Go with the FLOW

[turso]

So the rim thickness issue between destroyers and flows, I took a caliper to my opto flow and to my destroyers last night, and got the following results:

AJ Star destroyer 22.9mm
Green maxweight E* destroyer 22.8mm
Yellow 172g E* destroyer 22.7mm
3 Pro destroyers 22.7mm

Pink 175g Opto Flow 21.1mm


So the Flow is thinner than indicated, and destros seem to be almost a full millimeter thicker resulting in almost a 2mm difference.

 

[josser]

So the rim thickness issue between destroyers and flows, I took a caliper to my opto flow and to my destroyers last night, and got the following results:

AJ Star destroyer 22.9mm
Green maxweight E* destroyer 22.8mm
Yellow 172g E* destroyer 22.7mm
3 Pro destroyers 22.7mm

Pink 175g Opto Flow 21.1mm


So the Flow is thinner than indicated, and destros seem to be almost a full millimeter thicker resulting in almost a 2mm difference.

I find the rim to be just barely wider than that of the Wraith. This is good since the Wraith seems to be the widest rim that I can comfortably get a grip on.

Discspeed was kind enough to pick a couple of Flows out for me at CDGS. A low PLH "flattish" blue 170 GL one and a regular PLH, regular dome 170 Opto one. I only got to throw each of them a couple of times against some of my other standard drivers (Wraith and PD being my most reliable) and I turned and burned the GL both times and had one pretty decent throw with the Opto one. The Opto one had a lot more turn than I was expecting, quite a bit actually. I throw Wraiths about 350' by throwing them flat and they make a nice tight little S-path. The Opto Fuse was much more of a large right to left S-shot (LHBH) where it pulled out of the turn at the end. Obviously I need to get in more than two throws with each of them so I am holding my judgment for how useful these discs will be for me. The rim width is so perfect for me as a max distance driver so I will give them a really good chance. And I will also get Ryan C to let me throw his so I can see what the Flows for non-noodle-arms are like.

 

[Ryan C]

Gotta agree with Josser. They definitely have more turn on them than I expected. I have 175g pink optos, which are nothing like a longer S-PD for me. Mine are not very HSS. I am currently accustomed to throwing my nice stable Z Nukes flattish, and a similar throw with the Flow, while not a turn and burn, finished about 40' right of where I was aiming. I adjusted my release angle to accomodate, but it takes getting used to. Not completely sure I dig these yet.

 

[discspeed]

i think it may have been the blue gold line run that came out less domey... i got a 171 blue GL and a 176 "light gold" GL and the blue is much less domey, and less stable... i like them both, would compare the light gold to a glidey beast... and the blue closer to a valk... anyway, that's my say...

Yep that's pretty close. I didn't throw the gold line that I ordered because the opto really wasn't that stable. This is going to be another disc that everyone claims to be great at first. Then very few will end up throwing it for very long. Everybody really wants to have something new but this one is a big ole turd!!!

Maybe your opto wasn't that stable cuz you cut off the flashing (and a good bit of the disc) with a damn blade, that thing is a bit hacked up and I'm sure it lost some stability in the process.......wasn't all that hyped to get that in the mail today, the gl is nice though :|

I see now...You hack up a disc with a blade and then complain that it is too understable. :crazy:

 

[jgillia]

Gotta agree with Josser. They definitely have more turn on them than I expected. I have 175g pink optos, which are nothing like a longer S-PD for me. Mine are not very HSS. I am currently accustomed to throwing my nice stable Z Nukes flattish, and a similar throw with the Flow, while not a turn and burn, finished about 40' right of where I was aiming. I adjusted my release angle to accomodate, but it takes getting used to. Not completely sure I dig these yet.

^^^Very similar to my experience. And everyone kept calling me crazy. I can almost guarantee that this will be the case for a good number of people. I also think automatically blaming it on the thrower having OAT issues is nonsense. It is completely possible that the Flow is not exactly consistently molded. As we all know discs are not exactly molded consistent as it is especially the wider rims, which is why the PLH is such a talked about issue.


Also to go with what JesseB has said as I do not want to get it confused. My Optos were not deflashed so if anything they should have been more stable, at least according to others reviews which is why I did not remove it. Cant really speak for Eli's however I would be shocked if he took a blade to it as he has never done it before. Typically he is a sand paper guy, but again I am not sure what he did.

Anyway for those of you who like the Flow, I hope it brings you much success

 

[Ryan C]

I'd also mention that blades are not really a bad way of deflashing if you know what you're doing. I use a blade all the time at work for this purpose. Granted, they are special blades made specifically for this, but I don't see that sanding is inherently better. I don't want to rough up the bottom of my discs with sand paper any more than I want to carve gouges in them.

 

[what'shisname]

My Opto and GL Flows showed up today and they look great. The Opto definitely has a bigger dome than the GL but both have identical PLH. They feel great in the hand, can't wait to try them out. It's even warmed up now and it's going to be hard not to try this out in the snow during tomorrow's round. Sucks that it'll have to have a ribbon on there for its first flight, but I don't want to loose it and I really want to throw it so....

 

[Jesse B 707]

I'd also mention that blades are not really a bad way of deflashing if you know what you're doing. I use a blade all the time at work for this purpose. Granted, they are special blades made specifically for this, but I don't see that sanding is inherently better. I don't want to rough up the bottom of my discs with sand paper any more than I want to carve gouges in them.

Yeah not really a bad way......more of a super shitty way, its way too easy to carve off too much and ruin your disc forever. Its really easy to stop as soon as you get through the flash with sandpaper....about equally as easy as carving too deep and fucking up your disc with a blade, either way, I don't give a shit what anyone does with their plastic.....as long as they don't send it to me after they mangle it :|

 

[Ryan C]

Whatever you say. I'll bet you could never tell whether or not I used a blade on any of my plastic.

 

[Jesse B 707]

Whatever you say. I'll bet you could never tell whether or not I used a blade on any of my plastic.

Well congrats for having surgeon skills and a good blade, but lots of folks (myself included when I tried it) use a razor blade and a shaky hand and flat out ruin the disc (it doesn't take much)

 

[jubuttib]

Well congrats for having surgeon skills and a good blade, but lots of folks (myself included when I tried it) use a razor blade and a shaky hand and flat out ruin the disc (it doesn't take much)

Did you notice the part where he said that he does it at work and has access to special blades made just for this purpose?

Using a blade will look nicer, if you can do it correctly. Not many can. Sanding on the other hand is ridiculously easy.

 

[Jesse B 707]

And just to be clear, my beef is with using blades on discs, not with eli for doing so, he's a good trader and offered to do whatever it took to make it right.

 

[emiller3]

So much angst on the Flow thread!

I'm still holding off judgment with the Flow. I took my flat blue GL out today at closer to 4500' instead of 7200'. I could lay into a hyzer flip and it remained straight. Once again, it was loooong. I measured a 470' hyzer flip s-curve on a hole where I've been struggling to hit 440' with the Destroyer, and it seemed easy to hit 400' compared to my Destroyers.

It definitely had more turn into a headwind, even a slight one. I'm trying to work out exactly how much turn it has, but the bottom line is that even in a headwind I was able to place it where I wanted. I can definitely see the need for a heavy Opto if I want a straight hyzer flip line in a headwind. If there's going to be a problem, I think this will be it.

But so far, I'd say it's been more workable, more accurate, and longer than my Pro Destroyers. I loved its flight when I powered it down, it didn't want to hyzer off as much as the Destroyer does and it followed the lines of my money Eagle-X that pushes through a hyzer. I still love my Pro Destroyers and wouldn't discount the possibility of going back to them eventually. I just don't know yet.

 

[what'shisname]

I'm going to have to hold of full judgment until I can rip on these with some proper footing, but my GL flow sure was fun to throw today in the snow. I've only had 4 throws with it and only 3 of those were decent, the first being terrible. My GL is a 170 and it was certainly more understable that I was thinking it would be. I was able to flip it up to flat and get it to glidddddee pretty easy so I'm interested to see how the opto compares.

Obviously 4 throws is nothing at all, but they were all fun and I look forward to more with it.

 

[RS39]

Finally got out with solid footing, played with the blue flat GL and a firm PPD to compare. The Flow seems to be what I'd hoped for, an extra D disc that is much more accurate/usable than the Katana is for me. Once I start huking the Flow hard enough to clear 330, I start to see the turn to the right at about 100, and the fade back around 300. On a calm day, placement was quite good and way better than my Katana avg. Similar throws with the firm PPD are locked solid on a line until the final fade.

3 rounds in 2 weeks impression: Still love my PDs, I need to learn the situations where I can best apply the GL and Opto discs I have, and the Katanas are benched for a while.

 

[Guurn]

I threw mine today (171 gram GL) as well as having my son and a friend throw it. My son is at around 380-400 with a Wraith and I am usually at around that also. My friend has a lot more power than that. To me it seems like a disc built for someone that maxes out in our range. I can barely hyzer flip it on a clean throw. It should add a little distance. I'm not sure I am sold on the GL plastic, in the winter it gets slippery and I imagine it would be the same in rain. My freind that has a lot of power flipped it pretty bad but we all commented on the glide. It may earn a slot come spring.

 

[what'shisname]

I like the Flow if for nothing else, it gets this song stuck in my head....

 

[Ryan C]

I think after some more throws I'm going to pass on this disc. I really wanted to love it. The wing is definitely more comfortable than my Nuke's, and the glide is undeniably excellent. Its just simply not any longer, or any more controllable for me. Sadly, I do not have an infinite supply of the Nukes I like, but I have enough that I'm confident to stick with them.

I really think my Flows must be abnormally flippy for 175g Optos, becuase they seem closer to a Valkyrie or a Roadrunner in stability. They power down better than a Nuke, but I personally see no reason to power down a max distance disc. That's what my PDs are for. Anyway, if these have made a legitimate improvement in your control and distance, beyond a simple burst of enthusiasm for a new disc, then more power to you. For me, I'd say there is a lot better out there.

 

[booter]

im still liking mine, i purchased 2 168 optos and these flew just like my first pair of 171 optos. though the dome wasnt nearly as pronounced,it still had decent dome and flew nice. these fly like my orcs somewhat only they get more skip,have less turn, and get more glide. very intriguing to say the least.

 

[what'shisname]

There's no way I'm going to be able to tell until this snow is gone. I got my first Nuke not long ago too and I'll be testing it in the Spring along side the Flow and hopefully one of them will make the bag as my first real max distance driver.