[Vibram] Vibram Lace Official Announcement

[Apoth]

I received my discs last week and had a chance to throw them over the weekend.

I got two discs, one 166g and 167g, and I really like the feel of the discs in my hand. It might be my imagination, but the rim on this disc doesn't feel as broad as some of the other wide-rimmed drivers which are all the rage these days.

I had the same thought re: rim width. I have a hard time with speed 13 discs, but not speed 12. The lace is closer to 13 than 12 but I don't have the same consistency issues. I think it's a result of the flex in the rubber that lets me get a good grip even though my fingers are stretched out a bit.

 

[justin]

I received my discs last week and had a chance to throw them over the weekend.

I got two discs...

Wow, that was well written and highly informative just like a certain webpage I used to visit frequently to read about courses before the days of DGCR. :clap:

 

[Tmart]

I believe Disc Outfitters uses the same step-by-step update system, but that's the only one I know of. As to the other comment about DGC, they only give a shipping confirmation. You are not made aware of its status before it ships like with Community.

On a Lace-related note, I had a dream I found two 150-class Laces in a parking garage last night. Didn't throw them, though. Good thing, because I throw a lot further in my dreams and I would have just gotten my hopes up.

An email that says its awaiting shipment is spam imo. I've placed 27 orders with DGC and every single one shipped exactly when I expected it to per their shipping policy. Tbh if the order is ready for shipment then Justin should be putting a shipping label on it at the same time to help prevent shipping errors.

 

[the_lung]

Wow, that was well written and highly informative

Thanks for the kind words, Justin. :thmbup:

Just a small correction...my review should have read:

...I can launch a flippy Innova or Discraft ultra long distance driver with hyzer, watch it rise up and hyzer flip / do some high speed turn, and then ride that turnover line on its wide wing for a considerable distance. With the fade on the Lace, I am releasing the disc flat and getting some waggle, but I just don't get nearly that amount of glide, because the fade kicks in....

 

['ster]

Understable Lace

Just got a 171g Lace (and a 164g Sole, too) and hit the course for 13 holes. It was snowing steadily with a consistent 18 mph wind, so I didn't want to stay out too long. Given the Innova style stats from DGC and what's been said here and elsewhere, I was hoping for a driver something like a faster Wraith or a Destroyer or even Force. I was very disappointed. I'm a RHFH player with a decent bit of power - I can let my Ape out flat and it will go straight for about 250' - my first throw with the Lace, into a left to right headwind, downhill I let out flat, expecting it to turn over in the wind and come back. Not even close. It flipped into the ground at 250'. On the next hole, a dogleg right, I let it out with 4 o'clock hyzer - it still turned over before hitting a tree. After trying it out off the tee on 9 out 13 holes with a variety of wind directions, doglegs and straightaways, I would say my 171 Lace has the stability of a beat Beast or Flash at best. To test the wind, I threw my Surge and Surge SS after flipping the Lace to see how they would react - both held stable with even more power than I was putting into the Lace. I've heard that Vibram plastic will work its way back to OTB stability. As an experiment, I tuned it way up (bending it very sharply face-plate to face-plate, working my way around the rim) and gave it a huck on the first hole I threw it on - the one it turned into a roller on - this time, it flew like a Force. I'll have to wait and see if it can hold that tuning or if it will revert to its original stability. It does seem to have tremendous glide. It does not seem to be 13 speed and it never came back from hyzer flips before I tuned it. The stats seemed like (speed/glide/highspeedturn/lowspeedturn) 10/6/-2/0

 

[Lewis]

I could be wrong, but since they are made of rubber instead of plastic, I don't think Vibram discs can be counted on to "hold" the tuning you give them. I've never thrown a Lace myself, but I wonder if maybe they're just not good in windy conditions. Throwing in steady 18 mph cross winds might not be the best environment for a first impression.

 

['ster]

I'm glad to hear a reply, Lewis! Indeed, I've read Vibram discs will work their way back to OTB stability. So it's an experiment. Right now, it's been about 5 hours since I tuned it up and it seems to be holding the tune. Whether that is true tomorrow or next week remains to be seen. But I think what is telling is that my other discs - Ape, Force, Surge all behaved they way they should, and all much more stable than the Lace - a disc rated 13/6/-1/3 should be a lot more stable (even into a strong headwind) than a 10/5/-2/1 - but it wasn't. In fact, it was the other way around. I think throwing into a variety of winds with a stable-overstable disc is a good way to get a first impression, given there is almost always some wind on any given day and stable-overstable discs are used to fight against such wind. Also, since I teed off 9 holes with the Lace, I got the chance to test it with a variety of wind directions and speeds (once I got into the woods, the wind was much calmer - closer to 10mph) and got all the same results - flip flip flip flip flip. So either I got the most understable Lace possible or the disc just isn't as stable as people are saying. Or perhaps it somehow got tuned down in shipping and will work its way back to a more stable form?

 

[Dana]

It definitely is not a power thrower disc, unless there is little wind or a tailwind.
I haven't thrown a stable or overstable one yet.

Power it down if you can and see what happens.

 

['ster]

I'm not really sure I want another flippy driver - I have a beat ESP Avenger SS, a beat 150 Valk, a beat Flash, and a beat Surge SS for that. However, the range of stability possible - between OTB and a hard tuning - is impressive. Usually, the maximum stability of a disc is determined by its starting point - IE, a max tuned Avenger SS can never be as stable as a max tuned Ape - the Lace jumped 2-4 Discraft stability points after the tune. If it can hold a bit of it, it'll get a spot in my bag. I just want people who might be considering this disc to know what they're going to get. I felt a bit mislead by what I'd read and the performance ratings I saw listed.

 

[Micronaut]

Just my 2 cents, but the flight patterns shown at inboundsdiscgolf.com tend to give me a much better idea of what to expect from a disc than any Innova numbers designation. Especially where non-Innova brand discs are concerned. If you look at inbound's specs for the Lace, it looks a lot like a Surge SS, only longer. Comparing it to a Wraith, or worse an Ape, is probably a mistake, flight pattern wise. I haven't thrown a Lace yet, but when I do, I won't be expecting it to rival the stability of either of those discs. For me that will probably be a good thing. But that's beside the point. : -) Of course there are some glaring errors on inboundsdiscgolf.com. For instance their pattern for the the Shark is way off in my estimation. But on the whole they provide a very useful guide that tends to be fairly accurate.

Just got a 171g Lace (and a 164g Sole, too) and hit the course for 13 holes. It was snowing steadily with a consistent 18 mph wind, so I didn't want to stay out too long. Given the Innova style stats from DGC and what's been said here and elsewhere, I was hoping for a driver something like a faster Wraith or a Destroyer or even Force. I was very disappointed. I'm a RHFH player with a decent bit of power - I can let my Ape out flat and it will go straight for about 250' - my first throw with the Lace, into a left to right headwind, downhill I let out flat, expecting it to turn over in the wind and come back. Not even close. It flipped into the ground at 250'. On the next hole, a dogleg right, I let it out with 4 o'clock hyzer - it still turned over before hitting a tree. After trying it out off the tee on 9 out 13 holes with a variety of wind directions, doglegs and straightaways, I would say my 171 Lace has the stability of a beat Beast or Flash at best. To test the wind, I threw my Surge and Surge SS after flipping the Lace to see how they would react - both held stable with even more power than I was putting into the Lace. I've heard that Vibram plastic will work its way back to OTB stability. As an experiment, I tuned it way up (bending it very sharply face-plate to face-plate, working my way around the rim) and gave it a huck on the first hole I threw it on - the one it turned into a roller on - this time, it flew like a Force. I'll have to wait and see if it can hold that tuning or if it will revert to its original stability. It does seem to have tremendous glide. It does not seem to be 13 speed and it never came back from hyzer flips before I tuned it. The stats seemed like (speed/glide/highspeedturn/lowspeedturn) 10/6/-2/0

 

[Gonnagal]

I have a 171, that I can't really crank on it. When I let it go smoothly and finesse it, that's where it really shines. The Lace will honestly go a long way with little effort. I was able park a 407' hole with it the other day, now that is a freak and VERY rare occurrence for me. I throw RHBH, and there was a very mild wind that day for me.

It definitely is not a power thrower disc, unless there is little wind or a tailwind.
I haven't thrown a stable or overstable one yet.

Power it down if you can and see what happens.

 

['ster]

Vibram Tune

So. It's been a week since I wrenched on my Lace hard, working my way around the rim, bending it face to face, trying to get it to take a tuning. Refresher: word on the street says Vibram discs will not stay tuned. So. Gave it a huck yesterday, exactly 7 days since I tuned it and there was no question - it held the tune. Will it hold the tune for a month? Only one way to find out...

 

[kutz167]

Untune (unwarp) Vibram

So. It's been a week since I wrenched on my Lace hard, working my way around the rim, bending it face to face, trying to get it to take a tuning. Refresher: word on the street says Vibram discs will not stay tuned. So. Gave it a huck yesterday, exactly 7 days since I tuned it and there was no question - it held the tune. Will it hold the tune for a month? Only one way to find out...

If you manage to warp your Vibram, just toss it in the microwave for 60 seconds on high. I like to put a toothpick under the rim to let air move when it heats (it also helps the disc heat for some odd reason in my microwave). After it's good and warm, just set the disc on the countertop and let it cool for a while (warp gone!).

 

[KRATC]

Has anyone compared this disc to a D1?

 

['ster]

I went out on Tuesday, March 5th, 2 weeks after tuning the Lace hard. It's still as stable as my slightly tuned up ESP Force (a half click up from an Elite Z OTB Force), but it has more glide without a doubt. I'd actually like it to be just a little less stable than it is, so I'm hoping to see the rubber do its thing and decrease in stability. That said, given the inevitable tree strikes it will take, it will be impossible to tell whether it's the rubber or the beat that will impart the most (if any) change in stability and, given that in my experience tuning discs (The only discs in my bag I haven't tuned are my putters - because I can't - and I don't carry any midranges) if it hasn't changed in two weeks, the only thing making a real difference in the disc's performance is contact impact, I'd say that the Lace tunes like any other disc. But still more testing to do and only time will tell for sure.

At this point, I would say that Vibram rubber *will* hold a tune and therefore *will* get "beat" even if the disc is visibly undamaged. I'd add that given the tune-ability of the Lace, it's great glide, and versatile speed, on top of its unparalleled grip and durability, this is a super disc. I'm seriously looking forward to the next discs Vibram offers.

 

[Gonnagal]

Has anyone thrown a Firm and noticed any difference with them in terms of flight? I was going to pull the trigger on a heavier firm to replace my flippy 167 Medium.

 

[scarwig]

I have had great results with my 172 once I adjusted for how much it was going to turn. the only thing I have ever tuned is how hard i throw it. anything more than 80% power is a waste of energy with the Lace.

That being said, I am very interested in the firms as well.

 

[Gonnagal]

Well, I did it. I went out and ordered a 175 Firm Lace, hoping it's more stable then the medium I have. Which it should since my other Lace is 167.

You are right on the power on these discs, you do not need a lot at all to make them go far.

 

[kutz167]

I have had great results with my 172 once I adjusted for how much it was going to turn. the only thing I have ever tuned is how hard i throw it. anything more than 80% power is a waste of energy with the Lace.

That being said, I am very interested in the firms as well.

Everyone saying these are flippy are not showing anywhere near what my experience with these has been. I throw mine regularly about 430' and max them out at about 450' and on this much power they only exhibit a minuscule amount of turn and very slight fade. This is true for all my weights (159, 169, 174). Even people that I have had throw them find that they don't turn much. Maybe you guys just have a lot more power than me or I throw exceptionally smooth to make mine fly without turn.

 

[Dyoel182]

I have not had a single flip out of my 165 medium. I love it but I need to start looking for something in white that is easier to find.