[Innova] Gator Advice?

[popmaeas]

I'm kind of new on these forums so let me know if I did something wrong, but I couldn't find an existing thread with the advice I was looking for.

Anyways, I'm looking to improve my bag a bit and had a question about gators. I currently have a 175 PFN star gator, and it works ok. However, I've read all these comments about how gators are total meathooks, but I don't get that feeling out of mine. Seems to float a bit farther than I would like pretty often. The disc is not overly-beat in, probably about 7.5/10. It does seem to have a considerable dome, but I can't really compare to other gators because I've never had another gator (playing for 1.5 years).

My question is, would a champ metal flake F2 gator from the Innova factory store likely be fairly flat and meathooky? Or would I need to go with something like a champ glow? I've also heard good things about the justice being crazy OS, so I am considering that too.

 

[SD86]

I'm kind of new on these forums so let me know if I did something wrong, but I couldn't find an existing thread with the advice I was looking for.

Anyways, I'm looking to improve my bag a bit and had a question about gators. I currently have a 175 PFN star gator, and it works ok. However, I've read all these comments about how gators are total meathooks, but I don't get that feeling out of mine. Seems to float a bit farther than I would like pretty often. The disc is not overly-beat in, probably about 7.5/10. It does seem to have a considerable dome, but I can't really compare to other gators because I've never had another gator (playing for 1.5 years).

My question is, would a champ metal flake F2 gator from the Innova factory store likely be fairly flat and meathooky? Or would I need to go with something like a champ glow? I've also heard good things about the justice being crazy OS, so I am considering that too.

My own Star Gator will fly straight a good ways before remembering it has to be overstable, whereupon it will seek the ground by dumping out of the air (to the left on an RHBH throw). So your experience with the Star Gator is not unique. I personally like that in my Gator.

The various Champion Gators will likely give you more of a meathook flight pattern.

 

[Mike C]

There are beaded and non beaded variants of this mold, I think the former are marked as Gator X but I could be wrong.

I also know Hyzerbomb makes the Mortar, a disc based on the beadless Gator and available in a GStar type of blend (At least when it launched). That would be worth looking into.

Here's a short video with the Mortar. It'll give you an idea how it compares to your Gator.

 

[mattc]

IDK about gators, but the few justice i have thrown, have been like a manhole cover for my noodle arm

 

[hugheshilton]

I've had a couple star Gators (mild dome), a few champ Gators (pretty flat), and 1 DX Gator (huge dome). My Star Gators were definitely pretty overstable; I doubt I could throw them much further than my Pigs (~250). The champ Gators were pretty similar, if not even a little more overstable. The DX Gator with the big dome flew like a bad Roc. It had a little turn out of the box and then held the line for 90% of the flight before fading gently. So in my experience, Gators with huge domes don't fly like Gators at all. I've never seen a Star Gator with a dome as big as that DX, but knowing Innova they definitely COULD exist. So I would recommend handling them in a store if you can before buying. Alternately, the "Ring of Gators" champion Gators that Innova sells in its factory store are purposefully flat topped, so you could buy those (they've made multiple runs of them recently so they're currently actually in stock!).

Mike's Mortar recommendation also seems good (it's just the old beadless Gator mold after all). I've heard that all the Mortars other than the first runs are flat topped, although I've never owned one.

 

[kerplunk]

Zone. You need a Zone.

 

[popmaeas]

Thanks Mike, I've heard a lot of good things about the mortar and have been considering giving it a try.

 

[jskew113]

Most of the current production MF Gators I have seen have been kinda domey. Not as bad as most DX, but still there. You could always email Innova and ask.

The Glows are my favorite. I've got 4 and my first one, now pushing 3 years old, is still flying like a fresh. One of my 4 has slight dome, the other three are flat. They all fly the same. If you are ordering from the factory store you can request flat.

Disc Golf Values always has some cool stuff, including Gators.

 

[popmaeas]

I've had a couple star Gators (mild dome), a few champ Gators (pretty flat), and 1 DX Gator (huge dome). My Star Gators were definitely pretty overstable; I doubt I could throw them much further than my Pigs (~250). The champ Gators were pretty similar, if not even a little more overstable. The DX Gator with the big dome flew like a bad Roc. It had a little turn out of the box and then held the line for 90% of the flight before fading gently. So in my experience, Gators with huge domes don't fly like Gators at all. I've never seen a Star Gator with a dome as big as that DX, but knowing Innova they definitely COULD exist. So I would recommend handling them in a store if you can before buying. Alternately, the "Ring of Gators" champion Gators that Innova sells in its factory store are purposefully flat topped, so you could buy those (they've made multiple runs of them recently so they're currently actually in stock!).

Mike's Mortar recommendation also seems good (it's just the old beadless Gator mold after all). I've heard that all the Mortars other than the first runs are flat topped, although I've never owned one.

Thanks man, yeah I definitely don't get the flight that I want or expect from the gator I have. Do you think the ring of gators champ gators would be more OS than a metal flake? I've heard metal flake is supposed to be a tad more stable than normal champ, but it could just be hearsay!

 

[popmaeas]

Zone. You need a Zone.

I've never tried one but have been interested. I have a DGA breaker and love it, I've heard a Zone is more OS tho.

 

[hugheshilton]

Thanks man, yeah I definitely don't get the flight that I want or expect from the gator I have. Do you think the ring of gators champ gators would be more OS than a metal flake? I've heard metal flake is supposed to be a tad more stable than normal champ, but it could just be hearsay!

I have 1 MF. It's CFR disc with a tournament stamp and it was also flat topped when it was produced just like the Ring of Gators champs. It flies pretty much identically to those. Unfortunately I can't speak for the production MF Gators because I've never tried one. I don't throw Gators regularly anymore because I like Pigs better so I'm mainly speaking from memory; I don't think MF Gators were even available as a regular production disc back when I was throwing Gators.

 

[hugheshilton]

I've never tried one but have been interested. I have a DGA breaker and love it, I've heard a Zone is more OS tho.

Zones are good. I had an ESP Zone and it flew a lot like a Gator distance and stability-wise. My recollection is that when I mashed on it I could make the Zone go a little straighter for longer than the Gator. They both fade hard and (in premium plastics) skip big. The grip is totally different though. The Zone is to the Gator as the Buzzz is to the Roc. If you like shallow and unbeaded, then you will like the Zone better than the Gator. If you like deeper and beaded, then you will like the Gator better.

 

[The Shide]

Thanks man, yeah I definitely don't get the flight that I want or expect from the gator I have. Do you think the ring of gators champ gators would be more OS than a metal flake? I've heard metal flake is supposed to be a tad more stable than normal champ, but it could just be hearsay!

The ring o' gators JL is VERY overstable. I've thrown Gators for many years & ordered a ring of gators just because. The first time I threw it absolutely shocked me at how stable it is. I've thrown a few MF Gators & in comparison to the ring, the ring is hands down more stable.

 

[ranger]

I've gone back and forth between gators and zone for the last four years.

I'm currently slightly leaning towards zones. I think they are just better for what I want. Esp zones are easy to get and plenty OS.

For gators, I throw the factory store glows (no CFR or F2).

 

[runningDoc]

there are a ton of yellow ring of gator champion gators at the innova factory store.

i've bought some and this batch of ring of gators is FLAT and flight is typical flat ring of gators = overstable and brick like.

 

[popmaeas]

there are a ton of yellow ring of gator champion gators at the innova factory store.

i've bought some and this batch of ring of gators is FLAT and flight is typical flat ring of gators = overstable and brick like.

The ring o' gators JL is VERY overstable. I've thrown Gators for many years & ordered a ring of gators just because. The first time I threw it absolutely shocked me at how stable it is. I've thrown a few MF Gators & in comparison to the ring, the ring is hands down more stable.

Wow that sounds like what I'm looking for, might just have to purchase one!

 

[runningDoc]

the ring of gator champ gators are released only during the winter and inevitably become very expensive in the re sale pages. plus you're not guaranteed to get flat ones some years they were domey.

this years batch are flat and wonderful.


buy them and back ups now at retail

 

[runningDoc]

Wow that sounds like what I'm looking for, might just have to purchase one!

i'd buy at least two (for backups). look for friends who want also i think 5 of them reaches the $75 free shipping. you can easily sell the extras.

youre going to want backups. especially when they are a good flat run.

 

[zontar]

ring-o-gators! nice! gotta get me wanna those!!!!!

 

[popmaeas]

i'd buy at least two (for backups). look for friends who want also i think 5 of them reaches the $75 free shipping. you can easily sell the extras.

youre going to want backups. especially when they are a good flat run.

Those look awesome, super flat!