Is breaking in and cycling discs becoming a thing of the past? The quality of plastics have improved dramatically in the past few years, and this seems true for all the major manufacturers. Additionally, the manufacturers and the buying public seem to be favoring these more durable and more attractive plastics, and those plastics that do break in more quickly are being produced more irregularly and in fewer numbers. I no longer hang on to overstable discs waiting for them to break in. Perhaps, they would eventually but the process is too long and unpredictable. Are some of you still cycling discs, or are your habits changing as well?
Breaking in discs
- Thread starter Al Dente
- Start date
I definitely prefer something out of the box that flies mostly right. I've made the cycles and broken in or been gifted broken in champ/ premium discs, wonderful but tough to replace without a lot of work. There is nothing like an overstable baseline disc that you have put the work into a good envy or firebird that's beat to heck is still stable and goes forever.
I play in harsh conditions. A bad rock or a tin roof/tonal slash are a reality, I don't like to season Electrons much because the cycle is so fast and occasionally sudden. That said I do cycle electron envy but other than that I will typically buy a new disc in premium plastic to try in the 165g ish range, if it's good the way it is and I like it enough I buy a backup a little heavier and start working on it, if it's a little stable I buy a light one while I work on the first. Or artificially simulate wear haha.
So yeah I still cycle but it takes longer and I need fewer discs.
I play in harsh conditions. A bad rock or a tin roof/tonal slash are a reality, I don't like to season Electrons much because the cycle is so fast and occasionally sudden. That said I do cycle electron envy but other than that I will typically buy a new disc in premium plastic to try in the 165g ish range, if it's good the way it is and I like it enough I buy a backup a little heavier and start working on it, if it's a little stable I buy a light one while I work on the first. Or artificially simulate wear haha.
So yeah I still cycle but it takes longer and I need fewer discs.
Sewer bill
Eagle Member
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I cycle halo wraiths as my main drivers, for casual rounds I bag 2 or 3. I have a range of them with known stability where I could bag 6 from most to least stable. Same with esp wasps granite quakes and ct challengers.
Premium plastic discs still break in and lose stability and settle into a sweet spot just not with a couple hits like base plastic.
It definitely seems less common but it's not going away.
I also don't think modern premium plastic is more durable, it does look way cooler but there were blends in the early 2000s that were actually on the side of indestructible. I have put some huge gouges, deep cuts, and ripples in modern premium plastics in one shot and I don't throw as hard as I used to.
Premium plastic discs still break in and lose stability and settle into a sweet spot just not with a couple hits like base plastic.
It definitely seems less common but it's not going away.
I also don't think modern premium plastic is more durable, it does look way cooler but there were blends in the early 2000s that were actually on the side of indestructible. I have put some huge gouges, deep cuts, and ripples in modern premium plastics in one shot and I don't throw as hard as I used to.
I think there has been a move towards more flexible premium plastics and with that less durability. I remember the indestructible stuff, it used to take 4 or 5 yrs of wear to really get it sexy.
Now that I have a higher disc golf budget and not just two discs I don't miss that hard blend.
I definitely cycle, but usually I just bag two discs of the same mold, a fresh(ish) and a flippy beat in one. I don't have the time or the inclination to get a very overstable disc and season so many that it covers the entire spectrum from beef to turnover.
However with more plastic options comes more variation and you can often find the same mold in wildly varying stabilities right out of the box.
However with more plastic options comes more variation and you can often find the same mold in wildly varying stabilities right out of the box.
Spectacledbear
Birdie Member
All i need is a stack of dx teebirds.
419HondaGuy
Newbie
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- May 4, 2020
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If you need a good way to streamline the braking in of a disc - just do standstill vertical spike hyzers in an empty parking lot or concrete/black top.
Putt for D'oh
Double Eagle Member
I am so over stocked with backups I've built up based on a wear cycle with different plastics I'm turning into one of those old guys. I think MINT is the only manufacturer I know the names of their newer discs are. Most all others I'm not even interested in finding out what is new and out there. I think I'll be cycling with most of the discs I already own until i'm done playing or age into 150g class.
See my sig. I am either cycling premium plastic OR have baseline and premium plastic and cycle both. In the case of the Destroyers, DD3s, Scorpious they are bascially the same Star/echostar but Overstable to less stable off the shelf. The DD3s are the work horse and have OS to Neutral from the same run.
See my sig. I am either cycling premium plastic OR have baseline and premium plastic and cycle both. In the case of the Destroyers, DD3s, Scorpious they are bascially the same Star/echostar but Overstable to less stable off the shelf. The DD3s are the work horse and have OS to Neutral from the same run.
zontar
Double Eagle Member
age into 150 class? I resemble that remark!
RowingBoats
Eagle Member
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- Sep 6, 2020
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Hmm, Im not an old school player but I cycle several molds.
I have like 6 Photons of various stability right now and usually bag 3 of em.
I have like 6 Photons of various stability right now and usually bag 3 of em.
That's one of those discs that you appreciate a lot when you put in the work.
RowingBoats
Eagle Member
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Seriously lol. I have one that is perfect and I am so scared to lose it. Will actually make me cry.
One of the older runs? I've got a previously well loved 143g fr (or close to it) soft fission and a 155. Absolutely irreplaceable, haha I tried. I put in some work, eventually realized it was top end of my power and went teslas.
Either way I know what you mean. They just stretch out so much straighter and further but keep a little stability. That is the nice thing about seasoning the mvp stuff when you finally achieve it... it lasts a loooong time in the sweet spot.
auzcar
Birdie Member
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- Jun 8, 2020
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Cycling should be something that just happens naturally from throwing your favourite discs again and again, and way too many players try to force this because of various reasons. Luckily I think that forcing a cycle is getting a bit out of fashion and I see less people doing this now than 4-5 years ago.
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I lost all my magical beat Star Firebirds and the closest replacement I've found in years is a semi beat z Raptor I traded with Sewer Bill.
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I'm still cycling discs. I have small hands with stumpy, sausage fingers - when I find a feel I like I stick with it. I typically bag 2-4 of the same disc, some beat up, some different plastic to get different flights. I'm still throwing the protostar Wedge I bought when it first came out haha.
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Have you tried a Predator? Not the new hotness of a disc but always flew with a forward pushing hyzer that resembled a beat Firebird at least for me.
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Something about the wing of a Predator doesn't fit with my grip.
Brychanus
* Ace Member *
I still prefer grippy & softer plastics in general. Star is the toughest I bag and new plastic already seems tougher even than when I started just a few years ago.
I throw a lot of Yeti Aviars and Envys so they get cycled a lot.
I prefer throwing a lot of flippable stuff in general and since even the soft ones tend to hang on to stability for a while so I skew understable out of the box and just replace them when I feel like it. My fairway drivers are getting cycled a lot because I'm pulling them out for most of the tee shots near me. I started adding slightly more neutral/stable stuff that would still flip but bite back harder and that has started to help my scoring.
I have a single Star Firebird that is starting to beat in nicely. I lean on it more and more and I am terrified that I will lose it, so I might add a beater out of fear.
I have a very small handful of drivers I feel very confident with, and even more terror that I will lose a single additional one. There was one magic run of Pharaohs that I still throw my best controlled hyzerflip distance lines with. I'm down to one and have never found another disc I'm quite as comfortable throwing. It's gradually becoming flippier...
I throw a lot of Yeti Aviars and Envys so they get cycled a lot.
I prefer throwing a lot of flippable stuff in general and since even the soft ones tend to hang on to stability for a while so I skew understable out of the box and just replace them when I feel like it. My fairway drivers are getting cycled a lot because I'm pulling them out for most of the tee shots near me. I started adding slightly more neutral/stable stuff that would still flip but bite back harder and that has started to help my scoring.
I have a single Star Firebird that is starting to beat in nicely. I lean on it more and more and I am terrified that I will lose it, so I might add a beater out of fear.
I have a very small handful of drivers I feel very confident with, and even more terror that I will lose a single additional one. There was one magic run of Pharaohs that I still throw my best controlled hyzerflip distance lines with. I'm down to one and have never found another disc I'm quite as comfortable throwing. It's gradually becoming flippier...
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