As a rule of thumb, durable discs are more overstable than their less-durable plastic counterparts as the hardness of their plastic blend means they shrink less after the molding process, and their parting lines stay lower. You might wonder what creates durability.
It all comes down to the blend of polymers used in the plastic molding process, and the internal crystallinity — organized structure — those polymers have. Plastics like polyurethane, polyethylene, polypropylene, and others are mixed together to create different results for the consumer. Even so, every disc brand has a specific line they tout as their most durable. Examples of highly-durable plastics are Champion by Innova, Titanium by Discraft, and by Prodigy.
Key aspects of the Stability section were changed after this article's publication. The original had errors describing the physical process of how air movement affected disc flight. Thanks to reader Mike Bailey for pointing these out. Disc Talk, Pt. Ian Cleghorn Writer. Rim Width The rim width of this disc is about 2. Banana for scale. Here's an explanation from Best Disc Golf Discs as to why: The longer a disc spins, the longer it stays in the air. Watch below as disc golf tipster Danny Lindahl explains why: Mid-range discs and putters generally have much more rounded edges and thinner rims, giving them even greater precision at a sacrifice of greater wind resistance and spin potential.
Stability and How Parting Lines Affect It 1 Stability is a term you will hear endlessly in any disc-related discussion. Mint Discs has a fantastic write-up of how different parting lines affect stability on their website , but another clip from Best Disc Golf Discs can also give you a quick reference: If you take a look at the images in the video, you'll see how a higher parting line puts the disc's wing in a position that means more air is likely to be under the disc, putting more upward pressure on the nose and making it more overstable.
Durability Durability plays a huge factor in the plastic you choose. Sign up for the Release Point Newsletter. The App for Disc Golfers. Discover over 10, courses worldwide, keep score with friends, track throws and round statistics, find and follow events, and much more with UDisc. Beading is most common on putters. Disc stability can also change over time. As the plastic ages and dries out, its stability may change. Also, if you use it a lot, all the dings and wear on the disc can affect stability.
To tell if a disc is overstable or understable you could analyze its design, checking parting line height and dome shape, but there are easier ways. Most discs have a series of numbers on them know as their flight ratings. Stability is indicated by the turn rating, which is typically the third number.
The rating system goes from -5 to 1. Understable discs are rated -5 to -3, stable discs are rated -2 to -1 and overstable discs are rated 0 to 1. The rating system may vary for different manufacturers and you may find that discs do not always fly how you would expect based on their turn rating. The disc will also turn during the slower part of the flight known as fade. Add the turn and fade ratings together.
If it is between -1 and -5, it is understable with -5 being the most understable. If it is 0, the disc is stable. If it is 1 to 5 it is overstable with 5 being the most overstable. The most effective way to tell if a disc is overstable or understable is to throw it. Try throwing the disc backhand and aiming straight. For right-handed players, an understable disc will turn to the right and an overstable disc will turn to the left.
A stable disc will go straight. For left-handed players, they will go the opposite directions. Understable and overstable discs come in handy in a range of scenarios. Part of it is about choosing the right disc for the type of throw and the situation, but part of it is also choosing the right disc for your abilities.
An understable disc is helpful if you are right-handed throwing backhand and want the disc to turn to the right or the inverse for left-handed players. This can be helpful for getting around obstacles or following a curve in the course. Even though the disc turns right in its flight, it will still fade back to the left. As discs are played with they began to ware and as they ware they tend to become more understable or less overstable.
If the plastic type is more durable, it slows this process down and discs will maintain their initial flight characteristics longer. Overstable discs work great for spike hyzers and skip shots. They are recommended for more advanced players because those players tend to have a higher arm speed.
Similarly, overstable discs are more accurate when thrown in windy conditions. To sum up what we just learned: overstable discs are less likely to turn over when thrown at higher speeds. They have a 1 turn rating. Many factors can affect the overall stability of the disc including the plastic type but Dave Dunipace states the most reliable factor is the parting line. Finally, overstable discs are recommended for advanced players and windy conditions.
Disc Golf Questions. Your Cart. Innova Understable Discs Innova Understable Discs Understable is a term that describes a disc's stability, its overall flight pattern, i.
Understable Discs: RHBH right hand back hand throw will spin right and turn right during the high speed portion of the flight, when thrown flat, straight and with average power. Opposite for lefties, i. LHBH left hand back hand throw will spin left and turn left. Tend to turn in the direction of the spin during the initial stages of the flight. At the end of their flight as they lose speed, all spinning discs tend to fall in the opposite direction of their spin, but not so much for understable discs.
Tend to turn in proportion to the speed of release. A fast released disc goes in the direction of its spin longer and further before it eventually falls off to left at the tail end of its flight. A slowly released disc will not see much movement in the direction of the spin and will fly straight and fall off opposite the direction of the spin as it loses speed.
In other words, an understable disc will often fly stable to overstable at low speed. Easiest for new players to control, and will provide the most distance for beginning disc golfers. Great for beginners but used by pros and experienced players for various specialty shots.
Use for anhyzer shots on a dogleg right or for roller shots. Generally should not be used in a headwind as they are too unpredictable. Latest Shop Innova Quickview. Brand: Innova.
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