Raptor

[smarkquart]

Originally Posted by BuzzzChief

I don’t understand why you wanted something to fly differently than your 9/4/0/3 Longbowman, so you tried a 9/4/0/3 Raptor. Then you’re surprised that it flies similarly to your 9/4/0/3 FD3, your 9/3/0/4 Firebird, and your 9/3/0.5/4 Felon.

Who knew that discs with nearly identical numbers would fly so similarly? It’s like those numbers mean something.

I am spending too much time defending a response that I guess was written more for my benefit than anyone else.

Flight numbers mean squat.

Firebirds alone come in an incredible array of stability. I have a super flat that needs an immense amount of anhyzer to get any forward. I then have a Star Firebird that has a reasonable amount of high-speed stability but I can keep flat a good amount of time. My last Firebird is a newer Champ Glow that new already has some flip and turn.

Comparably, I also have four different stabilities of Felons. Lucid-X is very much like my flat Firebird. My Fuzion Felons are close to what I suspect my Star Firebird will soon become, but they are a touch slower. My factory-dyed Lucid Felon is like my Champ Glow Firebird and are essentially interchangeable. I actually like that for my backhand. So, I purchased a few regular Lucid Felons and they are glideless meathooks.

FD3 has a completely different feel than the Felons and Firebirds - they feel thinner. I have less confidence forehanding them, but more confidence backhand. They also have an incredible amount of high-speed stability with a fade that only kicks in during the last 10% of the flight.

So, while their flight numbers are near identical, they flights are actually not comparable at all. Thus the trouble I am having. I would love to have a mold that consistently flew 9/4/0/3 - that way I can have back-ups and practice discs as well as eventually investing in a great looking disc that could be in my main bag.

And as mentioned before, this has become more than what I wanted to dive into. It is for a shot that is not a mainstay in my shot selection (right now). I would like to have a servicable forehand, but the heart and sole of my bag has been locked down for over decade, and I have no questions or concerns there.

[dehaas]

Originally Posted by smarkquart

You have played as long as I have, so it is clear to say that it is not as easy as just throwing what flies best for you. There is always the need to walk onto the course with a giant bag filled with custom discs and or color coordination happening so that every effort is made of impressing what we perceive to be new players. What else are you going to do to assert your dominant knowledge of the sport when you know you are going to hit the first tree off the tee?

As for the original conversation, I have been backhand exclusive 14 of my 16 years of playing. So, I got those slots locked down. However, it is only in the last two years that I have been working on a servicable forehand. I have been cycling through options as much as I have been working on form that can produce repeatable results. I also have been playing long enough, and have invested enough time into this sport, to want to have my disc selection to look a certain way once I know what I want to throw. It may be just a placebo effect, but there is a part of me that knows that discs I have attachments to just fly better.

In the end I do what I also do, apparently write more than what I need for the original point - I was disappointed by the Z Raptor not living up to my perceived expectations of what it should fly. So, I am going back to the field to continue working on my forehand. It is got to be more than a matter of like; it has to be something that I love throwing.

Starting in the glory days of plastic I bag exactly zero of that stuff. Sure it was nice, but if you know what you’re looking for today’s plastic is just as good...could easily argue infinitely easier to bag ”nice” plastic now just due to more of it out there.

McBeth started out throwing boutique Innova plastic and moved to all stock stuff and didn’t stop winning?

Don’t play enough at this point to care who’s impressed with my bag setup, got passed that point a while ago. Lol I care infinitely more about my ultrasignup % than my pdga rating.

But back to the initial question you didn’t answer, why not just dye the white disc you like and he be done with it?

[wolfhaley]

Try an Ahti. Super stupidly OS. Makes a Felon look like an Escape.

[wolfhaley]

As TDub said, a Criminal might work too, but they're OOP.

[Muddyboots]

Originally Posted by smarkquart

I am spending too much time defending a response that I guess was written more for my benefit than anyone else.

Flight numbers mean squat.

Firebirds alone come in an incredible array of stability. I have a super flat that needs an immense amount of anhyzer to get any forward. I then have a Star Firebird that has a reasonable amount of high-speed stability but I can keep flat a good amount of time. My last Firebird is a newer Champ Glow that new already has some flip and turn.

Comparably, I also have four different stabilities of Felons. Lucid-X is very much like my flat Firebird. My Fuzion Felons are close to what I suspect my Star Firebird will soon become, but they are a touch slower. My factory-dyed Lucid Felon is like my Champ Glow Firebird and are essentially interchangeable. I actually like that for my backhand. So, I purchased a few regular Lucid Felons and they are glideless meathooks.

FD3 has a completely different feel than the Felons and Firebirds - they feel thinner. I have less confidence forehanding them, but more confidence backhand. They also have an incredible amount of high-speed stability with a fade that only kicks in during the last 10% of the flight.

So, while their flight numbers are near identical, they flights are actually not comparable at all. Thus the trouble I am having. I would love to have a mold that consistently flew 9/4/0/3 - that way I can have back-ups and practice discs as well as eventually investing in a great looking disc that could be in my main bag.

And as mentioned before, this has become more than what I wanted to dive into. It is for a shot that is not a mainstay in my shot selection (right now). I would like to have a servicable forehand, but the heart and sole of my bag has been locked down for over decade, and I have no questions or concerns there.

You're a weird guy, ace.

[Emoney]

Anyone know the difference between a first run Z raptor and the stock Z? Max weight?

I wonder if the stock run came out less overstable.

Raptor is one of the best discs discraft has come out with in a while. They had a huge gap here and this disc nails it.
The predator was too deep and square rimmed and some of the Z were absolute pigs.(although the flat ESP were amazing)

Im looking to grab a couple Z. Anyone with first runs PM me.

[smarkquart]

Originally Posted by dehaas

But back to the initial question you didn’t answer, why not just dye the white disc you like and he be done with it?

This is the Z Raptor I commissioned:



I really wanted that disc to work. I should have known better - I have been playing nearly 17 years and I have always known that there are stability differences in a mold between plastics, but since I did not want to mess up my limited edition white ESP Raptor (which I throw anyway), I wanted something personalized and special. My printer had a Z Raptor available, so I went for it. I do not regret the graphic, it still looks nice and I might break it out for fun rounds, but not what I was looking for in my serious bag lineup.

I do have two white Longbowman. One I gave to a local dyer and I still have not heard back from him yet. He was just going to do a "sloppy" spin dye on the edges with purple and yellow. My other one, I am strongly considering sending away to this above printer. I have a fantasy crush on Rogue from the X-Men, so in my tournament bag I have six discs already with varying images of her on it. I do not care if I get called weird on that one.

Still, while I have been sorely lacking doing it this last year, I used to film a lot of rounds. White always shows up best on film, but obviously not so well on the ground during the winter. I know it is a first-world petty problem, but I am trying to find colors and graphics that I like while also being the perfect disc for the slot I am trying to learn how to throw better. I have been close to what I am looking for with multiple discs, but that too is difficult finding a balance. It is a skill I am practicing, so by no means is my form locked in how it will look next year. And yet, I want a disc that does more of the work for me because, at best, during a tournament I might use a forehand once or twice a round. I just want to execute when I am going with it.

Again, the Z Raptor turned out not to be the disc I was expecting, so the search continues. Most definitely, I could settle, but do I have to?

[smarkquart]

Originally Posted by Muddyboots

You're a weird guy, ace.

Do not care. I have fun throwing.

I can get out almost every day, so I can get a lot of practice in with a disc I am trying out. If I ever get to the point where I go long periods of time without playing, I want to be able to at least have a trust in what I throw so that I do not get frustrated from always missing my lines and or hitting the first tree off the tee.

[Muddyboots]

Originally Posted by smarkquart

Do not care. I have fun throwing.

I can get out almost every day, so I can get a lot of practice in with a disc I am trying out. If I ever get to the point where I go long periods of time without playing, I want to be able to at least have a trust in what I throw so that I do not get frustrated from always missing my lines and or hitting the first tree off the tee.

Hey buddy, no kink shaming. You do you. Your world must be pretty awesome if the big issues are frisbees that didn't fulfill your fantasies.

[smarkquart]

Originally Posted by Muddyboots

Hey buddy, no kink shaming. You do you. Your world must be pretty awesome if the big issues are frisbees that didn't fulfill your fantasies.

Quite the opposite. Plenty of stuff to be thankful for but enough to elevate the stress where I need to throw every day. So, pick my battles and control what I can. There is plenty I cannot control that is way more significant than the colors and graphics of discs that may or may not fly the way I want.