Mid selection for learning different angles

[MalejKugi]

Hey guys,

I have made some research before, but I am not that knowledgable yet for what should be in my bag and what each disc can do for me. Few weeks ago I lost my only midrange which I have been using a lot (it was my very first disk I felt comfortable throwing: M4 - 750 (Prodigy)), so I am looking for one or two mids that can help me grow a bit.

Vitals:
Years playing/experience: DG for like half a year, but playing once a week in average
Right/left-handed/ambidextrous: right-handed
Throwing Style: RHBH, some OH (more and more lately, but I want to revert this trend), RHFH is a work in progress
Golf Distance (avg/max*) for putter/mid/driver: Aviar 130 ft semi accurately, ceiling for my drivers would be around 240, further would be very inconsistent


Optional:
Age: 22
Sex: M
Injuries/handicaps?: Both knees surgically repaired, giving trouble sometimes (more often I would like to)
Other sport proficiencies?: Basketball
Specific areas of desired feedback: I started building my bag without much knowledge or help whatsoever and been adding some specific discs for trying new things. Have to admit, without mastering what I already have. I just need something I can grow with. Would also welcome suggestions to what is really missing/mispicked in my bag. Do not plan to buy any more discs than this


Bag:

Drivers (weight/plastic/model/(condition)/use). Just realized all of my drivers are Latitude64, it is just a coincidence:

Jade - Opto (Latitude64) - probably my primary driver. Though sometimes I do have trouble with drawing too much air, destroying my distance
Riot - Opto (Latitude64) - only when I feel confident. Somehow I feel like I do better with Jade
Explorer - Opto (Latitude64) - just for drives I need to turn left
XXX - Opto (Latitude64) -for thumbers, is becoming my most consistent shot selection and I feel bad about it. I am not confident at all to throw anything else with it

Mids: Been looking at Mako3 or Buzzz. I feel like I can make some turny approaches with my Aviar X3, so I would be looking either for one versatile disk or one as straight as possible (Mako3) - something that flies like a putter but gives me more distance and one understable like Meteor maybe? My forehand is trash so I would like to learn some anhyzers, since these are very needed at our local DG course

Putters:
Aviar - DX (Innova) - primary putter
Aviar X3 - DX (Innova) - secondary putter, but also a utility/turny approach disk

Overall, my technique leaves a lot to be desired, and my hands are very small for my size (being 6 feet tall). Also, I dont have much power in my shots, but that probably comes down to the technique a lot...

Thank you very much!

 

[Armus Patheticus]

Mako, meteor, dx rocs and sharks and cobras, comet, buzzz (and many more) are all very versatile discs. None of these have so much turn that they can't fly straight or hyzer lines, and all are excellent for turnover or anhyzer lines too. Any one of them will work fine, all you need is the time to learn them.

 

[MalejKugi]

That sounds like I do not need to have two midranges, i.e. one straight and one understable? Are these disks that versatile that over time I can accomplish it with only one mid? Thanks

 

[Armus Patheticus]

That sounds like I do not need to have two midranges, i.e. one straight and one understable? Are these disks that versatile that over time I can accomplish it with only one mid? Thanks

The most versatile discs are slightly understable. You can accomplish almost any flight with them. But it takes practice, and some measure of skill. Many mids will not be understable initially but will quickly become so. Like a dx Roc. Others are understable initially, but may become very difficult to throw on hyzer shots as they wear. These mids with lots of built-in turn are the least versatile and most inefficient over time. Something like an esp meteor or heavy dx shark will turn a little when new and remain functional for a wide variety of shots for a long time.

 

[MalejKugi]

Oh that is something I had no idea was a thing. Is it with all discs that they become more and more understable with time and wear? Could a solution be to have one primary mid that can become understable over time (anything mentioned before) - something like dx Roc or Buzzz and then have a very straight mid I will use once in a while for tunnel shots, so it preserves its flying characteristics (we have plenty here and I have been struggling so hard)? Or is it just an overkill and overcomplicating things, so just buy one and learn, because even tunnel shots are more about the technique than the disc?

 

[ThrowaEnvy]

Comet, Comet and COMET

Can't believe I'm first to mention it haha. It's coming...

Or X Comet, ESP Comet, Z Comet

If you spend a lot of time here you will likely throw one sooner or later.. Peer pressure.. If I was you I'd aim for sooner.

Ooh or:
167 X Comet, 174 ESP Comet, 180 Z Comet

 

[Pymm]

I love mids and bag a ton of them. My line-up looks much like the one that many have mentioned already: beat-in X Comet for US duties, ESP Comet for any line really depending on how you throw it, Buzzz SS for dead straight shots, Champ Roc3 for OS, and VIP Bard for beefier OS lines. I threw a Verdict for a long time and loved it but lost mine and tried a Bard, which I am really liking as the hand feel is simlar to my Buzzz SS and both are great forehand discs as well. I also bag a Pro Leo and a Kaxe Z, which are tweeners and are great discs, especially the Leo. Claymore and Mako3 are worth a look, too; I threw both for a long time. If I had to pick one mid and one mid only though, ESP Comet would be it. It's so versatile and glides a long way.

 

[ILUVSMGS18]

Comet, Comet and COMET

Can't believe I'm first to mention it haha. It's coming...

Or X Comet, ESP Comet, Z Comet

If you spend a lot of time here you will likely throw one sooner or later.. Peer pressure.. If I was you I'd aim for sooner.

Ooh or:
167 X Comet, 174 ESP Comet, 180 Z Comet

I can't agree more with what ThrowaEnvy said. I put off throwing a Comet for at least 5 years of my DG career, but now I always have 1 or more in the bag. If you don't like beaded mids though, a Meteor is an ok replacement.

 

[ray1970]

I think for what you're looking for in a mid the Mako3 would be an excellent choice.

It should do just about anything you tell it to do even with your current power/distance.

If you're looking for a mid specifically to use for turnover shots that go right, you might look at the Westside Tursas.

When I was starting out I leaned heavily on my mids and my go-to discs were a Warship and the Tursas. As I progressed, the Tursas came out of the bag because I could get the Warship to do whatever shot I wanted. These days I pretty much just use the MD3 as my go-to mid for everything. (Max weight, metal flake glow Iron Samurai)

 

[ThrowaEnvy]

Comet!

I don't think the meteor is a good choice, I used to like the disc but once you hit a certain power level it doesn't hold a true line it will turn so you go to little hyzer flips rather than a flat throw. I always wanted a rare Crystal Meteor though, I figured that would be good...(they didn't make it in Z) now they have production run Z.. Makes me curious because of previous good times but it's no Comet, I couldn't imagine going back.

You can also get a Comet in Glow Z plastic one of my personal favorites. Nice blend and you can play in the dark!

Always copied, never duplicated.. Get one and you can become....

A Cometeer!

 

[Armus Patheticus]

Comet!

I don't think the meteor is a good choice, I used to like the disc but once you hit a certain power level it doesn't hold a true line it will turn so you go to little hyzer flips rather than a flat throw. I always wanted a rare Crystal Meteor though, I figured that would be good...(they didn't make it in Z) now they have production run Z.. Makes me curious because of previous good times but it's no Comet, I couldn't imagine going back.

You can also get a Comet in Glow Z plastic one of my personal favorites. Nice blend and you can play in the dark!

Always copied, never duplicated.. Get one and you can become....

A Cometeer!

Comets turn too, after a while, even Z/Glow. But a little turn is good for versatility. A comet will fly in a unique way, but it will not unlock disc golf holes that any of a million other discs can't.

 

[ThrowaEnvy]

Comets turn too, after a while, even Z/Glow. But a little turn is good for versatility. A comet will fly in a !!!UNIQUE!!! way, but it will not unlock disc golf holes that any of a million other discs can't.

Yes, yes it does. Come over here, stand 2m (six feet away) and I will cut your tongue or fingers off for such blasphemy.

Sorry you forgot to capitalize unique. FTFY and added some flair, you don't have enough "flair"

I strike thee down in the name of the Cometeers !!!!!!
(And away I go on a frozen rope)

 

[Casey 1988]

From Innova.

I would pick the Star Spider, DX seems to be currently oop and for discs the slightly puffy Star compared to DX will work just fine for non putting needs. The mold is basically a lower profile wider wing version of a putter being the small diameter midrange, something nice as putters fly well for straight shots.

The other for more plastic choice is the Skeeter also a putter type shape disc, a disc that is in all plastics listed on standard Innova website except R-Pro. R-Pro and Pro disappeared from the Innova midrange lineup in mid 2010's sometime.

 

[ru4por]

From Innova.

I would pick the Star Spider, DX seems to be currently oop and for discs the slightly puffy Star compared to DX will work just fine for non putting needs. The mold is basically a lower profile wider wing version of a putter being the small diameter midrange, something nice as putters fly well for straight shots.

The other for more plastic choice is the Skeeter also a putter type shape disc, a disc that is in all plastics listed on standard Innova website except R-Pro. R-Pro and Pro disappeared from the Innova midrange lineup in mid 2010's sometime.

Per the Innova website, Star Spiders are out of production. AGAIN, do not come to help new players with misinformation, it is not helpful.

 

[Blobfish]

Hey guys,


Mids: Been looking at Mako3 or Buzzz. I feel like I can make some turny approaches with my Aviar X3, so I would be looking either for one versatile disk or one as straight as possible (Mako3) - something that flies like a putter but gives me more distance and one understable like Meteor maybe? My forehand is trash so I would like to learn some anhyzers, since these are very needed at our local DG course
...
Overall, my technique leaves a lot to be desired, and my hands are very small for my size (being 6 feet tall). Also, I dont have much power in my shots, but that probably comes down to the technique a lot...

Thank you very much!

There are so many options and I'm not going to try to steer you towards any particular one mold because you're clearly still getting your footing and what you like today could easily change tomorrow, but it sounds like you would benefit from a turnover shot since "My forehand is trash so I would like to learn some anhyzers"


You mention a meteor, and I think you'll like it, though I personally like the Sol better. The Sol is a tad smaller and has virtually no fade on it. Both of these discs will fly straight at really low power, and both of these will hold a decent anhyzer line at low speeds. You'll be able to hyzerflip both right away if you can get your drives up to 240 feet. Why that's good is that not only will you see the extra distance you pick up when the disc flips, you'll also get a long floating turnover (the big right turn you're seeking)
You can achieve similar results with the more versatile comet (like others have noted) but the comet also comes with a sharp bead (dealbreaker for me). You can put more power behind a comet and the comet responds well. You can learn a lot from a comet. A mako3 is a laser straight disc and it holds both hyzer and anhyzer lines. I used to swear by the mako3, but as I grew into the buzzz world, I left it behind. Now I use a stable (Z-flx) and understable (seasoned elite-x) buzzz combination for low to medium straight line shots and medium hyzer/anhyzer lines. For low speed anny lines and turnovers though, I still love my sol.

 

[Casey 1988]

Per the Innova website, Star Spiders are out of production. AGAIN, do not come to help new players with misinformation, it is not helpful.

Well in that case the Spider is completely out of production as you can't find DX either anymore. :|

Sorry I Made a mistake


Then I would pick just the Skeeter. It will be a good choice for Midrange.

 

[MalejKugi]

Ok, so I decided going for a BigZ Comet. Also will try DX Dart for shots where I want to power down a bit, more for like an approach since I feel like there are no tunnel shots where I need to "bomb" down the Mako3. Will see what works best for me. Thank you for your help, really appreciate it.

Also in the rage of buying new plastics, I am buying BigZ Thrasher as well. I cannot do with the Opto Riot, it acts too stable for me. I hope I will find something I can get some distance with in my Trasher even if my throws are not that powerful. Also considered LATITUDE 64 BOLT (Air) and MVP Catalyst. However I feel like Thrasher might be a good compromise. Any suggestions with the DD before I finally order it tomorrow?

 

[Casey 1988]

Ok, so I decided going for a BigZ Comet. Also will try DX Dart for shots where I want to power down a bit, more for like an approach since I feel like there are no tunnel shots where I need to "bomb" down the Mako3. Will see what works best for me. Thank you for your help, really appreciate it.

Also in the rage of buying new plastics, I am buying BigZ Thrasher as well. I cannot do with the Opto Riot, it acts too stable for me. I hope I will find something I can get some distance with in my Trasher even if my throws are not that powerful. Also considered LATITUDE 64 BOLT (Air) and MVP Catalyst. However I feel like Thrasher might be a good compromise. Any suggestions with the DD before I finally order it tomorrow?

If you like the Comet with high dome but wish a putter version of the Comet was out for putting, try a Lighting Rubber Putter from Gotta Go Gotta Throw. The Rubber Putter will be the closest disc you can find new to a Comet in a putter, the disc however is smaller diameter to work better as a putter then the Comet, the flaw to the Comet. No despite the name the Rubber Putter is not floppy, it just has Hi-flex for that disc that other then that is nearly baseline plastic that Lighting makes just more flex then other discs in the lineup, as most PDGA approved discs when the Rubber putter came out in mid 1980's were a stiff plastic.

The Dart will be a very useful disc. Want a OS Dart?, then a Larger 180 gram max Diameter Shark is close to the Dart, but only plastics that seem to work for putting that Innova makes the disc in are G-Star and DX and in fact that is currently the only plastic that the Innova company currently makes the Shark in. Shark 3 is not that close to a Shark as the dome helps the Shark be more putter like in float to the glide and the flat top to the Shark 3 make that a slightly OS Buzz type disc but not a full on Buzz OS.

 

[perklc]

If you find yourself wanting to like the Comet, but it just doesn't quite feel right in the hand, try a L64 Fuse.