[Question] Disc weights

[theFRUKE]

I'm looking for (experienced) opinions regarding the differences in disc weights.
Is there really a difference between a 171 and a 175?
How much power and/or technique should I alter between the same disc (EX: Innova Tern GStar) of different weight classes (say, a 168 v. a 175)?
Thanks!

 

[Snap-it]

5g is the same as a nickel, so...

 

[slowplastic]

No difference. I can't feel/notice the difference between 168-175g drivers (not that I'm cutting off the weights there...just I bag all those weights and never notice it). I've spent years weighing things to +/-0.0001g, and in this case it's irrelevant. Some of my most overstable discs, even of the same mold, are the lighter ones. The plastic type and PLH (parting line height) matter way more. I have found that 150-class discs do eject slightly faster (about 1-2mph for me), and they can fly farther (but also more unpredictably) for other reasons. But in normal weight ranges it doesn't matter at all.

In your example, I would expect a 168g Champ Tern to fly more stable/overstable than a 175g Gstar Tern. If they are the same plastic, then it would matter the shape more than the weight. I would look at their profile and judge by that more than the weight.

 

[DiscinFiend]

I prefer all my discs max weight. They start out more overstable than their lighter weight counterparts & beat in slower. Plus max weight discs are less affected by the wind. I can tell the difference between a 170g & 175g driver by its flight. For me max weight (175) Champion Teebirds have some fade. Though 170 Champion Teebirds have more glide & finish much straighter. Though the larger the rim (the faster the disc) the harder it is for me to tell the difference between 170 & 175 grams. With very beefy discs like the Firebird there isn't much difference between 170 & 175 gram discs (besides a few more feet of distance). The difference is much more noticeably in straight/understable discs. Though keep in mind PLH & dome do come into play. It really depends on the individual disc.

 

[Marmoset]

IIRC the JND (just noticeable difference) is usually 10%. So you should be able to tell the difference between holding a 175g and a 158g. Less than that and you might not notice the difference in your hand.

In flight you might notice a difference but there are so many other variables that I hesitate to attribute any differences solely to the weight differences.

As mentioned before, the final disc shape will have a much larger influence on the flight. There are a lot of factors that influence final disc shape and plastic is one of the key factors.

To answer one of your questions, you are going to have to throw them in order to know what the differences are.

Are you familiar with the term PLH that they were mentioning in the previous posts? If not, look it up; it's a great way to visually tell which disc will be more overstable but there are some big caveats to keep in mind.

 

[Marmoset]

Just in case you need it, here's the thread where I introduced the concept of PLH :
http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13889&highlight=PLH

 

[worldwide]

I like all my slower discs in max weight but drivers I go a bit lighter except headwind drivers. the difference between 167-171-175 is very noticeable to me when it comes to discs of the same mold.

 

[Bardu]

What is your power level? For me there is a big difference. I throw my mids close to 300, fairways can reach just beyond, and this year as I've experimented with distance drivers, I have reached 350 and beyond. I throw all drivers in upper 160s. I have tried and cannot get the same flights or distance from their heavier counterparts. In addition, my longest disc is a 154 Starlight Wraith. A upper 160s Wraith would be useless for me. I can tell a difference in mid ranges as well.

My friends have always claimed my upper 160s discs can not hold up in the wind. My 167 Firebird absolutely eats up wind and I've always felt I had an advantage on windy days.

When I started I read a guide to disc weights on DGR and I have found it to be accurate.

 

[SD86]

There can be some difference in weights, to wit:

I have a couple of Star Terns at 167g, and judging by color I suspect they're from the same batch run. I also have a couple of Hannah Leatherman Star Terns, which only came in 175g at the time I ordered them. And then I have a 157g Champion Tern.

I've gotten where I can throw the 167g Terns 300-310 ft. on flat land, and have put them out 350-360 feet on downhill throws. But the Hannah Leatherman Terns don't get that distance for me and are more overstable when I throw them. The Champion Tern doesn't quite get the distance of the Star Terns, either, but goes farther than the HL Terns and is less overstable than the HL Terns.

Most of my fairway/control drivers and distance drivers, I like best in the upper 160s. It's just what I like, YMMV. Some will prefer max weight, and some like 150-class drivers better. So a lot of it is preference. 3-5 grams may not make a big difference, but 10g starts to be in the noticeable difference range...

 

[Broken Shoulder]

I'm looking for (experienced) opinions regarding the differences in disc weights.
Is there really a difference between a 171 and a 175?
How much power and/or technique should I alter between the same disc (EX: Innova Tern GStar) of different weight classes (say, a 168 v. a 175)?
Thanks!

Generally speaking, the mechanics of your throw should not be changing from disc to disc. However, you will need to adjust your release angles and how hard you throw each disc from shot to shot, depending on the intended line and outcome. Weight is a small factor, insomuch as each disc offers its own unique flight characteristics.

 

[Dan Ensor]

Typically, I don't see much difference. But when I start throwing uphill, or spike hyzers, 5g is somewhat noticeable in the amount of effort it takes me to get the disc as high as I want.

 

[maRsh74]

This video explains it pretty well I think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvpdTf_FjjM

 

[theFRUKE]

Thank you EVERYONE for the great feedback!! This gives me some great practice focus.
Happy throwing!
-Michael