[Latitude] Matching the Shryke for sheer distance

[Twmccoy]

Today was field day for some long range drivers. 1 mold I'd never thrown before.... the Raketen. After reading reviews on it I knew it would be less stable than the Missilen. What I didn't necessarily count on was how staggeringly long the Raketen really is. I'd equate it to a slightly flippier Boss. It has noticeably more dome than a Missilen and glides quite a bit better.

After a couple throws to get acquainted with it, the Raketen started soaring as far as anything I've ever thrown... it matches the Shryke or D3. I don't know if its the dimple pattern on the disc, but I swear the Raketen rises after it leaves your hand. It has a little high speed turn on hard rips and can be torqued into the ground on hard throws or headwind drives.

I'd rate the Raketen 13, 5, -1.5, 2. Its a pretty neutral flier, but can handle good, hard rips. Highly recommended for sheer bombing. I had a Ballista in the field today too, and it was a few feet shy of the Raketen on most throws.

Anyone who throws the Missilen and wants a longer, glidier disc similar to it should give the Raketen a try.

On a side note, the Ti Nuke SS is worth a look for distance bombing too. Its still pretty flippy, but not as much as a regular Z Nuke SS. Humongous flex bombs, and it actually has enough low speed fade to fight back to center after drifting right. Massive distance potential there.

 

[SD86]

Speaking of the Shryke, I just saw Hannah Leatherman's ITB video (says 2017), which had escaped my notice before. HL is bagging Shrykes with her Terns and Katanas, and she seems to enjoy bombing with them.

 

[Twmccoy]

Speaking of the Shryke, I just saw Hannah Leatherman's ITB video (says 2017), which had escaped my notice before. HL is bagging Shrykes with her Terns and Katanas, and she seems to enjoy bombing with them.

I guess I'm not surprised to hear that. I think the Shryke can stretch every foot out of pretty much anyone's drives. On the course lately I'm having to hyzerflip my G* Shryke to get what I want out of it. If I release it hard and flat it turns and burns. I don't bag a Katana, but I could if I had to. Problem with that mold is there's a ton of variance from disc to disc. Some are really beefy and some flip all over the place.

I'd put the Raketen a small step above a Shryke in stability. I'll go as far as to call the Raketen underrated. I had never seen one before or heard anyone discuss them. Blazingly long driver.

 

[SD86]

I don't bag a Katana, but I could if I had to. Problem with that mold is there's a ton of variance from disc to disc. Some are really beefy and some flip all over the place.

I'd put the Raketen a small step above a Shryke in stability. I'll go as far as to call the Raketen underrated. I had never seen one before or heard anyone discuss them. Blazingly long driver.

I always was curious about the Katana, but never pulled the trigger and got one. Maybe I'll add a DX Katana to my next order.

I got a used Missilen at PIAS a long time ago, not long after they first came out. If memory serves me correctly, the Missilen was the first approved Speed 14 disc to come out, but I might be incorrect on that. The "dimple" experiment was widely panned at the time, and when the Rakaten came out later it wasn't received with great enthusiasm. The Missilen I had was beefy overstable and way too much for my arm, even in stiff headwinds.

 

[PMantle]

Terns are longer.

Oh, as well as Destiny.

 

[Twmccoy]

I always was curious about the Katana, but never pulled the trigger and got one. Maybe I'll add a DX Katana to my next order.

I got a used Missilen at PIAS a long time ago, not long after they first came out. If memory serves me correctly, the Missilen was the first approved Speed 14 disc to come out, but I might be incorrect on that. The "dimple" experiment was widely panned at the time, and when the Rakaten came out later it wasn't received with great enthusiasm. The Missilen I had was beefy overstable and way too much for my arm, even in stiff headwinds.

You could be right. I've thrown 3 different Missilens. 1 was massively beefy and the others were slightly less so. They're lightning fast, but don't glide well. I can get acceptable distance out of them, but it isn't a disc I'd feel the need to bag.

I also have no clue if the dimples make a ton of difference on the Raketen, but I swear this thing was rising on majestic lines after it left my hand at high speed. I think the Raketen is worth a look for 400'ish throwers. Its surprisingly mellow and pretty easy to throw for big distance. The Raketen isn't as shallow as the Missilen. Not quite as fast etiher.

 

[Twmccoy]

Terns are longer.

Oh, as well as Destiny.

I'm going to have to reacquaint myself with the Destiny. I loved it for a while, and then all of a sudden it was flip city. Huge distance bombs mixed in with lots of flipped shots.

King was the same for me. Killer distance, but really touchy.

 

[Casey 1988]

Now I Use a Destroyer both Champion and one at 170 grams the other a 167 gram the lighter one being my longest flier. However I would like to try an Archon as it is like my more accurate distance driver the Valkyrie for my drives. The Beast is not, it feels about the same speed as Valkyrie so not worth it.

My brother found for shear distance the Champion Monach was the disc to use for distance or A Champion Roadrunner as end of flight Roller distance.

 

[Moose33]

I always was curious about the Katana, but never pulled the trigger and got one. Maybe I'll add a DX Katana to my next order.

I got a used Missilen at PIAS a long time ago, not long after they first came out. If memory serves me correctly, the Missilen was the first approved Speed 14 disc to come out, but I might be incorrect on that. The "dimple" experiment was widely panned at the time, and when the Rakaten came out later it wasn't received with great enthusiasm. The Missilen I had was beefy overstable and way too much for my arm, even in stiff headwinds.

I didn't love the feel of a Katana, the wing feels long and wedgelike to me. Essentially it flies like a good stable King, but the King has a super comfortable grip for a warp speed disc. A lot like a Destroyer, with a low PLH.

 

[SD86]

Now I Use a Destroyer both Champion and one at 170 grams the other a 167 gram the lighter one being my longest flier. However I would like to try an Archon as it is like my more accurate distance driver the Valkyrie for my drives. The Beast is not, it feels about the same speed as Valkyrie so not worth it.

My brother found for shear distance the Champion Monach was the disc to use for distance or A Champion Roadrunner as end of flight Roller distance.

I was using a Star Archon a while back. It's a good disc, but it's got that "Destrulcan" top, and some don't like that. I was hoping the Mystere would be like the Archon but with more glide, but the Shimmer Star Mystere was a disappointment to me.

 

[Twmccoy]

I was using a Star Archon a while back. It's a good disc, but it's got that "Destrulcan" top, and some don't like that. I was hoping the Mystere would be like the Archon but with more glide, but the Shimmer Star Mystere was a disappointment to me.

I'm not a fan of that weird Vulcan/Archon top either, but I actually did like the way the Archon flew when I threw it. Very responsive driver, and it held up well to hard rips. Its rated at speed 11, but for me it seemed faster and longer than any Wraith I've thrown.

BTW, I like the way the King and Destiny feel in your hand. However, they are uber touchy when it comes to finding the right amount of hyzer release for big distance.

Oh, and when it comes to Katanas, look for ones with dome. The flat Katanas don't glide and are stubborn fliers.

 

[SD86]

I'm not a fan of that weird Vulcan/Archon top either, but I actually did like the way the Archon flew when I threw it. Very responsive driver, and it held up well to hard rips. Its rated at speed 11, but for me it seemed faster and longer than any Wraith I've thrown.

BTW, I like the way the King and Destiny feel in your hand. However, they are uber touchy when it comes to finding the right amount of hyzer release for big distance.

Oh, and when it comes to Katanas, look for ones with dome. The flat Katanas don't glide and are stubborn fliers.

I'm good with the Archon top. The Archon flew about as well as any Speed 11 disc for me. I'm used to discs with more glide now, and the Archon's glide wasn't "all that". Heck, now I'm gonna go dig it out and throw it some, since we're talking about it...

 

[Casey 1988]

I was using a Star Archon a while back. It's a good disc, but it's got that "Destrulcan" top, and some don't like that. I was hoping the Mystere would be like the Archon but with more glide, but the Shimmer Star Mystere was a disappointment to me.

What do you mean by Destrulcan top? As long as the disc is mid dome or lower as I can't do discs with a Wahoo size top to them, including Destroyers with my 2 Champion ones being a mini dome. XL's I have are more a mid dome and they work fine for what I use them for both the Elite Z and ESP one. My Valkyries my Star and Champion are flat topped and that is how I like those. If the Archon has to be up to a mid dome I can work with the disc.

 

[SD86]

What do you mean by Destrulcan top?

Just look at the Vulcan top. Some Destroyers came out with that top and it got to be called the "Destrulcan" top. I call it the "flying saucer" top, as old movies had UFOs looking like that. It's a mostly flat top that then slants down towards the rim. The Archon and Teedevil also sport that kind of top.

 

[Twmccoy]

Archon

I'm good with the Archon top. The Archon flew about as well as any Speed 11 disc for me. I'm used to discs with more glide now, and the Archon's glide wasn't "all that". Heck, now I'm gonna go dig it out and throw it some, since we're talking about it...

I hadn't ever tossed an Archon until about a month and a half ago. I took it to the field for some driver tosses. Good flier. It did everything I wanted it to. Good S curve bomber. Might be a bit much for your arm, but for me it seemed like a longer Wraith with more high speed turn. I agree it isn't the absolute best glider I've ever seen. It sure isn't lacking though.

Put it this way, if I had to choose between the Archon and the Wraith to bag it'd be the Archon. IDK why, but the Archon had a more "refined" flight path and I found it more useful for what I wanted to do with a speed 11 driver.

To me the Teedevil was the same exact disc as an Archon, but 1 speed faster. Extremely similar to most star Destroyers. A little redundant. I can see why Innova discontinued it. It did nothing for me a Destroyer wouldn't.

 

[Casey 1988]

Just look at the Vulcan top. Some Destroyers came out with that top and it got to be called the "Destrulcan" top. I call it the "flying saucer" top, as old movies had UFOs looking like that. It's a mostly flat top that then slants down towards the rim. The Archon and Teedevil also sport that kind of top.

That is what my newer 170 Gram Champion Glow Valkyrie is like, has mini dome to flat top as does my Champion Destroyers well my 170 gram more then the 176 which is more a mini dome disc. Hard to see on the Champion 170 gram Destroyer but can easily be seen on the 170 gram Champ glow Valkyrie (bought in August 2017). My Glow Champion Valkyrie is about half flat top then half slant down mini dome, odd but works better then the old mini dome JK champion Valkyrie I had before even when new in 2005.

Just so as long as a Archon never has Wahoo dome top, I hate mega high dome on discs that are not supposed to have it as do most of the other players I have met. A few I have met love the mega high top as they used a Dominator with nearly a mega dome and they try to find Innova discs in a mega dome. I know a few exceptions in discs like the Krait need a high dome as does the Teedevil need a middle of the road dome or higher to work.

 

[BrotherDave]

I'm going to have to reacquaint myself with the Destiny. I loved it for a while, and then all of a sudden it was flip city. Huge distance bombs mixed in with lots of flipped shots.

King was the same for me. Killer distance, but really touchy.

Same experience for me. The heaviest VIP Destiny I could find was more manageable than my Kings usually are (about like the coveted super high PLH Kings) but still a little touchy. Monster glide though.

How is the Raketen compared to the Ballista in terms of speed? I'm not sure I play enough bomber courses to get the form up to speed enough to make full use of the Ballista.

 

[Twmccoy]

Same experience for me. The heaviest VIP Destiny I could find was more manageable than my Kings usually are (about like the coveted super high PLH Kings) but still a little touchy. Monster glide though.

How is the Raketen compared to the Ballista in terms of speed? I'm not sure I play enough bomber courses to get the form up to speed enough to make full use of the Ballista.

I think the Raketen is 1 notch below the Ballista in speed. I had them out side by side today and the Ballista seemed faster. Not by a ton, but it was noticeable. The Raketen had slightly better glide and I was able to punch it for a little more distance than the Ballista.

Overall I'd say they're very similar discs. No one would probably ever feel the need to bag both. Ballista = speed 14, Raketen = speed 13.

I need to get some more throws on the Raketen. As much as I like it, I still don't feel like I fully tapped its potential.

 

[Casey 1988]

I hadn't ever tossed an Archon until about a month and a half ago. I took it to the field for some driver tosses. Good flier. It did everything I wanted it to. Good S curve bomber. Might be a bit much for your arm, but for me it seemed like a longer Wraith with more high speed turn. I agree it isn't the absolute best glider I've ever seen. It sure isn't lacking though.

Put it this way, if I had to choose between the Archon and the Wraith to bag it'd be the Archon. IDK why, but the Archon had a more "refined" flight path and I found it more useful for what I wanted to do with a speed 11 driver.

To me the Teedevil was the same exact disc as an Archon, but 1 speed faster. Extremely similar to most star Destroyers. A little redundant. I can see why Innova discontinued it. It did nothing for me a Destroyer wouldn't.

Which disc is discontinued Archon or Teedevil? Sounds to me like a Teedevil.

 

[SD86]

Which disc is discontinued Archon or Teedevil? Sounds to me like a Teedevil.

The Archon is not discontinued.