Physical difference between Star and Pro plastic

[R-Ogre]

Sometimes you'll see "star" plastic that I swear is either mislabeled, or it has a lot of pro in it. Rubbery and not very durable.

I remember when star plastic first came out, it was some of the best flying, most durable plastic I'd ever seen. Anymore, batches of star plastic can vary widely. I've seen some bad stuff at times.

That doesn't sound like the innova I know at all.
[/sarcasm]

 

[Twmccoy]

That doesn't sound like the innova I know at all.
[/sarcasm]

Well, its like the star Destroyer. The proto star Destroyer was the first (and IMO best) Destroyer ever made. Great plastic and very consistent from disc to disc. In the decade since, I feel like Innova hasn't made Destroyers to that standard. Different plastic, different mold, some discs flat, some discs domey. The consistency has been all over the place.

Seriously, though. The first star plastic that came out was very, very good.

I feel like pro plastic has gotten more rubbery over the years too. The last few new ones I've seen just feel gummier than I remember.

 

[R-Ogre]

Well, its like the star Destroyer. The proto star Destroyer was the first (and IMO best) Destroyer ever made. Great plastic and very consistent from disc to disc. In the decade since, I feel like Innova hasn't made Destroyers to that standard. Different plastic, different mold, some discs flat, some discs domey. The consistency has been all over the place.

Seriously, though. The first star plastic that came out was very, very good.

I feel like pro plastic has gotten more rubbery over the years too. The last few new ones I've seen just feel gummier than I remember.

I think it's just as said above, highly variable. It's a small sample size but the two pro discs I've bought I've had one rubbery almost a Star/GStar hybrid and one stiff more like a star/DX hybrid. The rubbery one was surprisingly durable for a midline plastic, not sure how the stiff stuff will hold up.

 

[wolfhaley]

All my pro plastic is the grippy, rubbery blend. Only 7 discs and 3 molds but they all feel pretty similar. I don't think I've thrown any before last year.

 

[JuanA]

I stopped throwing pro plastic years ago because I didn't like the way it beat in. Obviously its still a lot better than DX, but pro goes randomly bad quickly for no apparent reason. The plastic can also warp over time.

Do you find this more with the softer, rubbery Pro or the harder, slicker Pro?

I've been buying mostly Pro drivers lately, and I've been getting them in both types of 'feel'...soft and rubbery, as well as hard and slick.

 

[Twmccoy]

Do you find this more with the softer, rubbery Pro or the harder, slicker Pro?

I've been buying mostly Pro drivers lately, and I've been getting them in both types of 'feel'...soft and rubbery, as well as hard and slick.

The pro I had problems with was over a decade ago, when pro Wraiths first came out. They weren't really gummy, but they weren't super stiff either. The plastic would look and feel good, but suddenly get flippy. When I threw pro Wraiths they were BY FAR the longest driver on the market. That was what, like 2006? At the time the longest things out were the Orc and Flash.

For drivers in general I prefer stiffer plastic. I love the way G* flies in some driver molds, but I find that I get a lot of poor releases with it because the plastic feels like it moves/bends in my hand as I'm throwing. Slippage or grip locks.

Pro works for drivers if you want to beat them in. I prefer star or champion for drivers because I don't want the flight changing over time.

 

[Central Scrutinizer]

The only Pro plastic I had up until late 2019 was a Pro TL in about 2009 or so and a Pro Orc in 2011 or so. Then I ordered some Pro Leopards and Valks for field work once the snow melted this year. They're not even close to the same plastic as the old TL and Orc. I lost the TL long ago but the Orc is still in my possession and is that stiff but grippy type you hear about. The new Leopards and Valks from 2019 are almost pliable and rubbery. They feel great ripping off my fingertips though. I imagine a few tree hits will make them turnover Discs. So far I only really use them in the open field. And they suck at retaining dye!

 

[Nick Pacific]

I just got a star Wraith last week that appears to have some champ plastic mixed in. It's not completely opaque, but not nearly as clear as regular champion. I really like it.

I have one of those too. It's pancake flat and very stiff, and much more stable in comparison to a regular star wraith.

 

[pmay5]

On a slightly different note...

I read somewhere (probs some post on DGCR years back) that Pro plastic was so named because it flies like a well-seasoned Champ disc, right out of the box. Hence it's suitable for pros to use as an immediate replacement for a lost Champ, without requiring the time it takes to "cycle" a champ disc into that flight... especially if they needed something to fill that slot quicky for a tourney.

Absolutely no idea if there's even a shred of truth to that being why they named it Pro, but given how they fly compared to a fresh Champ, and how long it takes to beat Champ plastic in... seems like a plausible anecdote.

It wouldn't surprise me if this is correct.
I found a Pro Valk on a course last year (no name or number), it probably wasn't there very long, because it was on a new hole of a newer course. I was able to throw it well right away, stays straight very well and it is still my Go To Driver.

Earlier this year, I bought a Star Valk and it seems to be very stable, I have to fight to keep it from fading early. Then found a used Star Valk at PIAS and same thing, fades very quick on me.

For me, Pro seems to fly great right away and is more durable than DX.