[Innova] TL as replacement for seasoned Teebird?

[SD86]

I've tried C-FD's before and didn't like them. They were straight, but they seemed to lack glide and distance. This is going to be a replacement for my main driver that I use on about 50% of my tee box shots, so I want to be able to get some good distance out of it..

This is interesting, and I wonder which run of FDs you have/had. I have two Factory Second C-Line FDs and one regular S-Line FD. Both the C-Line FDs were a little less stable than my TLs and had great glidey day distance. I was using my FDs as a more understable compliment to my TL, and likely will again after I finish experimenting with my Icon Patriot...

 

[skurf]

Wow. That is kinda surprising. I throw Teebirds and carry one FD for flips and anny's. It clearly gets me more distance and glide than all my Teebirds.

Yeah, I dunno. Other people have had similar reactions when I told them how the FD flew for me. Maybe I just had a weird run or something. It's basically the disc I was most disappointed in and was the shortest (non-overstable) driver I've thrown. It just seemed to fall out of the air straight down instead of getting that continual glide.

 

[mgamache8]

I want it to flip up to flat and go straight. Even having a little bit of turn in it after it flips up for some extra distance would be nice, but I definitely don't want it to turn over and start tracking right (RHBH) for an extended period.[/QUOTE]

Then I'll throw my personal favorite for this: Opto River

Admittedly, I don't have one in my main bag(that's what I have beat Teebirds for, coincidentally). But I do have one in my backup bag(which I play most of my casual rounds with) and love it. If my US Teebird went MIA, then I wouldn't have any sort of problem filling in with my rivers in a tourney. They start off pretty straight, but get US quickly(20-30 tree hits) and just stays there. Then it's the perfect disc for that hyzerflip to straight shot

Honorable mentionsfrom most US to OS)
C-FD
Champ Leo3
Gstar T3(a very mellow Teebird with a little turn)

 

[Inverted]

Yeah, I dunno. Other people have had similar reactions when I told them how the FD flew for me. Maybe I just had a weird run or something. It's basically the disc I was most disappointed in and was the shortest (non-overstable) driver I've thrown. It just seemed to fall out of the air straight down instead of getting that continual glide.

Bummer. Well I hope you try one again. Maybe Star or even GStar.

 

[dysmike]

Bummer. Well I hope you try one again. Maybe Star or even GStar.

That's how the GStar FD I tried was. Don't know why.

 

[DanJon]

I would suggest a Star TL in the low to mid 160's.

Even better if it's on the flatter side.

Like others have said (and if you don't mind G-Star) then you could try a TL3.

 

[skurf]

Is GStar like FLX? FLX always felt too flimsy for me.

 

[Brodysseus]

I've been throwing FDs for this slot on and off for awhile now. But nothing flies a dead straight line from a slight hyzer like an 8/10ish Star TL.

Star TLs are among the discs I randomly moved away from but that I should actively be moving back towards.

 

[DanJon]

Is GStar like FLX? FLX always felt too flimsy for me.

It's somewhat similar. I personally don't like G-Star all that much, although it's great in WI winters. With that said, I prefer the feel of it versus FLX. It seems to have a bit more stiffness in the rim, while still being gummy in the flightplate.

 

[FlipFlat]

My choice for this shot is a stiff domey pro leopard they are beefier then even a champion leopard (definitely not the norm) and also are more durable then the softer flat pros that start of flippy and turn into rollers kinda fast. This is the only mold I have found to be like this in the narrow rim drivers department usually flat=more beef and champion = more beef.

 

[bhadella]

Star TL or GStar Teebird are both solid backups for a beat in Teebird. I think a GStar is closer in flight as it still doesn't really turn but just has very little fade.

 

[DeadEye]

I use two TLs for my fairway drivers. A slightly flippy one and a stable one, and I absolutely love them. I honestly prefer the "L" wing and flight rather than the concave wing shape, allows for a smoother flight and a better finish. Both the ones I use are super early champ, one is a swoosh stamped CE, the other feels just like it but is a CFR from pre-2010.

 

[skurf]

So I ordered a few discs to try out:
Star TL
Champ TL
G-Star Teebird
Stiff X-Link Vamp (threw a friend of mine's a while back and liked it)

We'll see if any of these make the cut. If not, I'll order another round.

 

[rdnckdisc]

If none of those work which im sure one will, another option is a pinnacle patriot. this is what ii used while breaking in teebirds for that kind of shot..worked well i still bag it incase i lose my seasond bird or tl

 

[jskew113]

^I think a good Pinnacle Pat could be a good choice as well. I have an old heavy aqua Pinn that did remind me of a beat TB. Stiff heavy Icon might work as well. Just depends on the run/ plastic/ color.

 

[Micah511]

a fresh champ leopard3 could fill that for you, and someone else already mentioned FD, so those are probably worth a try to. Im also a fan of the polaris LS for this type of shot.

 

[PocketSand]

If none of those work which im sure one will, another option is a pinnacle patriot. this is what ii used while breaking in teebirds for that kind of shot..worked well i still bag it incase i lose my seasond bird or tl

^I think a good Pinnacle Pat could be a good choice as well. I have an old heavy aqua Pinn that did remind me of a beat TB. Stiff heavy Icon might work as well. Just depends on the run/ plastic/ color.

Also came to recommend Pinnacle Patriot.

 

[Puckstopper]

I had a nicely seasoned Champion 12x Teebird that I recently lost. It took years to get that Teebird seasoned to the point that I liked the most. I could hyzer-flip it on about a 30 degree angle, have it flatten out, and it just seemed to glide straight forever with an easy fade at the end.

Mmmm, I love the beautiful flight of a well-seasoned Teebird that you're describing. Even though I throw Champ Teebirds for accurate medium range thumber shots I've never managed to beat one into that perfect flight. For me, until recently, DX Teebirds had been the only option to achieve this. I didn't complain, because I had a pair of beautiful swirly DX 'birds that I loved throwing, but I've gotten to the point where I'm overly selective about where I throw them to keep from beating them in too far. There was a time where I thought my First Run Volt could fill the slot, but it didn't have enough LSS to throw it flat, and had too much fade when thrown on a hyzer. I tried a Star TL3, but the flight wasn't quite the same and it didn't show any signs of beating in to what I wanted it to be. My brother's lightly beaten in (1 year old) Champ TL was closer, but still not perfect, and like you I didn't want to spend forever beating something in. So I'd kind of given up until I found...

An Axiom Crave might be something to consider. They've got decent HSS with less fade than a TeeBird.

^^Bingo! The Crave gives me the flight of a beat DX 'bird with significantly more durability. I don't throw it from as deep a hyzer, but it gives me a disc that I have confidence in throwing in tighter corridors than my 'birds due to the increased durability, and a disc I'm willing to throw more often, because I can replace it easily. I just started throwing the Crave at the very end of last season, so I'm still working to learn it, but I have high hopes that I'm done cycling DX 'birds.

 

[SD86]

I tried a Star TL3, but the flight wasn't quite the same and it didn't show any signs of beating in to what I wanted it to be.

WHERE did you get a Star TL3?!?!?! I'd love to get one of those.... opcorn:

 

[Mr. Butlertron]

^^Bingo! The Crave gives me the flight of a beat DX 'bird with significantly more durability. I don't throw it from as deep a hyzer, but it gives me a disc that I have confidence in throwing in tighter corridors than my 'birds due to the increased durability, and a disc I'm willing to throw more often, because I can replace it easily. I just started throwing the Crave at the very end of last season, so I'm still working to learn it, but I have high hopes that I'm done cycling DX 'birds.

Having the Crave available in lower weights is nice too. I'm still on the fence after messing around with a few 150 class Craves for this last month. They seem like a good fresh dx TeeBird or a shorter seasoned premium TeeBird substitute; however, my beat dx TeeBirds are much too flippy to hold the same low lines as the Craves I've been using. The lighter dx could be to blame for the differences in opinion between us.

Either way, it takes a while to season up a fresh premium TeeBird, which is the bane of every TeeBird thrower's existence. Craves are a decent alternative right out of the box, even if they're not as long.