[Vs.] Leopard vs. Leopard3?

[tbird888]

Just get a Pro Leopard.

This.

To add to this, you still have discs that are well suited to your ability and arm speed. Run from the discs forum. Run to the technique forum and start learning how to throw properly. It's not going to be a single watching/reading, and I'm throwing 500'. While it's fun to talk frisbees, you have a choice to make...talk about plastic or progress properly so you don't develop bad form habits that will lead to injuries.

 

[TripleB]

Base plastic is for putters and Rocs.

So you're saying the best Roc(3) is a DX Roc(3)? Wow...I'll have to remember that for the future - Thanks!

Run from the discs forum. Run to the technique forum and start learning how to throw properly. It's not going to be a single watching/reading, and I'm throwing 500'. While it's fun to talk frisbees, you have a choice to make...talk about plastic or progress properly so you don't develop bad form habits that will lead to injuries.

Thank you for this great advice!

I'm only 4.5 rounds in but what I've found each round is that when I start the round my throws are not horrible but very inconsistent and short...maybe because I'm trying to throw too hard or maybe just a little bit of nerves as I move into this new sport. Then I pull out the Pure 5 or 6 holes in, because I have all kinds of confidence in this disc, and because I know it's a straight flying disc I concentrate more on a smooth level throw. Then I start throwing other disc with this same smooth level throw and my results start getting better as my confidence builds therefore my throwing speed increases. Then I start paying more attention to what the disc is supposed to do in flight and I find myself start playing the right disc with the right backhand throwing motion (ie: "This TeeBird is going so far out there and then fade to the left which will work perfectly for the shape of this hole. I'll aim at the tree in the middle and it will start fading before it gets to that tree and will be heading towards the target." And I actually pull it off...one of the best feelings in the world!) and by hole 12 or 13 I'm playing good solid disc golf with a lot of pars with a birdie thrown in once in a while (3 birdie 2's so far).

I guess what I need to do, other than run from the disc forum and the online disc store, is learn to find that smooth motion from the beginning of my round. Hopefully that is something that will come in time and with experience. Again, thank you for the advice!

TripleB

 

[august dupree]

You're on the right track TripleB. Keep learing that smooth level throw with your Pure and then it WILL translate to your other discs like your Pro Leopard.

 

[thirtydirtybirds]

I just got a pro Leo, sweet disc. I still need to learn how to throw it, but it's a tunnel shot machine so far. And yes DX rocs (not roc3) are the best rocs

 

[plastic cannon]

This.

To add to this, you still have discs that are well suited to your ability and arm speed. Run from the discs forum. Run to the technique forum and start learning how to throw properly. It's not going to be a single watching/reading, and I'm throwing 500'. While it's fun to talk frisbees, you have a choice to make...talk about plastic or progress properly so you don't develop bad form habits that will lead to injuries.

Listen to this. If I had this kind of advice in the first year I was playing I would have saved myself a lot of struggle getting rid of poor throwing habits. I max out at around 450 now thanks to this board and taking advice from guys like Tbird.

Where they land is a different story....

 

[MrGlass01]

I'll echo pro leopard. That mold was made for pro plastic it shines in that plastic for sure. Glide's well holds up well really well you really should snag one and like said maybe one for your son as an upgrade when his breaks in too much.

A dx teebird and a pro leopard is a deadly one/two combo that anyone should be able to throw.

Have fun and practice. Oh and putt, putt well, putt often.

 

[TripleB]

I've been out several times with my Pro Leopard (after my 10 year decided he wanted my DX Leopard for his bag) and I just haven't found the love for the Pro Leopard that I had for my DX Leopard. It may be that my arm speed just isn't up high enough yet to get everything out of the Pro Leopard (which I think starts out more stable than the DX Leopard?) or maybe it just hasn't been beat in enough yet (although I've hit numerous trees).

Does anyone carry two different plastics of the same disc in order to cover different types of shots? I thought about adding a DX Leopard to the Pro Leopard in my bag since, for me, the flight and distance of the disc are a good bit different.

At one time I was thinking of adding a Latitude 64 River to my bag because of the straight as an arrow flight ratings. I thought it might be similar to my Lat 64 Pure but with added distance. I didn't know if a DX Leopard (or Leopard3) and Pro Leopard combo could cover that shot for my slower arm speed or not.

Thanks again to everyone's input!!!

TripleB

 

[august dupree]

A River is not going to give you anything that you are not getting from your Leopard (in any plastic). Keep working on your form and increasing your snap. It will come. Work on your grip. The grip is your engine room of your throw. It takes time to develop. I highly recommend trying to find a local pro that can give you a lesson. That will give you the opportunity to learn first hand what some of the foundational skills are and set you off on the right path without developing too many bad habits which are hard to undo later on. A pro can help you with things like grip and angles and footwork and developing snap.

 

[Lynn LeFey]

Does anyone carry two different plastics of the same disc in order to cover different types of shots?

This is pretty common. Not only carrying multiples of the same disc in different plastics, but carrying multiples of the same mold in the SAME plastic, but different states of wear. There's even a philosophy of bagging as few molds as possible, so you only have to be used to the 'feel' of a few discs while having a wide variety of performances.

I carry 2 Sidewinders. One is a Starlite 156g, and one is a Champion 175g. They are two VERY different fliers.

There's a pro named Philo Brathwaite that carries a stack of DX Rocs, something like 6 or 7, all beaten to various degrees to allow him to get the exact performance he wants from it. As they beat in more, he replaces the most stable, and retires the least stable.

 

[Lynn LeFey]

Sorry for the double post, but here's the 2016 'In The Bag' video for Philo. It should give you a great look at 'Mold Minimalism'.

He only carries Aviars, Rocs, Teebirds, Firebirds, and Destroyers, but multiples of each in different plastics and states of wear.

 

[august dupree]

There's also nothing wrong with being a mold maximalist. But until your mids are going at least 225-250 feet consistently, it makes it very hard to even know what you're dealing with and understable mids will fly stable to overstable and overstable mids will be very overstable. Leopards, Rivers, FDs etc won't really go any further than your mids and they will be harder to control.

 

[august dupree]

Keep throwing your Roc! Honestly. It WILL straighten out eventualy and as you start learning to throw harder on a head high line drive that goes straight for a good ways and then slows down and fades, come back and revisit the Leopard. Seriously, throw your Roc on almost every teeshot. Even if you don't think it is flying good for you right now. It won't be long. You are going to figure it out and it's going to click for you and you are going to say to yourself, "Ahhhhh Ha!" and that is when your search for the perfect disc is going to get REALLY bad. lol.

 

[slowplastic]

If you miss the DX Leo, get another. Keep throwing the Pro Leo, which likely flies like your DX Teebird, and it will work in as well. I feel the Pro Leo and DX Teebird are more similar in flight for someone throwing sub 300' than a DX Leo and Pro Leo, especially until it beats in. The farther you throw, the more different all of these discs will be. When I was throwing 280-300', and the Pro Leo was my first fairway, it was dead straight. But if I threw one with my current power it would definitely turn, so it depends on form level. They are good discs, but more stable than DX for sure even though the printed numbers are the same. Keep using it, let it beat in, and get the technique up.

I definitely bag multiples of some discs, some in different plastics and some in the same. You'll get to figure out what you like, and also find that just because the stamp is the same on some discs they don't fly the exact same. But sometimes they do. Got to learn how to pick them.

Also it's worth saying that many discs I have bought I didn't like at first, but I knew I would grow to adjust to them and they would also wear in. Especially if I try one that someone has had in their bag for 6+ months, then buy one brand new I know it won't fly like that until the new is knocked off of it. Once you've worn in a couple of discs you'll know what is the mold's long term characteristics, and what is the "fresh disc fade" or newness factor vs. how good you know it should fly after some rounds with it.

 

[TripleB]

My DX 167g Leopard3 has quickly become my go to driver...incredibly long and amazingly straight (although at times it tried to leak to the right). I can basically grip and rip it and it is my longest disc (finally getting it 280+ on a consistent basis)...even longer than my Star Tern, DX Beast (which turns over way too easily), DX Stingray, Star Stingray, and DX Valkyrie - probably longer than these because my arm speed isn't quite high enough for anything above the 7 speed yet. The only two disc that rival the distance I get with my Leopard 3 is my 175g DX Manta (yes, a 5/5 disc goes almost as far as my Leo3) and my 167g DX Teebird (which is basically a straight flying disc for me).

I'm thinking of trying the Leo3 in the Star (can't stand GStar) plastic...would the distance from the Star Leo3 be similar to the distance the DX gives me or will it be shorter?

Also, how would going heavier with the DX Leo3 effect the distance I get? Only asking because I see how far my 175g Manta flies as a speed 5/glide 5 disc and am wondering if the extra weight has anything to do with that.

Thanks for the help and advice!!!

TripleB

 

[SD86]

My DX 167g Leopard3 has quickly become my go to driver...incredibly long and amazingly straight (although at times it tried to leak to the right). I can basically grip and rip it and it is my longest disc (finally getting it 280+ on a consistent basis)...even longer than my Star Tern, DX Beast (which turns over way too easily), DX Stingray, Star Stingray, and DX Valkyrie - probably longer than these because my arm speed isn't quite high enough for anything above the 7 speed yet. The only two disc that rival the distance I get with my Leopard 3 is my 175g DX Manta (yes, a 5/5 disc goes almost as far as my Leo3) and my 167g DX Teebird (which is basically a straight flying disc for me).

I'm thinking of trying the Leo3 in the Star (can't stand GStar) plastic...would the distance from the Star Leo3 be similar to the distance the DX gives me or will it be shorter?

Also, how would going heavier with the DX Leo3 effect the distance I get? Only asking because I see how far my 175g Manta flies as a speed 5/glide 5 disc and am wondering if the extra weight has anything to do with that.

Thanks for the help and advice!!!

TripleB

Not sure about the weight issue. Generally a lighter weight disc should take less power to get up to speed, and would therefore get more distance, all else being equal. For me, the 160s-class discs go a bit farther than heavier discs, but some people with more power might prefer the higher weights. I'd say throw the weight range you're most comfortable with.

On the rest of it, I have a Champion Leo3; have not yet tried a Star Leo3. The premium disc shouldn't be significantly shorter than a fresh out of the box DX Leo3 of the same weight.

 

[slowplastic]

I'm thinking of trying the Leo3 in the Star (can't stand GStar) plastic...would the distance from the Star Leo3 be similar to the distance the DX gives me or will it be shorter?

Also, how would going heavier with the DX Leo3 effect the distance I get? Only asking because I see how far my 175g Manta flies as a speed 5/glide 5 disc and am wondering if the extra weight has anything to do with that.

Don't stress about a few grams. You are seeing that you can get great distance out of a disc that is slower, and heavier...shows right there that you are fully capable of throwing discs 170+ and getting good distance. Wing height/PLH matters the most, and often it is related to plastic variation. All things equal, heavier should be more stable. But most often all things are not equal, and as long as the discs are in a reasonable weight range, the wing height/PLH is number 1 for determining stability.

DX fairways bomb. There's no getting around that. I can probably throw a DX Teebird farther than any other speed 7 disc I've tried. For your current arm speed, maybe the DX Leo is that flight for you with -1/1ish stability and a ton of glide.

But, fairway drivers are used for control and consistency. I tend to sacrifice a bit of distance to go with premium plastic fairways, and know that I can throw a higher speed driver to get that distance back if I really need it, because I have the arm speed for it. For you, you have to answer the question of if you want the longest fairways you can throw, or do you want a still glidey disc but in premium plastic for consistency throw to throw and over time.

I have not thrown a DX Leo3 so I can't compare. But definitely all the star/champ Leo's or Leo3's I have thrown have been more stable than the DX Leo's. They do wear in eventually. If you can throw the Fairways 280' on average you should get a pretty straight flight. But how does you Pro Leo fly for you? Is it in the right stability range? I would expect a Star Leo to be more overstable than the Pro, so if the Pro is more stable than you want...then don't go to a star. I haven't thrown a Pro Leo for quite some time though.

 

[Alexplz]

Question on leopards vs leopard3s - I noted earlier in this thread people were saying leo3s are more stable all else held equal.

Let me pose with question though, what about a recent run of barry x2 champ leopard vs a recent run of JL leopard3, both 166-170g? I ask this because I've always thought of domey champ leopards as fairly beefy and comparable to a mellow teebird in flight.

 

[lines]

Question on leopards vs leopard3s - I noted earlier in this thread people were saying leo3s are more stable all else held equal.

Let me pose with question though, what about a recent run of barry x2 champ leopard vs a recent run of JL leopard3, both 166-170g? I ask this because I've always thought of domey champ leopards as fairly beefy and comparable to a mellow teebird in flight.

I bag both, including star leopards. I would say the champ 2x is the most overstable (similar to a beat tbird), the star is straight with a touch of turn as they beat in. The champ JL L3 is understable for me. If i throw it too hard it will burn. The L3 is not that good in the wind.

 

[Alexplz]

I bag both, including star leopards. I would say the champ 2x is the most overstable (similar to a beat tbird), the star is straight with a touch of turn as they beat in. The champ JL L3 is understable for me. If i throw it too hard it will burn. The L3 is not that good in the wind.

Thanks for the info - with this in mind I picked up a 2x champ leo 167g with a nice dome and loud heartbeat. Nothing like when the local mom n' pop disc store has exactly what you're looking for :thmbup:

Plan on building my form back up from the ground up this year and cutting the speed of my workhorse drivers in half from terns to:

-Champion Leopard 167g
-GStar Leopard 170g
-DX Leopard 171g

I used to throw a champ leo in the low 160s that flew just like a 8/10 DX teebird until I lost it. Super stoked to get back to throwing slow drivers, working on nose down, timing and pivoting on my heel with a staggered stance.

My bag will also consist of:

-FAF Champion Firebird 168g for OS utility

-Lucid Verdict 174g
-BigZ Buzzz 175g or a max weight Z Comet if I feel like the leopards steal shots from the buzz
-ESP Comet 171g

-BT Hard Harp 175g
-Classic Judges 5/10-8/10 171-175g
-Zero Hard Daggers 6/10-9/10 171-175g for putting


I then intend to reintroduce fast distance-driverish fairways like escapes, saints, hatchets or underworlds that don't overlap too badly with the speed 6 leos.

 

[DiscFifty]

To get clarity on this.... Leopard 6,5,-2,1 vs Leopard3 7,5,-2,1. Both discs thrown the same exact way, will I get more distance with the L3 or just more fade, or ???

Also...I'm revisiting my fairway drivers due to now that I have more power/snap I'm wondering what these slower discs are capable of. I'm throwing my G* Terns consistently out to 320-350 (with the occasional rip going further), but they need a bit of horizontal space on the fairway. I'm throwing TL3 and Thunderbirds to 280-300ft, and I use these for controlled shots with fade. What I'm hoping for with the Leo/Leo3 is a consistent 300ft+ shot, fairly straight with minimal horizontal movement. Finally...with the leos, will star or champ give me more distance compared to gstar? For wider rims I need to throw g*, but slower speeds I can throw star or champ. And if anyone cares to answer this question...how far can you throw a leo or leo3? Thx!