thelonepup
Bogey Member
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2015
- Messages
- 52
My new policy is to wait for stamped RDG because I know its going to be good, so I might as well just be patient and get a sweet stamped disc.
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[Other] Reptilian Disc Golf Ptero: Stable Fairway Driver
- Thread starter jcassidy1990
- Start date
Just so this is here as well, I copied it from the geneal RDG thread:
I got a few throws in the rain and wind in with my ptero's. First off the plastic feels great. Nice and flexy. Grippy, but not too grippy that it feels stuck in your hand on release. (My personal problem with G*).*
The closest disc this reminded me of was my midly used Vibram traks, which is my favorite control driver as assassins tend to be touchier and longer. It was working well for me in the woods on both anny and hyzer lines. It would itself out of most medium powered anny lines, and held smooth hyzers. It does have some nice glide to it. Not River glide, which for me isn't what I want at this speed.*
I don't know if this was on purpose, but you can really feel and see the edge of wing on top of the flight plate. I am a big fan of that.
Also I will throw another vote in for these in some mid 160 weights.
I got a few throws in the rain and wind in with my ptero's. First off the plastic feels great. Nice and flexy. Grippy, but not too grippy that it feels stuck in your hand on release. (My personal problem with G*).*
The closest disc this reminded me of was my midly used Vibram traks, which is my favorite control driver as assassins tend to be touchier and longer. It was working well for me in the woods on both anny and hyzer lines. It would itself out of most medium powered anny lines, and held smooth hyzers. It does have some nice glide to it. Not River glide, which for me isn't what I want at this speed.*
I don't know if this was on purpose, but you can really feel and see the edge of wing on top of the flight plate. I am a big fan of that.
Also I will throw another vote in for these in some mid 160 weights.
onemilemore
* Ace Member *
What kind of distance were you getting out of it? Curious how it translates across power levels.
Ordered one, prettty excited to try this thing out and see what it can really do.
jcassidy1990
Reptilian Disc Golf
I've been throwing my Ptero a good bit lately and I'm finding it to really fill a void in my bag.
I will say that for my power level (430 ft. max D), the Ptero is controllably understable.
The flight is extremely responsive to power and can be coaxed on a whole slew of lines:
Flat release: smooth yet constant fade
Slight Hyzer: pops up to flat and can be forced to drift over to turn or brought back to hyzer if given enough spin
Steep Hyzer: pops up to flat, glides out and finishes with a mild fade
The Ptero is not a "power" fairway disc. You can't just give it a rip and watch if cruise. It is an old school flying mold that is glidey and capable of being an extremely versatile flyer if you take some time to learn its nuances.
I'm pairing my Ptero with a Raptor and Crave so I have my US, S, OS slots locked down with supreme confidence.
Below is my first "warmed up" toss with the Ptero today. Given a decent hyzer I popped it up, it drifted right for 80% of the flight and finished on a forward fading hyzer. Really excited to see how these fly for folks with more/less power than I.
I will say that for my power level (430 ft. max D), the Ptero is controllably understable.
The flight is extremely responsive to power and can be coaxed on a whole slew of lines:
Flat release: smooth yet constant fade
Slight Hyzer: pops up to flat and can be forced to drift over to turn or brought back to hyzer if given enough spin
Steep Hyzer: pops up to flat, glides out and finishes with a mild fade
The Ptero is not a "power" fairway disc. You can't just give it a rip and watch if cruise. It is an old school flying mold that is glidey and capable of being an extremely versatile flyer if you take some time to learn its nuances.
I'm pairing my Ptero with a Raptor and Crave so I have my US, S, OS slots locked down with supreme confidence.
Below is my first "warmed up" toss with the Ptero today. Given a decent hyzer I popped it up, it drifted right for 80% of the flight and finished on a forward fading hyzer. Really excited to see how these fly for folks with more/less power than I.
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ThomasOrion
* Ace Member *
Cool, I will check this disc out sometime
hugheshilton
* Ace Member *
Just got my Ptero in the mail and I am excited to try it out. So far my impression of the plastic is that it feels a lot like star only more flexible. It's not gummy, soft, or super grippy like GStar. The feel in the hand is much closer to Star, but you can bend the disc much more easily. I actually like the feel a lot and I think it will be great in cold/wet weather. This is more what I wish GStar felt like.
I took a few side by side profile pics. In order, they are: S-Line FD (red) vs Ptero (white), Star TL (yellow) vs. Ptero, and Star Teebird (pink) vs. Ptero.
The Ptero has a bit higher PLH than the FD as well as being a bit less blunt and having a concave wing, so I'm fairly certain it will be more stable than the FD. It's pretty close to the TL although I'd say the TL is just a hair higher PLH and a hair sharper, but the Ptero has a concave wing; I'd guess these will fly somewhat similarly. The Teebird has a similarly concave wing but higher PLH so I'm certain the Ptero will be less stable than the Teebird. I'll report back after I've had some throws with all 3 side by side.
I took a few side by side profile pics. In order, they are: S-Line FD (red) vs Ptero (white), Star TL (yellow) vs. Ptero, and Star Teebird (pink) vs. Ptero.
The Ptero has a bit higher PLH than the FD as well as being a bit less blunt and having a concave wing, so I'm fairly certain it will be more stable than the FD. It's pretty close to the TL although I'd say the TL is just a hair higher PLH and a hair sharper, but the Ptero has a concave wing; I'd guess these will fly somewhat similarly. The Teebird has a similarly concave wing but higher PLH so I'm certain the Ptero will be less stable than the Teebird. I'll report back after I've had some throws with all 3 side by side.
tbird888
Salient Disc Test Team
Parting line is only applicable for the same molds. Thank you for the profile pics though. It looks more TeeBird than anything.
Yup. Its really smart marketing. By the blank so you can get in on it before everyone else, buy another when the stamp drops cuz its awesome. I'm on the same page about waiting.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE my TL's, however I only like 1 very specific run of them. And I only have three. So if the Ptero can replace those I'd be happy. Its a very tall order tho, so we shall see.
hugheshilton
* Ace Member *
I get that plh is only an absolute stability indicator within the same mold because other things like dome, wing shape, etc. also affect stability. However I generally find that wing height is higher among molds that are more OS and lower among molds that are less stable. Not an absolute indicator but it's something to look at for sure.
Reniger
* Ace Member *
I finally had some decent weather here in Michigan to go throw the Ptero! After receiving it Friday, the whole weekend has been windy, rainy, and cold (not to mention my anniversary) HOWEVER! Yesterday was a beautiful mild fall day and I was able to take the gal out and load up my Gecko with my Armor Scale, Fossil Scale, FF Serpent, Sobek, RDG Stamped Verdict, Ptero, and a driver.
First throw with the Ptero was a 338' wooded hole which has to turn right thru the first gap, follow a walking path, then fade back into a well guarded basket. I threw it flat, at about 80% power and she turned BEAUTIFULLY over the walking path, hooked up flat, then started fading back in. Unfortunately, the fade was later than I'd hoped for and I ended up long of the basket, kicking off a tree and ended up about 50' back from the basket behind trees. (guess I should've been smart and field tested first!) Meh, that's what Scales were made for. Easily recovered for the 3.
After that, I went onto a 400' wide open hole with a slight downhill and went for a full power hyzer flip. My god... Holy... words... The flight is similar to one of my favorite discs, the Prodigy F7 protos. Plenty understable, but always comes back for you. But the glide on the Ptero is what really makes it a unique racehorse. It just doesn't want to sit down! On this 400' downhill hole, I ended 20' short and 20' right. Mind you, 400' is a very good drive for me with my max distance drivers! So, 380 - even on a downhill - with a speed 7 disc is just crazy! This is like a River that doesn't flip over with the slightest form flaw. I would honestly put this around a 7, 7, -1.5, 1. MAYBE a 7, 6, -1.5, 1, but the glide cannot be understated. Beaaautiful flight!
I did however find some things I was a little less happy with to be honest... The plastic. Like the Raptor, this is Armor Flex. I would LOVE to get these in the same Armor blend as my Scales. The Flex is just waaaay to floppy for my tastes in a driver. When ripped with full power, you can feel the disc bend in your hand. I'd kill for the slightly firmer premium that my Armor Scales are in.
The other issue is just how easily it got dirtied up. This beautiful, unstamped, virgin white disc is already showing heavy grass and dirt stains after one round played. Not a huge deal by any means, shows character, but it was a little bit of a bummer.
I'll prolly just end up dyeing the RDG Eyestamp onto it and dyeing the rest of a disc a slightly darker color to mask any stains it may acquire. These minor fallbacks by NO means diminish the amazing flight of this disc.
All in all, this is one of the best flying understable fairways I've ever thrown. Incredible hyzer flips, great turnovers, beautiful S-Curves. This disc just loves to be in the air and will soar for days.
Cheers.
First throw with the Ptero was a 338' wooded hole which has to turn right thru the first gap, follow a walking path, then fade back into a well guarded basket. I threw it flat, at about 80% power and she turned BEAUTIFULLY over the walking path, hooked up flat, then started fading back in. Unfortunately, the fade was later than I'd hoped for and I ended up long of the basket, kicking off a tree and ended up about 50' back from the basket behind trees. (guess I should've been smart and field tested first!) Meh, that's what Scales were made for. Easily recovered for the 3.
After that, I went onto a 400' wide open hole with a slight downhill and went for a full power hyzer flip. My god... Holy... words... The flight is similar to one of my favorite discs, the Prodigy F7 protos. Plenty understable, but always comes back for you. But the glide on the Ptero is what really makes it a unique racehorse. It just doesn't want to sit down! On this 400' downhill hole, I ended 20' short and 20' right. Mind you, 400' is a very good drive for me with my max distance drivers! So, 380 - even on a downhill - with a speed 7 disc is just crazy! This is like a River that doesn't flip over with the slightest form flaw. I would honestly put this around a 7, 7, -1.5, 1. MAYBE a 7, 6, -1.5, 1, but the glide cannot be understated. Beaaautiful flight!
I did however find some things I was a little less happy with to be honest... The plastic. Like the Raptor, this is Armor Flex. I would LOVE to get these in the same Armor blend as my Scales. The Flex is just waaaay to floppy for my tastes in a driver. When ripped with full power, you can feel the disc bend in your hand. I'd kill for the slightly firmer premium that my Armor Scales are in.
The other issue is just how easily it got dirtied up. This beautiful, unstamped, virgin white disc is already showing heavy grass and dirt stains after one round played. Not a huge deal by any means, shows character, but it was a little bit of a bummer.
I'll prolly just end up dyeing the RDG Eyestamp onto it and dyeing the rest of a disc a slightly darker color to mask any stains it may acquire. These minor fallbacks by NO means diminish the amazing flight of this disc.
All in all, this is one of the best flying understable fairways I've ever thrown. Incredible hyzer flips, great turnovers, beautiful S-Curves. This disc just loves to be in the air and will soar for days.
Cheers.
jcassidy1990
Reptilian Disc Golf
I love to hear it!
I am not one to bag many US stills so this mold really does a ton of work for me.
I am using it for nearly all of my straight finishing drives to anything that needs to drift right.
I also have found it to have a reasonable amount of stability when I am throwing short FH hyzer flips.
Reniger
* Ace Member *
Oh! That's one thing I haven't tried. Forehand. When I played competitively 10 years ago, I had a solid forehand. After taking a few years mostly off from the sport, my FH game went to the can! I've been working on it a lot this season and have brought it back to a reasonable point and prefer discs that are slightly more understable to flat, not relying on overstability to turn a disc back after an anhyzer release. I've really gotta try the Ptero for that late turning FH shot! Thanks for the reminder, J.
Any chance RDG might ever do a run in other plastics?
Any chance RDG might ever do a run in other plastics?
Hmm, definitely interested in this disc. My US fairway slot is under siege right now. I have flipped between beat DX Teebirds, Icon Patriots, Champ Leopards, and even tried an Opto Maul. Just can't decide what to stick with, but I am running with the Patriot at the moment because it is sneaky long for me. Really bombs on tailwind shots.
The way you guys are describing it, the Ptero sounds fairly similar to the way my Patriot flies. It is pretty quick for a fairway, holds a little turn on a good chuck (for me, anyway), but always fights back with some fade at the end unless it is released with anhyzer.
Mainly, I am just searching for something that pairs well with Teebirds, which are my bread and butter drivers. What to do...
The way you guys are describing it, the Ptero sounds fairly similar to the way my Patriot flies. It is pretty quick for a fairway, holds a little turn on a good chuck (for me, anyway), but always fights back with some fade at the end unless it is released with anhyzer.
Mainly, I am just searching for something that pairs well with Teebirds, which are my bread and butter drivers. What to do...
Reniger
* Ace Member *
Very similar to the Patriot. (my gal uses one, so I'm quite familiar) It is decently understable, but not a burner by any means. Even with power, it still likes to come back.
jcassidy1990
Reptilian Disc Golf
The Ptero and Patriot definitive share some similarities.
I will say one difference is the wing shape. The Ptero is an X wing vs. the Patriot's L wing.
I think this gives the Ptero a tick more LSS on full power drives and a decent bit more when powering down.
I absolutely love throwing my Ptero now on "mid range" shots that have an obstructive ceiling. Give it a tiny bit of hyzer, a smooth yet snappy release and it'll pop up and cruise.
This^^^
I find myself using it alot for low ceiling shots through tight woods. The armor flex has the added bonus in that if I miss my line and hit a tree, which I do more than I would like, it just dies rather than take a crazy bounce in a random direction. It does this more so than even my Vibram mediums, almost on par with the softs that I have.
jcassidy1990
Reptilian Disc Golf
Throwing ArmorFlex plastic has made me realize that I don't mind gummy discs.
We have a lot of folks say that the plastic is amazing and others that think it is too flexible for their taste. For me, I don't have any issues with it BH or FH.
That said, I do think we will look into running Armor for the folks who want a firmer feel.
