Lightning discs? What happened here?

[Jtyree]

Did they just throw in the towel or what? Does anyone know where you can purchase a replacement base?

JT

 

[sonny]

It's been quite awhile since I've seen a Lightning disc in a store, but they are available online.

http://www.discgolfcenter.com/main_displayProductList.php?s=4&pl=57&type=6

 

[nevets4433]

I had heard they quit making them...but not from any reputable source so take that for what it is.

 

[depster]

I'd give them a try if they came back and had premium plastic...I always did like one of the "roller" molds they made.

 

[Brodysseus]

I've always wanted to try an all Lightning bag.

 

[Indiana574]

They sell them at the pop shop in niles Michigan

 

[sillybizz]

They actually made quite a few quality discs back in the day. Sadly the company hasn't kept up with innovation in the sport and their plastic is essentially destroyed by a few tree hits.

 

[Moose33]

I've emailed them a few times to no avail. I'd still putt with #2 Upshots if I had a stack. But only the Prostyle plastic.

Honestly you could take several of their molds, most notably the Upshot, Hyzer and Helix series run them in good plastic and better names and do well I think.

If I had some money id offer to buy those molds.

 

[FWgrant]

The last I heard, Steve Howle, the owner was having health problems. This was over a year ago. Steve was basically a one man show for Lightning and he doesn't have anyone else capable of running the affairs of the business like he did.

 

[Three Putt]

Steve was a different sort of guy. He played by his own rules. For a long time in disc golf, you could do that and get away with it. His was the "outlaw" company, the one that fought Innova is court. They caught Hell from all the "serious" players becasue Innova was (is?) King and their reputation suffered. Steve didn't care. He sold glow discs for no upcharge. He did custom stamps for no set-up fee. He did things his way.

Along the line they did make some really good discs like the F-15 Eagle. Really in the 90's the only slot where they didn't have a solid option was at putter, and they had some really overstable discs like the SR-71 Blackbird and F-18 Hornet at a time when Discraft had zero/zip/zilch/nada/nothing/no beefy discs at all. Really until the mid 90's, Lightning a much better lineup of discs than Discraft.

Somewhere around 2000 they just stopped introducing new discs. They never introduced a Champ/Z-type plastic. There was never anything new from them so never anything to talk about. They had zero buzz through the '00's. I heard Steve had some health problems, and the company really struggled. They did a re-issue of the airplane stamps that bought them some time a few years ago, but it seems like they are gone now.

 

[eegor]

I'm sorry to hear that Mr Howle is having trouble. I would hope he would consider selling the brand to... just about any disc golf company besides the Innova, Lat64 or Discraft brands that would just let it die. It would be a nice compliment to Gateway for instance. Lightning molds in prostyle and better plastics. The HX-2 (Helix #2) and the U-2 (Upshot #2) are very good molds. They would still be desired in today's market.

 

[disctildeath]

I'm sorry to hear that Mr Howle is having trouble. I would hope he would consider selling the brand to... just about any disc golf company besides the Innova, Lat64 or Discraft brands that would just let it die. It would be a nice compliment to Gateway for instance. Lightning molds in prostyle and better plastics. The HX-2 (Helix #2) and the U-2 (Upshot #2) are very good molds. They would still be desired in today's market.

I've had this very thought myself before, if you kept the upshots, hookshots, number #2hyzer, #2 roller,a couple of the driver,flyer, and helix molds to have a mix of fairway/control drivers and ran them in a durable plastic, all you would need is a standard putter and some distance discs to develop.

 

[BCDan]

I have yet to be contacted back from Lightning, I wanted to purchase baskets.

I heard that the man running the show got married; and is on his honeymoon or something. But a month long honeymoon?

 

[CaptainAnhyzer]

Did they just throw in the towel or what? Does anyone know where you can purchase a replacement base?

JT

Joralemon Park has 28 DB5's........ someone out here has all the leftover bases since we locked them in sleeves. Lemmie ask around......

 

[THUGNIFICENT763]

I remember Prostyle plastic being a huge flop. If only they had made a legit elite z/champ-style plastic, durability was always my big qualm with Lightning. An MX-1 or #1 Driver or #1 Flyer in this type of plastic could have been incredible.

 

[DavidSauls]

I go back to the pre-premium-plastic days, when Lightning plastic was comparable to everyone else.

I had a handful of Lightning discs. They weren't great. They weren't bad, but they weren't good enough to replace the Innova discs that were in my bag. (Oddly, there's one in my bag right now, beat in to a sweet spot and filling a gap until I get something better).

EXCEPT that some of their discs floated. They were decent flyers, meaning that in the world of floating discs, they were vastly better than anything else that was out there, and possibly better than any of today's floating discs (unless you can control a <138g Blizzard driver).

Oh, and their stamps were cool, especially for the time.

 

[ohtobediscing]

I had an almost-all-Lightning bag. #s 1 & 4 Drivers , #1 & 4 Flyers, #2 Slice, #2 Hyzer, Rubber Putter(it wasn't), U2 that was ty-dyed and rubbery.

 

[donnyv]

I requested a quote for 18 DB5 baskets back in 2012. They got back to me quick! They were waiting for the basket parts to be shipped in from China. They told me the price was increasing because of manufacturing costs and the higher price for the rolled metal rod stock. It wasn't more than $20 more per though. I didn't place the order but I still have a DB5 that I bought back in 2008. No rust on the basket at all! Just a little on the couple hooks I used to add the inner chains.

Hope the dude is ok! My brother lost his F-1 (I think that's the name) almost 2 years ago. He had it in the sweet spot. His new one just isn't the same flyer. Hopefully he beats it in a little so he can pick his game back up! It's been too long since he last beat me and I miss the head-to-head battles down to the last hole.

 

[jeremyhilss]

I've got a #3 Straight Line Driver that I bought from a smoke/piercing/hippie shop in Ashland WI a couple years ago, when I wasn't too familiar with different discs.

Flies and feels similar to a beaded Roc, I keep it in the bag for certain utility shots, and I'll probably keep it just because I'm sure they'll become more and more rare as time goes on.

 

[hipster]

I still keep an old Rubber Putter in the bag, the disc is indestructible. The base plastic from the 80s and 90s was fairly durable, just gave an older numbered driver away that was still in good shape, the kid I gave it to hit an ace the first time he played, number 9 T winton woods. He's hooked.