saw was Innova so I'll always have a place for them. I think it's great there's so many great companies to pick from.

 

[McCready]

It's funny, the most important disc in my bag during my first year of playing was an X Stratus, but then I rarely tried many Discraft molds after that. For whatever reason the Innova flight numbering system clicked in my head and became my guiding criteria for ordering new molds to try.

I'm a huge Paul fan and throw mostly Innova. I'm really comfortable with my lineup and bought way too many backups in my first 2 years of playing, so it wouldn't make much sense to screw around with new molds. But I'm sure some new plastic/stamp with Paul's sig will tempt me to try an Undertaker or a Force or whatever.

 

[hiflyer]

I'll throw anything that's produced. If I like it, I'll buy a disc or two. If I don't, I won't. Doesn't matter who made it, nor who else throws it.

 

[ChefKoolaid]

Started throwing in 07 and the place that sold Innova was a lot closer than the one that sold Discraft so I got to know Innova very well. A little over half my bag is Innova with lots of backups. But I have been changing some slots to prodigy because their plastic kicks ass. I also bag a comet, a harp, and wizards.

 

[lines]

My loyalty is bought. Nobody has ponied up yet.

 

[Sydex]

Most of you all would consider me an Innova fanboy. But this is because when I started playing the only disc brands near me were Innova, Discraft, a little Millennium and I had seen a Gateway Wizard from an out of town golfer at my nearest course once.

Then, when I moved away to college all I found were Innova discs at the local second hand sports store. So I bought Innova and nothing more. Several years later, when I obtained the funds to go out and buy discs all I bought were Innova discs because it was all that I knew and was all that was near.

I didn't know of other companies until a couple of years ago (+/- 1 year by now). Now, I just want to throw what I know because it works and I have a lot of it already. I don't play tournaments very often, and most of my play involves going to my local course and playing informal rounds with myself, friends, or with my brother.

However, discs have moved into my bag from other companies. I don't throw JLS because I can't find them anywhere. Instead I throw Rivers. Lat64 Goldline Pains made it into my bag because Star Rocs disappeared in the local shops. Emac Truths go into my bag because I've been a fan of his since day 1 and I want to support DD (also bagging Wardens on occasion now). Otherwise my bag is all Innova, it will likely stay that way. I have too many discs, I don't lose them fast enough and I buy too many.

 

[biscoe]

I am sponsored by Prodigy so obviously brand loyal there. Prior to being sponsored my bag contained discs from 2-4 manufacturers at any given time although the majority were from one. There is one manufacturer whose discs i would not consider using regardless of their quality or availability due to a personal issue. I have no idea what all this means in terms of answering the question.

 

[@iDiscGolf]

I've been throwing Dynamic discs since get came out. I liked their naming and being the smaller new guy in the block. And there bags they partnered with ogio which I liked too.

But before that I threw innova and Discraft mostly because that's all there was. I'd be just fine throwing them too. But it was refreshing to learn new plastics, fight numbers etc after a while. Mixed things up a little.

I currently bag Dynamic, Discmania and Legacy discs. I have random others too that I'll play around with, like MVP and Vibram too.

 

[SD86]

I'm always looking for what works best, so I'll try almost anything. I generally have more Innova than anything else, because they make more molds and more of their stuff is available. McBeth switching to Discraft, or anyone else switching, will in and of itself not likely make me change anything... but if they create new molds for McBeth, I'll be checking into them.

 

[riltim]

I mainly throw Millennium but have some Discraft and Innova in the bag too. Millennium because I fell in love with the 1.1 SOLF and a lot of the other molds work out well enough for me. Only Innova I bag are 2 Roadrunners. Discraft has a lock on my mids with the Wasp/Buzzz/Meteor combo. I also love the Zone and Predator for all my overstable shots.

 

[Jay Dub]

I throw Innova because I always have, if I tried different discs I might like them and want to buy a bunch. I don't need anymore discs, I have too many already.

 

[armiller]

My current bag is basically half Discraft and half Innova, currently with two MVP molds (Relay and Ion). There are a couple that have been in there and could return (particularly the Lat64 Pure), but boy am I a Discraft & Innova guy!

We probably all have preferences for one or several brands. For one thing, I have no problem throwing the good old stuff, and I don't put a ton of energy into trying new stuff. A lot of my molds pre-date the newer companies (Zone, Polecat, Buzzz, Comet, Teebird, Firebird, Surge), even though I started throwing those molds long after the new companies were around (2015). I've tried some newer molds from those companies (Thunderbird, Leopard3, Undertaker), maybe because I already trust them. MVP/Axiom is a bit of an exception, maybe because I studied engineering and had to try the gyro.

I could probably also blame DGCR for a lot of my disc choices. Discraft and Innova get a lot of support on here (okay, maybe Innova more than Discraft), and that MVP lobby is surprisingly loud. I'm not sure if you folks are any good or even trustworthy, but you've influenced my bag! I blame DGCR for all my gyro, and for my Teebird, Comet, and Polecat. Dangerous place, these forums.

...and I don't like my poll options. Someone should make a better poll!

 

[GoobyPls]

I have 8 different manufacturers in my current bag. So no.

 

[Streets]

Since this past July(HA! Ahead of the McBeth wannabes)..I've started becoming more and more a Discraft fanboy. Always dug the Comet, Buzzz, Wasp, Banger, Magnet and Chally and Pred, but the new driver offerings are really nice.

 

[zendragon]

I see two reasons to be brand loyal: 1) you're sponsored or trying to be sponsored by a manufacturer, or 2) you don't like being overwhelmed by the multitude of discs out there. The question is simple: are you brand loyal? How do you determine which manufacturers are in your bag?

Option 3) you got tired of trying to replace that one prefect mold you fell in love with because the same disc molds up 5 different ways from the same manufacturer and you really just wanted some consistency.

That is mostly me. MVP was the absolute most consistent when they first started making discs. Every Envy, Volt, Crave, Alias, etc I bought were identical in feel and flight. I didn't have to worry about loosing my favorite disc and then not finding a good replacement. (happened with my Alias twice and my current Alias flies just like my first one).

But expansion seems to have gotten to MVP as well and now my 2 favorite discs in my bag are a Crave with a lower PLH than the rest of then and a Clash with a higher PLH. And they started messing around with their plastic blends. (MVP if you're reading this, bring back stiffer Neutron. Especially since you already have Plasma to be your gummy plastic)

Anyway, I digress. Consistency is a big thing, and I like not worrying about my favorites being OOP, or just not in the plastic I like, or suddenly the new runs being domey instead of flat. Discraft is consistent. MVP is mostly consistent. Most other manufacturers I've tried are definitely not as consistent.