[Innova] DESTROYER destroyers unite!!

[runningDoc]

I was kidding. The weird part about actually diving into the abyss of destroyer collecting is that you know what kind of destroyer its going to be just by fondling it. So you can be in a random sports authority/dicks/ect and chance upon a nice one just by feeling it out/eyeing the PLH/ect.

which goes back to the fun of collecting them. its gambling if you order them online, but when you have a chance to actually paw at them you know what you're getting.

today I was doing some errands and went into the local sports authority and found 5 destroyers. Three were destrulcans (one was super flat) and two (one orange 168g and pink 171g had nice PD2 pop tops and were actually pretty stiff.

so you can find nice modern destroyers but your best bet is to get to a brick and mortar store and buy them in person. they'll probably be a little more expensive (Sports Authority had them at $19.99 but you can easily find print out coupons to save a little) but at least you know what you're getting.

I did find some beefy marbled stiff max weight wraiths too (that reminded me of the beefy PFN run) there too.

 

[notroman]

The pink 171g pop tops are my favorites. All the ones I have for some reason fade [color] pretty bad - going from highlighter pink to pale pink in a year. Could be the particular batch I have. They beat into big distance bombers.

 

[runningDoc]

The pink 171g pop tops are my favorites. All the ones I have for some reason fade [color] pretty bad - going from highlighter pink to pale pink in a year. Could be the particular batch I have. They beat into big distance bombers.

I would've bought both at my local sports authority but I'm a cheapskate! They were $19.99 each and even with a 10% discount code it would've still been $19 a disc with taxes

Plus I still have my two SDS Stiff Pearly F2 beefcakes that are still too OS for my noodle arm.

 

[Pbmercil]

I noticed that there's another new run that started popping up this spring. It looks almost identical to the "stable boomer" run but it's made with a gummy star plastic. These are not nearly as high speed stable.

Yup, I've got a pink on of these. They are actually pretty decent for straight out of the box destroyer flight, if you can get over the soft as heck (g)Star plastic. I've been throwing mine a fair bit. If it holds its stability well I don't think I'll hate these, if it breaks in fast like I've heard Gstar will they are not for me.

 

[DeadEye]

I got a batch of the new ones they're pumping out from the factory store in my first switch from max weights to high 160s. They all started out super overstable like you'd expect from a destroyer, but the one I've been throwing the most is a 167 semi-domed but not pop-top bright green star. I've had some really good bombs with it now that it's beating in, and actually got my first flick ace today with it.

The plastic is super gummy, the nose isn't the same, but they still fly pretty damn good. So far the flight has been pretty awesome, I am worried about throwing the disc full power around trees though.. That soft plastic gets warped pretty easily.

 

[The Last DJ]

The plastic is super gummy, the nose isn't the same, but they still fly pretty damn good. So far the flight has been pretty awesome, I am worried about throwing the disc full power around trees though.. That soft plastic gets warped pretty easily.

I've had this experience with the newer champ runs. I left a couple in storage with some other discs last summer and the Destros were the only warped discs. I did manage to flatten them though...they still fly great but it was a pain to get them back to normal.

 

[slowplastic]

Is it common to feel that G Star Destroyers have a more abrupt turn and are more power sensitive than Star? For example, my G Star flips almost out of my hand just slightly and holds a drift right during its entire flight, then finishes with a medium fade just left of where I aimed. At ~375' the turn is a bit less, at 400' or a bit more it will drift a good 15' right of aim before fading, and the fade is very mellow. If there is any wind at all, it can't handle it, and it is very sensitive for OAT at power.

I have a very beat up star that has a mellow consistent turn throughout its flight, even starting at a lower power than the G star. But as it is powered up, the turn stays very gradual and it doesn't do anything stupid. Even though it may have more turn at ~375' than the G star, if thrown harder than that and even in wind, the turn stays as a more gradual addition where the G star will just turn over and hold it.

I love how the G star has the mellow fade and if I throw it harder it just delays the fade and really lengthens the flight...but I'm thinking I need something more when I'm having a good day of 400' or a bit more power and I need something that will hold straighter and finish left. Plus I won't throw the G star if there is any more than a mellow breeze in the headwind or L to R direction.

 

[cjman]

The difference you described in the turn is familiar to me. However, I have seen it based on the shape of the wing. The flat wing has the more abrupt turn, the disc appears to get more angle in the turn, left edge up for rhbh. The rounded edged destroyers turn more smoothly, even when used to the point of being a hyzer flipper.

This is hard to describe to someone, but once youve thrown it and seen it for yourself, it is hard to ignore, for me at least.

 

[Shooter14]

Picked up another CFR E* pop top beefcake Destro today.

Gosh, maybe I'll have to stick with them now, I've got a whole Innova competition full of good backups.

 

[HiFi]

My friend just compared a bottom stamped ds to his pre avery bc they both had pop tops. Wing profile is exactly the same as the wiggins ds though.

Notromans pic pretty definitively show the differences. The ds has been the wiggins mold for quite some time regardless of dome. Runningdocs pics appear to be showing wiggins mold, and the newer gummy run are also wiggins mold.

Seems like a little dome even fools those who think they are in the know.

I may be in the minority of ds throwers who choose which ones they throw based on how they fly rather than how they look.

 

[slowplastic]

To go along with my post a couple of posts up...I feel like I need something between my G Star Destroyer and my beat up champ XCal. My G Star Destroyer has a flight as I described in that post, and I can throw it ~400'. My XCal is flat and doesn't have the glide of the Destroyer, but it's so trustworthy. I lose significant distance with it, and typically only get it out to ~350'. But it has zero turn for me, I use it for flat crushes that end with a fade and can skip, or hyzer bombs that retain the angle of release the whole flight. If I throw it flat into a headwind I'll get more distance (another ~30') and it can do a little bit of a track to the right, but I trust it 100%. I have had someone with 450'+ power throw it, and he could get it to track right 5-10', but for me it's very beefy.

I want something that I can rip flat and I'm on the edge of its HSS...that it will give a hint or bit of ride for me in calm conditions so that it's more forgiving for release angle and it extends the flight, but has enough HSS that I can use it for distance throws in the wind (basically flies like my G Star Destroyer would at 350' of power, but at 400' of power). Like I said I can't throw my G Star Destroyer in the wind, and if I want 100% straight or hyzer bombs in the wind I use the XCal. But it just costs me too much distance when I want a more trustworthy disc than my current Destroyers.

I also notice a significant difference in glide between my domey G Star and beat up flat star Destroyer...I prefer the additional glide of the domey one, but it honestly only gets me ~10' different distance even though the flight paths appear different.

So, should I be looking at a more "typical" medium dome star Destroyer? Should that hold pretty straight for me and not cost me as much distance as my champ XCal? Or should I look into something like a TP Giant and beat it up a little? Again, I don't need absolute beefcake, I want to get this out hopefully as far as my current Destroyers, just with a straighter flight and more fade...but I have my XCal for 100% hyzer trust. I also don't want to go over a 2.3cm rim width, I prefer 2.2-2.3cm for my hand size which is why I like the Destroyer and XCal.

I would also want to use this for FH shots that aren't quite as beefy as XCal, which doesn't turn at all on my flick and just holds release angle to the eventual fade. My forehand is weak and typically 275-300' but I would like to get it in the 300-350' range in the future. I just assume anything I get in this slot would be ok for flicks as well...and I do flick my current discs well enough for my ability level anyways (meaning I'm not good enough FH to feel the tiny differences that I can feel backhand).

 

[vogurt]

You could maybe try an S-Line DD. None to A hair of turn with power, always finishing with fade.

 

[notroman]

Yep, I was actually thinking of the DD as well. They're very straight for a distance driver.

 

[DanJon]

A Discmania DD is truly the elusive longer Teebird.

 

[slowplastic]

Strange how I never see much on the DD, but now a bunch of people are singing its praises. It's only an 11 speed (as much as that matters...), but I do have trouble getting lots of distance on their PD as it's quite stable (I throw it ~350' but occasionally get ahold of it right and throw it further, which is when it really shines). I'd just be worried about having another tweener since there's the Teebird...then PD...then Destroyers...and then something additional in between them. I really do love the Destroyer flight path (on the ones I have) and want that fade and mellow hint of drift rather than true HSS = 0, I just don't know if the "regular" star Destroyers are that right stability for what I want.

 

[notroman]

The best Destroyers for the flight you describe are the really overstable Star Destroyer runs seasoned for about a year or two. The newer stable runs also can do the job brand new but will start to turn pretty decently into a wind once they season.

 

[Pbmercil]

You could go with a beefier destroyer or a star XCalibur. I like star xcals a lot. They break in nicely to be that one notch up in stability from middle of the spectum destroyer. I love them for headwind shots that i can still comfidantly rip into for distance. Ive got beefy destros now so the xcals are on hiatus but i would put em back in the bag in a heartbeat if i needed it. the stars are nicely mellowed version of the champs in my experience

 

[slowplastic]

Cool, thanks a lot guys. Just for reference, how much difference in distance do you find between a forgiving/worked in Destroyer to a fresh/normal one, and the super beef or XCal stability range?

I know a guy who has a star XCal in his bag so I'll give that a throw sometime also to see if it's got a longer flight than my Champ.

 

[Pbmercil]

I may be in the minority of ds throwers who choose which ones they throw based on how they fly rather than how they look.

Well duh. Of course. But i have yet to meet a retailer who will let me throw all their destroyers first and then buy the ones i like. So we have to have some guidelines to shop with.

 

[Pbmercil]

Cool, thanks a lot guys. Just for reference, how much difference in distance do you find between a forgiving/worked in Destroyer to a fresh/normal one, and the super beef or XCal stability range?

I know a guy who has a star XCal in his bag so I'll give that a throw sometime also to see if it's got a longer flight than my Champ.

Damn that's kind of a loaded question, because Xcals can be inconsistent too so it really depends what Xcal your comparing to what destroyer. It sounds like you and I throw about the same distance (375 to a bit over 400'), so hopefully this is helpful. It may just be really confusing. My Xcals and destroyers compare like so, from most HSS to least:

1) 2013 USDGC Star DS. PD2 topped, mega dome pop top and a high PLH. Ridiculously OS for me. Extremely overstable for a destroyer, not technically the "most" OS of the destroyers but very close . A little to much disc for me but a 500 foot thrower's wet dream. Utility disc for my arm, can only get it out like 300 feet. Could hold a hyzer into a tornado.
2) Patent # Echo Star Xcal. These Xcals are considered quite a bit more OS then current production run Star Xcals. Not really any less stable then champ Xcals but glidier so they go farther. Probably ranging at about 350ish.
3) Brand new stable "good" destroyer. Solid 0 HSS for me, tons of glide, less fade then an Xcal. Prolly 375 for me.
4) Beat up "production" Star Xcal. Has the current stamp (with flight numbers) but has patent # tooling so its older star stock. Probably a fair number of these still on shelves cuz its not a very popular mold. It was pretty beefy when new but has broken in to show some turn. Shows more turn then a brand new stable "good" destroyer but WAY more fade. Straight up bomber that will flip and glide for days but finish back really hard even in a headwind. Can get this out over 400 very consistently
5) Broken in stable "good" destroyer. Bomber. Fair bit of turn but still coming back everytime. Will never fade as hard as an Xcal but distance is basically the same, 400ish give or take depending on how my body feels.

In other words; yay innova