Hey Ledgestone fans! The largest, most anticipated drop of the year is here. It’s so big that we’re simply calling it “The Drop.”
For Wave 5 we have some of the sickest, most awe-inspiring molds and designs you’ve ever seen. From Discraft’s swirliest run ever produced, to the St Jude Greek Coin McBeth collection, to the return of the Grateful Buzzz, this drop has anything and everything you’ve ever wanted.
As our best drop yet, it’s also our largest. To help you wade through all the amazing options, we’ve analyzed each disc to tell you how it flies, what it looks like, and what makes it special so you can be prepared when the discs go live at www.shopledgestone.com on August 4th.
To start, we’ve separated the discs into classes: Putt & Approach, Midrange, Fairway Driver, Distance Driver and Charity Set. In this blog we’ll highlight the Wave 5 fairway drivers so your distance control and carving of fairways can result in more parked holes and birdie putts.
Big Z Passion - The Passion is a neutral-to-understable fairway driver perfect for a precise and straight flight. Designed specifically for Paige Pierce, the Passion features a unique and pronounced outer rim with an almost Banger GT feel underneath. It is very similar to the old-school Discraft Cyclone.
This run brings the classic opaque coloration of Big Z plastic with a pearly sheen to show off the stamp. For slower arm speeds, the Passion has a neutral flight. For stronger arms it is more understable, but when thrown at the right angle, this run goes dead straight and hits tight lines.
CryZtal Raptor & Uli Z Swirl Raptor - The Raptor is an overstable fairway driver capable of fighting strong winds. It has a flat flight plate and comfortable rim depth for both forehand and backhand grips. It is Paul Ulibarri’s fairway driver of choice.
CryZtal is understood to be the most overstable of Discraft’s plastics, so expect this Raptor to offer extra beef to an already overstable flight. The see-through, glass-like look of CryZtal plastic gives this run a visual appeal like no other.
Players throwing the Uli Z Swirl Raptor will note how the stunning swirls of this run enhance the already visually appealing translucent Z plastic. The Z Swirl plastic also provides greater tackiness, tuning down the slick feel of standard Z runs and increasing spin generation. Most Raptors come very overstable out of the box and this run will be no exception. Expect the trusted overstability to be present long into this Raptor’s life. Proceeds from this run help support Ulibarri’s tour.
CryZtal Avenger SS - The Avenger SS is a controllable fairway driver that can be perfected by all skill levels. The “super straight” version of the original Avenger, the CryZtal Avenger SS has stolen its predecessor's popularity. For power throwers, it runs very understable and is a perfect roller disc. For newer to intermediate players it functions as a big distance driver with a predictable turn, fade and superior glide to maximize air time.
In the CryZtal plastic, the standard Avenger SS flight becomes slightly more overstable. Expect the same understable turn, but with less drift and a harder finish as it fades out. This run will continue to glide and push distance with minimal effort. These Avenger SS’s will appear glass-like in transparency in the CryZtal plastic.
ESP Tour Series LWST Undertaker - This fairway driver has a neutral-to-overstable flight, but is great for battling the wind. It holds a hyzer line well, but can also be thrown flat and provides a high-speed turn before fading out with an overstable finish. It is popular for both forehand and backhand with a comfortable rim grip.
This run adds the tackiness of ESP plastic to the already-comfortable grip to increase spin upon release. Expect the opaque appearance of standard ESP, allowing the pastel coloration to show off the custom, and highly sought after, Les White artwork. This is the fourth edition of the annual Les White Undertaker released for the Ledgestone event.
Uli Z Swirl Mantis - The Mantis stormed onto the scene in 2013 as Discraft’s Ace Race prototype disc. It quickly became a niche favorite for its controllable, understable flight. This fairway driver can be maneuvered through the woods on several different angles. In addition, its domey flight plate gives extended glide and is famous for adding extra distance with minimal effort.
This run sports the custom Paul Ulibarri stamp atop Discraft’s signature swirls in translucent Z plastic, making this Mantis quite visually appealing. The Z Swirl plastic also adds a tackiness to the standard Z grip along with a touch more overstability, bringing predictable fade to the controlled flight. Proceeds from this disc help support Ulibarri’s tour.
Z Metallic Heat - Originally introduced to the world during Discraft’s Ace Race in 2014, this disc went on to join Discraft’s full-time lineup as the “Heat.” The Heat is an understable fairway driver with supreme glide, a small outer rim and a domey flight plate. It is especially controllable for slower arms and brand new players and can be manipulated to fly on hyzer-flip lines as well as finesse shots and straight-line pulls.
The Z Metallic plastic gives a touch of stability to the Heat. Expect the same feel and understable flight, but with less turn and a more predictable finishing fade. The metallic flakes included in the plastic of this run gives a pleasant shimmer in sunlight within the bright colors of the translucent Z plastic
Blog by Jacob Arvidson
