[Innova] Is the Katana like cheating?

[Myers]

I have jumped on the Katana band wagon. It took me from 400' consistently to 450 easy and on great throws I have hit 500'. I am a discraft man, but the katana has put Innova back in my bag.

I can release the champ Katanas on a slight hyzer and it will stand up and start turning right and just hold it for long time before it finally comes back. Can't say enough good about it.

 

[Emoney]

Im gonna have to get me one of those star "cheater" katanas. I love makin the open players mad. Also for everyones information,BARRY SHULTZ has thrown the kan-of-tunas and loves em,and prolly other pros as well. Finesse shots without max power are one of the biggest parts of the game when u get to pro level,and u will have more players with bad form if u give them a bag full of these popular overstable discs that have flooded the market. So all these players that have perfected there throws for xcals,boss,wraith,destroyer and all others that most rec and noobs cant throw are all mad because they flip these "cheater" discs into the dirt. Then a noodle arm grabs a tuna and outdrives them lol.Dont get me wrong,my wraiths and tbirds and boss's(fh) are here to stay but when i get into a wide open shot with a open player im a little more confident then i was before. Some ppl just drink tooo much "Hater"ade before there round

 

[zenbot]

Disc Company: We made a new driver that goes farther.
*DG community grumbles*

Disc Company: OK. We got the message. We made a new driver that doesn't go quite as far.
*DG community grumbles*

 

[NothinButChing]

u niced me is hilarious name :'(

 

[climbingbubba]

well i went and bought a pro katana. So far the jury is still out. I only threw it 7 or 8 times in a field so far but was only getting it 275ish. probably need to really focus on keeping the nose down. Ill go out later and throw it side by side with my stalker and compare the two. I think another thing that is throwing me off is the crazy wide rim. i throw with the fork grip so it feels a little wierd with that size rim.

 

[zenbot]

well i went and bought a pro katana. So far the jury is still out. I only threw it 7 or 8 times in a field so far but was only getting it 275ish. probably need to really focus on keeping the nose down. Ill go out later and throw it side by side with my stalker and compare the two. I think another thing that is throwing me off is the crazy wide rim. i throw with the fork grip so it feels a little wierd with that size rim.

What did the throw look like?

 

[skinner21]

animators once thought that using computers to make movies was cheating too. Progress happens. Do any of your guys use a Valk or Wraith? Because the same thing you guys are saying about the Katana could easily have been said about those to discs when they came out.

 

[Frank Delicious]

mmmmm *slurp* oh yeah oh katana *slurp* you are sooo good.

 

[Frank Delicious]

well i went and bought a pro katana. So far the jury is still out. I only threw it 7 or 8 times in a field so far but was only getting it 275ish..

This disc is not for you.

 

[Jody Mitchell]

Yes, using discs to play disc golf is cheating.

 

[optidiscic]

The older pros I play with would categorize as aging players with great skills but diminishing arms....so the Katana has made them relevant again. It's funny cause I remember all the initial buzz on this site was anti-katana anti-noob chatter but now it seems like it's found it's way into a bunch of players bags..

 

[bettsjc]

CHEATING?!?! I think not. If I'm able to throw a disc 400+ feet accurately how is that cheating?

The Katana in CFR Champion plastic is a beautiful disc. I try to release this disc relatively flat and get some air under it for those long S-turns to maximize its distance.

The Katana in Star plastic is more a utility disc for me. Its great for shots around 350' with a low cieling...anything that is too long for my beat Sidewinder to get to.

I have yet to try a Katana in Pro plastic, but definately wouldn't do any good for my game once broken in...maybe for a long distance BH roller bomb. Pro Katana's are more suited for weaker arms looking for extra distance.

The shallow rim of the Katana has allowed me to have a more consistant release point. It's not a disc that I often griplock or early release.

I have experimented with some Nukes recently. Totally different discs, no doubt. Haven't turned over a Nuke yet, but sure I will once the few I have get a little more beat. But the Nuke holds a dead straight line for me over 300' and fades nicely at the end.

My current max distances with;
ESP Nuke; 410'
Star Katana; 390'
CFR Katana; 450'

Its not cheating to use these super fast and long drivers. The points have been made about the innovation of all sports equipment, and I believe its always for the betterment of the sport. The Katana is a PDGA legal discs, meeting all standards set forth by the PDGA. Everyone has the ability to aquire one now, so its not like its a secret or anything. Don't have a cow if you can't control it, can't bomb it or just don't see what's so special about it. I'm one who hasn't ever figured out the Boss...or the Stingray...or the Beast....or even the Teebird. I don't gripe about others using the disc well, nor do I consider people who use those discs cheaters. So why should this be any different? It's just like every disc out there. Some will master it, some will hate it. Some will use it as a crutch, and some will never have a clue what it can do for their game. Just like every other disc out there...

 

[zenbot]

Lousy Katana throwers.

*acetones off katana logo*

 

[cbeckett22]

"It's not cheating if you put peanut butter on your balls and let your dog lick it off."

 

[optidiscic]

Lousy Katana throwers.

*acetones off katana logo*

Prints on DX Leopard stampand lectures Noobs to learn to throw clean and flat for best results then throws quasi leopard 550 feet

 

[Terry C]

Agreed I'll throw teebird over katana if I need accuracy over distance.

This is basically how I feel about the Katana. When it flys good for me it amazes me, but I can only make it do what I want about 60% of the time. Some times it shanks off right or left and goes and goes forever making me upshot from very unpleasant places. I like Teebirds and other discs much more when I NEED to make an accurate shot. If I have a huge open fairway and no obstructions I get my Katana out and let it rip. I can see how if you are very consistent with the Katana you would love it for sure though. Its within legal specs,weight, and PDGA approved so I say you gotta love it. Its kind of like hating a Ferrari because its faster than a Chevy if you hate Katanas. If you can dial in the Katana for distance your game is most likely going to get much better.

 

[bcr123psu]

I'm about to dump my Katana from my bag. I've flipped a Star Valk out to 375' from a stand still, but my Star Katana is so insanely overstable that I can't get it to do anything but meat hook left.

 

[jrawk]

I'm about to dump my Katana from my bag. I've flipped a Star Valk out to 375' from a stand still, but my Star Katana is so insanely overstable that I can't get it to do anything but meat hook left.

Grab a pro 165ish.

 

[skurf]

The older pros I play with would categorize as aging players with great skills but diminishing arms....so the Katana has made them relevant again. It's funny cause I remember all the initial buzz on this site was anti-katana anti-noob chatter but now it seems like it's found it's way into a bunch of players bags..

I don't remember many people saying that. I waited till production runs came out to try them since I don't like paying 10 extra dollars for a disc. I loved the Pro Katana after my first throw, but the production run Star Katana was way too overstable for me.

I find it funny that you think it's like cheating. Is a Teebird like cheating because of the line it will hold no matter how hard you throw it? Is the Buzzz cheating because it goes too straight or maybe the XXX is cheating because it flies further than any other disc with a thumber. The Stratus is cheating because it's too easy to hyzer-flip around obstacles and the Flick is cheating because its skip is too large.

The thing with the Pro Katana is that it is actually quite risky to use it. I do get the furthest distance with that disc, but it's also the most angle sensitive and wind sensitive driver I have. There is much less room for error with it than any other driver I've thrown. If you're off by just 1 or 2 degrees on release your disc could end up 100+' off line. When I hit it right though, it's a thing of beauty.

 

[wolito]

On a different technique thread you said the same thing about the Katana as cheating. I would rather learn good form and be able to throw a disc just as far, yet to get there. I don't like taking shortcuts. If a new player uses it to throw 50 feet past me on a hole or two, I will still probably be able to make up the difference in score by using a very solid mid game and hitting my putts that I have learned from playing for a few years.