Disc Gator

[Eco81]

I have had one since they 1st came out and have to say it has been the best investment I have made for disc golf in years. If you play a course that has water hazards this tool is a must. It works in place a retriever won't. The retriever is nice when the disc is far away. The disc gator is really nice for anything that is about 10 feet away. It will work is fast moving streams. And like everyone else has said in horns, hard to reach stops. Up in trees. I carry the 2 pole system at all times. I have also had some problems. One of the poles I got did not open all the way. One pole the tip broke off. Another pole one of the end end extensions broke and every time they sent a new pole and upgraded metal tips. It has paid for itself in saved plastic several times over

They are also changing the pole system from the aluminum extension pole to a modified tent pole staring in a couple of months. They sit sit should give more of a reach and the ability to bring expand and contract easier. I thought the aluminum pole had a lot of flex in it and the tent pole might not be strong enough but you never know.

If anyone knows of a good sturdy extension pole and shrinks down to the size of the poles they supply now please let me know.

 

[The Shide]

Finally had the chance to test 'er out Tuesday at league at Riverside Park in Grand Rapids. Just as the name suggests, there is water at this park. Not only did I get to use the Gator once, but last count was a total of six times to retrieve discs. Everybody on the card went into water at least once. Worked great!

 

[Torpedo Vegas]

Anyone have the new one with the tent pole? Looks like a huge upgrade over the pole that it use to come with but was wondering how sturdy it is when assembled since their video does not really show it

 

[Kenny53691]

I've been curious about the pole change as well. I also bought one of the very first ones, & it's already paid for itself, lol.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

Anyone have the new one with the tent pole? Looks like a huge upgrade over the pole that it use to come with but was wondering how sturdy it is when assembled since their video does not really show it

Love the Gator, but the plastic threads on my original pole stripped. I replaced it with a cheap, 5 1/2 ft telescoping pole I picked up at Lowe's for abouu $6.

The new pole intrigues me, but it seems like the sections just friction fit into to each other. Not sure if I saw a length of elactic shick cord strung through all of them, but their video said the whole assy (tent pole + gator) only weighs 14oz.

Always wish it had longer reach in a lightweight, compact design...might as well give this a try. I'll buy the tent pole for $19, trust they've used their time well to work out the bugs. Will see how it works and post back here.

 

[Hulkwantsgreen]

I have both a Golden Retriever and a Disc Gator (tent pole) and I will say I am glad to have both. The Gator works great for most of the local courses I play at were as there is not bigger ponds and the creeks are no more than 6 to 8 feet wide. With the gator being able to collapse and set up so quick it is much more convenient than unraveling and raveling back up the rope attached to a retriever. Plus once the Gator clamps down on the disc its very rare that it will come out whereas I have had many discs pop out of the retrievers only to get carried a little further down stream. You can also use it to get discs out of trees. I keep both a retriever and a gator in my bag just in case because to of the local courses do have small ponds but I usually don't end up in them.

 

[Hulkwantsgreen]

I did however cut the elastic cord in mine and shortened it from being the full 11 feet (six poles) down to only 5.5 feet (three poles) because I really only picked it up to get my discs out of smaller streams. For longer reach I just pull out the Golden Retriever. I was well worth the money.

 

[Torpedo Vegas]

Love the Gator, but the plastic threads on my original pole stripped. I replaced it with a cheap, 5 1/2 ft telescoping pole I picked up at Lowe's for abouu $6.

The new pole intrigues me, but it seems like the sections just friction fit into to each other. Not sure if I saw a length of elactic shick cord strung through all of them, but their video said the whole assy (tent pole + gator) only weighs 14oz.

Always wish it had longer reach in a lightweight, compact design...might as well give this a try. I'll buy the tent pole for $19, trust they've used their time well to work out the bugs. Will see how it works and post back here.

I replaced my original pole as well with one from Lowes that was much lighter and thinner. Since then I have started using a golf push cart and bought a telescopic pole that extends to 8ft and will fit in the umbrella holder. The setup is perfect but is dependent on a cart so I was really hoping to get some feedback on the new tent pole for cartless rounds before ordering since I was less then impressed with their first offering.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

If I used a cart, I'd have gotten a longer telescoping pole a while ago, but I'm not a cart guy, so compact & light is key for me.
My tent pole shipped today. Hopefully, it arrives by the weekend. opcorn:

Agree with Hulk: Gator & GR compliment each other more than they compete... each does well where the other is weak.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

I'll buy the tent pole for $19, trust they've used their time well to work out the bugs. Will see how it works and post back here.

Chris @ Disc Gator sent it out to me out a week ago... I'd be describing it to you now, except it hasn't left Rhode Island. :\

No beef with Disc Gator. All they can do is put it in the mail and give me a tracking #... which they did.
They offered to re-ship and I told them I'm fine if they want to take another day to follow up with USPS to see if they can at least figure out where the pkg is at. I could probably throw a disc, pick it up, throw it again, repeat as necessary... and make it out of RI in less than a week.

opcorn:

 

[Torpedo Vegas]

Chris @ Disc Gator sent it out to me out a week ago... I'd be describing it to you now, except it hasn't left Rhode Island. :\

No beef with Disc Gator. All they can do is put it in the mail and give me a tracking #... which they did.
They offered to re-ship and I told them I'm fine if they want to take another day to follow up with USPS to see if they can at least figure out where the pkg is at. I could probably throw a disc, pick it up, throw it again, repeat as necessary... and make it out of RI in less than a week.

opcorn:

Well the race is on! I got tired of having to get mine out of my bag to retrieve discs while I was putting in the back yard so I went ahead and ordered another one to keep at the house. Got hot pink this time and really think the color will contrast much better with the weeds in the field than the neon green one I already have

 

[BogeyNoMore]

My tent poles arrived today, and I love how lightweight they are for the 11ft reach... under 11 ounces.

They really are the same aluminum poles that come with higher quality dome tents, but the shock cord stringing the sections together is considerably beefier and tighter than what you see in tents, allowing you to pull back when retrieving without the sections coming undone. They're fairly stiff, but there's definitely some flex to them when fully assembled and extended. I think it'll work quite well.
Can't wait to try it out.
... kinda :\


...because if I need it, what's that say about my shot?

 

[sidewinder22]

...because if I need it, what's that say about my shot?

You wouldn't help a bro out?

 

[BogeyNoMore]

Good point! I'm much happier using it to retrieve other people's discs! :hfive:

 

[Dr.Smooth]

Is their really a need for a tool like that in your area?

Don't see much water hazards in the tri state playing area.

Definitely wish their were more!

 

[dysmike]

Is their really a need for a tool like that in your area?

Don't see much water hazards in the tri state playing area.

Definitely wish their were more!

Not much water here, snakes.

The new pole works well so far.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

Really like the 11' tent poles: light and great reach. That said, they take some getting used to. The Gator is great for way more than just water. Works well for discs in trees, thorny bushes, poison ivy, I've even used it to retrieve a disc from the other side of a chain link fence by pulling the bottom back a bit and going underneath... great product.

I've said it before and will say it again; it complements a Golden Retriever more than it competes with it. The situations either one can successfully be deployed are limited to the first 11 feet out from the shore with a fairly smooth bottom.... if the bottom is pretty rocky or there's a lot of submerged sticks/branches or growth, using a GR is pretty ineffective.

 

[brentjacobs]

Just wanted to bump this up for a cool product and solid company. Got my Gator a few weeks ago. They forgot to include the grabber part and just sent the pole. Customer service was great. I let them know that it was missing and they responded same day and shipped it priority 2 day.

I decided to purchase it due to a new course in town that is surrounded by barbed wire fencing that is very new and super tight and also has a swamp hole(can play around for a three but that's silly). I'm used to crossing barbed wire fences as a lifetime hunter in MT but this fence is brand new and silly tight so you'd have to go over or barely scrape through which sucks.

First round at the course I snagged my buddy's disc from the other side of the fence with ease as well as grabbing another friend's disc that had landed in the swamp on one hole a few months earlier. That one was a little trickier with the cat tails and swamp growth. As mentioned above it can make the Gator a little less effective. After one unsuccessful attempt where I almost got it stuck(learned my lesson quickly there, don't just shove it at the disc in the middle of a bunch of growth) I used the Gator to turn the disc vertically then came from the appropriate angle and it was easy breezy.

Light & easy to carry. Again, takes a little practice and caution in certain areas, but I'm stoked on the purchase.

 

[kw83028]

These things are the hottest selling accessory now. I've been telling people about them for 2 years, but now they're catching on lol. I've already sold 40 of them this year alone.

 

[djcadence]

I love my gator, I've rescued at least 10 discs for people in the short span I've owned it. The only issue I've had is sometimes getting it to bite down when a disc is in water with clay or mud at the bottom. I was thinking of just attaching some string or paracord to the spring, so I can engage the clamp without having to risk pushing the disk further into the lake while trying to engage the clamp. Has anyone tried this mod?