[Discraft] To catch a Predator

[InWaves]

It's in ok shape, kinda beat up. It was a pretty decent headwind, probably 20+mph, and I threw it hard (hyzer line on a 400ft hole). I'm not sure if im a "big arm" or not, but I throw significantly farther than most of the people I play with.

The thing with predators is I don't think that they are "true overstable". Hell, Nate Doss has a pred that he can hyzer flip!

 

[armiller]

The thing with predators is I don't think that they are "true overstable". Hell, Nate Doss has a pred that he can hyzer flip!

Nate Doss is also a beast. And his preds have seen some beautiful "seasoning" by years if use. To me, this is one of the attractions. They just get better with time, although they lose some meathook-osity.

 

[InWaves]

I agree, and if I threw only discraft, I would bag several preds in various stages of wear. But I also bag a thunderbird, which flies like a beat in pred, but without the flip.

 

[jdw80550]

This is the issue I run into with my preds. When fresh the have 0hsss but once they start to beat it they loss that hss quickly. Is that a bad thing, no. People don't complain about it a Teebird, but since it's been marketed as a wind disc people get unhappy. I think this is the reason that they have put out discs like the nuke os and dga with the hellfire to fill the true over stable disc.

 

[InWaves]

I have no idea why discraft put the xtreme oop... Its much better competition to the firebird

 

[armiller]

I've never seen the Predator/Firebird as competing discs. I think I said it earlier on this thread, but I like having both in my bag. The Firebird seems like more of meathook/brick unless there's a crazy headwind. Sure the Pred is overstable (more so when fresh, as stated by many), but it gets way more glide for me. Maybe a Flick is more of a Firebird type disc.

 

[InWaves]

I think the pred is more comparable to the firebird because of the speed and rim size. The flick is like a faster pred; it too will flip if thrown hard enough into a sizeable headwind

 

[thatdirtykid]

Yes, they can eventually beat flippy. The one in my profile picture competed with my broken in Z XL for the same lines. It flew very similarly to my broken in CD2

 

[Ted Bratton]

The pred is usually between a typical firebird and typical C PD. I have some preds that are flat as **** and they are gross meathooks. My favorite are the normal preds, which fly exactly like a first run PD, or an extra overstable C PD. So of course Preds can beat into understable. First they'll start flying like a typical C PD (my personal favorite stability), then like a typical thunderbird, then like a worn thunderbird. If you like to purposely cycle do not buy Z, they take FOREVER to wear. The ESP has fantastic grip and will cycle significantly faster, but still slowly lol. Don't expect to have an ESP pred that flies like a thunderbird unless you plan on throwing it very fast and on every hole you play. I just use a Z pred and a Z avenger (what the thunderbird copied) instead.

The problem with preds for most people is that they don't like the way the bottom of the rim feels in a forehand grip. It feels money in a backhand grip but in a forehand grip it feels a little sharp. It releases cleanly and flies great, but people think "why should I forehand a disc that feels a little sharp?"

 

[Spike Hyzer]

The pred is usually between a typical firebird and typical C PD. I have some preds that are flat as **** and they are gross meathooks. My favorite are the normal preds, which fly exactly like a first run PD, or an extra overstable C PD. So of course Preds can beat into understable. First they'll start flying like a typical C PD (my personal favorite stability), then like a typical thunderbird, then like a worn thunderbird. If you like to purposely cycle do not buy Z, they take FOREVER to wear. The ESP has fantastic grip and will cycle significantly faster, but still slowly lol. Don't expect to have an ESP pred that flies like a thunderbird unless you plan on throwing it very fast and on every hole you play. I just use a Z pred and a Z avenger (what the thunderbird copied) instead.

The problem with preds for most people is that they don't like the way the bottom of the rim feels in a forehand grip. It feels money in a backhand grip but in a forehand grip it feels a little sharp. It releases cleanly and flies great, but people think "why should I forehand a disc that feels a little sharp?"

I totally agree with the last part you said. I love the predator backhand. One of my favorite discs of all time. I just don't like the way it feels forehand. And I often had bad releases with it because of the sharp rim design. Between flat topped Z, regular Z, and ESP I could probably replace my PDs, Felons, and XXXs haha. Too bad forehands are a huge part of my game.

 

[thatdirtykid]

I didn't bag PDs for a long time despite them being one of my favorite molds because I had predators that could do everything. The PD offers some more glide, and I don't have to worry about losing my money beat 7 years old Z's. They really are not that dissimilar.

 

[Flip Hyzerman]

Catching a Predator is a good way to break a finger - them suckers is fast and sharp.

 

[IllustratorVir]

I picked up a Big Z Predator as my first Predator. In comparison to my Firebird, it seems to carry more instead of going ~250 feet and falling out of the sky. Is this business as usual for the predator or did I get lucky?

 

[VictorB]

I picked up a Big Z Predator as my first Predator. In comparison to my Firebird, it seems to carry more instead of going ~250 feet and falling out of the sky. Is this business as usual for the predator or did I get lucky?

nah, that's pretty normal. I've said that the predator has more of a 'L-shape' flight path and the firebird has more of a 'J-shape' flight path. Meaning, the firebird fades at an earlier point in it's flight, where the predator will go straight for a long way until dumping hard at the end.

 

[IllustratorVir]

nah, that's pretty normal. I've said that the predator has more of a 'L-shape' flight path and the firebird has more of a 'J-shape' flight path. Meaning, the firebird fades at an earlier point in it's flight, where the predator will go straight for a long way until dumping hard at the end.

That's great to hear. I love my Firebirds, but I have been disappointed with their lack of versatility related to how I like to play the game.

 

[IllustratorVir]

Got some more field time in and snagged a second Z-Pred, this disc is incredible. I am upset I didn't give them a chance sooner. One of the more impressive features is that this disc likes to skip if I throw it lower, yet I can get it to hit-n-stop if I throw it higher. :thmbup:

 

[VictorB]

Coming into this season the predator was one of the two longest standing molds in my bag, and for good reason. I thought I found something new to throw - the DD Felon - but it just can't hold a candle to the tried and true flight path of a good Z Predator. After bagging the felon for a while, I find that I often have to throw it too hard to get it where I want it, often hyzering out much too early.

So, I'm back to predators, and back to searching for those tasty, flat top, pink predators that I love so much

 

[jjmiller]

After throwing Firebirds as my primary forehand driver for so long, I decided to cash in an Amazon gift card and picked up a Big Z Predator to satisfy curiousity. I wasn't expecting the inner "lip" on the rim to be so pronounced. This disc isn't the most comfortable to grip on forehand throws. It also flipped into a moderate wind on my first throw- which I'm certain a FB would have held up in. That's ok, I still had hopes for overstable backhand shots with the Pred being slightly less stable and with supposedly more glide than a FB. Unfortunately, it's still too much beef for my backhand and isn't that comfortable for that grip, either. Maybe if I can finally get to that next level of backhand power I've been trying to get to for so long, the Pred might be worth a revisit. Until then, it's gonna have a home in the closet.

 

[Stable]

After throwing Firebirds as my primary forehand driver for so long, I decided to cash in an Amazon gift card and picked up a Big Z Predator to satisfy curiousity. I wasn't expecting the inner "lip" on the rim to be so pronounced. This disc isn't the most comfortable to grip on forehand throws. It also flipped into a moderate wind on my first throw- which I'm certain a FB would have held up in. That's ok, I still had hopes for overstable backhand shots with the Pred being slightly less stable and with supposedly more glide than a FB. Unfortunately, it's still too much beef for my backhand and isn't that comfortable for that grip, either. Maybe if I can finally get to that next level of backhand power I've been trying to get to for so long, the Pred might be worth a revisit. Until then, it's gonna have a home in the closet.

The uncomfortable feel was the issue for me. I loved the flight but it felt like the disc was scraping the skin off my index finger when I threw.

 

[F. Howl]

... I wasn't expecting the inner "lip" on the rim to be so pronounced. This disc isn't the most comfortable to grip on forehand throws. It also flipped into a moderate wind on my first throw- which I'm certain a FB would have held up in....

That curl at the rim is what turned me off them. Same problem as Stable^^^. It would dig into the index. Have you tried the Machete? Only a very shallow curl (like the Crush). Much less pronounced and the rim depth is less, too. Should be a comfortable forehand disc.