Vector vs Pain vs Nebula
Got my Vector and Pain in the mail today and threw them about in a field along with my Nebula as a control.
Specs:
Vector: Proton, 175g, green, flat as a pancake.
Pain: Opto, 174g, green, slight dome (very nice).
Nebula: ESP (duh), 174g, yellow, domey as far as Nebs go but generally flattish.
Me:
6'2", somewhat athletic, quintessential "Maxing out at 300'" guy due to months of being injured, knocking off the rust.
Wind: Calm.
The Vector is, interesting. It feels like a "big boy" mid in that it's deceptively fast, you have to give it some good, clean snap to see it behave properly. Right now, I can only see glimpses of its true flight. Regardless, it's decidedly in that overstable camp. Probably the most HSS mid I can recall throwing, even if I OAT it over it corrects itself like traction control. For that reason, it does some of the flattest, tightest flex shots I've seen a mid do, very driver like. The LSS is there but it's not super harsh like a Hornet, Drone, Gator, etc. It's a good, reliable fade, throwing a sweeping hyzer is a breeze. It also seemed the least nose angle sensitive of the three. Was usually the farthest by 10' or so. It honestly seems like a Teebird in midrange form, or a Buzzz for those who tire of accidentally flipping over their Buzzz.
The Pain is awesome. I like it way more than the Core. I think a heavy Opto Pain, a lighter GL Pain, and a GL and Opto Fuse is all the mids a Lat. 64 thrower should need. It's also overstable but moderately as well, like a new Roc. This seemed to be a better lineshaping mid than the Vector, it also does flex shots very well but was not as HSS as the Vector. The LSS is good too, fades forward rather than harshly left. The Pain also has that typical Lat. 64 glide. This is probably the best Roc imitator in premium plastic that I've thrown, way better than a Wasp IMO.
Final thoughts:
I think the Pain and Vector might be able to coexist actually, the Vector is so driver-like in flight and gyroscopic wonderfulness that for shorter courses it can easily replace your stable FW driver of choice. I think the Pain will have more mass appeal however, b/c it's more Roc like and much easier for players on the lower end of the power spectrum. Otherwise, if you don't get enough speed on the Vector, it doesn't seem like anything too special. But if you do rip into it hard and smooth, frozen rope doesn't begin to describe the Vector's flight.