Changes to Vibram Listings

As we all know (or at least you should know!) Vibram discs are little works of art.  Those various colored chunks of rubber that get compression molded into the most durable discs on the market have always demanded our eyes’ attention when at rest and in flight.

For many years, the vast majority of Vibram discs have been these multi-colored masterpieces with very few solid colored discs in between.

Now with the advent of the Valley and it’s sibling fairway drivers Vibram is starting to produce a majority of these discs in solid colors.  Solid colors allow us to list each model as one product on CommunityDiscs.com rather than listing every disc individually as we have in the past.  This does 3 great things:

1. Condenses all discs onto one page
2. Speeds up our restock turnaround
3. Reviews will now appear

1. Condenses All Discs Onto One Page:
If Vibram discs are the only discs you have ever viewed on CommunityDiscs.com then you are used to scrolling through pages of one model of beautiful rubber discs listed by material (XL-Firm, Granite XL-Medium, XL-Medium, XL-Soft, etc) then by weight, plus a serial# so we can find your disc once you order it 🙂

Every other MFG’s discs have just one product page for each plastic that disc is available in.  An Innova TeeBird (Champion) for example has all of its weight & color options listed right there on its page with a few color examples below the default photo.

By producing discs in solid colors Vibram allows us to list their discs like the rest of the MFG’s discs.  Sure, there are still slight variations within those colors but let’s face it – every other MFG’s colors vary as well.

2. Speeds Up Our Restock Turnaround:
Most non-Vibram discs come in, get weighed, stickered, and added to the website in anywhere from a few hours to a day.  There is a pain-staking process behind individually listing each Vibram disc.  Sadly, this process typically takes a minimum of 2-3 days.  Being able to list solid color Vibrams like the example here means we can get them online and in front of your eyeballs faster than ever.  Of course unique colors & Granite XL-Medium discs will always have their own photos.  Anything that saves us time helps to keep prices down at CommunityDiscs.com.

3. Reviews Will Now Appear:
You know what’s even better than CommunityDiscs.com telling you how great a disc is?  It’s another player telling you how great a disc is!  We’re very happy with the review system we implemented in 2014 and we’re amazed by the response we have received from it.  Sadly, if you review a uniquely colored Vibram disc you purchased your review only appears on that individual “Summit (XL-Medium) 172g (#12345)” disc’s page and not all the Summit pages.  The new listing method will allow all reviews to appear on the disc page.  Hooray!

You can view the Valley, Arch, & Notch in the new listing method right now.

Discraft Clearance

This month we aim to drop many Discraft models so we can free up space for those monthly new releases.  On a personal level it hurts to make this decision as I have had more Discraft models go through my bag over the years than any other manufacturer’s.  I hope all of these discs will find a good home with you fine folks.

These are just SOME of the fine Discraft items which are now 33% off!

These are not low quality plastics like ProD (which is below CommunityDiscs.com standards so we don’t carry it anyway!) or limited to old molds like the XL & Flash, or Ace Race discs that never took off like the Impact & Mantis.  We’ve got lots of ESP, Elite Z, & even Elite Z Glow, & Z-Lite to move out ASAP.  Even newer models like the Heat, Crank, Zombee, & anything we still have in Z-Lite plastic are all on the chopping block.  Discraft Shirts, Bags, & limited tournament & First Run stamped discs are also slashed – 50 Discraft items in all!

We normally like to require 3 or 4 discs be purchased at a time when we have a disc sale but these need to move so there is only a 2-disc minimum ($28 cart value before applying discount) required for this sale.  This puts ESP & Elite Z discs below $10!

Don’t worry.  We’ll restock your Discraft favorites soon.  We just need to clear these out to make some room 🙂

Here’s what you do:
1. Head over to the Clearance section of CommunityDiscs.com.
2. Add at least $28 of Clearance items to your cart – 2 Elite Z discs will do it!.
3. Enter code 33%Discraft at checkout.
4. Go get yourself a snack as a reward for your savvy web shopping skills!

Here’s a favorite 80’s song to put us in the mood to “Move (these) Out!”

DETAILS & LIMITATIONS:
-You must have a $28 minimum cart value for coupon code to apply.
-Limited to United States residents only.
-As with all clearances, all sales are final.
-Ends Sept 31st or when these sell-out – whichever comes first.

Code to enter at checkout: 33%DISCRAFT
Click on the Clearance button for the complete list!

Free Vibram Valley

There have been many bumps in the Community Discs road this summer getting the Vibram Valley in-house.  It is finally here – (along with XL-Granite discs later this week)!

To celebrate this achievement as well as the release of the Vibram Arch & Vibram Notch we are knocking $1 off of all Vibram Discs and we’ll even give you a Vibram Valley of your choice – Free when you Buy 3 Vibram discs through Sunday night. – EXTENDED THROUGH WED 9/23!

Here’s what you do:
1. Cruise over to the Vibram section of CommunityDiscs.com.
2. Add any 3 Vibram Discs to your cart -No, Vibram Minis do not count 😉
3. Pick your favorite Valley and check the “Free” box (Price changes to $0.00).
4. Add that Valley to your cart & checkout.
5. Wait a very short time for your new favorite Vibrams to arrive!

Here’s an excellent song you can sing while you wait because, “It’s a great day for a Valley!”

DETAILS & LIMITATIONS:
-$1 off all Vibram discs for any order (discount is reflected in cart).
-Free Valley is limited to United States customers only.
-At least 3 Vibram discs must be purchased for free Valley.
-No coupon or discount codes may be combined with this sale.
-If an order does not meet the above requirements we will simply remove the free Valley from the order before shipping.
-Ends @ 11:59PM EST Wed 9/23.

Leading Upto Labor Day Sale

We’re on vacation through Labor Day (September 7th).

We won’t be able to offer the new MVP & Vibram releases until we return but we will have them posted very soon after Labor Day.

Why order while CommunityDiscs.com is away?  Because you can save some extra cash!

DETAILS:
Discount: 15% off just about everything (see “Exclusions” below)
Discount Code: “Labor15”
Minimum Order: $24 minimum cart value required to apply discount
End Date: Friday September 4th is the last day of the sale.
Ship Date: All orders will ship by Wednesday morning (Sept 9th).

EXCLUSIONS:
Bags by Dynamic Discs & Latitude 64 are excluded as well as all baskets.  The discount code should not work on those items but if it does we reserve the right to credit you for those items and ship the remainder of your order.  Discount available to USA customers only.

My Nephew’s First Round

I recently took my 10yr old nephew out for his first round of disc golf.  Ok, I admit my father took him to one of the Boston Harbor Islands 2yrs ago and played disc golf but that was one basket in a field with various tees.  Let’s not call that a course!

I’m not sure which one of us was more excited to play disc golf together for the first time.  I brought so many beginner-type discs that I had forgotten most of my own.  He chose a 150g Innova Leopard.  Excellent choice!  Once he saw how a putter is also a good idea to use he gravitated towards my MVP Anode.  Hey, that’s MY Anode!  Oh well, I guess I’ll need to grab myself another one 🙂

Our biggest challenge was keeping our eyes open during this selfie in blinding sunlight 😀

We started at a newer course, Gordon Conwell, in Hamilton, MA.  It is a very open course with DB-5 baskets, some elevation changes, and barely any trees.  It was a great first course for him since he wouldn’t have to worry about hitting trees constantly.  I’m sure I commented 100 times about keeping his disc down but he didn’t get annoyed.  I need to just let him have fun with it.  It’s a learning process for both of us!  The back-to-back +400′ & +500′ holes nearly killed him but we took some breaks and ending on a fun downhill which kept him motivated to hit a second 9 hole course.

Then we headed to another newer course, Scouting Woods, in Peabody, MA.  What a treat that was.  Lots of shorter holes with very reasonable wooded fairways leading to Innova DISCatchers.  I believe the 9th basket was the only one you could not see from the tee.  We had a great time on this course.  Somehow I lost my oldest Discraft Meteor on hole 8 but we still had a blast.  It was great watching him get comfortable with his discs and figure out how to navigate his way to each basket.

On the way home he hinted at getting discs and a bag for Xmas and I hinted he might get them sooner if we start playing together regularly.  I admit he may have just been psyched about disc golf as an excuse to hang out with his favorite uncle but I certainly hope we’ll get to play a lot of rounds together in the near and distant future.

Summer Vacation Sale

We’re on vacation until July 18th. Why order while we’re away? Here are 3 great reasons!

1. You can save a bundle with our Summer Vacation discount code.
2. You can win upto $50 in store credit.
3. You love CommunityDiscs.com and you really can’t go back to a “regular” disc golf shop.

DETAILS:
Discount: 15% off just about everything (see “Exclusions” below)
Discount Code: “SummerVacation”
Prizes: A $50, $25, & Three $10 store credits will be awarded to random customers who order during the sale dates.
Minimum Order: $24 cart value required to apply discount
End Date: Friday July 17th is the last day of the sale.

Exclusions: Bags by Dynamic Discs & Latitude 64 are excluded as well as all baskets.  The discount code should not work on those items but if it does we reserve the right to credit you for those items and ship the remainder of your order.  Discount available to USA customers only.

How I Tore My ACL & (Temporarily) Shutdown CommunityDiscs.com !

Note the generous “Maine par” – Typical in most of the state.

Back in June 2013 on a weekend disc trip I played one of my favorite Maine courses, Cranberry Valley.  I was excited to show a course I love to a friend from outside New England.  It’s a great course that plays around a large family farm stand & cranberry bog.  It’s not one of the famous Maine “facilities” with multiple courses, a big shop with $20 discs for sale (Zing!), and it’s outside the 95/295 loop so it’s certainly not an extremely well known course.

Basket is behind & far past the trees on the right..

We get to the 2nd hole which is a nice 308′ shot that bends to the right.  You really want to thread it between a tall leaning tree on the left and a tight stand of smaller trees on the right.  It is a slight downhill too so I was determined not to repeat my previous visit’s performance & turn my disc over too far and end up in the cranberry bog on the right (which you can see in the teepad photo)…I miss that ESP Surge 😦

---

I step up to throw on the narrow but level concrete teepad.  As I rotate something pops in my knee.  I go down hard.  I would later learn that I severed my ACL and also tore my meniscus (cartilage below the kneecap).  My physical therapist at Mass General determined I have horribly inflexible ankles.  Since my right ankle (plant foot) couldn’t rotate enough, my knee had to make up for it in order to keep up with the rotation of my hips. Smart guy.  I guess that’s why some of his patients are Bruins & Patriots.

(I will spare you my favorite rant about healthcare in the US and its costs.)  Very recently my wife got us some much better health insurance than I had been carrying for us.  It was time to finally get my knee fixed.  Feb, 17th 2015 = ACL replacement day.  The initial stage of recovery prevents driving for many weeks so that means no Community for me…or anyone else for that matter 🙂 from Feb 14th until April, 1st 2015.

I should be recovered well enough for a Fall 2015 disc trip.  It killed me not being able to go hit 30+ courses for a week in some other state in 2014.  I don’t know how my endurance will be by the Fall but even if I can only manage 3 course/day I’ll still be thrilled to be back to exploring new-to-me courses.  – I’m never going to hit 300 courses played at my current (pre-surgery) rate 🙂 [See: DGCR Member: Justin #81]

Cranberry Valley #2 Basket to Tee (Turner, Maine)

Axiom Discs & The Envy – One Year Later

I think it will be little surprise to read the Envy from Axiom was a hugely hot disc that took 2014 by storm.  (If annual “Best of” or “Top 10” lists didn’t annoy me so much I’m sure The Envy would have been named the Community Discs disc of 2014.)  MVP had announced Axiom early in 2014 and just a few weeks later we had the Envy filling up disc bins and flying out the door too.

Though MVP started off with the Ion putter (stable) and Vector midrange (overstable) in 2010 it generally tended towards stable-to-understable molds.  There were certainly calls from fans to produce an overstable putter.  Those calls were answered on January, 31st 2014 with the Envy by Axiom.  The Envy is certainly no VP, Pig, or Zone but it is that perfect mix of stable-to-overstable that all levels of players can make use of.  It is not the ideal putter to reach for when throwing full force into a headwind with OB on your understable side but it is the disc to reach for anytime you want to throw a controlled or moderately strong approach that has to stay straight without turning over.  Is is an excellent choice for narrow wooded fairways and that extra dense Axiom/MVP overmolded rim is going to protect your disc when you happen to trail off course and bonk those pesky trees.

The Envy has a noticeable bead and scoop in the wing. Just enough to add up to earning an overstable classification.

I like Innova-like flight #’s and the Envy has some really great ones to compare.  We’re looking at a Speed of 2 which is perfect for a putt & approach disc, a glide of 3 which is very nice for some longer approaches, where you want your disc to stay aloft a bit more, then a high speed turn of 0, & a fade of 2 which is just right for fighting a little headwind or extra torque on those approaches or drives from the tee.

Axiom quickly capitalized on the popularity of its Neutron Envy and followed up that release with Proton, a limited edition Watermelon stamped Proton, & finally (in 2014) the first model (even before an MVP model) in Neutron Soft carrying us right through to the end of 2014.

Left to Right & Top To Bottom: Proton, Neutron, Neutron Soft, & Proton Watermelon Edition

Axiom Envy (Neutron)

Axiom Envy (Proton)

Axiom Envy (Proton) – [Watermelon]

Axiom Envy (Neutron Soft)

---

Axiom promised to feature stylish color combinations by varying color not just of the core/flightplate but also the rim which for all MVP discs had been only black (or white if it was an Eclipse/glow disc).  If anyone was concerned that Axiom’s discs might be extremely similar to existing MVP molds or that they were to be just a pretty face with no substance then the Envy was the perfect disc for the first release day.  The Envy quickly became as essential to players’ games as the legendary Roc & Buzzz.  The new core & rim colors were simply a bonus!

The Envy is an absolute must-try disc for everyone.  Maybe it has too much glide to replace your Ridge, not enough to beat out your Pure, or is not a baseline enough plastic to replace your Wizard‘s feel but nearly everyone has a nearly perfect approach for the Envy on nearly every course.

I hear CommunityDiscs.com/Envy has all sorts of Envies to choose from and shows a photo of every color combination too 😉  Sweet!

Layering for a Successful Round – Part 3: Outer Layer

The Latitude 64/Dynamic Poly-Tech Zip is possibly the pinnacle of outer layers in disc golf.

Checkout the first step in layering – The Base Layer:
Layering for a Successful Round – Part 1: Base Layer

3. Outer Layer (Direct Exposure to the Weather)
Your outer layer is your first line of defense again the elements and should be matched for whatever weather you might be facing such as wind, rain, snow, etc.  You need to take into account the fact that if moisture or wind can get through your outer layer then it is going to reach your insulation layer.  This will lead to your feeling cold.  Inversely if you have an outer layer that does not allow moisture to escape then your insulating layer will get soaked as you sweat.  Did you ever wear a big yellow raincoat as a kid?  You might recall getting really hot in it.  That was because a 100% waterproof jacket with no ventilation (under flaps on the back or in the armpits for example) does not breath and if moisture cannot get in then it probably cannot get out either.  Just keep it in mind.  For wet days that are not terribly cold, a very light rain jacket is a great choice to keep you dry.

Sadly, there are not a ton of great outer layer options in the disc golf market (at the time of this article) BUT(!) there are certainly enough for me to highlight in this article.  We mentioned the Dynamic Colorblock Microfleece last time.  It is still a good choice for a slightly cold round – especially if you plan to take it off since it will pack into a bag more easily than something more jacket-y (Is that a word?)

MVP has a nice hoodie and will let everyone know you’re one with the overmold 🙂

The Recover Brand Full Zip hoodie from Innova is super soft inside. It sips on and off with very little effort.

If you are going in and out of the shade or up and down hills (change in temperature and/or aerobic activity) you might want to consider something with a zipper such as the Innova Air Force Zip which will let you air condition yourself quickly.  If not, there is a similar pullover version from Innova as well as a very popular cotton pullover MVP Hoodie.

The best thing I have seen with a disc golf logo on it is the Poly-Tech Zip Hooded Jacket from both Latitude 64 & Dynamic Discs.  It is 100% polyester, wind-fighting, and breathable.  Stack this with a good base & insulating layer and you should be able to get through and reasonably cold round of disc golf.  Even the cuffs on this item hold snugly but not tightly.  It is also super soft on the inside so feel free to wear it all by itself.
– Everything about this one is excellent.

Conclusion: Well now you know the basics of layering.  Having the right discs in the right bag is about 50% of having a successful round of disc golf.  If you’re not dressed properly it’s like pairing a great car with low grade fuel.  Make sure to know the weather and know your gear.

– Time to Layer Up!

Checkout the first step in layering – The Base Layer:
Layering for a Successful Round – Part 1: Base Layer

Layering for a Successful Round – Part 2: Insulation Layer

Sometimes just a simple cotton shirt can do the trick.

Checkout the first step in layering – The Base Layer:
Layering for a Successful Round – Part 1: Base Layer

2. Insulation Layer (The Middle)
This is the layer that can define both your warmth and mobility more than any other layer.  Here is where you can really bulk up for insane cold or just keep it thin and simple.  This is where you want to use natural fibers.  Cotton, wool, down, fleece, etc.  These materials hold heat in and do not pass moisture (ie sweat) through.  Because disc golf is not as aerobic as trail running but more like hiking with brief stops (or in tournament play, hiking with longer stops) you need to be very conscious of the temperature both in the sun and in the woods.  Pack an alternate weight mid-layer for your day out to make sure you can can avoid sweating or shivering too much.

Innova’s Bar Logo Tee is a timeless quality cotton option.

A minimalist approach can be as simple as a cotton T-shirt.  It’s not going to do a ton for warmth but it will absorb the sweat passed up from your base layer.  Be prepared to change into a fresh cotton t-shirt if you are sweating a lot.  Just about every MFG has cotton tees available.  Innova just released (at the time of this posting) some great classic bar logo 100% cotton tees.

---

Hooded, soft, & warm this Dynamic hoodie is great for all conditions.

Doubling as a great insulation or outer layer, the Dynamic Colorblock Fleece will simultaneously keep you cool & warm.

An excellent hooded option is the Dynamic Discs fleece hoodie.  It’s super soft and has an easy-access pouch in the front.  It is warm without being too bulky like many 100% cotton sweatshirts.

Also from Dynamic is the Colorblock Microfleece Jacket.  This can be worn as either your insulation or outer layer and can help to fight some wind too.

More than your Base Layer, your Insulation Layer should change with the conditions.

Checkout the next step in layering – The Outer Layer:
Layering for a Successful Round – Part 3: Outer Layer