Brand loyalty question

[Hampstead]

For some people, this is an argument for being, well, if not loyal, then exclusive.

Not everyone's interested in trying hundreds of models from a half-dozen or more manufacturers. Simplicity is a virtue for them.

For those who love all of the options, and the excitement of trying something new, the competition's a Godsend. And it would drive them crazy to stick to one line, and always wonder if the grass was greener, elsewhere.

Myself? I'm neither. My active bag has 17 discs from 5 manufacturers, but I'm not into trying all of the options; I've just happened on ones that suit me. For all but a few, I could replace them with something else, with little gain or loss.

I dig it. For me, it's like anything else. I don't listen to music from only one label. I don't drink only one brand of beer. Options are a good thing.

 

[Quinum]

I throw a lot of Legacy because I like the plastic and the molds. Helps keep things simple, which is also nice.

 

[eegor]

I have a few bags of discs, but I do segregate them by brand. Why? I don't really know, but it feels right to me. In the Texas summer heat, I'm throwing Trilogy. When it cools down, I like to throw Vibram for the grip. I have an Innova bag that I take out when I feel like a change up. It's mostly full of old discs that I can't bring myself to get rid of. I know the discs so well, I can pick them up 4 or 5 months after the last time I threw them and still do what I want with them.

So... I suppose I don't have brand loyalty in general because there are a lot of great discs out there to choose from. I do segregate them because I have so many... I can.

 

[eegor]

I can't think of any product in any other sport that is as varied, specific, and personal as discs are to disc golfers.

I've known some hobbies that were like that---photography, for one (Canon vs. Nikon vs. ????). With the caveat that it's hard to have a mixed bag in camera equipment, since the lenses aren't interchangeable.

I'm a Nikon guy, but carry a Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ-300 all the time (most versatile camera I've ever used). I suppose you could call that a mixed bag.

 

[VictorB]

There's something to be said for simplicity. But it doesn't work for everyone - I'm a good example. I tried to throw only trilogy brands this season. The midrange and fairway driver lineup didn't work for me. I went back to the patriots and ghosts I was throwing prior to changing to one manufacturer.

If you're able to find everything you need from one company (or working partners) then go for it. I don't think most players are good enough to make a single company work for every need they have on the course, though.

 

[Stable]

My main loyalty is to US manufactured brands. Other than that my signature shows I throw what works for me. Innova makes great drivers, Discraft makes great mids, Prodigy has great putters and I splash in some MVP because.....well Resistors & Servos are awesome.

The whole keep my bag really simple never worked. I like finding molds that do specific things really well. If you're not sponsored then keep checking out different brands until you find what fits.

 

[elmexdela]

MVP may or may not be paying me to speak the words of the volt and ion. And discraft may or may not be paying me to speak the words of their amazing mids.

 

[VistaDG]

I started throwing almost exclusive Discraft because the Buzzz was the first disc I threw, and fell in love with it. Now my bag is pretty mixed between a few companies. But I will say, it can be a little overwhelming at times trying to sort through all of the manufacturers/plastics/molds.

 

[thrembo]

Innova drivers, Discraft mids, MVP putters. BAM, done.

 

[Keller]

My stash of discs is mostly Innova, some Discraft and one remaining Trilogy disc.

I'm not a die-hard brand loyalist, over time it just ended up being Innova. I can fondle their discs pretty much everywhere, my favorite discs are available in many plastics and I can get deeper rimmed drivers for my meat hook hands. I'd throw more Discraft if they offered a lot of their discs in more than Z plastic.

I've pretty much stopped trying new companies, not because they don't make good discs but, because I know what I like and I think continually trying new discs all the time is counter productive to my own style/game.

 

[Old Dog]

I used to have a mixed bag consisting mostly of Disccraft and Innova but eventually switched over to a completely Vibram bag due to their rubber material's durability and grip qualities. So far I am very pleased with my decision. As an added bonus Vibram disc are made here in the USA.

 

[Old Dog]

The only con I see in a Vibram only bag is their limited selection of molds compared to other manufacturers. However this may actually be a plus. There is less angst about disc selection and you aren't tempted to spend a grand trying out a hundred or so different molds in search of the elusive perfect discs. It also forces you to learn how to use what you've got available. You may have heard the old gun fighter's adage 'fear the man who only owns one gun he likely knows how to use it well'.

 

[93EXCivic]

I don't do brand loyalty for the most part. I mean I will buy whatever RDG and Daredevil come out with to at least try. But right now my bag is 7 molds from 5 manufacturers.

Only companies I have no interest in are the Trilogy companies.

Sent from my LG-H910 using Tapatalk

 

[Cool]

I'm exceptionally loyal to brands that offer factory seconds and misprints.

 

[philstine]

When a disc mfg starts paying me to throw their discs exclusively*, I'll bag their discs exclusively; until then, my only loyalty is to whatever works for me but if any disc mfgs want to pay me to STOP bagging their discs, I'm open to offers.

 

[IHearChains]

Innova drivers and putters
Discraft mids

I like how the Buzzz SS, Buzzz, Wasp, Hornet, Buzzz OS series has almost the same grip and feel in the hand, covering the entire range of stabilities I want. And they behave that way straight out of the box. It's too much trouble to cycle Rocs through various states of wear to build up that kind of series, only to lose a seasoned one in a water hazard.

As for the drivers, I just got into Innova because it was most readily available when I started. And like others said upthread, once you know the discs and have backups for everything, it's hard to justify changing.

 

[BrotherDave]

The only con I see in a Vibram only bag is their limited selection of molds compared to other manufacturers. However this may actually be a plus. There is less angst about disc selection and you aren't tempted to spend a grand trying out a hundred or so different molds in search of the elusive perfect discs. It also forces you to learn how to use what you've got available. You may have heard the old gun fighter's adage 'fear the man who only owns one gun he likely knows how to use it well'.

Not for me in Vibram's case. They have a limited number of molds but they've already OOPed some of them (like the Trak which I really liked). That kind of irked me, compared to a brand like Millennium that also keeps it simple with a lineup of classic molds but they keep producing them for the most part.

First and foremost, my loyalty lies with molds (sometimes even specific plastics and weight ranges within a mold), rather than brands or manufacturers. I throw what works for me, regardless who makes it.

That's me right there. I'm a mixed bagger for this reason predominately. Like most I started out with Innova and I still bag their molds that have jibed with me (Eagle, Polecat, Banshee) but they've lost some favor with me over the years as the other companies emerged. I got into Latitude and friends because their plastic and stamps looked great when Innova was running dull colors and sticking with their usual cheesy names. I also got mad at Innova when they ran Valks with a super obvious plus rim and made no distinction about it. But that's basic capitalism; I just got lured away to trying other stuff because I wasn't completely happy with what I started out with.

A small part of me does enjoy trying out the little guys, to encourage competition and b/c I've found that popularity is often inversely correlated with quality (i.e. pop music, fast food, etc). So when MVP came out with the Ion I tried it and thought it was great. When RDG, Element, or Kastaplast come out with something that sounds right up my alley then boom, a disc trial is imminent. That's just me being me.

 

[Streets]

I also got mad at Innova when they ran Valks with a super obvious plus rim and made no distinction about it.

Those were dark days, and the run of flat, glideless OS turds recently was almost as bad.

 

[Old Dog]

BrotherDave, Have you thrown a Vibram Valley? You may (or may not) find you like it better than the Trak.

 

[BrotherDave]

BrotherDave, Have you thrown a Vibram Valley? You may (or may not) find you like it better than the Trak.

No, I haven't had the chance to try many of their newer molds yet. I still like Vibram, they just don't quite have the luster of some of the other brands going right now IMO.