[Putters] Sell me on a Proto XT Colt replacement

[hugheshilton]

So at the rate I'm going probably by early next year all my proto XT Colts are going to be used to the point of being flippy. They are still useful when flippy and I will continue to bag one, but I would like a replacement for a fresh one. Since the production run isn't quite the same, I'm going to do some auditioning for a replacement.

Here is what I like about the proto XT Colt:

- Shallow, low profile, easy to release cleanly
- Grippy, baseline plastic
- Flight numbers are maybe 3, 4, 0, 1.5 out of the box. Great high speed stability that is very trustworthy, but with very mild forward fade (like a fresh DX Roc only shorter and easier to release cleanly)
- Sneaky long for a putter, flies the same lines powered up or powered down

What I don't like:

- XT durability is terrible. It doesn't get cut up as much as DX but it warps on tree hits which makes it get flippy faster than DX.

I am pretty brand agnostic. I have a lot of Innova in my bag, but I'm happy to bag any disc that suits my game.

 

[Broken Shoulder]

Proxy, though it probably won't fade as much as what you're describing with the Colt. In that case, Envy.
I really like their Plasma offerings.

Edit...sorry, I missed the baseline part of the Pro list. You can ignore me.

 

[Nothing but cage]

Atom was my replacement for my proto colts. Not a huge increase in durability from xt if you do electron (haven't tried the new firm electron) but there is still an improvement. My xt colt was beat in like 4 rounds.

 

[DiscinFiend]

I'd say try a Pure. I don't know how it flies in baseline plastic. I tried out my friends Opto, it was nice. The Pure is fast & low profile. Might have less fade than you're asking for though.

 

[93EXCivic]

Chief?

Sent from my LG-H910 using Tapatalk

 

[Aim For The Chains]

Atom. It will warp (firm is better in ions IME no idea about atoms) but shapes back up easily and holds the stability well thanks to that magic gyro ****.

 

[elmexdela]

Atom. It will warp (firm is better in ions IME no idea about atoms) but shapes back up easily and holds the stability well thanks to that magic gyro ****.

Why wouldnt you just upgrade to an ion all together?

 

[@iDiscGolf]

Why wouldnt you just upgrade to an ion all together?

Because it's feels like twice the height and depth of the colt...

 

[elmexdela]

Because it's feels like twice the height and depth of the colt...

And goes twice as far

 

[hugheshilton]

Yeah I'm not really interested in Ions for this slot any more than I am in KC Pro Aviars or Wizards. I'm just not consistent enough driving those traditional, deep dish putters. It's a personal failing I'll admit, but I've bagged them before and never had as much success driving as with shallower molds. I putt with Daggers and if I wanted anything that deep, those would probably be my first choice.

Anyway, Atom is a good thought. I had one when they first came out and I did enjoy the flight. The durability seemed a little suspect at the time (and the price), but the Electron Firm might be better.

I should probably also pick up another Chief. I recall holding one of those in a store and thinking that it felt an awfully lot like the Colt although I've never thrown one. I haven't found Gateway's baseline plastics in the past to be particularly durable (other than the rock-hard old mediums and g9i which are almost uncomfortably hard). I only see Chiefs online in Sure Grip although knowing Gateway they've probably run them in other blends too. I guess maybe I'll pick up one of those to audition as well.

I did try a Zero Medium Pure last year, and it was way too flippy. I've heard the Optos are more stable. I owned one a long time ago, but it had razor sharp flashing all the way around the outside of the disc, and I ended up trading it away without throwing it much. Anyway, I'm looking for baseline plastic options, so I'll try some other things first.

 

[august dupree]

K3 Reko

 

[@iDiscGolf]

I was going to say the chief. But my experience with mine was very short lived. I want to say it was beaded though. Felt like a much shallower judge, I think.

It was a cool disc. Uber flat. Mine was S or SS I believe.

 

[DiscJunkie]

Ringer in soft X plastic, should be reasonably durable.
Same rim depth.
About the same stability, though maybe a bit more stable.
And you can get Soft X Ringers anytime, and the Discraft consistency is very good with Ringers

 

[myllys]

You should try a Jokeri in baseline and ultrium plastic (star-ish but morse grippy. I'm really liking mine so far.

 

[SD86]

Chief and Magic are good ideas. There are still some proto XT Colts out there, if you want to replenish your stock.

You might look at the Star Stud. The plastic is more durable, the disc is shaped almost exactly like a proto-Colt, and while it does not have exactly that beautiful, dead-on accurate proto-Colt flight, it's pretty close. Might be worth a try.

 

[Ender175]

K3 Reko

this.

i think a lot of people don't realize just how shallow the proto colts are compared to production colts and studs. k3 reko is slightly taller but the sunken top makes it feel pretty shallow. pures fly similar but are deeper. lat64 zero soft spike is as shallow and feels more similar than anything else i've tried, but are slightly less stable. lat64 mercy and mvp streamline pilot are both slightly shallower than a pure (tho still not quite as shallow as proto colt/spike). mercy is maybe a touch more stable than the colt, and i haven't thrown the pilot but it looks slightly OS as well.

 

[mgamache8]

XT Stud by innova. It was meant to be the OS compliment to the colt. Feels similar, flies more OS

 

[tbird888]

Classic Roc fits that criteria. It really is a Roc putter.

 

[hugheshilton]

I had a couple DX Studs. They feel a little deeper and had quite a bit more dome than the proto colts. The flight was also not everything I could wish. The only Jokeri I've thrown was more like a Zone than a Colt, way too OS for this slot.

Classic Roc is interesting if they can still be found in regular production still. I have no experience with DC putters but Ringer looks good on paper at least. The Pilot might also be interesting to try.

I know nothing about the Reko but I might look around locally to see if I can find one to feel up. I've stayed away from Kastaplast in the past because of availability and price but they seem to have a devoted following on here.

 

[BenHaavisto]

Gateway Shaman

I would give the Soft Shaman a shot, feels like the super flat proto colts, just in a stiffer plastic. It is a pretty straight shallow putter that I feel could work, they have a similar flight rating to the colt if I'm not mistaken.