Daredevil Timberwolf, My Newest Best Friend... Out On The Course At Least.

In the last post, I wrote about some new discs that I recently acquired. One of them was the Daredevil Timberwolf. Daredevil rates the Timberwolf as a 9,6,-1,0, and I agree with those ratings so far. Daredevil describes the disc with this statement,

"This disc is designed for the intermediate to advanced player and is made from our grippy flexible plastic. Softer in feel this disc is super durable and has a stable flight pattern. It is also an excellent maximum distance cold weather disc."

I am a huge fan of low speed discs and that can be seen throughout my posts. Low speed discs seem to fit my hand better when gripping them. The rim size is the perfect length for my fingers with a thickness of 1.8 cm.

The Timberwolf is a little domey on top but it is in my opinion the perfect size. I've thrown flat top discs like the Discraft Flick and many different domey discs. I really am not a fan of domey so I haven't had a disc with a dome in my bag for a really long time. It's been so long that I don't remember what they were. Oops!

This disc isn't insanely domey but there is a little bit of a dome that adds comfort for gripping the disc hard. Speaking of grip, lets talk about the plastic. The plastic on this disc is Daredevil's Flex Performance. 

The disc did not rebound to its normal
state after this picture. I had to work it back.

It is similar to their High Performance plastic except for it is what the name implies, more flexible. As far as the flexibility for the plastic goes, I can force it into a taco like what is seen with Discraft Cryztal FLX, but it is much more sturdy. I don't like the Cryztal FLX because it is so floppy. This plastic is extremely stiff for how much it can be bent.

I have noticed two main characteristic differences other than the flex when compared to Daredevils High Performance plastic. The plastic is softer, but don't be fooled into thinking that it isn't durable. I recently played in the Idaho State Doubles Championships and it would be an understatement for me to say that I didn't hit many trees. Some were, as Ken Climo would say, "Iron Leaf", but most were full power straight into the tree trunk. My disc has a couple of scuffs in it, but no visible damage whatsoever. The damage was so minor that I had to feel the scuffs to find them. This plastic also works well with cold weather situations as it stiffens up quite nicely. Another difference in the plastic is that it is more grippy. I find that extremely helpful since I suffer from sweaty hands. It gives me that added sense of security.

I have fallen completely in love with this disc for the short time that I have had it. It has instantly taken the place of my Dynamic Discs Thief, Innova Destroyer, and Latitude 64 River. All three of these discs have have been my go to discs for distance, but they all have their problems with instability (or maybe I have an inconsistency problem). Most of the time my Thief has a nice easy turn with a subtle fade. Some times, it doesn't flip as much as usual and I end up way left. Other times I pull it a little bit and it turns right never to come back. My Destroyer is less consistent then I want but when it works, it works. The River is really inconsistent for me so I really tend not to use it.

I was unfortunately only able to use the Daredevil Timberwolf in a couple of rounds before the Idaho State Doubles Championships began. The Timberwolf was the first disc that I threw and the constant disc that kept coming out of the bag. It's consistency for me was incredibly reliable. The only bad throw that I had with the Timberwolf was not even the discs fault, to which I might say, is it ever? Anyways, I gripped locked it and just threw it out of bounds to the right of me. All the blame on me for that one. The Timberwolf has great glide and minimal fade. When I started throwing it, the flight was completely straight with a nice fade. As the tournament went along, I started throwing with more power and the disc started to have minimal turn and still finished left. This disc has a really consistent flight path.

During the tournament, I threw the Timberwolf from no wind to a slight and little tailwind. The Flight path was the same either time. What I cannot say with certainty, is how this disc handles a head wind or a crosswind going either direction. I can only imagine that it would turn, a lot. I threw the Timberwolf's older brother, at least that's what I call it, the Wolverine. This disc is what I would call the overstable version of the Timberwolf. Daredevil gives

the Wolverine a rating of 9,5,-2,2. I have yet to meet the turn rating that they have given it but I probably don't throw hard enough. Anyways, the Wolverine is essentially the same disc as the Timberwolf, just beefier. I held the Wolverine and Timberwolf together but I can't tell the difference on the mold and according to the PDGA, it's not my fault that I can't. Here are the specs for the two discs.

MANUFACTURER / DISTRIBUTOR

DISC MODEL

Max. Weight (g)

Diameter (cm)

Height (cm)

Daredevil Discs

Timberwolf

175.1

21.1

1.6

Daredevil Discs

Wolverine

176.0

21.2

1.8

Rim Depth (cm)

Inside Rim Diameter (cm)

Rim Thickness (cm)

Rim Depth/ Diam. Ratio (%)

Rim Config.

Flexibility (kg)

1.2

17.5

1.8

5.7

27.00

5.78

1.2

17.5

1.8

5.7

27.50

10.32

They have nearly the same exact stats except for a millimeter or two for the diameter and the height. The main differences being the plastic. The Timberwolf only comes in the Flex Performance plastic and the Wolverine only comes in the High Performance plastic. It is much stiffer and my guess is that it doesn't shrink as much coming out of the mold which gives it less dome, less glide, and more stability.

Left: Wolverine                                                                         Right: Timberwolf

So what is the point of comparing these two discs? Well, the answer is simple. I have no idea what the Timberwolf does in the wind, but I do know what the "same" disc that is more stable does in the wind. I threw the Wolverine into a strong headwind which was probably around 25-35 mph. The Wolverine flipped and almost turned a full 90 degrees to the right (I throw RHBH). I lost the disc for over an hour because it flipped into someones backyard.

I know that these two discs are different, but the whole point of that was to show that if the Timberwolf's beefier brother will flip into the wind, I can only imagine what it will do in the wind. Don't hold me accountable for that though. I will update this post or write another short blog once there is a windy day that I can go test it out.

I got this disc because I want to try new companies and Daredevil Discs just sounded really cool. This has been such an amazing experience for me and I am so glad that I took the leap and bought a disc that I was uncertain on. I can really rely on the Timberwolf's long straight flight with minimal fade for tight fairways where I need total control. It is very easy for me to place this disc on the fairway to set up my next shot. 

Everyone should give the Timberwolf, or even just Daredevil in general, a chance. The plastic has a nice feel with lots of durability. Whatever you do, remember, Keep Throwing!

FD_DiscsJV

Check Out Little Companies, Grow the Sport, and Please Excuse My Little Rant.

Today I was able to purchase three discs from brands that I'm guessing many of you have never heard of before. I got a Disc Golf Aotearoa Raptor, Daredevil Timberwolf, and Daredevil Wolverine.

I originally had gone to buy just the Timberwolf for an understable fairway/distance driver, but I really shouldn't be trusted when buying discs. I got the Wolverine because it is supposed to be the perfect compliment to the Timberwolf. Then I bought the Raptor just because its from New Zealand and I wanted to try something new. I'd like to speak about new for a moment.

Everyone always wants the latest and the greatest from the biggest. There are many players out there that will only throw Innova, Discraft, Prodigy, or Trilogy companies and they bash people that throw the other brands because they are sub-par. Where did all this come from? I know I started to get sucked into the Trilogy only bag. It took me some time but I did realize that every brand has something to offer. Slowly I have started to get away from all Trilogy and am in the process of making a good attempt at a truly mixed bag. In a previous blog, I displayed what I have in my bag. I had 18 Trilogy (not including all the backup putters), 2 Innova, 1 Kastaplast, and 1 Gateway. Currently I have dropped down to 13 Trilogy, 2 Innova (different than the last post), 2 Discraft, 2 Daredevil Discs, 1 Kastaplast, and 1 Gateway. I also have 3 discs in the mail and 3 others that will vie for a spot in my bag in the next coming weeks. 2 Dynamic Discs, 2 Discraft, 1 Millennium, and 1 Disc Golf Aotearoa. The question that comes to mind after sorting out my bag is, Why do people put so much importance on only one company? Which leads to why do people bash on companies other than the one that they like? The only answer that I believe that should come up is if you are a top level pro and are sponsored by one of these companies. That company sponsored you so you should only throw that. Since most of us are not top level pros and are not sponsored by any companies, why do we then force ourselves in that direction? And why do people bash other companies? Look at the most professional players out there. They don't bash each others companies or each other for throwing something else. Simon Lizzote put up an Instagram video of him throwing putters from 4 different companies and made the profound statement of "Yep, they all work". Here's a link if you haven't seen it. We as disc golfers shouldn't be attacking each other. Instead, we ought to pull together. We ought to not turn people away from the sport with negativity, but draw people into it by the positive fun and friendships that can be made through this sport. Also, if you don't like a company, it doesn't mean that you can bash them for being sub-par. What doesn't work for you may work for many others. I may not like any Innova midranges but that doesn't mean that they don't make good product. I can't look at Paul McBeth and what he's done and then say that Innova makes inferior product because I don't like the midranges. I can't say that Discraft is bad because I haven't found a putter from them that I like. McCabe (back in the day), Doss, and MJ, have proved otherwise. I'll take it even a step further. I haven't seen anyone here throw Legacy so they must be a bad company, right? Let's go watch some highlight reals from Steve Rico and see if that claim holds up. Spoiler alert, it won't. This post has gone into a completely different direction than it was going when I started. I apologize for my rant. Now onto what I was supposed to say.

It is not necessarily the plastic and the molds that make one company great over another. While it may help greatly, it's the perception of how people see companies, and how long a company has been around that matters. So what is it that makes Innova better than Kastaplast, Discraft better than Daredevil, or Trilogy better than ABC Discs? Fullness of disc lines could be an answer, but if I love my Kastaplast Kaxe Z for a midrange/fairway tweener, what makes it worse than something a larger company has to offer? Nothing, its just the perception of the small company probably not having the resources to make a superior product. What I'm getting at is go out there, take a risk on an unknown company. Help the little guys survive because the more disc manufacturers that we have making it, the more our sport can continue to grow. I took a risk with Kastaplast and Daredevil and so far I am loving that I did. I also took a risk with Disc Golf Aotearoa and that hasn't panned out as well as I would have liked, but that is the thrill with the unknown. You have no idea what possibilities may lie ahead of you when you try something different, something new, or something that is not so mainstream. It may work out well in your favor and you'd be happy that you took the leap, but even if it doesn't work out, you took a leap of faith in favor of helping disc golf grow. I also would like to add that while the Disc Golf Aotearoa leap didn't work out for me, a friend of mine is giving it a shot and so far it seems to be working out for him. Your actions of buying into something new may lead your friends into something that they believe is the most fantastic discovery for them since they got into Disc Golf. Lets get rid of brand hatred which is only tearing down the game that we all love, and grow the sport together regardless of what we all throw.

I'm finding that a mixed bag is very freeing. Now I can take any disc I like and I don't have to try to find something within a certain company that might be what I need. All of the companies shown below, and some, have been in my bag at one point, but here is a representation for every company that I still own.

Like a book: Daredevil Discs, Kastaplast, Gateway, Whamo*, Discraft, Westside Discs, Innova Champion Discs, Millennium Golf Discs*, Dynamic Discs, Disc Golf Aotearoa*, Latitude 64.

*Not Currently in the bag. No offense to Whamo, but I don't like the plastic so it won't be in the bag.



Mixed bagging is not about who is the best, but what more I can achieve with different options while helping everyone involved in the sport.

Last but not least, everyone should seriously check out Daredevil Discs. If the rest of their product is as good as my two discs have been, they're worth checking out.

Remember, regardless of what you throw, keep throwing, and grow the sport! Please comment and share this! We at Flying Dutchman Discs want to know what you think and what small brands, if any, you have in your bag.
FD_DiscsJV

Practice like you play

So many reviews out now are all about discs, and rightly so due to the fact that it's the one thing you need for actual play. But in reality you do need one other thing, the basket. Now when you go to a course baskets are preset and you get what you get. You can complain all you want about the chain grab or the condition but unless you are on the board of parks and rec you don't really have a say. One thing you do get to choose is the basket you practice on. I have seen a lot of different homemade baskets that are awesome and some that are really bad but I don't have the kind of skills to make a good one so I have gone with the Mach Lite Portable Disc Golf Basket. I chose this basket based on a few things. One being the fact that it is actually portable. This means I can fold it up throw it over my shoulder and take it wherever. Yes, it is still a little heavy but not nearly as bad or as awkward to carry as a full metal basket. Second is the look. When I am practicing I want something that somewhat resembles what I will be throwing at on the course, which in my eyes is round and a very specific size. Some practice baskets are way bigger then baskets on the course. Honestly if anything I would want my practice basket to be smaller not bigger. Why would you practice on a confidence booster and then go play and miss every putt slightly outside the basket. The last reason I chose this practice basket is the chains. This basked has two sets of chains. Some portable baskets have a single set of chains, which does nock down overall weight but your putter won't grab enough to stay in the basket. Unless you have an extra set to add, I would avoid those baskets. Overall I have really enjoyed my Mach Lite basket and would recommend it to anyone interested in a well built practice basket. 

A New Type of Review: Discraft, Bring the X2 Back From the OOP Graveyard.

This week I decided to do a review on something different, something OOP (Out of Production). I happened to come across a Discraft Elite Pro X2 at a thrift shop.

It was so cheap that I simply just had to buy it and now, I'm glad that I did. Right now this disc is in my bag but it hasn't been for quite some time. It has always been in the back of my mind as something that I should throw but I wasn't sure what to take out of my bag. That idea was made simple for me when I lost my Claymore. But enough about my bag. On to the disc.

Plastic Type: I could be mistaken, but I don't believe this plastic is on the market anymore. And that's a shame. It feels and beats in similar to Innova DX or Discraft Pro D plastic. Now some people might ask: "What are you talking about? It's like Pro D so it still is on the market." There are two reasons why I like Elite Pro better than Pro D. I do like the feel of the plastic a bit better and when I shine a uv flashlight on the Elite Pro, it glows.

Feel: The X2 has a nice feel in the hand. The rim depth is about the same as the Kastaplast Kaxe Z or the Innova Leopard, but instead of a smooth edge the X2 has a bead and a lip on the outer edge. I really like discs that have this rim size because I think that they feel comfortable in the hand.

Disc Performance: I need to preface this by saying that when I got this disc it was not brand new and did have some use to it. My results are those of a beat in X2; not a new one. From what I have heard, Discraft gave this disc a stability rating of 2, which is in between stable and overstable. When I released this disc softly, it did what the rating would suggest. I had a straight shot with no turn and a comfortable finish to the left. I threw it softly to get more of an idea of what the disc would be like if it were new, and I tentatively agree with Discraft's rating for the X2 (There is no way for me to say for certain that the rating is correct with the condition that my disc is in). That all being said, I am glad that my disc is beat in. When I release the X2 flat and with some power, it flies straight for a short distance and then has a nice smooth turn to the right with just enough fade to land either straight in front of me, or about 15-20' to the right of me. I put this disc in my bag in order to learn about it for this review and found out that it fills a gap that I didn't even know I had. I cannot give an overall review about this disc because of my limited scope with the one that I have, but Discraft should consider bringing this disc out of the OOP graveyard because it does have much to offer.

Keep Throwing! FD_DiscsJV

Sweet sweet Swedish plastic, and no, it's not Latitude 64

First of all I want to apologize for not posting anything lately. There have been many obstacles that have kept Flying Dutchman Discs members from writing including travel to South America and Washington D.C., wedding festivities, and baby announcements. The product reviews are now back so don't forget to subscribe!

I was buying a few things on Amazon one day when I realized that I could pay $10 for shipping, or I could spend $15 on another item and get free shipping. Amazon had some discs for sale so I thought that I would try something new, random, and maybe a bit unheard of. I saw that they had Kastaplast discs for sale and that Kastaplast was from Sweden. Latitude 64 is also from Sweden so I thought that maybe the Swedish have something going on when it comes to disc design. I ordered a Kastaplast Kaxe Z in the K1 Line and I have never regretted that decision.

The K1 Line may possibly be my favorite plastic... I generally like throwing clear plastics like Lucid/VIP/Opto, Z, or Champion a lot more than say your Fuzion/Gold/TP or star plastics. The K1 Line I would say is nothing like any of the plastics that I have mentioned above. It probably is the most similar to an Innova Star gstar mix... if that is possible. To me it feels a bit tackier (sticky) than star plastic, yet at the same time it has a slick smooth feeling. This is incredibly hard to explain over writing. Basically, the plastic just feels incredible in the hand and I highly recommend that people check it out. I also find the durability of the plastic to be really good. My Kaxe Z has found its way into trees and rough dirt patches, never concrete, and is still in really good condition with no major marks or scuffs.

Now onto the disc itself. The Kaxe Z feels really good to hold. The rim size (width) reminds me of a Innova Leopard.

The rim is much higher on the Kaxe Z than the Leopard and it drops much deeper creating more disc and offering a tighter grip than the Leopard offers.

I was going to continue in the same paragraph as far as the flight is concerned but it's nothing like a Leopard so I'm going to break the train of thought here.

I find the Kaxe Z to have two different extremes in flight pattern depending on if there is wind or not. It's overstable, when there is no wind. I can throw as hard as I want (RHBH) and it will travel dead straight, never turn over, and it will always have a nice strong fade at the end. The Kaxe Z also holds a very nice hyzer line with a nice fade at the end. It is a different story when I forehand or even backhand when there is a decently strong headwind. I find that it doesn't hold up into the wind very well and will turn over easily.

Overall, I love this disc. As I posted a little while ago on Instagram, it will probably never leave my bag. It is the perfect disc for the midrange fairway tweener slot in my bag. I use it for shots that I could hit with a mid at full strength and for shots that I am afraid that a fairway will go too far (I prefer my shots to land shorter than longer because of the possibility of a long skip). My arm isn't the biggest so I use this disc at around 280'-310' shots although I could squeeze a bit more distance out if I tried. To give you an idea of how hard I throw, I consistently get a beat in Innova Pro Destroyer around 350'-370'. Anyways, this disc is absolutely fantastic. It has become a comfort disc for me. What I mean is that when I'm feeling down about how I'm playing, or when I'm playing a new course and I'm a bit timid on my shots, I tend to rely on this disc a lot. It has a very dependable flight pattern and I'm never surprised by how it flies. I may be uncomfortable on a new course but once this disc comes out of my bag I almost instantly get peace of mind.

Comments are always welcome, let us know what you think!
Keep throwing! FD_DiscsJV

In the Bag: Jeremy Vanderpool

So I realized that I have been blogging quite a bit lately and no one really knows what I have in my bag. Starting off I have a Dynamic Discs Ranger EMac signature edition bag.

In my bag I have:

High Speed Drivers-
        WS VIP Air King 155g
        DD Lucid Freedom 169g
        DD Fuzion Enforcer 173g
        DD Lucid Trespass
        Innova Champion Destroyer 176g
        Innova Pro Destroyer 175g
        L64 Opto Blitz
        WS VIP Boatman

Fairway Drivers-
        DD Lucid Escape 171g
        DD TC Biofuzion Theif 173g (x2)
        L64 Opto River 165g
        L64 Opto River 164g

Midranges-
        K K1Line Kaxe Z 174g
        L64 Opto Fuse 171g
        DD Lucid First Run Verdict with Truth tool 174g
        DD Lucid Truth 179g
        DD Fuzion Truth 178g
        DD Lucid Suspect signed by Eric McCabe (PDGA #11674) 172g
        L64 TC Recycled Claymore 175g

Putters-
        WS TC BT Medium Shield 175g (x5)
        GW Organic Wizard signed by James Litchfield (PDGA #38248) 175g (Given for Birthday)
Mini-
        DD Lucid Judge

Right now the Champion Destroyer is in the trial phase and has the possibility of leaving the bag. In the waiting are a Discraft Z Crank and an Innova Champion Vulcan, both of which have previously been in the bag. If I can afford them, or if someone wants to donate:), I am looking for Dynamic Discs Lucid Felon and Justice as an overstable midrange and fairway are missing from my bag. The Felon would almost automatically replace the Champion Destroyer and the Justice would probably replace either the Verdict or the Claymore. This is a chart of my current bag "flight possibilities". I believe that I have a better range than what is shown but maybe I am wrong. Write a comment of what you think that I am missing.

Note* DD-Dynamic Discs, L64-Latitude 64, WS-Westside, GW-Gateway, K-Kastaplast, TC-Trilogy Challenge.

Until Next Time, Keep Throwing!! FD_DiscJV

Innova Archangel: Good or Bad? You decide.

For the first time in the history of Flying Dutchman Disc reviews, I am going to do a review on a disc that I am not too fond of, the Innova Archangel. First off, let me say that this is not a bad disc. This disc was very instrumental for me in learning my backhand and in winning my first tournament and I owe a lot of gratitude to it. This disc gave me the excitement to keep playing and grow in my skill and love for the backhand. It saved me from my disappointment of not being able to throw very far at all (RHBH) and just sticking to throwing forehand. This is a great beginner disc. In fact, I just gave one to my brother and another to a friend that just played with me for the first time. The main reason why I do not like this disc right now, is that it is not a consistent flyer.

Innova gives the Archangel a rating of 8 6 -4 1 and I am honestly not sure what to say about that. Maybe it’s the certain disc that I used or I am just not consistent at all in my throwing, but I never reached anything close to those ratings. From what I have heard and from what these ratings suggest, this should be a good turnover disc that can be used for rollers. It is a good understable disc, but I have never been close to getting it to roll. Most of the time this disc would go dead straight for me. However, often times when I wanted the disc to go straight, it would start to turnover and not land anywhere near the intended target. Because of this I had a newfound joy for this disc in using it for turnover shots. The thing is, that when I wanted it for a turnover shot, it would go dead straight. I would then use it for a straight disc again and it would turnover on me. For some reason I can never get a good read on this disc. It is the only disc for me that I can’t figure out. Maybe its my fault and I just suck, maybe the disc is inconsistent. I’m not sure. One thing's for certain, I do not like this disc. Now this is not to say that it may not make its way back into my bag although it probably won’t, permitting that my Latitude 64 Rivers and my Dynamic Discs Escape stay in my bag. On top of that, I would probably be more likely to put my Innova Monarch back in over the Archangel. I have a more consistent throw with the Monarch. You could say that the Archangel and I have some trust issues.

As for the feel of this disc, it is amazing to hold. The rim is not too thick like the higher speed drivers, or too thin like some midranges and putters, although, I may be biased because I really like the feel of fairway drivers. The top of this disc also has a nice in between feel. I don’t really like anything that has too much of a pop top. I have a Innova Wraith that is grossly over popped and I will never throw it because of the feel. I believe that flat tops are much better than pop tops, but the flat top still feels a bit strange to me. I enjoy throwing a Discraft Flick but it has a little bit of an awkward feel. The Archangel is a perfect inbetween of the Wraith and Flick. It allows for my thumb to have some downward pressure that is difficult for my Flick and impossible with my Wraith.

Overall this is a good beginner disc but not much after that. If I’m perfectly honest it’s probably my consistency that is lacking, but I find that there is not much consistency in this disc’s flight pattern and that is why I believe that it is not good for people that are no longer in their beginning stage. Another downside is the plastic. I believe in a premium plastic bag for a few reasons. I mean, first of all, premium plastics look cooler, but this is a horrible reason. Second, I want my discs to hold their patterns and not break in easily. I want them to last. The Archangel only comes in DX plastic which is Innova's worst line. Some may like the DX, but for me, this is a huge downsize to the disc. I would like to see this disc come out in Champion plastic. The added overstability of the plastic may be what this disc needs to hold a constant straight line. This disc does get an A+ for the feel, but unfortunately for the Archangel, feel alone does not merit a discs position in my bag.

Keep Throwing!
FD_DiscsJV

Dynamic Discs Truth: The Disc That Always Works, Even When I Don't Understand Why.

The Dynamic Discs Truth is, well truthfully, the best disc that I have ever thrown and I still don't understand it. It is a complex mystery that is still ongoing to me as I am coming up to having this disc in my bag for a year. Dynamic Discs gives the Truth a rating of 5 5 0 2 which is hard to compete with. My Lucid Truth is a staple in my bag that will probably never come out. I was new to disc golf when I found this disc in the pond at my local course. Luckily for me, the disc didn't have a number on it and I had no idea, at the time, that there was a local club that I could show the disc to and see who it belonged to. Anyways, the past is the past and I am glad that I found this disc. I may never have tried the Trilogy companies if I hadn't and if you know me, you know that my bag is 95% Trilogy now. This Lucid Truth is my I have no idea what to do disc. Not only does it handle well in the wind, it handles really similar no matter what the weather is like. It's like the disc has some kind of esp with me and knows what I want it to do. If I want it to hold an anhyzer line, it holds the line. If I want it to hold a hyzer, it does. If I want to have it go straight 300+ feet, it does. If I want it to turn over a bit, it will. If I want to throw an anhyzer and have it flex back, I can expect it. This list of things that this disc can do is endless. Maybe I'm not as consistent with my throws as I think I am, but this disc seems to do different things when thrown on the same line, but only when I want it to. I can't say enough about the amazing things this disc can do! Although that should be expected, I mean it did win the Noodle Arm Disc Golf best disc golf disc bracket beating out the trusty Innova TeeBird.

If that last section confused you at all, let me sum this disc up in one sentence. This is my do everything disc because I trust it more than anything in my bag. That being said I have two of these discs in my bag. I have my beat in Lucid and a new Fuzion one. The Fuzion one does do most things that I want it to but it is not at all at the same level as my Lucid Truth. I find the Fuzion Truth to be more understable but fade sharper than the Lucid Truth. I am more likely to have the Fuzion turnover where the Lucid is usually a straighter shot.

On to the feel of the disc, this disc feels amazing in the hand. It has a nice and thin profile that isn't too thin to grip the disc real well. The bead on it is tiny and doesn't have a huge impact on the feel like the Westside Bard or the Innova Roc 3. As for differences between the Truths in my bag, the Fuzion Truth has a bit of a sharper edge on the bottom rim of the disc, although that could be just from the mold that the particular disc came from. That is the only difference that I notice besides the feel of the different plastics.

Keep throwing!

FD_DiscsJV

Latitude 64 Spike

I was very luck to win a recycled plastic spike by latitude 64 from a company called discflickers. The weight is at 173 grams and the rating on the disc is 4, 2, -1, 1. On the face of the disc, in morse code, it tells you that it's a stable putt and approach disc. I am not sure if all spike discs secret messages on the front but it was fun decoding it. The disc is made of recycled plastic and I've noticed it to be smooth and comparable to dynamic disc's bio fusion line.

   Now onto the review. First I found for me this putter is not really great for short putts or anything within the 35ish foot mark. It's edge is a bit too thin for me and it is just too slick. For my short putts I need a disc that's a little tacky just because of the comfort and trust I have in how it feels. The putter I mainly use is a westside shield and I love it, but that review will come later. So now that you know this putter, in my hands, is not a putter lets talk about the good stuff. This disc is the straightest holding disc I have ever thrown. I have been able to throw it through a very narrow fairway and it stuck right to the middle with the slightest, if any, fade left at the end. I also really like how this disc has two ridged spots on the top for grip. It allows for better hold because I've noticed the recycled plastic can get a bit slick. Over all this disc very quickly became my straight shot disc weather it's an approach shot or a drive. I know for a fact that I have no other disc in my bag or at my house that matches this discs consistently straight flight and it will hold its spot until it's beat or broke. If you are looking for a straight flight you definitely need to give the spike a try. If you have any questions about it let me know. I will test it out and get back to you.

Keep Throwing!
FD_DiscsDH

Bellow are the photos of the tight fairway I was talking about and where my disc ended after hitting chains.

Dynamic Discs Suspect

First off, a little bit about me. My name is Jeremy Vanderpool and I live decently close to Boise, Idaho. I’ve been throwing frisbees my entire life. About 11 years ago I transitioned from the traditional frisbee into an Ultimate Disc. I played Ultimate, and was extremely successful, until March of 2014 when I then transitioned into Disc Golf. Since then I have played whenever I had the chance. My knowledge of the sport has grown quickly as I have surrounded myself with seasoned veterans. With the help of a local pro James Litchfield, who is sponsored by Deity Discs and is known as the best player in Idaho, I co-created a Disc Golf Club at the University that I go to. My bag holds mostly Trilogy companies as they are a very popular choice amongst many people here. In the future I will do an in the bag but for now, enough about me. Lets talk about the Dynamic Discs Suspect.

I just recently picked up a Lucid Dynamic Discs Suspect. My bag had a need for a short distant overstable midrange and I thought that the Suspect would fill that void (The Idaho wind can be pretty strong sometimes). The Suspect is kind of an in between midrange and putter with a very flat top that feels really good in the hand. Although I must admit that I am not the biggest fan of a disc with a dome, to each their own. Dynamic Discs have given the Suspect a rating of 4 3 0 3. There are times when I find this rating to be completely true. When there is no wind I can throw the Suspect as hard as I want and it will keep a straight line. For the shots that require a huge fade, I can put the Suspect on a hyzer and it will hold my line almost until the end when the strong fade kicks in. At one point, I put the Suspect on a slight anhyzer. It held the line for about 100 feet before it finally flexed. It is important to note, “at one point”. This was a one time shot that I have failed to replicate since. 90 percent of the time I throw the Suspect on an anhyzer line it doesn’t fight back but keeps the line that it is put on. When throwing into a headwind, I have found the Suspect to turn but fight just enough to land decently straight. When I have a left to right wind, I expect to get some turn. When my disc was brand new, it fought and landed pretty straight. Now after some field testing, it appears to get caught up in the wind and I hope that it lands straight. I wanted to see if I put it on a steep hyzer in a strong left to right wind what it would do. It had the strangest flight pattern that I have ever seen. It fought the wind for about 30 feet and then bounced to the right. Then it fought back to the left only to bounce to the right again. This happened for about 150 feet until it finally landed about 15 feet to the left of where I threw it. The only real visual aid that I can think of is that in the past I would hyzer bounce my ultimate disc off a long wall. Here is a general idea of it.

All that being said, I barely even use my Suspect for these situations. I feel safer reaching in the bag for my truth or really beat in verdict. This isn't to say that I don't use my Suspect regularly. I throw it on shots that I have been trying to take with my putter without much success. I like to use this disc in the 50-200 foot range. The fade on it isn't strong enough to flex back in many situations but it is strong enough to essentially die and fall down. I use this disc for shots that need to land extremely straight. We have a hole at the local course that I play a lot. Hole 8 is about 150 feet over a pond. I like to lightly toss my Suspect over the pond and expect a slight finish to the left (it lands maybe 1-3 feet left of my throwing point). Like I was saying, it lands incredibly straight. This disc is definitely going to stay in the bag for a long time as it will be incredibly hard to find a replacement.

On a completely different note, I bought the disc from Dynamic Discs. Their service was incredible. In the comments section I asked if 2010 world champion Eric McCabe could sign it. Not only did they get it to me really fast during a busy period, it came signed! The customer service that they have there is one of the best that I have ever seen.

Keep throwing!

FD_DiscsJV

Westside Northman

I have recently picked up a pink Westside VIP Northman. It is an awesome 174 gram driver or fairway driver depending on your arm speed. The ratings on this disc are 10, 5, -1, 2. I will start by saying this disc has quickly become my go to backhand driving disc. I know and trust its flight path no matter if my release is hyzer, flat or anny. I've got a great s curve on it when I need to and a perfect turn when there are obstacles in my way. Another plus is the color. I am able to spot it from a mile away even when I throw it into a dense forest but I guess that's why some people have all pink discs. All and all I've really enjoyed the trustworthy Northman and would recommend it to anyone looking for a great disc to add to the bag. 

Keep throwing.
FD_DiscsDH

A Little Bit About Us

Flying Dutchman Discs is now off and running! Look to us for just about anything disc golf, especially product reviews. We want to keep disc golfers knowledgeable about products and basically anything that we experience in and around specifically the greater Boise and Seattle areas. FDDiscs is currently run and operated by 3 people who are passionate about the sport of disc golf. The reviews and mentions from the greater Boise area are run by Jeremy Vanderpool and Michael Butler. Davis Halle is in charge of the greater Seattle area. Whoever writes the review will sign with their initials so you are always in the loop of who does what!. Let us know if you have any questions for us! Email us at fddiscs@gmail.com 

Keep throwing! FD_DiscsJV

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