Beating in Discs, do they all break in the same?

[Anthony Dembinski]

Do they all become more Understable over time or Overstable? Or does it depend on the disc and/or plastic?

[Eric Kevorkian]

As they start to ding up and "break in", most discs lose stability (flip easier)

They will not become more overstable.

Different plastics = different durability = different amounts of "break in" time.

From most durable to least durable...Champ, Star, Pro, DX (for Innova at least)

[Anthony Dembinski]

Ok, so they all become more understable with time (time to break in depends on the plastic) and never get more overstable?

[Patrick Harris]

From most durable to least durable...Champ, Star, Pro, DX (for Innova at least)

Sorry, I disagree....

Its...Star, Champ, Pro, DX, R-Pro (for Innova still).

Nice discussion here!

[Jeff Prendergast]

Ok, so they all become more understable with time (time to break in depends on the plastic) and never get more overstable?

Correct. Some quicker than others. Some more noticeably than others.

[Patrick Harris]

Ok, so they all become more understable with time (time to break in depends on the plastic) and never get more overstable?

Correct!!

Buuuutttt....you can twist the DX or soft disc into overstable for short time. Just flex the rims upward to make it overstable. Downward makes it understable. You see...repeatedly hitting trees or anything forces the disc to flex downward, therefore it becomes understable over time.

I rather to beat it up nicely and slow where you will able to predict its flight path and adjust to it.

Go on and pick out any DX disc and throw it for the first time and then flex the rims up or down and try again to see the differences.

[Raymond W. Parrish]

Ok, so they all become more understable with time (time to break in depends on the plastic) and never get more overstable?

Correct!!

I disagree. I play fetch with my puppy using golf discs, usually DX whatever-is-around-that-I-have-won-in-a-tournament-and-don't-care-about. They, of course, start out normal and gradually get more & more understable with the inevitable tooth dents & rim wear (she prefers rollers). This gradual loss of overstability continues until a magic moment where a certain level of beatness is achieved and the disc becomes MAD overstable - I mean like a Z Xtreme and a Champion Viper took fertility drugs, conceived 10 embryos, and they all merged into one super-fetus which then gestated for 21 years in a vat of HGH, winstrol, PCP, & Pepe Lopez tequila and was born fully-grown and fully-jacked. And crazy. And drunk. (A quick aside: Jason Southwick's birth followed this same formula, except was the demon spawn of an Ultrastar and a Wham-O 22B.)

This happens consistently, no matter what disc we start with (putter, Roc, Buzzz, meathook driver, flippy driver, whatever).

[Eric Kevorkian]

From most durable to least durable...Champ, Star, Pro, DX (for Innova at least)

Sorry, I disagree....

Its...Star, Champ, Pro, DX, R-Pro (for Innova still).

Nice discussion here!

Everyone is entitled to their opinion...yours is just wrong

I probably throw an even amount of each, and have noticed the champion holds up longer....

This is what the actual designers of the disc have to say about it

"Our Champion Line is produced with a hi-tech plastic that provides outstanding performance and durability. Champion discs are distinguished by a clear or pearlescent plastic. Our Champion Line discs retain original flight characteristics for an extended period of time. Whether used in heavily wooded situations, or on extremely rugged courses, our Champion Line plastic will continue to perform predictably and avoid damage better than any other plastic."

[Matt Aubin]

agree with Eric... champ/Z is more durable than star/esp.

as far as discs losing their stability, PLH has a lot to do with it, but there are a few other factors.

The abrasions/nicks/scuffs that discs accumulate over time create turbulence over the wing. More air being displaced around the wing (instead of using the wing's shape like it was intended when new) means less stable. Similar to the Discraft Impact that has that weird crosshatch pattern, beat discs want to glide more. If you were to put two identical discs in a wind tunnel, one new and one beat (same PLH), you would see the airflow going under the new disc, hitting the concave wing. On a discs with worn edges, that air is broken up and 'misses' the concave underside of the wing, resulting in less stability. This is also why lower parting line heights are less stable, and why Roadrunners are crazy understable (it has a convex wing).

Also, if you don't remove the flashing on the edge of the disc, once beaten (or removed manually) the disc becomes less stable. Same goes for the bead on the bottom of some discs, when worn down you get the same result.

[Eric Maurer]

From most durable to least durable...Champ, Star, Pro, DX (for Innova at least)

This

[Mike Cormier]

From most durable to least durable...Champ, Star, Pro, DX (for Innova at least)

This is true but has anybody else found that they occasionally break in a champ disc and after a relatively short period of time the break in turns into worn out and overly flippy (with normal use)? On the other hand, I have a couple of pro ryhnos that are so flexible that they don't really "break in" or "wear out" no matter how many or hard I hit objects.