[Innova] Thunderbird

[hugheshilton]

I've been messing with Thunderbirds in multiple plastics, PDs in a couple, a Fortress and a Culverin. So far, the one I grab the most is my Halloween Thunderbird. It's not as OS as the stock run Star, yet still gives me that nice fade at the end when I need it. PDs are on the shelf-I hate the top. Culverin, eh I just don't know yet. My Fortress needs some decent wind in my face to be useful, and we just haven't had a windy summer down here.

:hfive: A 2015 Halloween Star Thunderbird has been my go-to fairway for quite a while now. Great flight and distance potential, good wind fighting ability, and very reliable. I should pick up another couple of them while they're still around.

I was just out this morning throwing temp holes on a course I'm playing a tournament at this weekend, and brought along several worked in Teebirds. I'm glad I did because they were the right choice for several shots. Basically, I can get a similar distance to my Thunderbird, maybe not quite as far, but with a much straighter line. I don't have a Thunderbird beat in enough to do that dead straight shot. I can make my Thunderbird fly straighter if I really power up on it, but then it's going closer to 400 feet than 350 and the extra power required makes my throw a little less reliable.

 

[hugheshilton]

And just like that I have ordered 2 more 2015 Pumpkin Star Thunderbirds off eBay. Still pretty much stock prices too: $18 each shipped (not quite DGC discount prices but quite reasonable). Now I just have to keep myself from buying up the rest of what's available as a stockpile. They certainly last long enough; I really don't NEED 10 of them...

 

[PMantle]

9 left at Marshallstreet.

 

[hugheshilton]

9 left at Marshallstreet.

They're all the black ones though. I can't stand black discs; they're just made to be lost. The 2 I got were both orange and there are more oranges on eBay. MST and DGC both have some blacks if anyone actually wants them though.

 

[PMantle]

Ah, gotcha. Yeah, mine is orange.

 

[slowplastic]

I guess I kind of get black for halloween discs...but other than that (and purely putting putters) I don't understand why any company would run black discs or camo/snot-green. You don't have to be an experienced player to know that they are going to be impossible to find if they are more than 15' away.

 

[SD86]

I guess I kind of get black for halloween discs...but other than that (and purely putting putters) I don't understand why any company would run black discs or camo/snot-green. You don't have to be an experienced player to know that they are going to be impossible to find if they are more than 15' away.

Exactly. They'll be happy to sell you (plural) a replacement disc when you lose that black or cameo (or tie/dye) disc.

 

[t i m]

I'm in the exact same boat. I just like teebirds better and there's not enough of a difference. Thundys are my favorite water disc, which is kinda sad...

Ditto. Thunderbirds are amazing water discs... I throw them on water shots when I don't want to risk a Teebird. and so far, no Thunderbirds have gone swimming. Consistent and affordable--exactly what you want in a water disc.

 

[Monkeypaws]

Best over the water disc for me is the DX Thunderbird.

a. It doesn't get flippy until it is rubbished.

b. They are cheap and easily replaceable.

c. They are perfect for that 250-300 foot slot for mere mortals.

 

[PMantle]

DX Eagles/Teebirds for my water shots.

 

[plastic cannon]

I love Thunderbirds, but I couldn't keep them in my bag. There wasn't enough of a difference to Teebirds for me and the extra 15 feet wasn't enough to justify them. I think I have a Teebird problem.

 

[slowplastic]

The Thunderbird is becoming one of my favourite forehand discs. It has the reliability of a distance driver, with the finish of a strong fairway. It's definitely taken a lot of shots away from from my Firebird, Felon, and Destroyers and is my go to in the 280-330' FH range when I need a straight shot that doesn't leak left. This shot I feel the Thunderbird gives me a clear confidence advantage over the Teebird.

 

[Yxebrew]

I have turned over my thunderbird, but it takes a vicious head wind. And even then it didn't burn, it slowly worked right. It's not as long as my teebirds but I can lean on it and not worry about it turning, even in moderate wind. But it's so much more workable than my firebird, especially at my arm speed. I don't throw it all the time, but I love this disc.
I have two g*, one in my bag and a back up. They have very similar flights

 

[esc1]

I've had three thundies and now I'm down to one. Left one on the course and sent another into the drink. Seems I'm only good at losing them and no one is good at returning them either. Other than a little more skip, no real reason for me to throw it with my Teebirds. Gone back to the Orc as my control driver.

 

[Stable]

I've had some time to really give my opinion on this mold. It's awesome and has become a big part of my game. I've got a Luster Champion and a Star (both 175) and they are both really OS. In a workable way. The Luster is strictly a FH disc for me now and it is so predictable in the 300-375' range. I can really lay into it and never worry about it flipping or straying from the line. The Star is now my main OS backhand distance driver. I get the same distance BH with it as I do my Wraiths except it's just easier to control and more comfortable to grip. The high glide on this mold is really noticeable. It's described as a longer Teebird but they are more OS than that I think. I've read it described as being between a Teebird and Firebird in stability and that sounds right.

 

[Moose33]

I have one of those crazy good DX ones that almost feel like stiff KC Pro, and it's money. I don't use it much for fear that it will be lost(and I've heard they no longer have that plastic), but on holes where you need a disc to go straight to fade and go pretty far, it's really good.

 

[SaROCaM]

I've had some time to really give my opinion on this mold. It's awesome and has become a big part of my game. I've got a Luster Champion and a Star (both 175) and they are both really OS. In a workable way. The Luster is strictly a FH disc for me now and it is so predictable in the 300-375' range. I can really lay into it and never worry about it flipping or straying from the line. The Star is now my main OS backhand distance driver. I get the same distance BH with it as I do my Wraiths except it's just easier to control and more comfortable to grip. The high glide on this mold is really noticeable. It's described as a longer Teebird but they are more OS than that I think. I've read it described as being between a Teebird and Firebird in stability and that sounds right.

This is very similar to my experience with the Thunderbird. At first I got one to use for Teebird-like shots in windy conditions. Then I went from having one Thunderbird to 4 of them: 2 Champs for most FH and workhorse duties, a Star for dependable backhand drives, and a Pro that I've been able to get out to 330' FH with a straight flight to mellow fade. Thunderbirds have taken a lot of shots where I used to throw Teebirds. I still carry Teebirds for straighter finishes and easier to range shots; Thunderbirds for more finish and distance; Firebirds as the OS/utility bookend. Throwing Thunderbirds more often has coincided with me throwing FH more often. I used to throw FH only when necessary; now I throw them almost half the time.

 

[Truwaco]

I used to have a merlot f2 champion thundy that was soooo good. The plastic was slightly opaque. I keep trying to replace it, but none of the current plastic feels as good. I wish I knew what run it came from. I still bag a star and another champ. They both fly wonderful, but just don't have the magic the other one did. It flew every bit as far as my destroyers but with zero turn. Just flew laser straight with a slight fade.

 

[DiscinFiend]

I had to put Thunderbirds back in my bag. I still prefer C-Line PDs for forehand shots. I'm going to have to work on flicking my Thunderbirds. I just seem to flick my 3rd run PDs more consistently than Star/Champ Thunderbirds. I played in a doubles tournament at a golf course on Saturday. We tied for 2nd (advanced/open division) but lost in a playoff. It was VERY windy with water on about half the few holes. The first round I wanted to throw a 3rd run C-PD on quite a few tee shots. I didn't throw it because I don't want to lose it. I only have like five 3rd run C-Lines. The second round I put in a Champ & a Star Thunderbird. I knew they were easily replaceable so I actually threw them (plus I have backups). There was a peninsula green over water on a 485' hole. During the second round (in a tailwind) I parked it for a solo deuce with a max weight Champion Thunderbird. I solo deuced 4 holes the second round with a Thunderbird in 30+ mph winds. We went -5 the second round with the hottest second round of the tournament. Thunderbirds are definitely staying in my bag. They're easily replaceable & very consistent discs. I'm feeling a lot more confident in my game now that my bag is stock/easily replaceable, excluding some Star Destroyers.

 

[jfb3]

I carry two Thunderbirds. A Champ and a Champ Glow.

The Champ gets a little turn when thrown hard backhand and tends to turn too much to suit me when thrown on longer forehands especially in woodsy tunnel shots which is where I need a long straight line with a right finish.

The Glow Thundy is MUCH more high speed stable. It doesn't turn, at all.

I like the Thunderbird because it glides well, feels fast out of my hand, and is pretty dependable.
It's more dependable than the Culverin, H3, or Saint Pro (even in Opto Moonshine). The Thundy has a more forward penetrating fade than a H2 and doesn't require as much arm speed. The H2 seems to just dump hard at the end.

I love the fact that I can throw it like a TeeBird and it'll go significantly farther.

It's the best control driver I've tried so far. Power it up and reach out near distance driver length without having to worry about skipping off the fairway. Forehands that go a long way without much run-up if I'm stuck in a bad position. It'll handle wind. It's one of the molds I plan on cycling for a full range of stabilities. If I stop losing them...