How Do You Build Your Bag

[bd313duncan]

I read a lot of these bag reviews and see that many of us have drastically different strategies in building our tourney or genreal play bags. In reading 50-100 of these post, I have realized that I understand less about the bag looking at the actual disc names than I do when the author gives a brief description of the intended use of each disc. So in this post is my intention is to find out what "types" of disc do you carry to put together your ultimate arsenal. I have posted the formula below that i have carried in the past that has done me well but I am interested see what you guys think is absolutely necessary. P.S. if you feel the need you can post the type of disc you use to fill the spot, go ahead, but I am less concerned with that than the strategy behind the type of disc you select.

You will notice my philosophy for the most part is a disc for Left, Right, and Strait. For each range of disc i will typically have one for each flight path so that I rely more on the disc and less on my own manipulation.

Distance Drivers:
Max Distance - something with good stability, but not a pig, something that simply just goes a long long way or will always finish left if dont give it my all.
Consistant Long Distance - the go to when a hole is 400+ requires true accuracy, its strait as an arrow and a sureshot
Understable Long D - something that goes a long way and finishes right(backhand), usually something designed for this out of the box in a strong plastic so it doesnt go all roller on me in a few rounds

Fairway Drivers:
Crazy Overstable - Windy day disc that also compliments my get out of jail free style of tomahawk/thumber throws.
Strait as an Arrow - Same as the consistant long D above, but for 300-400 Range. In my case my most trustworthy driver.
Understable Fairway - something in the 300-400 range that finishes right. usually something designed for this out of the box in a strong plastic so it doesnt go all roller on me in a few rounds

MidRange - These are tricky as tend stick to one consistant mold with multiple versions or levels of use
The Always Overstable - something that will fly strait but finish left and is typically made of a stronger plastic to slow the characteristics from changing.
Strait as an Arrow - this bad boy is usually a little worn but flies strait as robin's arrow. My Favorite Middy
Understable Middy - Beat to Hell and Back, Always finishes left after nice straitish flight

Putters - Simplistic on these Bad Boys
The One and Only - Usually a big bead style thats over stable in a grippier but strong plastic to grab the chains but still not warp on short driving duties.

I realize that this requires a bit more time and effort than just listing the 50 discs many of us carry. But it could be a really useful idea for Am's, like myself, to see what other players are doing strategically.

 

[ferretdance03]

I typically build my bag using the same principles you outlined; I want to be able to carry as many directions/lines as possible within each speed category. I try to limit my molds and carry multiples in degrees of wear.
Distance Drivers:
Max Distance - slightly understable fast driver, typically the middle of the road seasoning for this slot (seasoned ESP Force)
Consistant Long Distance - Most overstable/least seasoned version of the same disc typically, this would also be my long distance headwind driver (Z Force)
Understable Long D - The least overtable/most seasoned version of the same mold. I like to throw hyzerflips for long D (beat ESP Force and a Star Roadrunner)
I also carry a super beat Champ Roadrunner for courses where I expect to throw a lot of weird anny lines or rollers.
Fairway Drivers:
Crazy Overstable - most overstable/least seasoned (Z Predator)
Strait as an Arrow - middle of the road, likely the most used driver in this slot (fresh X Predator)
Understable Fairway - least overstable/most seasoned, again I like to throw hyzer flips for straight or right finishing shots (thrashed X Predator)

MidRange - These are tricky as tend stick to one consistant mold with multiple versions or levels of use Right now I am testing some MVP plastic, but typically these would be all Comets with a Wasp/Roc for the most overstable slot
The Always Overstable - headwind drives, always going to finish left (Vector)
Strait as an Arrow - frozen ropes, workhorse of the midranges (Axis)
Understable Middy - right finishing shots, hyzer flips, technical course workhorse (ESP Comet)

Putters - I like to drive with putters and throw them as much as possible so I use the same set up as all the other slots
Overstable- hyzer finishes, flicks, short flex shots (Eclipse Ion)
Straight- well, straight drives and approaches (2nd run Ion)
Understable- short technical approaches, long runs, sweeping anhyzer flicks (Rattler)
I tend to carry two putters strictly for putting as well, which right now are Ions

 

[Fightingthetide1]

Edit - wrote this too late last night and made it way too complicated

Basically, I need 4 shots per range.

1 - meathooks with little to no glide
2 - workable lines that have strong fade
3 - understable lines that fade well enough to know when they will come back
4 - understable lines that don't come back

This is more or less what I have in my bag.

 

[Mike C]

I keep it simple.

I start out with my "core," or discs of varying speed ranges I can make fly relatively straight quite easily. Those discs are the Ion, Axis, JLS, OLF, DD and Quasar. These are my go to discs for the majority of my shots.

After that I add specialty discs based on what I feel would best round out my bag. Overstable and understable midranges since I drive with mids a ton, lightweight putter (164g) for extra glide when the situation calls for it and easier anhyzer drives, overstable driver for utility shots and very strong headwinds, and once a month or so a MOLF for water holes.

I don't adhere to the left, straight and right discs for every speed class philosophy because I'm confident shaping a variety of lines with my core. I can throw all my discs fairly competently FH and BH which severely reduces my need for turnover discs, and I'm comfortable throwing any disc in my bag with a variety of different release angles. I can take the same JLS, OLF or quasar and make it hyzer, go straight, turnover, S curve, BH or FH roller, thumber etc.

 

[Frank Delicious]

I've got enough practice in with a variety of discs that now I don't really have a set bag as much as I use to. I tailor my bag to the course I'm playing in a tourney or if I'm just practicing, I load up on certain discs I want to throw. I do make sure (unless I am playing a really short course) I have a couple of controlled distance discs, a couple of fairway drivers (I put preds in this category even though they are pretty fast), a range of mids and a range of putters.

From there I think about what type of course it is. Is it open? Is it tight? is it long? is it short? Does the course usually have a lot of wind? What type of shots are common on the course? etc.

Then I assemble my bag. If I am prepping for a tourney I will get a couple of practice rounds in at the course and tweak the bag as needed.

 

[New013]

As of now I'm looking at my bag like this

Drivers:
Max D Driver - it goes really far but controllable + shapeable
OS Driver - utility disc, Tommys/Thumbers/FH's/Meathooks
Stable Driver - drives that have to finish left, wind fighter
Control Driver - shot shaper
Turnover Driver - drives that have to finish right

Mids:
Driving Mid - consistent disc, gives room for error, straighter shots, slight movement left or right
Placement Mid - shot shaper, hitting spots, approaching, big anny/hyzers

Putters:
OS Putter - upshots, flex shots, FH approaches
Driving Putter - short drives where accuracy is key, approaches
Putting Putter - only used for putting

Personally I don't feel the need for an OS mid, my OS putter and OS/Stable Drivers take care of all those shots. I also hardly ever carry a true distance driver, i'll sacrifice 20' for more control. As of now my Max D driver is either an Opto River or P-PD.