[Drivers] Thunderbird vs. Vulture vs. Anax

[wolfhaley]

The vulture made my bag this year. I threw a brand new one in about a month and a half ago and I love it. Just like Ray said I can get a little bit of turn if I crank on it but otherwise dead straight with a reliable fade. Both of mine are ESP, never tried a Z yet. I'm bagging a Getaway too at the moment but it's not the same as a Vulture or Thunderbird.

 

[crd 81]

But the underside of that wing is sharp compared to the Thundy. It's too bad, I love the look of my Vulture (purple swirly ESP) and really like how it flies, but the Thunderbird is an interchangeable flight and more comfy in the hand. Looks like it gets to keep it's spot.

I think it takes a little bit to adjust to it but I don't think it is detrimental like some other discs.

On the contrary, I am not crazy about the Thunderbird's rim. I liken it to some of the complaints that people have had with the bottom of the Vulture's rim with the width of the Thunderbird's rim. I've thrown the PD which has the same rim width and it feels more comfortable than the Thunderbird. I think it may have something to do with the different top mold.

I guess it's one of those things that boils down to "picking your poison". I think the Vulture is easier to adjust to than the Thunderbird and the Vulture has a smaller rim that makes it easier to control.

 

[crd 81]

Due to the inspiration of this thread, I finally got a Thunderbird (Pro plastic) and compared it against the Vulture (Titanium) and Getaway (Fuzion Burst).

While they all flew reasonably well and similar, the combination of different variables left me with a more positive overall impression of the Thunderbird. The variables:

1. Rim. The rim is more comfortable than the Vulture and smaller than the Getaway. It is a good median between the two.

2. Distance. While the plastics were different and can account for some variances in distance, I was out driving the other two with the Thunderbird. Even if I had the comparable plastic in the Thunderbird, I don't think the distances would have been too different.

3. Plastics. With the point above, the Thunderbird comes in a bunch of different plastics which can afford me different lines and distances.

4. Weights. I like the fact it covers a wide spectrum of weights.

5. Colors. Multiple colors available. As well, I like to dye discs and white seems to be easier to find.

6. Availability. They are going to be easier to find, whether in mom-and-pops, chain store, trading, or tournaments.

7. Longevity. Due to it's success, I don't have to worry about going extinct.

with that said, I am going to bench the other two and roll with the Thunderbird.

I may have been a little too hasty with my 1st and 2nd point. Something about the rim doesn't fit well with my hand. I use to throw PDs (which are a little beefier) and the rim didn't and doesn't bother me as much as the Thunderbird. I want something like the PD that I don't have to mash to get it where I want it.

The Vulture is close enough to the Thunderbird while gaining a little more control due the Vulture's smaller rim. In my opinion, I think the bottom of the Vulture's rim is easier to adjust around than the Thunderbird. That and I think the Vulture fits more of that P-PD flight that I'm looking for even if it is a tad shorter. FYI, talking about the Ti-Vulture.

 

[lancebug]

I love the vulture and thunderbird both. FWIW, the Musket and vulture are super close as well. Long and straight with a predictable fade.

 

[Odedge]

I have thrown the Vulture, Thunderbird, and Musket. My Fuzion Musket is my straight option with a small bit of fade and some turn. The Vulture doesn't turn on me that much but reliably fades. The Thunderbird is a little more overstable than the Vulture and doesn't fly as far.

Right now the Thunderbird is in storage, the other two are in the bag/cart.

 

[robdeforge]

I've tried a bunch of alternative discs (Anax, Vulture, Thunderbird, Starfire, newer PD's) and have never been able to recreate the magic of either one. Some have been close, but not quite there. Next up will be OLF's and the Westside equivalents (Longbowman/Fortress/Sampo?).

The best alternative I've found has really been to just throw Teebirds/Rivals instead. You give up a tiny bit of distance but overall they are more consistent disc-to-disc. And occasionally you can find a slightly flatter/faster freak that will fly just as far as the PD's.

not sure what a stock star orc is like these days, but for me a 165 pfn star orc is ABSOLUTELY money for this exactly slot you're talking about. (I also have a teebird/rival in the bag)

 

[BuzzzChief]

not sure what a stock star orc is like these days, but for me a 165 pfn star orc is ABSOLUTELY money for this exactly slot you're talking about. (I also have a teebird/rival in the bag)

It's been over a year since I posted that, and I still just throw the same Dark Maul and 3rd run C-line PD's. The PD's have found water a few times but I've always managed to get them back.

I've got Roaming Thunder CD2's as the backups, which are basically identical flyers. Somehow I'm only able to fill that slot with rare and expensive discs :doh:

 

[robdeforge]

It's been over a year since I posted that, and I still just throw the same Dark Maul and 3rd run C-line PD's. The PD's have found water a few times but I've always managed to get them back.

I've got Roaming Thunder CD2's as the backups, which are basically identical flyers. Somehow I'm only able to fill that slot with rare and expensive discs :doh:

LOL did not notice the time jump. I have never thrown those discs, other than a cd2 but not the roaming thunder, just glow ones. wish I had tried out pds back in the day but love my orc so if you ever are in a pinch I'd be curious to hear how it flies for you compared to what you're used to

 

[BuzzzChief]

LOL did not notice the time jump. I have never thrown those discs, other than a cd2 but not the roaming thunder, just glow ones. wish I had tried out pds back in the day but love my orc so if you ever are in a pinch I'd be curious to hear how it flies for you compared to what you're used to

Prior to PD's I threw Orcs for several years. Flat pearly champion ones, then special blends, then Star. It's been a long time since I've thrown one, but in general I remember them being a tick faster than a PD with a little more high speed turn.

In my head, an Orc is a distance driver while a PD is a longer fairway. But that might just be because discs have gotten faster over the years and definitions changed.

There was a brief period between the Valk and Wraith when the Orc was THE high speed distance driver that everyone was throwing around here. If you wanted something with a more Teebirdy flight then you threw a Starfire or maybe an Avenger.

 

[robdeforge]

Prior to PD's I threw Orcs for several years. Flat pearly champion ones, then special blends, then Star. It's been a long time since I've thrown one, but in general I remember them being a tick faster than a PD with a little more high speed turn.

In my head, an Orc is a distance driver while a PD is a longer fairway. But that might just be because discs have gotten faster over the years and definitions changed.

There was a brief period between the Valk and Wraith when the Orc was THE high speed distance driver that everyone was throwing around here. If you wanted something with a more Teebirdy flight then you threw a Starfire or maybe an Avenger.

I used to think of my orc as a distance driver but lately I've been using it more like you said and it's actually been working out perfectly. although it has a TOUCH harder fade than I'd like, sometimes, but the resistance to turning over is really really nice when I'm worried about overpowering a teebird or something

I started playing in 2013 so I've only ever really known the destroyer era. I threw a destroyer myself earlier than I should've and wish an orc had been my first distance driver instead! funny how the times have changed SO much, I literally never see other players nowadays with an orc (and even sexton doesn't seem to throw his much anymore, though he also just hasn't been on coverage for me to see)

 

[skurf]

I have stopped throwing PDs after years because the last few runs are glide-less and quite overstable. My 3rd runs were beautiful workable control drivers. The last runs of embossed are utility OS drivers. More OS than a sexton firebird

Sent from my LG-H830 using Tapatalk

Did you lose your old PD's? I've had a 2nd run S-Line in my bag forever, which has beat into an amazing shapeable driver, and then I have 2 others I bought 5+ years ago as backups that fly very similar to what my original one did when it was new. My point is that these discs hold their line longer than any other disc I've thrown so why would you need to buy current production ones?

 

[thatdirtykid]

Did you lose your old PD's? I've had a 2nd run S-Line in my bag forever, which has beat into an amazing shapeable driver, and then I have 2 others I bought 5+ years ago as backups that fly very similar to what my original one did when it was new. My point is that these discs hold their line longer than any other disc I've thrown so why would you need to buy current production ones?

Lost a couple and then couldn't bring myself to throw my backups that were selling for $70+ at the time. Instead I started throwing something that I could buy for $20 a pop and pick one up off the shelf anytime