Time for an updated, "Best Of" section?

[Hoey]

thought crossed my mind tonight.

[keltik]

hell yeah let's do it!

uh best of what?

[Flipflat]

^^^ http://www.discgolfreview.com/resources/bestof.shtml

Tried to cut and paste it, didn't go well.

[keltik]

okay I'll start:
Best Stable driver - PD
Best OS driver - xXx
Best Stable mid - MD2
Best P&A - Pure

Best First disc - Polecat
Best Beginner driver - JLS
Most Versatile - EX
Best FH disc - uhhh
Best Thumber disc - xXx
Best Roller - Vision or A-SS

Straightest Driver - River?
Straightest Mid - Axis or Fuse
Straightest Approach - ION
Straightest Putter - ION
Most OS - xXx or Champ Viper
Most US - see roller
Fastest - Ninja?
Slowest - Rattler
Bast base - DX
Best midgrade - Grip
Best candy - Elite-Z
Best "super premium" - Echo Star?
stiffest - depends
tackiest - Zero

okay someone else do it.

[Amateur]

Best Stable driver - PD
Best OS driver - Force
Best Stable mid - Z Buzzz
Best P&A - Magic

Best First disc - Cobra
Best Beginner driver - Leopard
Most Versatile - Cyclone
Best FH disc - PD
Best Thumber disc - Firebird
Best Roller - Sidewinder

Straightest Driver - Stalker
Straightest Mid - Aurora MS
Straightest Approach - Challenger
Straightest Putter - Magic
Most OS - Nuke OS
Most US - Halex 160g Driver
Fastest - Nuke
Slowest - Lids
Bast base - Still Gateway S
Best midgrade - Elite X
Best candy - Opto
Best "super premium" - ESP

[Crosseyed0811]

I agree it should be updated, but I have nothing to add... How was it determined to start with? did they have a poll or just people post lists and someone sort through them all?

[sheaD]

YES!!! Please update best of!!

[Blake_T]

people have nagged me about this for a long time.

the problem i ran into is that the newer models require too many categories.

e.g. "best distance driver" doesn't really work well anymore. "best distance driver 400'+ power" "best distance driver 275-350' power" seemed like more of an undertaking than i wanted to pursue.

if people name some categories i can list what i think the best is and honorable mentions.

[Crosseyed0811]

people have nagged me about this for a long time.

the problem i ran into is that the newer models require too many categories.

e.g. "best distance driver" doesn't really work well anymore. "best distance driver 400'+ power" "best distance driver 275-350' power" seemed like more of an undertaking than i wanted to pursue.

if people name some categories i can list what i think the best is and honorable mentions.

Not trying to talk you into doing it, just seeing if you'd thought of this. Maybe on each "Best of" just break it down to 2 or 3 power categories, I figure a lot of the categories really won't change any but like have:

Best: | 400+ | 275-350 | 150-275
Distance Driver | Disc X | Disc Y | Disc Z
Putt & Approach | Disc A | Disc A | Disc A


Not sure that that helps out a LOT, but rather than having a huge list of categories its more of a matrix/grid setup and easier to keep track of your thought processes... I guess those of us who don't throw anywhere close to 400' don't realize how much that kind of power changes the flight patterns and characteristics of a disc.


Now another question... You're saying that you came up wtih the list all on your own as opposed to having some sort of poll? Not that it takes away the validity of it because I think most of us here trust what you have to say about most discs, just wasn't aware that it was all on you.

[veganray]

Best Stable driver - 11x Teebird
Best OS driver - 11x Firebird
Best Stable mid - DX Gremlin
Best P&A - 11x KC Pro Aviar

Best First disc - DX XD
Best Beginner driver - DX Leopard
Most Versatile - DX Goblin
Best FH disc - 11x Firebird
Best Thumber disc - Z Xtreme
Best Roller - Ch. Monarch

Straightest Driver - candy ProLine Leopard
Straightest Mid - DX Cobra
Straightest Approach - DX Goblin
Straightest Putter - X-Link Firm Summit
Most OS - Z Xtreme
Most US - DX Optimizer
Fastest - R-Pro Vulcan
Slowest - Ultrastar
Bast base - X-Link soft
Best midgrade - X
Best candy - gummy candy ProLine
Best "super premium" - gummy STAR
stiffest - 11x KC Pro
tackiest - X-Link soft

[Blake_T]

i am able to give objective opinions on discs without having them skewed by my own preferences. when you pigeonhole something into a smaller category it's really easy to see the frontrunners based upon the criteria of that category.

e.g. if you rate a "good" overstable driver based upon the following critieria:
-resistance to turn
-predictability of fade
-distance/penetration

the z force wins out.

the discs that have greater turn resistance are much shorter.
the discs that have similar fade strength are either shorter or have a more abrupt "flare" characteristic to their fade making them less predictable to gauge.
the discs that have similar or greater distance can still flip.

[kern9787]

i am able to give objective opinions on discs without having them skewed by my own preferences. when you pigeonhole something into a smaller category it's really easy to see the frontrunners based upon the criteria of that category.

e.g. if you rate a "good" overstable driver based upon the following critieria:
-resistance to turn
-predictability of fade
-distance/penetration

the z force wins out.

the discs that have greater turn resistance are much shorter.
the discs that have similar fade strength are either shorter or have a more abrupt "flare" characteristic to their fade making them less predictable to gauge.
the discs that have similar or greater distance can still flip.

Yet at the same time, I could argue the Predator could be better. IMO, it has higher resistance to turn, more predictable fade (even if it is marginal), but less distance. Or if I prefer even higher resistance to turn and predictable fade with a loss of distance, I could argue the firebird is better still. (This is just an example, I have little experience with Forces. One of the two I have thrown is flip city though. And its still in good shape).

[money 21]

my vote

Best Stable driver - esp trcker
Best OS driver - proline tsunami
Best Stable mid - e scout
Best P&A - ss voodoo

Best First disc - dx wedge
Best Beginner driver - pro d cyclone
Most Versatile - s scout
Best FH disc - pro line tsunami
Best Thumber disc - xxx opto
Best Roller - pro d avenger ss

Straightest Driver -x xs
Straightest Mid - mako
Straightest Approach - ace race 2011
Straightest Putter - Xd
Most OS - xxx
Most US - DX wolf
Fastest - e slayer
Slowest - birdie
Bast base - gateway s
Best midgrade - X
Best candy - opto
Best "super premium" - gl
stiffest - s scout
tackiest - X-Link soft

[smarkquart]

Here are my votes

Best Stable driver - VIP Sword
Best OS driver - Z Nuke OS for distance and Z Predator for reliable lines
Best Stable mid - Star Ontario Roc
Best P&A - SSS Wizard

Best First disc - Z Buzzz
Best Beginner driver - dx Gazelle
Most Versatile - Z Buzzz
Best FH disc - Z Flick
Best Thumber disc - Opto Trident for control, Z Nuke OS for distance
Best Roller - Star Archons are very good, but I only have limited experience with rollers

Straightest Driver -heavy Gold Line River or beat, light Star TeeBird
Straightest Mid - Medium Ibex
Straightest Approach - R-Pro Polecat
Straightest Putter - R-Pro Polecat

[Blake_T]

Yet at the same time, I could argue the Predator could be better. IMO, it has higher resistance to turn, more predictable fade (even if it is marginal), but less distance. Or if I prefer even higher resistance to turn and predictable fade with a loss of distance, I could argue the firebird is better still. (This is just an example, I have little experience with Forces. One of the two I have thrown is flip city though. And its still in good shape).

There were some flippy runs of ESP forces. Most of the Z and D are super stable.
I consider the Pred and Firebird to be in a different class than the Force. for bigger arms the Force is like 125' longer than the Firebird.

It all comes back to my GPA's like how I rated putters a while back.

Resistance to turn: Force A-, Firebird A
Predictability of fade: Force A-, Firebird A
Distance/penetration: Force A-, Firebird D
GPA: Force 3.67, Firebird 3.00

A more viable comparison would be the Force to something like the Teerex. The current Teerex mold would pull a GPA of 3.11.

The firebird and pred are better compared to discs like the banshee, viper, xxx, etc. while the force is more in a class with the xcaliber, teerex, ape, flick, etc.

you can use the same rating system for discs that aren't truly in the class, but they tend to perform weaker than if they were in their own class. e.g. a weaker arm could try to measure something like a destroyer against the force, but overall it won't pull good grades for turn resistance and fade predictability even though it would win out on distance.