[Question] Puddle Top Discs

[dwalk77]

What are your experiences with puddle top discs?

I ordered a few discs recently, and I think the heat of the summer must have warped them while they were in transit. The picture online beforehand showed either a slight dome or a flat disc, but when I received them they had a concave shape.

Is there a consensus on how this affects the flight of the disc, or will it just be more inconsistent as to what it was designed to do? Not sure that it matters, but the discs I got were a Zone, a Buzzz SS, and an EMAC Truth

I've read you can fill them with boiling water to flatten them back out, but I wanted to understand what I currently have before I try that.

 

[kevdiv48]

have you thrown them yet? do you have non-concave versions on hand to compare them to?

Lots of variables go into it but generally more concave discs will have less glide. for a disc like a Zone that is not designed to go far, it is a plus. for others it is less desirable.

 

[R-Ogre]

Puddle top zones are money

 

[ray1970]

Puddle top zones are money

This. Two of my favorite Zones are both puddle topped.

Not sure how I would feel about a Buzzz or Truth though.

 

[dwalk77]

have you thrown them yet? do you have non-concave versions on hand to compare them to?

Lots of variables go into it but generally more concave discs will have less glide. for a disc like a Zone that is not designed to go far, it is a plus. for others it is less desirable.

Gotcha, thanks. I've thrown the Zone and the Buzzz SS a few rounds, but not a significant amount yet. So far the Zone seems to be a fairly similar in flight to a typical Zone, but the Buzzz SS seems to be less consistent than my last one. I haven't noticed a specific pattern with it yet, maybe it is the glide. Unfortunately I lost my last one so I can't throw it side by side with a normal one, but I'll see if I notice any patterns with it going forward.

 

[seedlings]

Thought the Berg was 'the' puddle top disc!

 

[oldmandiscer]

Gotcha, thanks. I've thrown the Zone and the Buzzz SS a few rounds, but not a significant amount yet. So far the Zone seems to be a fairly similar in flight to a typical Zone, but the Buzzz SS seems to be less consistent than my last one. I haven't noticed a specific pattern with it yet, maybe it is the glide. Unfortunately I lost my last one so I can't throw it side by side with a normal one, but I'll see if I notice any patterns with it going forward.

If it's an overstable disc like a Zone, then no worries. But a straight to understable disc I would not want a puddle top.

Dome is good for most discs. Flat or puddle tops will act more squirrelly, turn faster and unpredictable. But with the OS disc it's a non factor since it's not thinking about flipping at all.

 

[jdw80550]

My favorite putters are all puddle top.

 

[Mocheez]

Thought the Berg was 'the' puddle top disc!

Jay Reading would disagree with you.

 

[seedlings]

Jay Reading would disagree with you.

Yeti Aviar?

 

[Mocheez]

Yeti Aviar?

Yes, the yeti is designed with a puddle top too. Both great discs!

 

[ArtemisClydFr0g]

I throw a puddle top Luster AviarX3. It has less glide and more fade than my flat top Star AviarX3. I swap the Star in during the winter because it's softer and basically gives me the same flight in the cold weather as the Luster does in the warm.

 

[Dubbsy]

My favorite roller disc is a puddle topped cryztal avenger ss from 2014. I can and have swapped it with a regular avenger ss when there is a chance of loss, but i don't have the same confidence with it.

When i was putting with swans the more puddly the better as well.

 

[ian.w]

Got a couple of aviar driver molds in recently(nexus and xt) and both are puddle top. Kinda weird honestly as every other BB aviar I've held in the last 15 years has been perfectly flat(except yetis which are advertised as such). A little disappointed honestly. Not to mention that the "nexus" driver is just galactic KC pro material. Doesn't feel like any nexus I have ever felt. Straight from innova as well. I kinda wish they had better descriptions on their site.

 

[feelinlucky]

Puddle top usually means less glide in my experience, I use puddle top approach discs (Exo Hard Tactics / BT Hard Harps) and they are very reliable. Also I putt with Yetis and they tend to just drop out of the sky once they lose momentum so I rarely find myself with a long comeback putt if I miss.

 

[GoobyPls]

The -X plastic Harps are puddle topped. They don't quite fly as far as other Harps, but that's a good thing

 

[Ash435]

Puddle top zones are money

I have a 168g puddle top X Soft Zone which is just as overstable as my max weight ESP Zone but has supreme grip and is a bit easier to throw. It looks like a Berg! Sadly irreplaceable it would seem which is why I'm always looking for a non-Discraft replacement. (Spoiler: it's still in the bag but I panic if I think I might lose it)

 

[Lemur]

The -X plastic Harps are puddle topped. They don't quite fly as far as other Harps, but that's a good thing

As in the VIP-X Harps? Based on your description I'm assuming they have less glide and are more stable.

 

[Three Putt]

Yes, the yeti is designed with a puddle top too. Both great discs!

So concave top discs are what we call puddle tops now? Puddle tops used to be discs that had a little divot in the middle above the nipple like 8X KC Rocs. Using the old terminology, the Yeti isn't a puddle top. It more like a whole pond.

Language evolves, so no biggie.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

So concave top discs are what we call puddle tops now? Puddle tops used to be discs that had a little divot in the middle above the nipple like 8X KC Rocs. Using the old terminology, the Yeti isn't a puddle top. It more like a whole pond.

Language evolves, so no biggie.

I yield to your knowledge of DG history (re: Puddle tops used to be discs that had a little divot in the middle above the nipple like 8X KC Rocs.)

But I've always heard the term puddle tops as referring to concave top (i.e the true opposite of domey), not merely to a small area above the nipple.

I wouldn't think a small divot/dimple about the size of the nipple would have much of an effect on flight, whereas you'd expect a puddle top "the size of a pond" as you put it, would almost have to impact the flight in some way.

But if back in the day, a dimple above the nipple was called a puddle top, I guess I can see that.