One of the most difficult areas of disc golf to stay on top of is the ever-changing assortment of equipment. Like all sports, new innovations occur and new products are released. Unlike most sports, this evolution happens very rapidly in disc golf and the changes are not always easy to understand. The introduction of new and modified plastics, for example, is not always easy to understand or keep track of. The purpose of this page is to help you understand the different plastics that are offered by each manufacturer and how they impact the flight and durability of the disc.
Most of the disc golf manufacturers offer several lines of plastic, but they do not all offer plastics at every level of the durability and performance spectrum. You should also note that a disc model (i.e. Innova Sidewinder) is generally NOT manufactured in every plastic. To illustrate the similarities, we have divided the plastics into the following categories:
Entry-Level Plastic – Entry level plastics, like Innova DX and Discraft Pro-D, provide excellent grip and are easy to throw, but are not very durable. These discs can have almost a “waxy” feel to them and can have small pieces removed when the hit a hard object (like a rock or tree) at high speed. These discs age quickly when used in play, which results in less overall stability as the disc becomes more worn. Due to the low cost and beginner-friendly overall flight characteristics, we recommend that players who are new to the sport start with discs in these plastics.
Pro Plastic – Pro plastics are generally easy to grip in cold and wet conditions and provide increased durability as compared to the entry-level plastics. These discs age more slowly and are generally slightly more stable than their entry-level counterparts, which is why they are slightly more expensive. These discs are a good choice for players who wish to gain additional life from their discs, and who are looking for less change in the flight characteristics over time. Some of these plastics are available in tie-dyes or in full-color prints.
Premium Plastic – Premium plastics offer players the greatest durability and consistency and tend to have a very long life. Discs in premium plastics are generally noticeably more stable than lesser plastics and age very slowly. These discs are designed to “take a lickin’ and keep on tickin’” without incurring noticeable damage or wear. These discs are the highest cost, and are often lost before they are worn out. We recommend premium plastic for your “must have” discs that you do not want to wear out, or for players who require increased durability due to the amount they play or who require consistent flight and results every round. Most of these discs are available in tie-dyed patterns and/or full-color prints.
Tie-Dyes – Same plastic, just dyed.
Full-Color Discs – Same plastic, just with full-color graphic process applied.
