Okay, after 4 days of drill and 2 days of spotty weather, Ive finally been able to really study the Gila. None of the discs that I listed as comparison really flew like the Gila, but it did remind me of a disc I had laying around...(more on that later)
FEEL
The Gila is pretty unique in handfeel. For one thing, it is WIDE diameter. Wider than my Rocs, for sure. So the width and depth feel truly Gateway inspired. The rim is pretty unique. The bead is noticeable but not super substantial...what makes it seems bigger is the slant of the rim. It took me awhile to pin it down (see revelatory post above) but the closest I can describe it as is a Drone with a bead. Thats not an exact comparison, but its close enough. There may be some Gateway traits hanging on, but this disc is truly RDG,baby!
The plastic is pretty great. Im not sure what RDG is calling it, but I would call it Armor-X. Stiffer rim than Armor, but gummier/grippier flight plate. As is RDG standard, the flight plate is mighty thin so that may be a factor in that area's gumminess.
FLIGHT
I was first throwing the Gila by itself, and I could n't imagine a similar type of flight. It comes fast out of the hand and you can feel it resisting the turn. Even into a moderate headwind it wasnt really drifting off-line. This disc scoots...finally I have found a disc that merits the moniker of "sneaky distance." I dont think Ive ever consistently thrown a mid-range as far as I was throwing the Gila. The fade bites pretty hard, but nothing too crazy. Sidearms fly nice but for my one-finger grip the rim/bead combo is just really uncomfortable.
I remembered a disc I had in my garage that I had gotten from a friend...a pretty beat FLX Drone, 175g. Throwing it and the Gila side-by-side and I was within 5 meters of each other, every throw. Often, the Gila and Drone would be nearly online but with the Gila going further. Its not a glidey mid, which makes it easy to range, especially on spike hyzers. That was one thing I used that old FLX Drone for a lot. Even the "give" of the discs was similar. I know thats a super-specific type of flight comparison, but it's what Ive got.
DURABILITY
No real issues. Ive been throwing it a lot the last few days, and Ive hit it off some rocks and a tree. No big impacts onto concrete, though. Needless to say, there is some scuffage. No real dents or dings, and the flight pattern remains the same. Its not bulletproof, but its good. Basically like every other type of. Champion/Opto/Z plastic.
CONCLUSION
I really like the Gila. I could see it and the Croc being my mid-range of choice if Fossil runs are made of each. The Gila does fly farther than the Croc by a large margin, but as I said, its easy to range. Ive been running Rocs for a LONG time, so saying that is kind of a scary prospect.
I would have trouble replacing my Glo Z Buzzz OS though. I dont think the Gila could replace it. But maybe at max weight (my Gila was only 172g) that could change...hopefully we see another run soon.
For now, my Rocs will be my mids. But if we get Fossil runs of the Gila and Croc (and some max weight Gilas) I could see by this time next year an all-RDG mid lineup!
