Is brand loyalty stupid?

[slowRoll]

Sponsored pros are sometimes limited to using only discs created by the manufacturer they represent, but the rest of us are free to use whatever we choose. In my area (the South) Innova is king. I think over the years I've heard every discrap joke there is to be made. Gateway Wizards are making a push in more players' bags, but in general, it is an Avair, Roc, Teebird world in which I live. I view brand loyalty as a trap, but some people view it as an honorable commitment to the company they love. If I only would have stuck with one local brand, I never would have found the Latitude 64 Goldline River to replace my Star Leopard (sweet disc btw, if you're looking for basically a Leopard with more glide).

How bout you? Are you a diehard Innova guy? Does Discraft make the only discs that will ever see the inside of your bag? Or are you like me, and just use whatever works best for you? Chime in, vote, and keep it civil. I'm not asking if you think one brand is better than the other... I'm asking if you will only throw one brand without even trying the discs made by the others.

 

[BarkBuster]

I will try any disc.. I use probaly a 50/50 mix of Innova and Discraft. I have thrown other brands but none have stuck so far, its also hard to try other brands in my area without ordering them so it makes it harder to justify dropping $15-20 on a disc that you can't even hold in your hand before you buy... hoping that the Vibrams Im ordering will work out though!


I am not brand loyal as a rec golfer.

 

[The Hammer]

My bag consists of discs from 5 different manufacturers, so.........

 

[bayouace]

Why limit yourself? There are some great discs out there. Plus, it is fun to try new discs, especially when some of them work out for you.

 

[Ace D]

i don't know if brand loyalty is "stupid" if someone has had success with molds from a certain company. but barring yourself off from other brands is probably going to cause you to miss a lot of good molds that you never knew you liked.

 

[Brall]

currently have 6 brands in the bag

I WIN!

 

[JR Stengele]

Stupid, yes. Unless you are a pro of course. I go with what best suits my game. However, I do tend to stick with Innova and Discraft, but still support all dg companies if possible.

 

[billnchristy]

I also think it is stupid. But, I do have loyalty in certain areas. I always use Innova for tournament and clinic orders because they have been very good to me and I have loyalty to them for that.

My bag is a different story.

 

[wolito]

I suppose it would make sense if you lived in a small town, with only one place to buy discs and don't own a computer with internet access, otherwise, I am not seeing the point of brand loyalty.

 

[dehaas]

i used to throw only innova years ago but now most of my drivers tend to be innova, mids are discraft, and putters are gateway. to me that's what each manufacturer tends to excel at. i have thrown a bit of discmania and have tossed a little lat64, but i'm trying to minimize my bag at the moment so i haven't went buck wild with other brands.

 

[kpc2004]

i ONLY use trojan...

oh wait, disc golf...yeah i have 4 brands in my bag as well

 

[JoshEpoo]

It's not completely pointless, and it's not really going to limit your growth or success as a disc golfer, but I could care less about staying loyal to one brand. Each major manufacturer has a pretty complete line up of discs at this point. If you really love one of them, buy their stuff and support them. There is so much plastic out there that I do see it screwing up your growth as a player if you try absolutely all of it. There just isn't that big of a difference in technology right now.

If something revolutionary happens at say MVP or Vibram, and they make a big leap I might have to reconsider, but right now things are pretty even across the board. I don't see the Ion & Vector or VP & Ascent tipping the scales.

 

[Mr. America]

I think it's pretty silly unless you are sponsored by the company. Even then I think it's sort of silly.

I am surprised DG Pros aren't more like a lot of BG pros when it comes to their clubs. Many BG pros have in their contracts to use a certain number of so and so's clubs, or maybe just a certain companies driver, or irons etc. Many of them do not use all of one company even though they may be heavily sponsored by that company. Vijay Singh used to carry Callaway drivers and fairway woods under his Cleveland head covers

Then again maybe the lesser known DG pros do carry multiple companies I don't really know.

 

[optidiscic]

I stick to innova as a means to avoid being overwhelmed by choices and learning new discs etc. I do have a fuse but other than that it's all innova. I might branch out one day if I feel I've mastered the knowledge of what every disc can do.

 

[Johnny Conservative]

I will use any disc that works, I have for the most part only Discraft and Innova. But I prefer Discraft for the most part. But I prefer Vibram putters.

That being said, if one of the manufacturers was paying me to use their discs, I would, so to answer the question, no I dont think it is stupid.

 

[ilmcgee]

I have all Innova but mainly because that's what is here. I think Discraft discs look better but it's hard to find exactly what you want. BTW, I really like holding a brand new disc before I buy it.

 

[Wolfman]

I used to have 5 or 6 brands in my bag now i only have two and they are Innova and Discraft cause they are easily available and i just finally found what works. Actually my whole bag is almost all innova except for my zones and predator, the pred might be going bye bye though for a firebird im not quite sure yet

 

[sgamerp]

unless the brand has done something for you it seems stupid.

 

[ManU]

there was this one time at band camp where

I wanted to go all Millennium
it didn't work
I have tried discs from just about everyone except Westside

for me I have found myself the happiest with Discraft putters and mids (Ringers and Buzzzes), Innova fairway stuff (Eagles and Banshees (although even there I cheat as I actually use the EXP 1)) and Discraft again for my distance and headwind drivers (Crush and Force)

I'm pretty happy with that mix
I would not want to have to use just one brand
I guess unless they were paying me to do so

 

[bradharris]

Neither. It is not stupid, but I don't like it. I see no need to restrict myself (I currently have discs from 7 different brands). For some people it works. There are enough options in the major brands that you can get away with just one. For many people that works because it's simple and often times more convenient. I prefer to try lots of different things and just stick with whatever works, regardless of brand.