[Innova] Blizzard changed for the worse

[Wanderer]

These new foamy Blizzard discs, where all the air bubbles are in the rim only, don't feel right and don't fly right, IMO. This may be subjective, but it feels like there's not a whole lot there in the rim, where most of the weight should be. And, well, that's because there actually isn't.

I never get a lot of snap when releasing Blizzard because of the weird, vague weight distribution which is completely skewed by so much inherent weight removed from the rim.

In my experience, they aren't longer, are funky, and fly erratically.

Lat 64's Opto Air, on the other hand, is excellent...the rims seem in large part normal, and the quality(or lack of degradation) of the plastic is done very well.

Who else is down on Blizzard, especially the latest version?

 

[AndyJB]

I think it depends on how low you are trying to go. Ive found anything in Blizzard or Air below 150 is pretty unmanageable. I usallu throw 155s..flies like its supposed to, still has good heft to the rim and I can get good pull and snap with them.

 

[crashzero]

i liked the bosses with the bubbles in the top and i think just about everyone else did too, oh well

 

[Jay Dub]

I bought a blizzard Dominator and like it a lot. It's broken personal distance records for me and very controllable. It's 158g, I haven't tried anything lighter yet.

 

[frasnow]

These new foamy Blizzard discs, where all the air bubbles are in the rim only, don't feel right and don't fly right, IMO.

Blizzards with air only in the rim aren't new. They've been around since the beginning. I haven't heard of anyone who likes them. That's why I wouldn't buy a Blizzard without looking at it. I've thrown a friend's rim-only Blizzard Ape and it was :gross:.

 

[Monkeypaws]

I bought a blizzard Dominator and like it a lot. It's broken personal distance records for me and very controllable. It's 158g, I haven't tried anything lighter yet.

My Blizzard Wraith has done the same, at 148. Very happy with the disc.

 

[Horsman]

I used to always bash on these blizzards and say only the ones wit the bubbles in the flight plate will fly correctly until I threw a 130 bliz katana that was as stable as an x cal, and I can almost throw 600 so you know its stable

 

[Wanderer]

Well, I only own a 150g Bliz DD2, but have thrown a 145g Bliz Krait and a 150g Zero G Scorpius. So, maybe as some suggest, high 150's would be better. But then you're getting up to near std weights, so what's the point of having air bubbles at all?

To me, it just seems like something is off with these...from feel in hand, feel at release, and flight. And Bliz plastic wears worse than Innova Pro. After one throw at a field reached a little strip of sidewalk, a whole section of the edge was feathered. Doesn't even feel like Champion, more like an opaque R-Pro...IMO.

Anyway, I know Blizzard has its fans, and the idea is good. I'm willing to bet though that Innova will have Blizzard OOP in the not too distant future.

 

[AndyJB]

Anyway, I know Blizzard has its fans, and the idea is good. I'm willing to bet though that Innova will have Blizzard OOP in the not too distant future.

That I very highly doubt. Local shops around here cant keep the stuff on the shelves. The Factory 2nds also sell like hotcakes. I see teenagers using Blizzard to blast some huge drives, and for me it really reduces shoulder and elbow fatigue, especially when forehanding. I think Blizzard will be around for a good long while.

 

[HiFi]

Well, I only own a 150g Bliz DD2, but have thrown a 145g Bliz Krait and a 150g Zero G Scorpius. So, maybe as some suggest, high 150's would be better. But then you're getting up to near std weights, so what's the point of having air bubbles at all?

To me, it just seems like something is off with these...from feel in hand, feel at release, and flight. And Bliz plastic wears worse than Innova Pro. After one throw at a field reached a little strip of sidewalk, a whole section of the edge was feathered. Doesn't even feel like Champion, more like an opaque R-Pro...IMO.

Anyway, I know Blizzard has its fans, and the idea is good. I'm willing to bet though that Innova will have Blizzard OOP in the not too distant future.

Why would they discontinue them when I guarantee they are raking in money hand over fist from Blizzard? I would bet almost every serious player who doesn't have some sort of bizarre and pointless loyalty to some specific brand purchased a Blizzard this summer just to try one.

And yes some of the Blizzard with bubbles in the rim only almost have a foamy feel to them. My friend has 2 Bliz Bosses, 1 Bliz Destroyer, and a Bliz Krait. The Destroyer seems fine, the 2 Bosses are fraying around the edges, and the Krait is fraying as well. I myself still have a Bliz Boss with bubbles in the dome and it is holding up quite well. It's not on the level of regular Champ but its much much better than Pro I assure you.

I think it's pretty obviously hit or miss with these, but once you find the right one they can be great discs. My friend started throwing 10% farther once he was using them, but I am pretty minimalist and do not carry one normally. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

That I very highly doubt. Local shops around here cant keep the stuff on the shelves. The Factory 2nds also sell like hotcakes. I see teenagers using Blizzard to blast some huge drives, and for me it really reduces shoulder and elbow fatigue, especially when forehanding. I think Blizzard will be around for a good long while.

My friend also said the same thing about reducing strain. Personally that seems weird, I mean we're talking about 20 grams, which seems like not that big of a difference. Pansies! =P

 

[Wanderer]

Yes, they are selling big and Innova is raking in the dough. No doubt about that. But you'll notice that a good % of those that have tried Blizzard are junking it early on. Other, more established players, aren't necessarily biting.

So, they are marketing Blizzard to the distance challenged, noobs, and kids. The latter two not exactly a reliable source of sales over time.

They already offer champion, star, and DX plastic down to 150g. Where does Blizzard truly fit in besides the temporary fad element? And when Blizzard discs start disintegrating at an alarming rate with regular use on courses, there will be a whole slew of addtl ex-Blizzard fans.

In contrast, I think Opto Air will stick longterm because the quality is there..the plastic, the feel, the true flight.

JMHO...

 

[jcburton24]

All the Blizzard discs they are selling now have all the bubbles in the rim. Only the first run had the bubbles in the flightplate and they were getting too many x outs from my understanding so they quit putting them in the flightplate. The only ones that hold up are the heavier ones that really don't have many bubbles. The lighter weight ones that do still have lots of bubbles in the rim become useless after only a few rounds. Once they get some hits on the edges the bubbles tear open causing the edge to always feel rough after that.

 

[jcburton24]

Since blizzard technology has turned for the worse ya'll can just send those 150 Blizzard Katanas with the flightplate bubbles to this guy right here. I am always looking.

 

[Billym]

This is fun.......opcorn::clap::doh:

 

[HiFi]

Yes, they are selling big and Innova is raking in the dough. No doubt about that. But you'll notice that a good % of those that have tried Blizzard are junking it early on. Other, more established players, aren't necessarily biting.

So, they are marketing Blizzard to the distance challenged, noobs, and kids. The latter two not exactly a reliable source of sales over time.

They already offer champion, star, and DX plastic down to 150g. Where does Blizzard truly fit in besides the temporary fad element? And when Blizzard discs start disintegrating at an alarming rate with regular use on courses, there will be a whole slew of addtl ex-Blizzard fans.

In contrast, I think Opto Air will stick longterm because the quality is there..the plastic, the feel, the true flight.

JMHO...

I agree with you mostly but I think you are underestimating the number of new players each year that will be trying it out. Personally I don't like going below 170, but for those who want something sub 150 they are there now.

I can throw about 450 so take this for what it's worth, but I think you are acting like people who are "distanced challenged" don't have a legitimate reason to use them. I mean I watched it with my own eyes how my friends distance went up at least 10%. There will always be people looking to add distance so I think it's going to take a while before the Bliz line stops making them money.

 

[Wanderer]

I agree with you mostly but I think you are underestimating the number of new players each year that will be trying it out. Personally I don't like going below 170, but for those who want something sub 150 they are there now.

I can throw about 450 so take this for what it's worth, but I think you are acting like people who are "distanced challenged" don't have a legitimate reason to use them. I mean I watched it with my own eyes how my friends distance went up at least 10%. There will always be people looking to add distance so I think it's going to take a while before the Bliz line stops making them money.

I hear ya, and I can understand wanting lighter weights in max distance drivers. But this feels like junk for the most part to me. What I find interesting is that any mfgr CAN get normal Champion/Opto down below 160g, easily. One example is the Mamba, available in Champion to 150g, with a 2.1cm rim. Another is the Northman, down to 158g in Opto, 2.0cm rim. So why can't it be done with a Wraith at 2.1cm?

I still think this was primarily a means to re-charge existing, and sales stagnant driver models by offering them in this new, uh, breakthrough plastic in super light weights. Who's going to throw a 130g Boss other than a pre teen? They should be throwing Leopards, Diamonds or Sidewinders as beginners or youngsters, IMO.

 

[mashnut]

Noobs and kids are the people who make the most money for the disc golf manufacturers (mostly noobs). Established players buy a few discs here and there, but most new players go out and buy a bunch of plastic. It's always going to make more sense to market to the casual players over those of us who take the game seriously enough to be posting about it on a website.

 

[skybird]

....

 

[Wanderer]

Noobs and kids are the people who make the most money for the disc golf manufacturers (mostly noobs). Established players buy a few discs here and there, but most new players go out and buy a bunch of plastic. It's always going to make more sense to market to the casual players over those of us who take the game seriously enough to be posting about it on a website.

Well, noobs that actually stick with it, and kids need their parents to pay. Established players may not be jumping at every new disc, but they are constantly buying spares and new replacements at the very least.

A general rule in marketing: you never abandon your core biz in favor of potential new sales. You want to add sales but retain your base customers, always, no exceptions. To do otherwise by diluting the brand is usually the kiss of death.

How many noobs might possibly be turned off to a whole lineup of Innova drivers because they eventually soured on Blizzard, with all its shortcomings? You know, they may avoid a Boss, Wraith, or Destroyer like the plague because the Blizzard versions they got flew and wore like caca. Something to think about...

 

[mashnut]

How exactly are they abandoning their core constituency? None of their staple molds has disappeared because they're making blizzard plastic. It hasn't had any effect on the rest of their lineup, so I don't get the diluting the brand comment at all.