[Putters] Salient Touch Putter

[DikkaD]

Do you use boob tape to keep that hoodie on. It's amazing.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

Short hair bro! its like Velcro.

also map of distance/area:

http://tinyurl.com/otjtyb9

 

[tbird888]

Got mine today as well and was able to give them a few tosses. The thing I noticed from throwing this initial 18 is the skip/slide. I swear I was getting another ten feet after it had hit the ground. I even had a couple skips that made me swear I was throwing a driver. My PA2s have some serious competition...

zj hit the nail on the head with the plastic comparison. Stiff but nowhere near G9i and nice and flat. Reminds me of a big bead Challenger in hand. Definitely more rounded than my Wizards. Will go more in depth after I get a little more time with them.

I've been throwing the Touch a lot lately, and in that time it has replaced the PA2 in my bag as the overstable complement to the Opto Pure. I was a little put off by the extra microbeads initially, but they don't bother me off the tee. The PA2 (and the PA4) in premium plastic feels like it has a bit of a concave inner rim, and I was never happy with it, feel-wise, despite liking the flight so I'm glad to find a more comfortable mold to take its place.

The plastic (mine are green), like every mold I've tested from Salient, is wonderful. I know it's a minority opinion, but I prefer firm, slick putters in baseline plastic (premium's a different story). After a good amount of time, they soften just right and develop a great grip that no soft plastic can come close to matching. I've talked to Scott and was told they're softening the plastic for the next release, but I hope this blend gets at least a limited release, possibly in the summer when soft putters get too soft like Vibram does with Softober. This particular blend reminds me of a "driver Pro" more than KC Pro. If the FR Omega AP Big Bead were firm, I think it would feel like this plastic. After a month of regular use at the gravel pit I call a home course, the plastic has scarred a little, but it's proven to be pretty resilient overall. No big gashes or chunks that I've seen from some of the newer firm baseline plastic (*cough* 350S *cough*).

When it comes to putting, the beads unfortunately aren't comfortable enough in my putting grip that I do bring my regular Wizard along. My index finger just doesn't feel like it's making decent contact with the disc. I do throw second putts with them quite often, however, and I've found they putt very similar to my current G9i Wizard (been in the bag since they were released and quite beat up). On longer, tight anny putts, there's enough stability to make the disc flatten and fade without much lateral movement. I know they usually are made in general, but I rarely miss the second putt with them.

Where this mold shines for me is off the tee. For my power, I'm not seeing any turn, and I don't have to throw it different (than the Pure) when it has to finish more right (southpaw here) than the Pure is capable of. It's been mentioned that the microbeads help slow the fade, but I think there's a decent amount of glide with it. The microbeads might slow the fade, but they don't take it away completely. It does have a forward fade to it that is stronger than the Envy but less than I've seen from the stable-overstable putters I've thrown. I'll have to take one out to test, but I have a feeling (surprise, surprise) it'll be similar to the Challenger. Initially I was noticing this disc skipping like crazy, almost driver-like, and I'm sad to report that is no longer the case. It does still slide like I mentioned in my first impression though so hit and stick is not happening with this disc.

As of right now, the Touch is in the bag. The microbeads, while they don't bother me much, could wind up finding it benched if I come across another mold that's a bit more conventional feeling. While I like that Salient is going a little unconventional with their mold designs, it does tend to bring about either a love or hate reaction. While the microbeads are a bit problematic for me, they also make me wonder how much longer the disc will retain its flight because of them. Being heavily invested in Opto Pures, I'm hoping it holds for a long time. I will more than likely try to replace the one I'm bagging now with a Liquid or Cryo so I may not have it in the bag long enough to find out.

 

[preracing25]

A ton of good info in there TBird thank you very much.

 

[DikkaD]

Damn tbird breathe!

 

[tbird888]

Me

 

[Aim For The Chains]

Liquid premium plastic touch came in a slightly opaque yellow not as clear as some of the other liquid discs I have had previously but nice grip and maybe a little more firm but that could just be the fact its a putter. Actually has less HSS than the baseline run with a touch more glide and different from what you would expect with a premium vs baseline plastic comparison. The molds do not look much different from the profiles but assume the texture and slight improvement of the overall molding quality from the prototype baseline versions I threw might have something to do with the change in stability. Its not drastic but noticeable on full power drives where the baseline runs don't flip much at all and fly stable like a wizard or ion while the liquid premium plastic flip to flat and don't fade as hard. Nice driving putter for sure and even could see using it for a putting putter with good grip of the liquid plastic blend.

 

[kilgus]

So far I agree, between the original test blend Cam Todd Touch, Karbon and now Liquid Version they each have a good varying degree of grip and stability. Test blend Touches are the most stable followed by the Karbon and Liquid. I'm impressed with the low fade of the Liquid version for drives and approaches.

 

[preracing25]

I am right there with both of you. The liquid version give you a different feel while almost acting like a broken in CT Test Touch right out of the box.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

yep! my first throw I thought maybe I released it weird or something. 2nd one confirmed it wasn't me but the disc was basically a nice seasoned touch. Sneaky long with the little high speed turn.

 

[WhiteyBear]

Category: Putters, premium plastic
Product: Salient Touch, liquid plastic

Additional thoughts/info:
"Liquid" plastic is very nice to the touch: grippy, very flexible (makes me wonder how it will feel in the summertime), and easy to release. Several small micro-beads lead up to the big bead on the bottom of the disc, assisting with low end stability, as per Salient. Very much the same feel as Karbon plastic, concerning fit and form.

Plastic can be bent with ease. However, I did not notice much skip, which to me is a good thing.

Liquid variations are going for a suggested retail price of $18.

Good alternative to test if you like ESP FLEX Challengers, or any premium plastic Challenger (Titanium may be not the best comparison). Not as forgiving as the Fusion Judge, but straighter for longer distances. I would use this putter for wooded approaches, and straight lines, much like I would use a DX Aero. Although, with the Aero, you will get more glide and less forgiveness with your form.

Overall, an improvement over their base plastic, something that is worth comparing to my Lock Jaw for approaches.


Overall Grade: B+
Overall Value: C+ (a little pricey at $18 suggested retail)
Closest Competitor, in style; ESP Flex Challenger
Closest Competitor, in price range; Fusion Judge

Reasoning; I think the price point is a still little high for these discs. The Pre-Sale from GGGT was probably a couple bucks cheaper, and people should've jumped on that. I'd like to see this plastic a little firmer, as it is very pliable even in cold temps (40's).

Bottom line = good alternative if your Judge is too stable, or your Challenge flips too much, PnA Aviars or a Lock Jaw (if you're used to a lid). I do like this disc, and I believe newer to intermediate players will think so right off the bat. For ADV and higher levels, this could be a long anny disc. Now for some beauty pics...

Video review is uploading now...

 

[WhiteyBear]

Here's the video...

 

[preracing25]

Great job WB. We appreciate the time and effort you put into your great videos. THANK YOU!

 

[jswoods1984]

I have been tossing my Liquid Touch for a few rounds now and this is what I've found.

Plastic: this plastic is feels much nicer in the hand to me than the test plastic. I hear people say that they like the grip on the test plastic, but it's waaay too slick for me. This plastic gives the perfect combination of grip and gumminess that I look for in a premium putter. Mine appears to have molded a little flatter than the test plastic as well which I like.

Flight: I agree that these are a fair amount straighter than the test plastic off the tee, could compliment each other well for drives. Flies very similar to the Wizards I was trying out before I got the lockjaw. It seems to get a fair amount more distance than the lockjaw though, this keeps going when the lock jaw loses steam and drops.

Altogether, I'd say that the mold itself is solid, and may or may not find a place in my bag (generally I like texture on the top of my putters, either rings or thumbtracks). The plastic is great though, and I hope to see the same plastic used in the lockjaws in the near future.

 

[Moose33]

Just got two Liquid Touches, one 174 and one 172, and they are excellent. They look just like WBs red ones, and there is a slight swirl to the plastic unlike the previous liquid line discs I have, it's not as clear but the feel is the same.

I really like the feel, it's grippy and flexy yet firm and Will hit and stick much better than any premium plastic I've had.

Off the tee it's got a little more turn, and perhaps a touch less fade than the CT proto version. I found that the proto plastic once damp was very hard to grip, especially while playing in the Northwest this summer. That is a total non issue with the liquid and I actually like them quite well for putting also, it's just made a very good disc into a must have.

 

[preracing25]

Just got two Liquid Touches, one 174 and one 172, and they are excellent. They look just like WBs red ones, and there is a slight swirl to the plastic unlike the previous liquid line discs I have, it's not as clear but the feel is the same.

I really like the feel, it's grippy and flexy yet firm and Will hit and stick much better than any premium plastic I've had.

Off the tee it's got a little more turn, and perhaps a touch less fade than the CT proto version. I found that the proto plastic once damp was very hard to grip, especially while playing in the Northwest this summer. That is a total non issue with the liquid and I actually like them quite well for putting also, it's just made a very good disc into a must have.

It seems most people have reported the same flight with the liquid plastic vs the CT plastic. The liquid is much straighter with a little more turn out of the hand and a little less fade when it slows down.

 

[Moose33]

It seems most people have reported the same flight with the liquid plastic vs the CT plastic. The liquid is much straighter with a little more turn out of the hand and a little less fade when it slows down.

Good sign of consistent Scott, and I'm loving that disc. How are the Karbons? Are they similar to the CT Proto runs or softer? I really like that Triceratops stamp.

 

[preracing25]

Good sign of consistent Scott, and I'm loving that disc. How are the Karbons? Are they similar to the CT Proto runs or softer? I really like that Triceratops stamp.

They are a tick softer but the flight is pretty much the same as the CT Touch. I personally love the karbon touches as my primary putter.