[Westside] VIP Air Texture

[Mamba Maniac]

I have three Westside discs in VIP Air plastic, an Underworld, a Sword and a Hatchet. The Underworld and Sword are glassy smooth just like standard VIP, but the Hatchet has a rough sandpaper like texture that feels terrible, especially on the underside of the rim. Is this normal for VIP Air plastic? I think it will actually create drag on the disc and it's going to tear my fingers off when I throw because there are even bubbles on the bottom edge. I'm disappointed to get this quality from Trilogy, especially when the other two discs are so nice.

 

[Moose33]

I have three Westside discs in VIP Air plastic, an Underworld, a Sword and a Hatchet. The Underworld and Sword are glassy smooth just like standard VIP, but the Hatchet has a rough sandpaper like texture that feels terrible, especially on the underside of the rim. Is this normal for VIP Air plastic? I think it will actually create drag on the disc.

It happens sometimes when the air bubbles cool on the surface of the plastic. A ton of Innova Blizzard have this pretty badly that I have seen.

Generally the trilogy discs in air don't have it as badly but I guess it can happen in certain conditions. Some of the guys who know more about injection molding could probably be more accurate in the reasons though.

 

[ray1970]

I have some air discs and some seem like normal plastic and some have the rough sort of texture you mention.

For what it's worth, "drag" on the rougher plastic is a non-issue. If anything the minor turbulence probably adds glide for lack of a better scientific explanation.

I consider myself a 300' thrower in general. I have a lucid air trespass that has the roughness you describe and I have legitimately thrown it out to +/- 400' on several occasions. It isn't a disc that I bag because that distance typically comes with a general lack of control due to how understable and glidey that disc is but it flat out bombs for a weaker arm.

 

[Mamba Maniac]

Thanks for the replies. I wasn't sure if this was extremely abnormal for Trilogy discs but it seems that it's not unusual. I think Trilogy should hold back discs when they are as rough under the rim as mine. I don't know if I would risk buying any more AIR plastic. It's interesting that a few companies like MVP/Axiom are able to make light weight discs without resorting to Air Bubble technology. Their Neutron plastic is so amazing at any weight.

 

[Mamba Maniac]

Discmania had their S-Line which was also excellent and available in very light weights. Too bad they dropped it. I have a 150g S TD2 that I love, but they dropped them too!

 

[ray1970]

Regarding trilogy specifically, I don't know if the molds factor in to how they turn out in lighter weights or something similar but here is something I have noticed.

If you take a disc that was designed for normal weights (Escape, Felon, whatever) and produce it in the air plastic it seems like the disc texture can vary. But, I have noticed that the discs that were designed to be light in the first place (Diamond, Sapphire, etc.) seem like perfectly normal plastic even at their 150-160 weights.

 

[aphilso1]

Thanks for the replies. I wasn't sure if this was extremely abnormal for Trilogy discs but it seems that it's not unusual. I think Trilogy should hold back discs when they are as rough under the rim as mine. I don't know if I would risk buying any more AIR plastic. It's interesting that a few companies like MVP/Axiom are able to make light weight discs without resorting to Air Bubble technology. Their Neutron plastic is so amazing at any weight.

Agreed that MVP is way ahead of the competition when it comes to quality discs in low weights. Their Fission discs are fantastic.

To me, Trilogy is right in the middle. Some of their AIR discs come out feeling a little different as you pointed out, but the flight characteristics still remain true to their heavyweight counterparts of the same mold. And if I had to choose, I'd go with a disc that flies as it should even if the plastic doesn't feel quite as nice.

Innova on the other hand makes some completely unthrowable garbage in low weights. Some of the microbubble discs fly fine, and others will barrel roll in the air even thrown smooth and at low power. Just absolutely zero quality control from Innova when it comes to their lightweight discs.