Alright, I really put the Saint through a workout tonight. I took it out to Fort Snelling where there are several holes over 500 feet, a few even topping out over 700. During the round I also threw a Villain, Giant, and a Discmania FD. Obviously this combination was designed not to have overlap, so I am not comparing any similarities between them, but how well it plays with them.
I am going to disagree in my own way that the Saint does not feel like a fairway driver. This is taking back a little bit of what I originally was thinking that this was a TeeBird clone. The Teebird feels more comfortable in my four finger power grip. All my wide-rimmed drivers starting with the Villain and obviously faster I feel comfortable with only a three finger power grip. The Saint feels comfortable enough to maintain the four fingers, but it is pushing it. Conversely the FD is the quintessential disc when it comes to comfort in a power grip.
However, despite its slightly altered grip in my hands, at least in comparision to the TeeBird, I am sticking with my original assessment that with my style and power, in the 350 feet and less category the Saint and Teebird are still interchangeable. I have said it before and tonight reaffirmed it for me, if there is any difference between the two discs at this power range, it is that the Saint has slightly better low-height glide and the slightest touch less LSS.
However to that however, tonight when I really opened it up going for level maximum distance, I am beginning to see what others are seeing in that 350+ feet mark. Before today, when I was comparing the Saints and TeeBirds in maximum distance, I was using flexing anhyzer lines. In those lines they have nearly identical results, with maybe the TeeBirds inching them out by a few feet (that tad more LSS flattens them out just before hitting the ground, fading forward those few extra feet). However, when going for maximum distance tonight using level flight (Fort Snelling is a golf course, while very open fairways, they are lined with trees on the edges), I did see some turn that I normally do not see in my TeeBirds. It really took a lot from me to get it to do it, but about mid flight I suddenly saw some flip up flat from the slightest of hyzers. I used this to my advantage and was starting to get some distance that I have not seen from myself in weeks (I blame the humidity and heat with messing with my technique and grip). Most holes where I opened it up were over 500 feet, so I have no way of knowing how far, but guessing by my upshots, it must have been around 380-410.
In this regard, I have to say that the Saints have a touch less HSS than TeeBirds. I really do not think I could get them over without OAT, so this tiniest bit of less HSS is not a detriment and will allow me to continue to throw them like I have been throwing my Birds.
As I have been saying, these results are all a product of my technique and game. In the last few months I have come the appreciate a mid-speed disc with neutral flight. Therein lies the problem. The Saint is a great disc, and I can cover everything I need with a FD, Saint, and Villain, but recently I have spent too much on TeeBirds to simply put them aside. I am still getting great results from the TeeBird, but tonight at Fort Snelling I was having one of my best rounds there ever (although I would like to have back two putts).