Has Dynamic Discs peaked?

[jakebake91]

In DD latest Video Jeremy Rusco talked about his trip to the Latitude 64 Factory. . .And he said Lat64 has come up with a method to make the discs "beat in of the shelf" with no "flashing"

Anyone understod that part?

Molding plastic without flashing isn't rocket science. A decent quality mold and the right molding process should result in nearly flash free parts. As someone who has worked in plastic injection molding and built molds, the amount of flashing left on most discs sickens me.

 

[wolfhaley]

But many Trilogy discs has terrible Flashing. . i got 3pc Tursas and they all had terrible flashing. . .and most of the Pures i had has been really sharp as he--ll

Like how they fly..but hate that sharp flashing edge . . .so super nice if they fixed that

I haven't noticed it a ton on trilogy over any others, but I will say that an orc is like throwing an actual razorblade in it's flight. What's even better is that the bottom of the rim is actually made of razor blades! Easily the least comfortable feeling disc I've felt. I've found a couple through the years, all of which had a severed index finger nearby. Coincidence? I think not.

 

[wolfhaley]

Just sounds like more marketing gibberish...like "any line you put it on."

I had to do a double take here. I thought I accidentally clicked on the mythical roc thread again. "Any line you put it on" is literally the response to every question about rocs in that one. Or was that the Buzzz thread?

 

[DinosaurThunder]

I look at this thread question in two minds:

Have they peaked from a sponsored pro and tournament result standpoint?

Have they peaked in their approach as a company to market and push plastic?

From a sponsored pro standpoint, I think they have peaked and will be on the decline this year. On the FPO side they lost the best women's disc golfer of all time and no one can fill that void. Their remaining sponsored women were inconsistent at best last season and I don't except much next year. On the MPO side, they have been stagnant for a few years now. They haven't made a big move signing at all and have hit the peak with their current crop of players. Maybe one will win a DGPT, but I highly doubt any can win an NT. Lat64 and Westside have made the big signings that DD should be after as the flag shift brand. You could even argue once Uli, McBeth and Nikko left DD because they started making their own discs, that was the start of the sponsored pro decline (for MPO).

Have they peaked in their approach to market and sell plastic? Hard to know without seeing financials and my thoughts are pure speculation. I would say their marketing and push for younger golfers is working, the in your face social media has created a niche and their pros (though up and down) have cult followings. I think they need to reinvent themselves a little bit to stay competitive with Discraft and Innova long term. Or maybe they are fine with the volume of product they are pushing, Kansas is a cheap state to live/operate out of and I'm sure they are not hurting. I would say they haven't peaked in this sense quite yet, but are pretty darn close without changing their approach to match other companies.

It's hard to not be excited about what Discraft and Innova are doing. Hell, it's even going to be fun to watch Nikko at Westside. I don't share that same excitement for DD and find their marketing to be a little too much. I do think Robert and Bobby have great delivery in a podcast format - wish they could talk about stuff beyond DD. And I think Robert is a great live commentator.

And for those asking if Discraft previously peaked? I would say yes they did and then they did something about it. They changed owners, signed McBeth and other top pros, created new exciting discs and now got PP to do the same. That's the great thing about hitting yoir peak, once you start trending downward you can reinvent yourself to grow again. I don't see DD quite ready to do that.

 

[DiscFifty]

Anyone else see DD eventually having a manufacturing plant in the USA where they will make their own brand of discs (absorbing or abandoning both Westside, Latitude 64) ?

 

[Future_Primitive]

Anyone else see DD eventually having a manufacturing plant in the USA where they will make their own brand of discs (absorbing or abandoning both Westside, Latitude 64) ?

No. I see them getting out of the disc making business as more likely. Wouldnt surprise me if they get back to their roots of just being a disc golf supplier and tournament host. They have the before making discs and after making discs sales numbers to compare. Maybe, big maybe, they figure offering all these molds and sponsoring players isnt bringing in the big profits. Maybe the old way was easier and only slightly less profitable and say F it.

 

[Twmccoy]

I haven't noticed it a ton on trilogy over any others, but I will say that an orc is like throwing an actual razorblade in it's flight. What's even better is that the bottom of the rim is actually made of razor blades! Easily the least comfortable feeling disc I've felt. I've found a couple through the years, all of which had a severed index finger nearby. Coincidence? I think not.

Orcs and Starfires are definitely bad for flashing.

 

[SD86]

Anyone else see DD eventually having a manufacturing plant in the USA where they will make their own brand of discs (absorbing or abandoning both Westside, Latitude 64) ?

Dunno, but a few months ago there was discussion on how Trilogy-sponsored pros were being 'encouraged' to throw only the specific brand they were aligned with. Paige Pierce was throwing all DD, for example. At that time I wondered if there was some sort of split about to happen. Doesn't look to be the case, but one never knows....

 

[matrymu]

my brother in law still calls them disc dynamics. they've peaked.

 

[wolfhaley]

I've never understood the DD hate on these forums.

To answer the question about their players:

Clemons, Oakley, Melton and.... Heimburg (I think so). That's if you don't include Lat64 and WS. Yeah I think those guys can win an NT or PT event. Guess we'll see. Are they favorites against Paul? No. But to make claims about a company having "peaked" when every company has ups and downs... Before last year's mcbeth signing had Discraft peaked?

Other than wins and losses by their touring team, DD remains a force in tourney sponsors and social media. They've adjusted some of their production based on what didn't sell and they have a legitimate lineup that any pro could throw and win with. There are things you can decide to love or hate I guess. Justice system naming scheme? Bursts vs swirls? At the end of the day, I still appreciate how their company is run and consider them a valuable member of the community.

Oh! And I'm part of the future of disc golf in that I'm raising 14 and 11yr old sons who throw their plastic and love their team.

You will never understand the hate. They just think it's the best thing since candy corn and circus peanuts to rip on DD. If you post on here just talk about Roc's and Buzzz's. Actually to be super current, Just talk about how Discraft really invented flight. Wright brothers, Innova, and real life raptors be damned. You should also go buy a proto PP putter NOW.

In actuality do what you're doing. Support your kids and let them throw what they want (DD), which is great for beginners and weak armed players like me. But they have some Stupid stable stuff too. They have a full lineup. I throw anything that works for me. Trilogy works good for me so I throw it. I putt with JK's and use Pigs and Zones. Always bag a firebird. Ordered a stalker today. Throw what you can throw. :hfive:

 

[trasf]

In DD latest Video Jeremy Rusco talked about his trip to the Latitude 64 Factory. . .And he said Lat64 has come up with a method to make the discs "beat in of the shelf" with no "flashing"

Anyone understod that part?

No clue about the first one, but the flashing part is something that came up in couple conversations during last summer and they should hit market next year.

 

[DiscFifty]

"and he said Lat64 has come up with a method to make the discs "beat in of the shelf".

To me it sounds like you could just make a disc 1 number less stable that it's hss number, this way in effect, it seems to be beat in from the start. ? ? ? Perhaps this is what the gstar process is. Because the flight of those discs is more similar out of the box, to the numbers on the disc compared to champion for instance.

 

[Cgkdisc]

Always thought it would be interesting to directly make a mold from a nicely beat in mid-range with all of its non-uniformity in the rim captured in the mold.

 

[teemkey]

Well "beat in off the shelf" could mean the disc's flight won't change with wear.

 

[wolfmandragon]

Always thought it would be interesting to directly make a mold from a nicely beat in mid-range with all of its non-uniformity in the rim captured in the mold.

From what I have been told by someone who(R&D tool and die maker) builds injection molds, there are certain shapes that dont release correctly. He also talked about mold wear and molds having to resurfaced from time to time, dependant on how fast they were run.

He does not work for a disc manufacturer, but he does play, and I gather that there are some limits that production and maintenance put on mold design.

Bead blasting discs sound a lot easier... and cheaper.

 

[wolfhaley]

Well "beat in off the shelf" could mean the disc's flight won't change with wear.

I could see that too but I don't know how that would work. I mean a disc will "beat in" over time. Some plastics take longer than others though. I throw a lot of trilogy and those beat in SUPER quickly compared to Innova and Discraft. It's good in some respects but not so good in others. It's nice to be able to quickly get a disc to that sweet spot. The problem is it doesn't stay there that long. On the other hand Champ or Z plastics take forever to get just right. So hopefully they mean "beat in off the shelf" flightwise, but maybe it'll stay there longer. Will be interested to know exactly this means though.

 

[jdm0514]

I could see that too but I don't know how that would work. I mean a disc will "beat in" over time. Some plastics take longer than others though. I throw a lot of trilogy and those beat in SUPER quickly compared to Innova and Discraft. It's good in some respects but not so good in others. It's nice to be able to quickly get a disc to that sweet spot. The problem is it doesn't stay there that long. On the other hand Champ or Z plastics take forever to get just right. So hopefully they mean "beat in off the shelf" flightwise, but maybe it'll stay there longer. Will be interested to know exactly this means though.

I just remember a video of Eric Oakley saying he has a turnover felon. He said he's had it for two years. That's insane to me. If I want a turnover fairway I wouldn't want to beat a felon into one. Like I get being a mold minimalist but that's insane for the average person to do. Yeah EO plays just about everyday but the average person can't beat their favorite os fairway into a turnover disc.

 

[wolfhaley]

I just remember a video of Eric Oakley saying he has a turnover felon. He said he's had it for two years. That's insane to me. If I want a turnover fairway I wouldn't want to beat a felon into one. Like I get being a mold minimalist but that's insane for the average person to do. Yeah EO plays just about everyday but the average person can't beat their favorite os fairway into a turnover disc.

I agree. I've never heard anyone mention a turnover firebird. I throw firebirds and felons. Sexton firebirds in warmer months. Felons in winter so I don't lose my FB's. But they are similar in flight. I prefer champ/opto/Z plastic. Champ takes forever to season in, same with Z. Lucid/opto feels and looks the same. But man does it get flippy pretty fast. I got a noodle arm so I like the flippiness of trilogy plastic for max distance quickly but it is REALLY fast, too fast really.

 

[Casey 1988]

I agree. I've never heard anyone mention a turnover firebird. I throw firebirds and felons. Sexton firebirds in warmer months. Felons in winter so I don't lose my FB's. But they are similar in flight. I prefer champ/opto/Z plastic. Champ takes forever to season in, same with Z. Lucid/opto feels and looks the same. But man does it get flippy pretty fast. I got a noodle arm so I like the flippiness of trilogy plastic for max distance quickly but it is REALLY fast, too fast really.

Not really I have heard of players with discs in Lucid of Dynamic Disc beating much faster then the Opto from Latitude 64. Opto lasts about a year longer then Lucid for the players that use both plastics or have in past.

Quickest plastic not the full on lowest entry plastic to break in was the original type Pro, the 2000's to mid 2010's Pro from Innova. I had with 1.5-2 years of playing about 1-2 times a week in the summer I had my Pro Shark go from slight OS to nearly dead neutral in flight with only a barely left finishing fade the way a new Aviar P&A putter does. At this point I was only using the Shark for an approach disc/windy day putter, Driving putter slot was not thought of as I was trying to use a DX 175 gram Stingray as my midrange/driving putter slot along with a DX 166 Singray from the 2000's.

 

[Twmccoy]

I could see that too but I don't know how that would work. I mean a disc will "beat in" over time. Some plastics take longer than others though. I throw a lot of trilogy and those beat in SUPER quickly compared to Innova and Discraft. It's good in some respects but not so good in others. It's nice to be able to quickly get a disc to that sweet spot. The problem is it doesn't stay there that long. On the other hand Champ or Z plastics take forever to get just right. So hopefully they mean "beat in off the shelf" flightwise, but maybe it'll stay there longer. Will be interested to know exactly this means though.

This is the main reason I don't really delve into Trilogy discs. I actually like a lot of their molds, but their premium plastics aren't even half as durable as Discraft or Innova's. Even Trilogy's mids break in fast. You start noticing flight changes rapidly.

Honestly, I like a disc to maintain flight as long as possible. I don't need them to break in and start acting all flippy.