Ask Steve Dodge about Vibram Disc Golf

[CRUISER]

Testers should be getting them next week.

Hey Steve, were you able to get the packages out today?

I'm really looking forward to testing these things out.

Thanks again,

Cruiser

[StevenDodge]

I am not sure if the discs were run last week (they had not been run when I left Thursday at 2:00 and I have not heard anything yet so I doubt it), but either way, we are shooting for arrival next week. Look for something to arrive next Friday <--- (note: this is my best guess.)

[two5twosix9]

Any updates?
did they run the discs?
did they ship the discs?

[keithjohnson]

Thanks Steve!

I plan on spending MOST of my time at the course, but like when I visit the Grange in Virginia, it's nice to have someplace quiet to go to when I'm done having fun.

Keith

Any news on your hotel RFP's yet?
Visions of sleeping in the rental are creeping into my head.

[StevenDodge]

Any updates?
did they run the discs?
did they ship the discs?

The discs have been run. They came out a tad lighter than we had hoped but Aaron is working on that side of things. The VPs are shipping yesterday and today. Depending how close you are to New England, testers should be getting them in 1 to 5 business days.

[StevenDodge]

Here is some of what Aaron Ala packaged up and shipped out yesterday and today.

[dgdave]

Those are SWEET! Can't wait

[two5twosix9]

very nice! so being in washington i will continue to be patient.

thanks

[J_VanOver]

Got mine and played a round. I like that it is overstable. The grip feels like a Wizard bottom with more of a blunt top.

I received a Green, Green with black specks, Blue and Blue Marble (like the picture above). I like the blue marble.

[shteev]

i have played about 7 rounds with the putters. they are most certainly overstable. very much so. i like the B plastic better for driving and the A plastic better for short approaches and putts. both discs when driven with also seem to be relatively slow compared to say an aviar. the big bead also seems like a trench and holds mud and makes for a tall wall. the general feel of the disc is awesome. very grippy. i have had trouble a few times with them wanting to roll FOR-EV-ER. i really like them though and they just feel so nice when i release them and they are banging those chains! thanks again.

[MattyInRR]

Ive played close to a dozen rounds with the VP. They are holding up very well and I really like the plastic. Every time I throw an approach I have to throw higher and much further to the right because these guys are slooooow and stable.
Hey Steve, just out of curiosity is there any plan on making a faster, less stable putter in the same plastic?

[dgdave]

That sounds like the summit.

I'm lovin these things

[the_kid]

Do you guys really like the plastic? To me they all felt a little weird but the disc looks like it will fly nicely if tweaked a bit. Looks like a "Store Brand" Wizard to me.

[TROTTER]

Slow and stable - that describes them... I love'em... Fan of the "B"'s.

Popped a 70' today in 20 mph winds. The rest of my round sucked.

As for putting inside 25' found myself switching back to a straddle putt... to great success. These putters feel great in a fan grip.

[J_VanOver]

Is it me or is the lettering a little large on the bottom. I have one hand position in a fan grip that I can't feel lettering. I wish the lettering was smaller. I've been over throwing a lot of baskets because I think it's going to drop because it is goes so slow. Tried to putt with a little anny straight at the basket and that is starting to work for me some.

[StevenDodge]

I wish the lettering was smaller.

It will be. I noticed this too. We must have wider grips than most as no one else has mentioned it.

I've been over throwing a lot of baskets because I think it's going to drop because it is goes so slow. Tried to putt with a little anny straight at the basket and that is starting to work for me some.

Aaron has been convincing me (slowly) that the V.P. has good glide. He seems to be right.

[StevenDodge]

Every time I throw an approach I have to throw higher and much further to the right because these guys are slooooow and stable.

Hey Steve, just out of curiosity is there any plan on making a faster, less stable putter in the same plastic?

Yes, that is what we are hoping to do with the Summit. These two putters should be good complimentary discs. In the X-Link material.

[StevenDodge]

Slow and stable - that describes them... I love'em... Fan of the "B"'s.

Popped a 70' today in 20 mph winds. The rest of my round sucked.

As for putting inside 25' found myself switching back to a straddle putt... to great success. These putters feel great in a fan grip.

I hit some bigger than usual putts with it yesterday too. 40 feet or so (which is big for me ). I may give the straddle a try on the closer stuff.

[sandalbagger]

How does this compare to the VP that came out last year for the Vibram Open? I have thrown that putter a few times and it was crazy overstable. I'd love to see one of these.

[zbiberst]

very slow, very overstable, very little glide, soft and grippy.

[StevenDodge]

How does this compare to the VP that came out last year for the Vibram Open? I have thrown that putter a few times and it was crazy overstable. I'd love to see one of these.

It is relatively sleeker than the VP from last year's Vibram Open. And the material is more grippy and, if all worked well in the chemist's lab, more durable.

[dgdave]

Got in a few rounds with these. I used these exclusively except where I needed a beat, turnover putter flight, but tried them on those lines too.

I'll echo that these are some of the nicest driving putters out there. You can rip on them and they WON'T turn over. the wind doesn't chance their flight (when new at least). The only thing it does is induce or delay the fade depending if you're going into or with the wind. The HS portion has always been straight. I think the glide is pretty decent. Not as much as a Wiz or KC Aviar, but not too far off. I primarily used the blue A for driving. Suuuwheet. Really [censored] accurate and they stop a couple feet from where they hit. If you toss it in the wrong direction and hit a tree, there's not a big deflection.

As for putting... I'm liking them, mainly the stiffer Bs. Not as many spit throughs. They seem to hit the chains and die. Like I said in an earlier post, if they get on edge, they like to roll. My initial impressions haven't really changed.

I'm really impressed with the durability. I played 3 very rocky courses on Monday and if I were to wash them, I think they'd look new. No nicks at all, but there are some scuffs. If I were to take my M Wizards out on these courses, they'd be chewed up. This could be good for longevity, but bad to get a nice stright/turnover driving putter.

So far, 5 rounds and 2 practice sessions in, I'm really liking them

[shteev]

super overstable, SLLLOOOOOOWW, very nice grip to both plastic types. have been throwing the drives on an anny and mostly with the B plastic. taking anny to flat putts with the A plastic. both very nice though. i am interested in seeing the summit or at least hearing about how it compares to the speed of the VP. still enjoying the testing though. thanks Steven.

[two5twosix9]

Being on the west coast the discs did not get to my home until friday. On friday I was 280 miles away for a tourney so I have only had them for a couple of days and i haven't had much time to throw them but I will echo that they are stable. I also did not like the large writing on the bottom. I think that the discs being so stable make them appear to be slow because they want to pull toward the ground. The few times I have thrown them have been as drives and if you get them flat they go a for a while and get there pretty quick but do not skip or slide too far past where they land. I have thrown KC aviars which are domey and stiff and are the exact opposite of the VP. I have had a hard time forcing myself to putt with them because they are a completely different feel than the putters I am used to. I love the way they feel as a driving putter. I am not used to the soft plastic so I have had a hard time releasing them where I want to. Taking it for what it is these discs are definately worth while. I haven't been able to open up with them in a large field or on the course yet but for the few times I did throw them my favorite feature was that when they are turned over they fight the turn which pulls them very hard to the right (RHBH). This makes for a very tight turn and is something I have not seen in a disc before. I don't think these discs will make it into my bag because the plastic is too soft for my liking. I am going to continue to throw them and let people that throw softer plastic give them a try and I will reflect their comments because I am not the intended market for this disc. Is there a plan to make a stiffer plastic or is it more difficult being rubber based? End of novel.

[dgdave]

One thing I'm noticing is that when the discs gets dust on it, the plastic feels slippery. When its wet, it stays real grippy. Things that make you say, "Huh?"

[CRUISER]

super overstable, SLLLOOOOOOWW, very nice grip to both plastic types. have been throwing the drives on an anny and mostly with the B plastic. taking anny to flat putts with the A plastic. both very nice though. i am interested in seeing the summit or at least hearing about how it compares to the speed of the VP. still enjoying the testing though. thanks Steven.

I beg to differ. I don't think these things are slow at all. They are just overstable. I think the lack of glide might make them seem slow, but if you get on 'em, they will get where they are going pretty quick and then just stick.
Maybe the best wind disc I have ever tried. I've been canning long(40-60') putts into a headwind more than ever. It's going to be windy here in Vegas for the next 3 months. So far.........STOKED!!!

[shteev]

maybe you are right but they dont seem slow. they are. but they are great for a hyzer putt, really any putt, but the hyzer putts have been working great for me, especially with the B plastic.

[crotts]

I dont believe they are slow either. I have had a few drives that popped up cruised. Also the other day I was having trouble putting, everything was short. But I was still making the putts because the disc was getting to the basket before it could drop. Just so overstable it's hard to notice the speed.

I'll bet when these get beat in they will go far.

: ) :

[StevenDodge]

Is there a plan to make a stiffer plastic or is it more difficult being rubber based? End of novel.

The plans are wide open right now. If the field testing shows that a stiffer material would be desirable, we would send that to the chemist and let him know what we want (stiffer, but don't lose any grip or durability). Keep the comments and novellas coming.

[StevenDodge]

I'm really impressed with the durability. I played 3 very rocky courses on Monday and if I were to wash them, I think they'd look new. No nicks at all, but there are some scuffs. If I were to take my M Wizards out on these courses, they'd be chewed up. This could be good for longevity, but bad to get a nice straight/turnover driving putter.

We have heard complaints that they don't beat in much. Ideally, the planned Summit should complement the V.P.'s flight path with the straight/turnover flight.

I remember playing a lot back in the day and the Cyclone was my go to driver. I always had four of them in my bag. One newish that I could not quite turnover, one slightly beat which was my fave, and one beat for those turnover shots. (and one brand new back-up in case my dog Queen Jack went ballistic (she never did))

Assuming both of these putters (VP & Summit) made it to market, should it be a concern of Vibram's that they do not beat up much?