I don't believe any single issue is a deal breaker, but they do compound. Additionally, I think their presentation could be improved. When a new player walks into a store to buy discs, they are drawn to flashy stamps and cool names, neither of which Prodigy excels at. As these new players progress from beginners to intermediates, they start hearing about issues like flashing, chalking, and poor basket quality from other players. This discourages them from giving Prodigy a fair chance. Once someone has established a preference for one or two manufacturers, overcoming that brand loyalty becomes very challenging, especially if there's already a negative perception attached. Ideally, brand loyalty shouldn't dictate choices, but humans tend to fall into one of two camps those who try everything under the sun, and "Ill take a chicken finger basket, it was good last time and i know it will be good this time."
Not gonna lie, I'm a new player and the discs I have been gravitating towards the most have been Westside, because I love their branding. I am not at the point where I could tell you how different brands and plastics fly yet, so I'm just getting cool. Even in researching how disks fly if Westside has one that flies close enough to another brand, and I can find it, I'll probably buy that instead. Maybe a few years down the road I'll know enough to tell the difference, but Prodigy is definitely missing the opportunity to lock people in among their first dozen discs or so.
@@DarkenSeyrethone big thing with westside is their flight numbers aren’t accurate but all around good plastic latitude is also a very good company for beginners
@@austing7820that’s just not factual to say and I will prove it. What exactly do you think is the starting point for flight numbers? What is used to determine a disc is a 2 speed for an example? There has to be a starting point in which you would measure from, which by nature would make flight numbers inaccurate for anyone who didn’t throw like the tester. It is meant to be a general ballpark of how the disc will fly and not “accurate” like disc golfers unrealistically think is achievable. You simply can’t uniformly get everyone to agree on flight numbers because it is an entirely subjective view, nobody actually knows the difference in a quantifiable manner between a -2 turn and -3 turn or any other numbers for that matter. I’m sure some might consider rim width and depth and those don’t matter at all when determining a flight number because the scale was decided based on an arbitrary starting point. Saying the flight numbers aren’t correct is amongst one of the dumbest takes you will hear out of any disc golfers mouth
Yes, between the awful flashing, the boring stamps, and the alphabet soup naming that is also uninspiring...they just do not appeal to new players. It's gotten so bad that most shops around here don't bother to stock Prodigy, it just doesn't sell fast enough.
@@austing7820I think their numbers are accurate in relation to their lineup, but considerably different from other manufacturers. Sword vs a destroyer, for example. Also not a problem exclusive to Westside.
Working in the plastic industry myself, I immediately thought of Calcium Carbonate as an additive when you mentioned the powder. Calcium Carbonate is a commonly used additive in plastics to increase its impact strength (along with many other benefits). So it should make the discs tougher and more durable over time. It is also environmentally harmless. Although, recycling it can be an issue unless you sort it together with other plastics with the same additive. So, I'd say just wipe it off and throw the disc confidently it's a tough cookie to crack should you hit trees or rocks. Like I do all too often :D I do not, however, have any personal experience with Calcium Carbonate and I am not an expert on the subject.
I just started playing DG spring of last year. After my initial starter sets i went almost 100% Prodigy during last year's black friday Christmas sale on the Prodigy website. I essentially upgraded to an all premium plastic bag for such an affordable price it was a no brainer for me. I enjoy all of the discs. Some are better than others. I think I agree totally with all of your sentiments on the critiques. None of them are deal breakers for me. The A2, M4, and F2 in 400 plastic are go to discs for me and of course i putt with the Pa3. I have the imported D3 and D2 in 400 and they are nice enough but the D2 is too fast and stable for me to get a good flight out of. I do also have an F5 in 400 plastic that is kind of chalky but it doesn't bother me. I didn't know that was unusual or the norm though to be honest so i didn't think much of it.
Love that you drop a name in your intro. Was having a rough day a while ago, was watching your video on my work break and you just happened to say "how you doin', Adam?" Made me smile. Thanks for that :)
I think the very public basket issue shows two things: (1) not every company needs their own basket and (2) we need more standardization that eliminates the variation in basket performance. Both of these things stem from the impact that patents have on the function of a vital piece of equipment to the sport. Every company making a basket has to do it a little different to avoid infringement and that often results in over-engineering the damn thing when in reality Company XYZ could just NOT make a basket. It's tricky because I would really hesitate to say the PDGA should just pick one manufacturer or that they should make their own baskets (the latter idea would have the exact same issue: they're behind the ball in terms of what's already been patented so their universal basket might suck as a result). And choosing one is essentially condemning all others which affects a lot more than just the pro tour. My background is in two sports where equipment varies a great deal: hockey and lacrosse. However, the fundamental parts of those games do NOT differ significantly. The goals and goalposts are the same size and the ball/puck are completely standardized. The only things that really differ are equipment the player chooses; this is just like the difference in discs. Imagine if the boards in hockey were significantly different between manufacturers or the goals sometimes didn't receive pucks (i.e. allow goals) as well as others. Or if some hoops in basketball or holes in golf or nets in soccer were slightly different shape due to patent restrictions. It just doesn't make sense because those are fundamental to the game: this is why it feels so bad when you encounter baskets that aren't up to others' standard.
The comparison to hockey and lacrosse was meaningless because you aren’t talking about the same thing when talking about the boards and nets. These baskets that people whine about still catch discs more than they don’t, it isn’t an issue where they can’t physically make baskets. I’ll give you a better comparison that defends the issue and that would be bowling. I spent 15 years bowling across the state I live in through many different leagues and tournaments. You will find differences in lane texture, synthetic vs wood, and even differences in the pins, wood vs synthetic vs hybrid pins, which all contributed to having to play the set differently. I’m still playing the exact same game of bowling at every place but there are differences based on what the bowling alley decided to use for equipment which is all PBA approved. Some people love certain pins vs others, I certainly have a preference but it’s not up to me when I go bowling, and that is the point. You can’t please everyone and to make a single standardized basket won’t solve the issue that you think it will, what happens when they switch to the brand that you people are wanting and you still see spit outs? What will be to blame then? It’s just a nonsensical complaint that is often seen through an egocentric lens or just repeated because a pro that someone looks up to said it.
Calvin Heimburg said it best regarding DGPT/PDGA doing tests to collect data about baskets - What data? How will they use that data? Because different basket spit out differently depending on the putting style, i.e some put with a lot of hyzer, some even anhyzer, some nose up, some nose down, some with a lot of spin, some with almost no spin, only push, some put hard, some soft, and so on. What Calvin said between the lines, those tests and data are useless! Ricky said it even better, regardless of basket, it's up to the player to adapt. Should we have standardized baskets? On pro level I am for it, the problem is cost or logistics, depending on if every DGPT/Major course needs to buy a complete set of new baskets, or if the DGPT/PDGA should provide the baskets. But again - Defnining the standard with all those different putting styles will take a lot of time, and then I haven't even mentioned outer factors like weather, temperature, humidity, wind etc.
Great and honest review, Robbie. As an 840 amateur (65 years old), I started with whatever the internet told me to try: Roadrunner, Roach, Valkyrie, Destroyer. I switched to Prodigy to join the amateur team. The discs were NO different. Not at that level. So, all the deal about flashing and business and baskets may be real, but it didn't affect my throwing. In the end, and I live and buy in Canada, the discs I get are primarily 400 or 400G plastic. Frankly, for my noodle arm, that is as good as it gets for comfort. Not distance, not speed, and not guaranteed accuracy (that's my bad, not the brand), and what more can I ask for than a bunch of discs that feel COMFORTABLE in my hand. Sure makes for a pleasant experience (and I've played 25 sanctioned tournaments in 4 years). Coke or Pepsi? Your pick.
i throw all prodigy. the fx2 does have a bad rep for a reason. there's alot from like 2020-2021 that had bad flashing. easy to remove with light sandpaper. everyone needs an a2 in 300 soft. best approach disc ever!
I just played a tournament and I did ok. 900 rated over two rounds. Never played the course. First round was like 850 rated and 2nd round was 950. I would have had a hard time shooting this shorter wooded course without the A1 and A5. I putt with PA-3 as well but it was my approach discs that really helped me that round. I really like the distortion, archive, F3, H1 and H3v2. Imo if they can finally fix their flashing issues then they should be good. And some discs, mostly 400 plastic gets cloudy too. I don't know... I still throw their stuff in a mixed bag because I don't give a crap about what everyone else is doing.
Haven’t used an A1, I use an A2 A5 combo. A5 really helped me out. I was using the A4 before that as a seasoned Pig but man, the A5 is just so good. I bag 3😂 One original (3/4/-1/1), one new glow (3/4/0/2) and a fractal💪🏻. F3 was also a huge one for me, took over my TL3 slot which was ESSENTIAL. Bag what you want champ💪🏻
I have a couple of prodigy discs that I got as a starter set -- I think they are fine -- but I do think they suffer from having a letter number naming scheme for their discs instead of the creative names other manufacturers use. It makes thinking about the name of the disc less fun and asks for me to remember a code or pattern instead of a clever name. This makes using the disc a TINY bit more mental work than using named discs ... for me. Others may completely disagree with me.
Yeah for me personally it’s really nice to have a quick frame of reference for how the disc will fly based on the name instead of worrying about flight numbers. I definitely understand how it could be confusing if you dont autistically fixate on it like I do though
Agree. This also goes for their plastics, in the video Robbie had to check to see if one of his discs was 400 or 500 plastic by reading the disc because he didn't know the difference. I wouldn't know the difference either.
I have a similar problem but for me it’s compounded by the fact that discmania does the same thing. They have similar but different names for so many of their discs and it’s just too much to keep track of
Prodigy H5 all the way for a forehand roller for me !!!! I concur that nothing is a deal breaker for me. I love how objectively you are looking at this dilemma. I would recommend to all give prodigy a chance and gain your own experience before you make a decision for yourself.
Late seeing this vid lol, but as a relatively new Prodigy thrower, THANK YOU for the olive oil trick for removing the chalk from older discs! Also great review, all very fair points. I think what's difficult is that Prodigy has dug themselves into a hole in the public eye so now they are struggling despite fixing most of the production and QA related issues in the past couple of years. For example, I started playing disc golf about a year ago, and the only chalk and flashing I have experienced has been on factory seconds or older discs I've bought used (and maybe the FX-2 and M1 since those molds seem prone to flashing/sharpness). Also your point on affordability is actually what drew me to Prodigy in the first place. I throw an all Prodigy bag because if I had an open bag, I would probably buy every disc under the sun in search of the "perfect" mold lol, but by sticking to the Prodigy line up, I've gotten pretty comfortable with my mold selection. As my skill/arm improves and my needs change, the naming scheme makes it pretty logical for me to know what molds should accomplish the flight I want based on the flights I'm currently getting from what's in my bag.
I just started playing disc golf around 3 months ago and have only tried one Prodigy disc (A PA3 was my first putter, but is no longer in my bag). As a new player, the biggest reason I haven’t picked up more Prodigy discs is how boring and unexciting they are. To me the naming scheme and disc designs just have not excited me to pick up a disc like other brands. This may seem like a petty critique, but I like to like what I’m throwing. Of all the brands a new player can see when they walk into their local shop or browse online, Prodigy, in my opinion, is one of the most boring brands. I think this has a significant impact overtime, as establishing a brand loyalty early on can help long term sales. On the five critiques your presented, the pros they sponsor is the most impactful to me. As I’ve been a new consumer of pro disc golf, I’ve been drawn to players based upon their personalities as well as their performances. Off the top of my head the only Prodigy players I could name were Issac and Ezra Robinson. I can’t name a single FPO player, despite often watching FPO content. I also can’t think of the last time I came across a piece of content featuring a Prodigy player on UA-cam. I think this feeds into my first issue of the brand being unappealing. I personally do not like Dynamic Discs naming scheme, but the fact that I like Ricky has made me curious about picking up some of their discs. Prodigy’s lack of exciting pros to cheer for compounds with the utilitarian names and bland designs for me. For the other critiques, I’m going to loop powder, flashing, and production into one. I’m 100% okay if a brand moves production overseas, if it delivers value to the consumer either on price or quality. It seems this move has allowed Prodigy to improve their quality which is a positive. It’s just a fact, that not all goods can be American-made and while it’s unfortunate that Prodigy had that aspect and moved on from it, it’s not a deal breaker for me. Quality goods can be made anywhere and maybe relocating production will help grow disc golf in those areas. For the baskets, honestly this doesn’t impact me at all. I’m new enough that I only experience this issue when watching the professionals. The discussion around the pros and cons of basket designs is interesting, but ultimately does not affect my opinion on Prodigy as a brand.
I'm a newbie, i don't follow anything about the pro tour, just a casual player. So all points concerning paying players more/less don't matter to me. Those are business decisions based on market, player appeal (to those that care or know), market saturation. Concerning going to court, if it was a valid contract situation, them it was on the 17 year old and their parents/agent/whomever to abide by the contract. Can't set a bad precedent. As for manufacturing, if people really pay attention to where their stuff is made and try really hard to only buy products made in their country, them that matters. I don't know where any discs are made, never looked, except for Stokley and i only know that because i watched his video and read the comments right before this one. Do i like manufacturing to be in the US because I live here? Of course. Is that my end all, be all decision point, never. My main point here is that casual players barely get different discs to fly differently. We are inundated with so many choices and have no clue why to pick disc A or B from disc company 1 or 2? And since everyone throws differently, it makes it even harder. Misconception that every person is teaching arm speed, disc velocity, filming themselves, etc. I watch these videos to try to find my flaws in throwing, tips for fixing my body position, arm position, etc. But, when i go play today, it's about being outside, with my friends, socializing over whatever subjects, and having fun. Good throws, bad throws, doesn't matter.
I came to watch this video after buying a 177g 500 H5 and throwing it once and falling in love. I agree with everything you said about the H5, and I’m preparing to build all my distance drivers from Prodigy. I love my Innova 7’s and below, but there is something about this H5 in 500 plastic that just fits my arm path and release. Thanks for showing me more of the discs and would love to see a “feature” of some of their drivers if you have a chance. Appreciate the content!
To provide a bit more context, I’ve been playing the game for 4 weeks now so I’m trying every disc under the sun. So far I cannot for the life of me get a Lone Star disc to fly correctly. I bought a bravo the dome hoping for a longer innova rollo, but I can’t get a good flight from the disc or any of the other 4 I have. The H5 was great straight out the box for me today. Consistent distance and flight path based on angle of release. Any suggestions for drivers to try based on that would be great!
Robbie, it is an interesting dilema and like most things in life... complex. You did a great job of trying to discuss the issues without clobbering or pandering... great job! I have very mixed emotions about the company... I really like Schusterick and the group of amazing talent with great hearts that play for the company, but I also know some history that sours my opinion of the company that goes beyond the plastics, the naming system, the flashing and the baskets. l really want all disc golf companies to grow and thrive because I want disc golf as a whole to thrive, but I can't endorse the company due to personal loyalty. And yet, I really like the A3 :D
I’m an experienced player, newer to prodigy. I represent my local disc golf shop who the owner converted to prodigy a year ago. I’ve always bagged mostly Innova (just happen to be where I chose to start and stay, reasoning was due to not getting flight numbers mixed up when I started) and now have all prodigy in the bag. I’m not on the street team yet if that’s where I go. I throughly enjoy the plastic. 400 being my favorite but here in south Texas 750 performs extremely well with the heat. I had two run ins with the flashing, old discs I tested. The more up to date ones have all been great so far. Personally love the chalk from the discs, but it benefits me well here due to the heat. The only gripe I’ve had is certain molds not flying quite how I may think the flight numbers should fly, but I’m also trying not to compare to the other brands. Now with that, it’s been exciting to really dial in their discs. Certain shot shapes have improved for me just due to finding the right disc. I think more people should try some of their molds without listening to what people say on the internet, this is how I feel with all brands.
Valid points. 80% of my bag still prodigy. 400g (not made anymore) new 400 and 500 is some of the best plastic on the market i think. Also A series is very unique and prodigy was ahead of the game before others there. A2 is one of the best approach disc…sorry pig. Also M4 is one of the best workable mid ranges. That Cale run you have is actually very sought after by collectors as you might know lol. Gonna take some time to get prodigy back on the map but the Robinson will help and the product is much better now. Also be kool to see you do a review on their new fairway driver, got a bad rep for awhile. But the shadowfax, feedback, and fx2 are all great molds.
I've had very little experience with Prodigy discs. I tried putting with a PA-5 in 200 plastic for a bit just because I wanted to try a more understable putter. I had mixed results with it and ended up staying with my Proxy, but I don't think it was a bad disc at all. It's just wasn't for me. I'm currently bagging an F7 in 500 plastic in my flippy fairway slot. The 500 plastic seems to be quite durable and it's taking a while to get this disc beat into the flippiness that I want. So while I do wish it was just a touch flippier, I know it'll get there. And I have to say, I LOVE everything else about the disc. It flies so well, and I have hit some absolutely amazing lines (for me anyway...lol!) with it! It honestly feels great to me and has no flashing to speak of. Hard to judge a company off of only two discs, but I definitely can say I would try more Prodigy discs out in the future.
I had some Prodigy Discs given to me by a friend 7 years ago. (2)D4 750, (2)F7 750, M3 Proto 750, M4 Proto 750, (5) P3. I played a handful of rounds back then and just picked up playing again about 6 weeks ago. They sat in a storage unit for a while and then in totes in a closet. They are as good today as when they were given to me. I'm enjoying playing them and haven't encountered to chalk issues at all. I'll have to go look for the extra plastic, but I haven't noticed it yet. I've not played on the Prodigy baskets but have seen videos of the putter ejections... I'd definitely hate that, but know there are so many ways i could improve my own putting.
The ole prodigy shuffle on the teepad when I get a new one is really a head turner. M2 has 2 different molds now depending where they are made, pretty upset with it but I can just switch to another mold I guess. Number system can get confusing, pa-3 vs pa-4 is radically different (the one i have is like a -3 turn). Prodigy plastic can feel great, some of the molds are amazing, maybe its Cale that I gravitate towards because of the MN background. I would love to see a turnaround, some of the new discs they are trying suggest it. Business is hard, hopefully they can figure out a way to get through this.
I haven't tried a ton of Prodigy in the last year or so outside of the A2 and A3's but everyone I know that ahs thrown a Prodigy disc seems to like it. Flashing was something we all saw a lot of for a good bit there but it seemingly happens less often from what I hear other guys saying locally. Also, the new fractal plastic is gorgeous, so there's that.
I haven't ever thrown a prodigy disc. I have thrown some inova and discraft, but since throwing my 1st MVP disc, I've been hooked. To me, the points you have brought up are valid, and business is business. Deal with the issues and try to recover. What I do believe is a valid argument is a more standardized requirements for baskets. Specifically about chain weights. I am sure there are many patient issues involved, but if specific chain weights are required, then the argument can be brought up about if a current basket is good or not.
Hey Robbie, the very first discs I had from my local 9 hole before it closed were Prodigy M-Models. I did not realise it at the time since I was only a few months into my DG journey but the flashing on those discs kept cutting my middle finger, especially RHFH. It wasn't until a few months later, after watching countless YT videos & browsing Reddit threads, that I realised what it was exactly that was messing my finger up. I made the switch to Trilogy Discs and have had no issues since. I don't have too much experience with other branded baskets but having completed a Master's degree in Marketing & doing an assessment about starting my own DG brand here in the UK, I would have to say that Prodigy's brand recognition & public awareness is not as good as it could be. I think one important factor to consider regarding Prodigy's branding is that they've let players go who are great ambassadors for their brand & the sport overall, for example, Matty O, Chris Dickerson & Kevin Jones. I also understand from Reddit, that Vaino was a huge influence in shifting Prodigy discs across Scandinavia/Nordic countries. Players such as these leaving, especially mid-season, is never a good look. What happens if Isaac or Ezra decide to leave? Lastly, you know as well as anyone that content creation & a player's individual personalities is what sells discs more than anything these days. No doubt MVP saw a perfect opportunity to reunite Simon & Eagle while Discmania are loaded up with Alden, Gannon, Gavin. All of whom produce quality content. I think Prodigy need to address moving forward to improve their visibility & awareness in consumer's minds.
Love to hear your internal thoughts being spoken aloud! Ha, I did find my first Prod disc under a fallen tree while looking for my twin swords. It was a d4..it was a great trade in!! Hate me all that you want but I Love my H3 v2 Air.
I love my PA-3 in 750 plastic, I even aced with it this year. That being said, if I am buying a disc for full price there are tons of better competition out there. I have yet to feel a bad Kastaplast, Clash, MVP or Discraft mold. I just bought the new Gorgon from Innova and they are perfect. Regardless of their business decisions there product are inferior to many other manufacturers.
The critiques are valid and I can't speak to the baskets (luckily I think) but I will say I fell in love with the A2 and have a variety of Prodigy discs in my bag. Partly because they had a huge sale a couple of years ago and I bought a bunch of discs just to try them out. I fell like I haven't experienced the flashing issue that so many people complain about and as someone who leans more casual, I don't really have a vested interest in players and payouts and that side of the sport.
I really enjoy throwing the M4 and F3 from Prodigy. Flashing issues, whack baskets, and legal issues are not on my mind when I'm playing disc golf. I only care about the flight of the disc and how the plastic/mold feels in my hand. I hope every disc golf company is successful because I love this game. Great video Robbie! How ya' doing today?
I've had a couple production issues in the past 3-4 years, but, overall, they are as good as anything else, IMO, especially in 300, 350 and 400. PA line is tight, M4 on point, dig FX4 too. The exit of Kevin and Vaaino was a good thing.... for Prodigy. Robbie narrative pinned down on the move ! Very nice indeed.
Lesson time. Finger printy discs (chalky, etc) are actually the oils in the plastic itself leeching itself from the finished product. There are tons of reasons why this happens. Age of the source material, quality of the source material, exposure to elements like he and uv light, improper curing times in finished product. I could go on and on. When you see this happening, the real issue is in the durability of the disc itself. You can slow its progress through a few various methods but you can't stop it. A little bit concerning to see it in discs that aren't a couple decades old
As someone who has never thrown prodigy and as a relatively new disc golfer I found this video extremely interesting. I mostly just knew them as the company that tried to sue Gannon Buhr. Crazy to go from the company who is actually paying pros to the company who is suing one of their pros. I think their naming system is kind of boring, but I like how there’s a system to it. All that said with so much plastic out there I still haven’t tried out yet; I really don’t see myself buying their discs anytime soon. 🤷♂️
It would, but not everyone may want chalk. Some people may use some other method to improve their grip or just not want chalk residue in their bag. I personally love the chalk residue but I live in South Texas so it works well for me.
I've thrown a handful of Prodigy discs over the years. I don't have any issues with them overall. the PA-3 was my putt/approach disc for a solid year. The F-3 (or 5?) was also my go-to driver for a while when I started throwing drivers. The main reason I moved on was I didn't like the feel of the cheaper plastics and other manufacturers were more readily available - esp. during 2020 - so I found available alternatives and never looked back because there wasn't a real incentive to. I haven't followed them closely but seems like they're the company that tried to do the right things - made in America, etc. that people claim to want but then don't support with their $ - but what do I know. I'm just some rando on the internet who enjoys throwing plastic at metal (and sometimes... often trees)
Prodigy premium mystery box is one of the best deals I found in my first year of avidly playing this game. Less than ten dollars per disc. Nice introduction to their lineup. Love too many molds and plastics. Cool stamps included a lobster, but it hit a couple of boulders, so it's now a rock lobster. They also included a great free jersey for their Father's Day deal. I'm having fun and throwing some great shots. One disc I got with some flashing hasn't been a problem (FX2). I also got a BP1 V3, which is an impressive and affordable improvement from my previous Himal bag. I could compare Innova and Discraft to flight numbers. I find the number system to be almost as consistent as Discraft, but maybe 1 speed less. My Innova runs have more character with discs deviating from their suggested numbers due to mold imperfections or plastics causing inconsistency, but making some cool mutant strains of disc. I bag too many discs because I love them all, and Prodigy definitely has a spot among them.
I started with MVP and heard that prodigy was one of those "love it or hate it" brands. Picked up a PA-3 (300, firm) and M4 (400) just to try out the brand. I have since picked up a Pa-5 (500), A5 (500), and F5 (AIR). Im loving what they offer and ive had to deal with the flashing and chalk issues. Chalk got the olive oil treatment and flashing got a steady hand and razor blade. I still bag an equal amount of MVP stuff (Neutrom atom, neutron uplink, neutron inertia, plasma tesla, plasme entrophy) but i tend to lean on my prodigy discs the most.
1. Paying pros the biggest salaries back in the day makes me think that they have had good intentions from the beginning. With the pretty big contract dispute that played out in recent memory I definitely came away from that with a negative impression of the company. To be fair though, someone may have just been dissatisfied with their contract and passed some negative attention their direction. I believe they were legally correct in that case. 2. Baskets- can't be saved. Melt them down and try again. 3. Powder- It feels like it's not supposed to be touched. I'll try to save one of the x-outs I bought awhile back with oil and see how that works out. 4. Flashing- I haven't felt terrible flashing yet and from what I understand it's not really an issue on current production. I would assume around the time that they were switching manufacturers something could have been lost in translation and the instruction to smooth out the flashing in a certain way didn't happen. 5. Overseas- I feel like people in the US are programmed to want things produced domestically but that doesn't always work out in favor of quality. Being made in the USA was a great thing at one point but in some ways maybe we are a little rusty at it. Disc golf is better with Prodigy in it. I honestly had a bad impression of Prodigy for a long time. It was the same for MVP when they came out. Over time Prodigy has continued to improve their plastic and expand their lineup. For the most part the naming system is simple to understand which is different than their competitors. I just started bagging a few prodigy approach discs because the plastic feels great. I can't recommend a gummy puddle-topped 400 A5 enough. It's a zone but gummy and straighter in the mid flight with a similar fade at the very end. I putt with Pa-3s that glide soooo much for not gliding at all. Everyone should give their discs another try if they have written them off for one reason or another as things have changed for the better.
Great video Robbie. I never found a Prodigy disc that I truly liked…had a couple of early Prodigy discs that had the chalkiness issue and it was a major turn off.
My motivating factor for picking up a few, prime day, and a cheap "throw away" option if I am feeling like a hole is sketchy and I might lose the disc (because I am brand new and not yet confident in my skills) so for discs at $5-$8 I'll take it..... I have spent some time using a dremel to quickly take down the flashing and now they feel great in the hand, and I am excited to try em out tomorrow. I bought 3 FX2s and I had to take them down a lot quite a bit because I throw forehand primarily, I am curious if it will change the flight at all.
You forgot to mention that they are the only manufacturer that supports a Veteran team (Battalion Team). I am a proud member of the team and my game has gone through the roof since I joined them.
I didn’t really know about the prodigy controversy when I bought an FX-3 and H4 V2 last month. I’m pretty new to the ins and outs of pro-level disc golf. I love both of those discs, the 400 FX3 I got might be the straightest fairway in my bag.
I started disc golf and fell in love with prodigy discs. I’m still a supporter of prodigy. I’ve always liked their naming convention. Just easy to understand. It’s simple. I always loved their 400 plastic I’m a big supporter of the FX line. Mainly FX-3 as well as their D1, D3, H2, H3 as notable favorites for me. I honestly didn’t get a lot of flashing discs and never noticed till one of my friends had one on an FX-2 like you mentioned but easy fix. Their baskets are definitely not my favorite. But I also extremely dislike Discatcher baskets. They spit out soft putts a lot too and if the chain is caught on the bottom screw it’s a guaranteed spit out. Prodigy suing Gannon was a terrible move for the company definitely understand the breach of contract. They were stuck between a rock and hard place with that. But over all, I still throw prodigy and love em
I got what I think is a prototype M1 as one of my first discs 10 years ago and it's still my go-to forehand approach disc. It never got chalky, there's no flashing whatsoever, and it's my favorite plastic in the bag. That being said, I've never bought another Prodigy disc because I don't like how most of their plastic feels now and most have pretty bad flashing. I did however just get a 400 D1 in a mystery box and it feels pretty good and the flashing isn't any more than other brands have. I'd totally throw it if I had the arm for it.
Found an F5 once and texted the owner, he hadn't seen the disc in years and told me to keep it. It's the only Prodigy disc that's ever made my bag, it's such an easy disc to hyzer flip. Full power it turns over and holds the turn the entire flight, mid power it'll flip to flat with a nice straight fade, low power will still flip to flat but with a very slight fade. Haven't given any other Prodigy discs a chance yet though lol
I bag an F7 and M4 in 300 and an A5 in 500 Glimmer. I find Prodigy's 300 plastic to be a great value in that it is their equivalent of Innova Pro plastic, offering good grip and pliability, while balancing cost with durability. I can often find them for $9-10.
I really like a lot of Prodigy's disc and more of their disc keep getting into my bag but recently I've gotten a decent amount of discs with flashing. At first I thought it was just how the disc was and I couldn't reliably throw my Pa3. After removing the flashing, it was completely fine. I haven't had a chalky disc without knowing before hand, so I haven't had any issue with that. Their pricing is very good and they have constant sales so it is a reason why I'm playing with more of their discs. I've only played with 500, 400, 350g but I'm going to try 300 soon
I am a casual player only, and I play for relaxation, fun, fresh air, and exercise. Everyone on a course is using the same baskets, so different baskets are just a course feature I have to navigate. Flashing - I hand-picked each disc out of the box at the store and feel for it. If I have to buy one with a little flashing to get the weight and color I want, I just rub it on the driveway for a few seconds when I get home. I prefer American-made, but I more strongly prefer quality at a fair price. It changes the subject, but higher tariffs would resolve some of this problem. I say that Prodigy should do what they need to do to be profitable without doing anything illegal.
Prodigy suffers from just bad marketing...really bad marketing. Their naming scheme seems simple and great but their plastic names are just bad and confusing. They don't have discs that sell really well due to bad marketing and not having a great names. Their bad PR with the lawsuit, flashing and powder has just added to people not wanting to even give them a shot. Their baskets are well known for not catching well and it doesn't matter if it's a old basket or not. I do know back 10 years or so ago when I was first trying out disc golf their discs were priced at least $3-4 more than everyone else. That is like 25% more. That just made me not even want to give them a shot. Not sure their pricing now but as a new player I stuck with the Innova, Discraft and Trilogy discs since their pricing was better and they had "cool" names.
I am a beginner, I have been playing for about a year and a half. My putter of choice is the PA3, it just works for me. The only other Prodigy disc I have is a FX3 in 400 plastic and it is one of my favorite discs. I have had only positive experiences with Prodigy disc. I agree that it looks bad to sue a 17 year old, if you are old enough to sign a contract, then you are old enough to deal with the consequences of breaching that contract.
I am on the Prodigy Street team and I have a vlog in which I only throw Prodigy. So, I am biased. I love their discs, and even before I joined the street team my bag was 90% Prodigy. I am surprised that you did not discuss their naming system in your video. I like the idea of their naming system, but my problem is their naming system does not convey the information that it is supposed to for many discs. For example, the A1 is super stable, like the name suggests (lower numbers = over stability), however, the A5 (which should be under stable as the high number 5 indicates) is not under stable at all. As matter of fact, their entire line of A approach discs are overstable. To that end, most of Prodigy's discs are overstable, which I have also heard as a fair critique. But I guess you could criticize flight numbers in general, but if you are going to name your discs based on their flight, it should be more accurate. On a different note, you are the one that taught me how to play disc golf. Although I don't watch your channel as much as I used to, I wanted to say thank you for your videos that helped me tremendously as a beginner. I am not an expert, but I also started my own vlog in large part because of enjoying your vlog. Thanks man!
Completele agree on baskets: Variations are naturally included in this game. Wind, the leaf cycle of the trees between spring and fall, quality of tee's etc. Why is it not ok for baskets to be different as well? When playing on these old Prodigy baskets, a few hours practicing the optimal put will pull you ahead of the pack. This issue should be a known thing. They might be practicing and it still is not enough, but I am fine with puts not being gimme from 30 and in. It adds flavour.
I understand some of the discs from prodigy have issues but I hope they stick around. The M4 and A5 are some of my most thrown molds and would be sad if I had to replace them.
As a player just getting back into the sport after like 6 years of not playing, I realized my bag was really unbalanced and only had Innova and Discraft so I recently bought a few discs all from different brands including an F9 for something really understable and to try to throw rollers for the first time. I lost it after about a month following two compounding bad attempts at rolling it so I didn't get enough time with it to fully develop an opinion on the disc itself, but I wasn't a huge fan of their marketing and purchasing process. I understand what they are trying to do with their naming scheme, but I had to watch their video explaining it for it (or at least the number part) to make sense and I unfortunately didn't find that video on their website until I had already spent a decent amount of time researching each "F" series disc. I feel like they either need to make that information really up front, or choose to go with more memorable albeit less meaningful names like other companies (I understand that rebranding all of their discs is not feasible at this point so I am mostly suggesting the first option since they chose to go against the 2nd). I also was very disappointed with the color of the disc when it arrived as the purple on the website was far more vibrant than what I got, and I had trouble clearly seeing my disc even when sitting in the short fairway grass when I purposely buy purple or pink because those stand out against most of nature. Obviously if I bought my disc in a local store both of those issues could be avoided by talking to someone who understands their system and being able to see the disc in person (I ordered from their website because of the Father's day sale), but that purchasing experience was enough to put me off buying any more of their discs unless a specific mold fits a niche in my bag.
New player that didn't know their reputation prior to buying. The A series is my absolute favorite for approach discs. Love the A5 and A4. All others have been very over stable and just don't feel as good relative to other brands.
When I started out I got some prodigy stuff and didn't know any better about flashing or other things. What I did notice is that nothing flew as expected when compared to other manufacturers with same numbers. I know, numbers are made up... but when your "understable" fairway comes out and flies like a Thunderbird, you hurt your trust with a player. That hurts sales today and future sales as the player moves to another brand and doesn't look back.
I do always wonder why soo many top pros left and that seems like a big reflection of mismanagement or poor culture. I do really love a lot of molds you listed, pa3 great thrower and putter, a3 feels amazing flys even better, m4 is a solid butter mid, and the h5 I found to be incredibly fun to throw but I could not figure out how much Hyzer was needed and it had this beautiful but unpredictable late flip to turn for me, I couldn’t get that one figured out. The more you learn the more the naming convention makes sense, but then you hit the H series, Hv2, mx , fx, and pro series disc names and questions start up again. add in the plastic confusion (though it is getting better , 300, 400, 500, 700 easy enough) and it feels like you are constantly trying to remember was that a 7, 8, 9 speed disc ? Never had a flashing or a chalk issue, and love seeing the “made in USA”. Recently picked up some pa5 great feeling disc great flying disc , returned them when I realized they were no longer the USA discs I have loved. Lots of solid companies are making great discs in the states soo other good options to look at to support our economy and our work force. Just my opinion.
the biggest issue for me personally with flashing, in this case on an f5, was that it seemed very much like the mold they were using was misaligned or poorly made. No matter how much sanding was done, the flashing never went away. This turned me off from their products as even though I don't mind getting rid of a little bit of flashing, if I had to do this to every disc I bought from them.
A3 has been my go to overstable approach disc. I tried a Zone and it seemed to fly exactly the same. I prefer the shallow rim of the A3 and haven't looked at anything else for that slot.
Removing plastic flashing is tedious, variable, and expensive if done manually in production. Most production engineers will try to develop some automated version of flash removal like tumbling in an abrasive medium or automated scraping/sanding in the flash areas. That process will also have variability and why you see flashing to different degrees on all discs. I've had to remove flashing from several manufacturers on my discs.
I don’t know about how they take care of pros. But I can tell you they take very good care of their amateur players! I would say it is by far the best of any of the companies I have seen
The only Prodigy disc I currently throw is the PA-5. With that said, I have only seen it in premium plastic in a good color once, and it's the one I got. Prodigy isn't always the easiest to find. Personally, I don't hate Prodigy, but I do with they had stayed within the US. Flashing may have gotten better, but they shouldn't have to ship over the ocean to fix that.
Point 1. I'll be honest I don't pay attention to the pro seen when I'm picking discs for my bag its irrelevant. Point 2. Baskets are baskets I personally believe there are pros and cons to each basket Point 3 and 4. When I buy Prodigy which is a decent amout (A2's, A5's MX-1's and feedback's) I make sure to buy the newer stuff because I do love there newer plastics. Point 5 it is annoying to have to buy discs from China instead of the US but i understand the business side of things. At the end of the day yes Prodigy has there issues like all disc manufacturers but I will still buy from them if they continue to have molds I like to throw and that fit my game.
Almost bought a shadowfax at the local shop today just because it's a cool name for a disc. Havent used any prodigy discs since I stopped putting with PA3s a year ago
I started playing last fall and bought prodigy discs due to I found a few online stores here in Finland that sold them really cheap :D In away, I cannot complain that the discs would be bad but honestly the flashing has been irritating. Not every disc has it and little sandpaper action and the problem was gone but still... Prodigy has here somewhat a "bad reputation" that their discs would be trash/bad but I doubt that using another brands discs would make a big difference in most players game..
They need some help with their image but i've found nothing better than my f7 and pa-5 - they make good flippy stuff!! Hate the 400 plastic and the 300 honestly. Love the 500
I used to really like prodigy. I bagged a bunch of their molds. But the chalking is really what turned me away. I've done the pil, but it's temporary. I don't want to need to oil up my frisbees - that's dumb - especially when you consider that I don't have to oil up any other discs from any other company. However, living in MN, I do like buying Cale Leiviska's molds so I can support him. The Shadowfax is a great disc IMO... I will say I was disappointed when the brand new one showed up with chalking on it.
Half my bag is prodigy would say most of the discs need to broken in before getting consistent throwing and distance. Also have let friends throw them it’s can be a challenge, would say look at air for first time prodigy user (especially in the drivers) and of course as people say the pa3 is that good
I love several Prodigy discs, especially the putters, F7, F9, FX-2, H7 and a couple of others. I have many as big favourites from several other manufacturers. What I don't get is the criticism their disc names get. For me, it is the most logical system out there. What does a name like (if such disc exists, this is a coincidence) "Hobgoblin" or "Elf" or "Extra-Terrestial" say really? Plus, I also dig their aesthetics - I don't like cartoons (and it seems I'm in a minority here) on a disc, I like stylish lettering. The FX-2 is a case in point.
From 2020 through 2022 felons always had the worst flashing of any disc I ever felt. I didn’t buy a new felon for 3 years and thought I was about to replace the mold as a whole because of it. Luckily the original it ones that came out when Rick signed fixed it. But it drove me bonkers
I have only thrown a P Model S. I have felt a number of their discs and just havent been impressed with their plastic and the way the disc feels in the hand. I throw a mixture of so many brands, I wanted to like them, but sadly hated the feel before I even considered buying. Additionally, I absolutely hate their baskets. I believe that there are so many issues, albeit smaller issues, that they tend to stack up.
I used to be one of those Prodigy haters. Then I started throwing the A2. Aced twice with them. Now I bag a PA-3, MX-1,FX-2,F1,F3,& D1. Aced with the MX-1 as well. Great molds.
To be honest I’ve only thrown an FX-7. The main detractor for me (as petty as it is) is that the naming system doesn’t make sense to me. It also doesn’t feel cool to say you’re throwing their disc names. Compared to throwing a Shark, Wraith, Raptor, Insanity, Hex, Crave, Mamba, Candy, Spice, or literally anything else (maybe not Discmania). Thats really it for me. Yes I know it’s petty.
I honestly havent thrown much prodigy, but its also cause the 2 local shops i have really dont carry it. Mostly innova discraft and mvp, barely even any discmania
Count me in as someone who finds their lettering and numbering system as boring. I picked up an A2 and A3 ( chalky), but don't bag them. I also bought Chantel's Tour Series disc this year because I like her channel.
I throw mostly Prodigy because they are easy and cheap to get here. Seem fine to me. The approach discs and the FX series in particular are great. So are all their distance drivers.
The discs really are oozing the chalk themselves indeed. As far as I have studied, it's the plastics components literally separating from each others. Some sources claim the substance in question is something called "plasticizer" with the purpose of making the plastic softer/more bendy. I've got a 400 pa-3 that in addition to the oozing residue is also forming these small cracks akin to dried crumbling paint. In short: the discs are "drying up" and turning more stiff and brittle. The same can happen to old discs from other companies like old champion plastic innova discs, but way later and in way smaller amounts than even relatively new prodigy plastics(not all of them do this). Whether it means the plastic is cheap(I mean they usually *are* more affordable than most) and hence of poor quality or someone higher up simply considers it being a feature instead of a fault is up to ones own opinion. (it does add more grip and some people claim to like it).
If Im gonna be honest, I havent bought more than like 5 prodigy discs, but theyve all been let downs to a degree. A 500 D3, a 400g X3, 400g F3, 300 PA3 and a 400 M1. The D3 was more OS than my halo destroyes and chalked like crazy. The X3 chalked a ton but flew ok, didnt stay in the bag though. The M1 had insane flashing and I prefer my buzzz os, and the F3 flew good but I chucked it into a pond and also it had a lot of chalk issues. I can live with the chalk and flashing bit and I honestly dont care about how they treat pros, but when there are 5-6 other brands that have a way better track record just with me personally why take a chance on prodigy again when Ive mostly been let down. I know I would probably dig a A2 or an FX2/3/4 but Ive already got zones and FD3s in my bag that I really like, why take the chance.
9:41 That's not true! An indoor hoop will be different than a outdoor hoop, a hoop in Minnesota is going to behave different than one in Arizona. No two locations are exactly the same(Even on the same course!), so no two baskets are going to have the same histories. Are these differences going to be extreme, no they will not be, but the DO still exist. When you play a game where so many things affect your result it's easy to blame the thing you can't control. Now, I am NOT saying that Isaac's spit-outs weren't crazy, what I'm saying is that for every Isaac there was dozens of players that had no issue at all.
As a Georgia native I wish they hadn't gone overseas, I live an hour from their HQ. I understand it but it's a turn off for me when I can buy other companies discs that are made in the US. I would probably bag a lot more of their discs. I do, on occasion, bag an A2 and PA5. Hopefully they can sort out the issues they are having and move production back but I highly doubt it.
My only issue with them is that the stamps and names are boring , like the Ripit ones and archive are the step in the right direction . I feel like I could be fine with all the other points . Shit discmania has a similar naming, but i dont get many of their stock runs, and their tourseries at least have a change of more fun marketing
I throw alot of prodigy, h7, f2, f7, pa5, distortion, a2, on there site in canada can get 400 plastic discs at 19$, 500 a bit more which is 15$ american. The only hic i have is there made in China… but i guess thats why there very cheap.H7 is my bomber disc mega dome great for my noodle arm
Prodigy definitely gets a bad rep for some silly reasons and others completely valid. My first experiences with their discs were very negative. I didn't even want to try any other molds initially. After two years I did and have found some of my favorite molds in their lineup. The F3 will probably never leave my bag. They have some sleepers in there for sure. Overall, it's hard to get people to try something different when they've already had good experiences elsewhere and with other brands.
I don't believe any single issue is a deal breaker, but they do compound. Additionally, I think their presentation could be improved. When a new player walks into a store to buy discs, they are drawn to flashy stamps and cool names, neither of which Prodigy excels at. As these new players progress from beginners to intermediates, they start hearing about issues like flashing, chalking, and poor basket quality from other players. This discourages them from giving Prodigy a fair chance. Once someone has established a preference for one or two manufacturers, overcoming that brand loyalty becomes very challenging, especially if there's already a negative perception attached. Ideally, brand loyalty shouldn't dictate choices, but humans tend to fall into one of two camps those who try everything under the sun, and "Ill take a chicken finger basket, it was good last time and i know it will be good this time."
Not gonna lie, I'm a new player and the discs I have been gravitating towards the most have been Westside, because I love their branding. I am not at the point where I could tell you how different brands and plastics fly yet, so I'm just getting cool. Even in researching how disks fly if Westside has one that flies close enough to another brand, and I can find it, I'll probably buy that instead. Maybe a few years down the road I'll know enough to tell the difference, but Prodigy is definitely missing the opportunity to lock people in among their first dozen discs or so.
@@DarkenSeyrethone big thing with westside is their flight numbers aren’t accurate but all around good plastic latitude is also a very good company for beginners
@@austing7820that’s just not factual to say and I will prove it.
What exactly do you think is the starting point for flight numbers? What is used to determine a disc is a 2 speed for an example? There has to be a starting point in which you would measure from, which by nature would make flight numbers inaccurate for anyone who didn’t throw like the tester. It is meant to be a general ballpark of how the disc will fly and not “accurate” like disc golfers unrealistically think is achievable. You simply can’t uniformly get everyone to agree on flight numbers because it is an entirely subjective view, nobody actually knows the difference in a quantifiable manner between a -2 turn and -3 turn or any other numbers for that matter. I’m sure some might consider rim width and depth and those don’t matter at all when determining a flight number because the scale was decided based on an arbitrary starting point. Saying the flight numbers aren’t correct is amongst one of the dumbest takes you will hear out of any disc golfers mouth
Yes, between the awful flashing, the boring stamps, and the alphabet soup naming that is also uninspiring...they just do not appeal to new players. It's gotten so bad that most shops around here don't bother to stock Prodigy, it just doesn't sell fast enough.
@@austing7820I think their numbers are accurate in relation to their lineup, but considerably different from other manufacturers. Sword vs a destroyer, for example. Also not a problem exclusive to Westside.
Working in the plastic industry myself, I immediately thought of Calcium Carbonate as an additive when you mentioned the powder. Calcium Carbonate is a commonly used additive in plastics to increase its impact strength (along with many other benefits). So it should make the discs tougher and more durable over time. It is also environmentally harmless. Although, recycling it can be an issue unless you sort it together with other plastics with the same additive.
So, I'd say just wipe it off and throw the disc confidently it's a tough cookie to crack should you hit trees or rocks. Like I do all too often :D
I do not, however, have any personal experience with Calcium Carbonate and I am not an expert on the subject.
I just started playing DG spring of last year. After my initial starter sets i went almost 100% Prodigy during last year's black friday Christmas sale on the Prodigy website. I essentially upgraded to an all premium plastic bag for such an affordable price it was a no brainer for me. I enjoy all of the discs. Some are better than others. I think I agree totally with all of your sentiments on the critiques. None of them are deal breakers for me. The A2, M4, and F2 in 400 plastic are go to discs for me and of course i putt with the Pa3. I have the imported D3 and D2 in 400 and they are nice enough but the D2 is too fast and stable for me to get a good flight out of. I do also have an F5 in 400 plastic that is kind of chalky but it doesn't bother me. I didn't know that was unusual or the norm though to be honest so i didn't think much of it.
Love that you drop a name in your intro. Was having a rough day a while ago, was watching your video on my work break and you just happened to say "how you doin', Adam?" Made me smile. Thanks for that :)
I think the very public basket issue shows two things: (1) not every company needs their own basket and (2) we need more standardization that eliminates the variation in basket performance. Both of these things stem from the impact that patents have on the function of a vital piece of equipment to the sport. Every company making a basket has to do it a little different to avoid infringement and that often results in over-engineering the damn thing when in reality Company XYZ could just NOT make a basket. It's tricky because I would really hesitate to say the PDGA should just pick one manufacturer or that they should make their own baskets (the latter idea would have the exact same issue: they're behind the ball in terms of what's already been patented so their universal basket might suck as a result). And choosing one is essentially condemning all others which affects a lot more than just the pro tour.
My background is in two sports where equipment varies a great deal: hockey and lacrosse. However, the fundamental parts of those games do NOT differ significantly. The goals and goalposts are the same size and the ball/puck are completely standardized. The only things that really differ are equipment the player chooses; this is just like the difference in discs. Imagine if the boards in hockey were significantly different between manufacturers or the goals sometimes didn't receive pucks (i.e. allow goals) as well as others. Or if some hoops in basketball or holes in golf or nets in soccer were slightly different shape due to patent restrictions. It just doesn't make sense because those are fundamental to the game: this is why it feels so bad when you encounter baskets that aren't up to others' standard.
The comparison to hockey and lacrosse was meaningless because you aren’t talking about the same thing when talking about the boards and nets. These baskets that people whine about still catch discs more than they don’t, it isn’t an issue where they can’t physically make baskets. I’ll give you a better comparison that defends the issue and that would be bowling. I spent 15 years bowling across the state I live in through many different leagues and tournaments. You will find differences in lane texture, synthetic vs wood, and even differences in the pins, wood vs synthetic vs hybrid pins, which all contributed to having to play the set differently. I’m still playing the exact same game of bowling at every place but there are differences based on what the bowling alley decided to use for equipment which is all PBA approved. Some people love certain pins vs others, I certainly have a preference but it’s not up to me when I go bowling, and that is the point. You can’t please everyone and to make a single standardized basket won’t solve the issue that you think it will, what happens when they switch to the brand that you people are wanting and you still see spit outs? What will be to blame then? It’s just a nonsensical complaint that is often seen through an egocentric lens or just repeated because a pro that someone looks up to said it.
Calvin Heimburg said it best regarding DGPT/PDGA doing tests to collect data about baskets - What data? How will they use that data? Because different basket spit out differently depending on the putting style, i.e some put with a lot of hyzer, some even anhyzer, some nose up, some nose down, some with a lot of spin, some with almost no spin, only push, some put hard, some soft, and so on. What Calvin said between the lines, those tests and data are useless!
Ricky said it even better, regardless of basket, it's up to the player to adapt.
Should we have standardized baskets? On pro level I am for it, the problem is cost or logistics, depending on if every DGPT/Major course needs to buy a complete set of new baskets, or if the DGPT/PDGA should provide the baskets.
But again - Defnining the standard with all those different putting styles will take a lot of time, and then I haven't even mentioned outer factors like weather, temperature, humidity, wind etc.
Great and honest review, Robbie. As an 840 amateur (65 years old), I started with whatever the internet told me to try: Roadrunner, Roach, Valkyrie, Destroyer. I switched to Prodigy to join the amateur team. The discs were NO different. Not at that level. So, all the deal about flashing and business and baskets may be real, but it didn't affect my throwing. In the end, and I live and buy in Canada, the discs I get are primarily 400 or 400G plastic. Frankly, for my noodle arm, that is as good as it gets for comfort. Not distance, not speed, and not guaranteed accuracy (that's my bad, not the brand), and what more can I ask for than a bunch of discs that feel COMFORTABLE in my hand. Sure makes for a pleasant experience (and I've played 25 sanctioned tournaments in 4 years). Coke or Pepsi? Your pick.
i throw all prodigy. the fx2 does have a bad rep for a reason. there's alot from like 2020-2021 that had bad flashing. easy to remove with light sandpaper. everyone needs an a2 in 300 soft. best approach disc ever!
I just played a tournament and I did ok. 900 rated over two rounds. Never played the course. First round was like 850 rated and 2nd round was 950. I would have had a hard time shooting this shorter wooded course without the A1 and A5. I putt with PA-3 as well but it was my approach discs that really helped me that round. I really like the distortion, archive, F3, H1 and H3v2. Imo if they can finally fix their flashing issues then they should be good. And some discs, mostly 400 plastic gets cloudy too. I don't know... I still throw their stuff in a mixed bag because I don't give a crap about what everyone else is doing.
Haven’t used an A1, I use an A2 A5 combo. A5 really helped me out. I was using the A4 before that as a seasoned Pig but man, the A5 is just so good. I bag 3😂
One original (3/4/-1/1), one new glow (3/4/0/2) and a fractal💪🏻.
F3 was also a huge one for me, took over my TL3 slot which was ESSENTIAL.
Bag what you want champ💪🏻
I have a couple of prodigy discs that I got as a starter set -- I think they are fine -- but I do think they suffer from having a letter number naming scheme for their discs instead of the creative names other manufacturers use. It makes thinking about the name of the disc less fun and asks for me to remember a code or pattern instead of a clever name. This makes using the disc a TINY bit more mental work than using named discs ... for me. Others may completely disagree with me.
Yeah for me personally it’s really nice to have a quick frame of reference for how the disc will fly based on the name instead of worrying about flight numbers. I definitely understand how it could be confusing if you dont autistically fixate on it like I do though
Literally same.
Agree. This also goes for their plastics, in the video Robbie had to check to see if one of his discs was 400 or 500 plastic by reading the disc because he didn't know the difference. I wouldn't know the difference either.
I have a similar problem but for me it’s compounded by the fact that discmania does the same thing. They have similar but different names for so many of their discs and it’s just too much to keep track of
That never stopped Discmania from going off the rails with crazy names for different runs of their regular lineup. lol
Prodigy H5 all the way for a forehand roller for me !!!! I concur that nothing is a deal breaker for me. I love how objectively you are looking at this dilemma. I would recommend to all give prodigy a chance and gain your own experience before you make a decision for yourself.
Is it a fair comparison to compare basket design to bowling lanes and how different places grease them differently or sloped greens in golf?
You're asking if the internet is reasonable. You know the answer man. Logic and sense isnt exactly a common thing online these days.
Late seeing this vid lol, but as a relatively new Prodigy thrower, THANK YOU for the olive oil trick for removing the chalk from older discs! Also great review, all very fair points. I think what's difficult is that Prodigy has dug themselves into a hole in the public eye so now they are struggling despite fixing most of the production and QA related issues in the past couple of years. For example, I started playing disc golf about a year ago, and the only chalk and flashing I have experienced has been on factory seconds or older discs I've bought used (and maybe the FX-2 and M1 since those molds seem prone to flashing/sharpness). Also your point on affordability is actually what drew me to Prodigy in the first place. I throw an all Prodigy bag because if I had an open bag, I would probably buy every disc under the sun in search of the "perfect" mold lol, but by sticking to the Prodigy line up, I've gotten pretty comfortable with my mold selection. As my skill/arm improves and my needs change, the naming scheme makes it pretty logical for me to know what molds should accomplish the flight I want based on the flights I'm currently getting from what's in my bag.
I just started playing disc golf around 3 months ago and have only tried one Prodigy disc (A PA3 was my first putter, but is no longer in my bag). As a new player, the biggest reason I haven’t picked up more Prodigy discs is how boring and unexciting they are. To me the naming scheme and disc designs just have not excited me to pick up a disc like other brands. This may seem like a petty critique, but I like to like what I’m throwing. Of all the brands a new player can see when they walk into their local shop or browse online, Prodigy, in my opinion, is one of the most boring brands. I think this has a significant impact overtime, as establishing a brand loyalty early on can help long term sales.
On the five critiques your presented, the pros they sponsor is the most impactful to me. As I’ve been a new consumer of pro disc golf, I’ve been drawn to players based upon their personalities as well as their performances. Off the top of my head the only Prodigy players I could name were Issac and Ezra Robinson. I can’t name a single FPO player, despite often watching FPO content. I also can’t think of the last time I came across a piece of content featuring a Prodigy player on UA-cam. I think this feeds into my first issue of the brand being unappealing. I personally do not like Dynamic Discs naming scheme, but the fact that I like Ricky has made me curious about picking up some of their discs. Prodigy’s lack of exciting pros to cheer for compounds with the utilitarian names and bland designs for me.
For the other critiques, I’m going to loop powder, flashing, and production into one. I’m 100% okay if a brand moves production overseas, if it delivers value to the consumer either on price or quality. It seems this move has allowed Prodigy to improve their quality which is a positive. It’s just a fact, that not all goods can be American-made and while it’s unfortunate that Prodigy had that aspect and moved on from it, it’s not a deal breaker for me. Quality goods can be made anywhere and maybe relocating production will help grow disc golf in those areas. For the baskets, honestly this doesn’t impact me at all. I’m new enough that I only experience this issue when watching the professionals. The discussion around the pros and cons of basket designs is interesting, but ultimately does not affect my opinion on Prodigy as a brand.
I'm a newbie, i don't follow anything about the pro tour, just a casual player. So all points concerning paying players more/less don't matter to me. Those are business decisions based on market, player appeal (to those that care or know), market saturation. Concerning going to court, if it was a valid contract situation, them it was on the 17 year old and their parents/agent/whomever to abide by the contract. Can't set a bad precedent. As for manufacturing, if people really pay attention to where their stuff is made and try really hard to only buy products made in their country, them that matters. I don't know where any discs are made, never looked, except for Stokley and i only know that because i watched his video and read the comments right before this one. Do i like manufacturing to be in the US because I live here? Of course. Is that my end all, be all decision point, never. My main point here is that casual players barely get different discs to fly differently. We are inundated with so many choices and have no clue why to pick disc A or B from disc company 1 or 2? And since everyone throws differently, it makes it even harder. Misconception that every person is teaching arm speed, disc velocity, filming themselves, etc. I watch these videos to try to find my flaws in throwing, tips for fixing my body position, arm position, etc. But, when i go play today, it's about being outside, with my friends, socializing over whatever subjects, and having fun. Good throws, bad throws, doesn't matter.
I came to watch this video after buying a 177g 500 H5 and throwing it once and falling in love. I agree with everything you said about the H5, and I’m preparing to build all my distance drivers from Prodigy. I love my Innova 7’s and below, but there is something about this H5 in 500 plastic that just fits my arm path and release. Thanks for showing me more of the discs and would love to see a “feature” of some of their drivers if you have a chance. Appreciate the content!
To provide a bit more context, I’ve been playing the game for 4 weeks now so I’m trying every disc under the sun. So far I cannot for the life of me get a Lone Star disc to fly correctly. I bought a bravo the dome hoping for a longer innova rollo, but I can’t get a good flight from the disc or any of the other 4 I have. The H5 was great straight out the box for me today. Consistent distance and flight path based on angle of release. Any suggestions for drivers to try based on that would be great!
Robbie, it is an interesting dilema and like most things in life... complex. You did a great job of trying to discuss the issues without clobbering or pandering... great job! I have very mixed emotions about the company... I really like Schusterick and the group of amazing talent with great hearts that play for the company, but I also know some history that sours my opinion of the company that goes beyond the plastics, the naming system, the flashing and the baskets. l really want all disc golf companies to grow and thrive because I want disc golf as a whole to thrive, but I can't endorse the company due to personal loyalty. And yet, I really like the A3 :D
I’m an experienced player, newer to prodigy.
I represent my local disc golf shop who the owner converted to prodigy a year ago.
I’ve always bagged mostly Innova (just happen to be where I chose to start and stay, reasoning was due to not getting flight numbers mixed up when I started) and now have all prodigy in the bag. I’m not on the street team yet if that’s where I go. I throughly enjoy the plastic. 400 being my favorite but here in south Texas 750 performs extremely well with the heat. I had two run ins with the flashing, old discs I tested. The more up to date ones have all been great so far. Personally love the chalk from the discs, but it benefits me well here due to the heat. The only gripe I’ve had is certain molds not flying quite how I may think the flight numbers should fly, but I’m also trying not to compare to the other brands. Now with that, it’s been exciting to really dial in their discs. Certain shot shapes have improved for me just due to finding the right disc. I think more people should try some of their molds without listening to what people say on the internet, this is how I feel with all brands.
Valid points. 80% of my bag still prodigy. 400g (not made anymore) new 400 and 500 is some of the best plastic on the market i think. Also A series is very unique and prodigy was ahead of the game before others there. A2 is one of the best approach disc…sorry pig. Also M4 is one of the best workable mid ranges. That Cale run you have is actually very sought after by collectors as you might know lol. Gonna take some time to get prodigy back on the map but the Robinson will help and the product is much better now. Also be kool to see you do a review on their new fairway driver, got a bad rep for awhile. But the shadowfax, feedback, and fx2 are all great molds.
I've had very little experience with Prodigy discs. I tried putting with a PA-5 in 200 plastic for a bit just because I wanted to try a more understable putter. I had mixed results with it and ended up staying with my Proxy, but I don't think it was a bad disc at all. It's just wasn't for me. I'm currently bagging an F7 in 500 plastic in my flippy fairway slot. The 500 plastic seems to be quite durable and it's taking a while to get this disc beat into the flippiness that I want. So while I do wish it was just a touch flippier, I know it'll get there. And I have to say, I LOVE everything else about the disc. It flies so well, and I have hit some absolutely amazing lines (for me anyway...lol!) with it! It honestly feels great to me and has no flashing to speak of. Hard to judge a company off of only two discs, but I definitely can say I would try more Prodigy discs out in the future.
7:27 I'm pretty sure I remember hearing people whine and complain about Mach X baskets when I was first getting into watching disc golf.
Great way to discuss the topic with some hands-on testing. Thanks!
I had some Prodigy Discs given to me by a friend 7 years ago. (2)D4 750, (2)F7 750, M3 Proto 750, M4 Proto 750, (5) P3. I played a handful of rounds back then and just picked up playing again about 6 weeks ago. They sat in a storage unit for a while and then in totes in a closet. They are as good today as when they were given to me. I'm enjoying playing them and haven't encountered to chalk issues at all. I'll have to go look for the extra plastic, but I haven't noticed it yet. I've not played on the Prodigy baskets but have seen videos of the putter ejections... I'd definitely hate that, but know there are so many ways i could improve my own putting.
The ole prodigy shuffle on the teepad when I get a new one is really a head turner. M2 has 2 different molds now depending where they are made, pretty upset with it but I can just switch to another mold I guess. Number system can get confusing, pa-3 vs pa-4 is radically different (the one i have is like a -3 turn). Prodigy plastic can feel great, some of the molds are amazing, maybe its Cale that I gravitate towards because of the MN background. I would love to see a turnaround, some of the new discs they are trying suggest it. Business is hard, hopefully they can figure out a way to get through this.
I haven't tried a ton of Prodigy in the last year or so outside of the A2 and A3's but everyone I know that ahs thrown a Prodigy disc seems to like it. Flashing was something we all saw a lot of for a good bit there but it seemingly happens less often from what I hear other guys saying locally. Also, the new fractal plastic is gorgeous, so there's that.
I haven't ever thrown a prodigy disc. I have thrown some inova and discraft, but since throwing my 1st MVP disc, I've been hooked. To me, the points you have brought up are valid, and business is business. Deal with the issues and try to recover. What I do believe is a valid argument is a more standardized requirements for baskets. Specifically about chain weights. I am sure there are many patient issues involved, but if specific chain weights are required, then the argument can be brought up about if a current basket is good or not.
Hey Robbie, the very first discs I had from my local 9 hole before it closed were Prodigy M-Models. I did not realise it at the time since I was only a few months into my DG journey but the flashing on those discs kept cutting my middle finger, especially RHFH. It wasn't until a few months later, after watching countless YT videos & browsing Reddit threads, that I realised what it was exactly that was messing my finger up. I made the switch to Trilogy Discs and have had no issues since.
I don't have too much experience with other branded baskets but having completed a Master's degree in Marketing & doing an assessment about starting my own DG brand here in the UK, I would have to say that Prodigy's brand recognition & public awareness is not as good as it could be. I think one important factor to consider regarding Prodigy's branding is that they've let players go who are great ambassadors for their brand & the sport overall, for example, Matty O, Chris Dickerson & Kevin Jones. I also understand from Reddit, that Vaino was a huge influence in shifting Prodigy discs across Scandinavia/Nordic countries. Players such as these leaving, especially mid-season, is never a good look. What happens if Isaac or Ezra decide to leave?
Lastly, you know as well as anyone that content creation & a player's individual personalities is what sells discs more than anything these days. No doubt MVP saw a perfect opportunity to reunite Simon & Eagle while Discmania are loaded up with Alden, Gannon, Gavin. All of whom produce quality content. I think Prodigy need to address moving forward to improve their visibility & awareness in consumer's minds.
Love to hear your internal thoughts being spoken aloud! Ha, I did find my first Prod disc under a fallen tree while looking for my twin swords. It was a d4..it was a great trade in!! Hate me all that you want but I Love my H3 v2 Air.
I love my PA-3 in 750 plastic, I even aced with it this year. That being said, if I am buying a disc for full price there are tons of better competition out there. I have yet to feel a bad Kastaplast, Clash, MVP or Discraft mold. I just bought the new Gorgon from Innova and they are perfect. Regardless of their business decisions there product are inferior to many other manufacturers.
I go hunting for the chalky ones. No need for a grip bag.
The critiques are valid and I can't speak to the baskets (luckily I think) but I will say I fell in love with the A2 and have a variety of Prodigy discs in my bag. Partly because they had a huge sale a couple of years ago and I bought a bunch of discs just to try them out. I fell like I haven't experienced the flashing issue that so many people complain about and as someone who leans more casual, I don't really have a vested interest in players and payouts and that side of the sport.
I really enjoy throwing the M4 and F3 from Prodigy. Flashing issues, whack baskets, and legal issues are not on my mind when I'm playing disc golf. I only care about the flight of the disc and how the plastic/mold feels in my hand. I hope every disc golf company is successful because I love this game. Great video Robbie! How ya' doing today?
I've had a couple production issues in the past 3-4 years, but, overall, they are as good as anything else, IMO, especially in 300, 350 and 400. PA line is tight, M4 on point, dig FX4 too. The exit of Kevin and Vaaino was a good thing.... for Prodigy. Robbie narrative pinned down on the move ! Very nice indeed.
Lesson time.
Finger printy discs (chalky, etc) are actually the oils in the plastic itself leeching itself from the finished product.
There are tons of reasons why this happens. Age of the source material, quality of the source material, exposure to elements like he and uv light, improper curing times in finished product. I could go on and on.
When you see this happening, the real issue is in the durability of the disc itself. You can slow its progress through a few various methods but you can't stop it.
A little bit concerning to see it in discs that aren't a couple decades old
As someone who has never thrown prodigy and as a relatively new disc golfer I found this video extremely interesting. I mostly just knew them as the company that tried to sue Gannon Buhr. Crazy to go from the company who is actually paying pros to the company who is suing one of their pros.
I think their naming system is kind of boring, but I like how there’s a system to it. All that said with so much plastic out there I still haven’t tried out yet; I really don’t see myself buying their discs anytime soon. 🤷♂️
I haven’t thrown Prodigy so I have no knowledge. Wouldn’t the powder help improve grip?
It would, but not everyone may want chalk. Some people may use some other method to improve their grip or just not want chalk residue in their bag.
I personally love the chalk residue but I live in South Texas so it works well for me.
I've thrown a handful of Prodigy discs over the years. I don't have any issues with them overall. the PA-3 was my putt/approach disc for a solid year. The F-3 (or 5?) was also my go-to driver for a while when I started throwing drivers. The main reason I moved on was I didn't like the feel of the cheaper plastics and other manufacturers were more readily available - esp. during 2020 - so I found available alternatives and never looked back because there wasn't a real incentive to. I haven't followed them closely but seems like they're the company that tried to do the right things - made in America, etc. that people claim to want but then don't support with their $ - but what do I know. I'm just some rando on the internet who enjoys throwing plastic at metal (and sometimes... often trees)
Prodigy premium mystery box is one of the best deals I found in my first year of avidly playing this game. Less than ten dollars per disc. Nice introduction to their lineup. Love too many molds and plastics. Cool stamps included a lobster, but it hit a couple of boulders, so it's now a rock lobster. They also included a great free jersey for their Father's Day deal. I'm having fun and throwing some great shots. One disc I got with some flashing hasn't been a problem (FX2).
I also got a BP1 V3, which is an impressive and affordable improvement from my previous Himal bag.
I could compare Innova and Discraft to flight numbers. I find the number system to be almost as consistent as Discraft, but maybe 1 speed less. My Innova runs have more character with discs deviating from their suggested numbers due to mold imperfections or plastics causing inconsistency, but making some cool mutant strains of disc.
I bag too many discs because I love them all, and Prodigy definitely has a spot among them.
I started with MVP and heard that prodigy was one of those "love it or hate it" brands. Picked up a PA-3 (300, firm) and M4 (400) just to try out the brand. I have since picked up a Pa-5 (500), A5 (500), and F5 (AIR). Im loving what they offer and ive had to deal with the flashing and chalk issues. Chalk got the olive oil treatment and flashing got a steady hand and razor blade. I still bag an equal amount of MVP stuff (Neutrom atom, neutron uplink, neutron inertia, plasma tesla, plasme entrophy) but i tend to lean on my prodigy discs the most.
1. Paying pros the biggest salaries back in the day makes me think that they have had good intentions from the beginning. With the pretty big contract dispute that played out in recent memory I definitely came away from that with a negative impression of the company. To be fair though, someone may have just been dissatisfied with their contract and passed some negative attention their direction. I believe they were legally correct in that case.
2. Baskets- can't be saved. Melt them down and try again.
3. Powder- It feels like it's not supposed to be touched. I'll try to save one of the x-outs I bought awhile back with oil and see how that works out.
4. Flashing- I haven't felt terrible flashing yet and from what I understand it's not really an issue on current production. I would assume around the time that they were switching manufacturers something could have been lost in translation and the instruction to smooth out the flashing in a certain way didn't happen.
5. Overseas- I feel like people in the US are programmed to want things produced domestically but that doesn't always work out in favor of quality. Being made in the USA was a great thing at one point but in some ways maybe we are a little rusty at it.
Disc golf is better with Prodigy in it. I honestly had a bad impression of Prodigy for a long time. It was the same for MVP when they came out. Over time Prodigy has continued to improve their plastic and expand their lineup. For the most part the naming system is simple to understand which is different than their competitors. I just started bagging a few prodigy approach discs because the plastic feels great. I can't recommend a gummy puddle-topped 400 A5 enough. It's a zone but gummy and straighter in the mid flight with a similar fade at the very end. I putt with Pa-3s that glide soooo much for not gliding at all. Everyone should give their discs another try if they have written them off for one reason or another as things have changed for the better.
Great video Robbie. I never found a Prodigy disc that I truly liked…had a couple of early Prodigy discs that had the chalkiness issue and it was a major turn off.
My motivating factor for picking up a few, prime day, and a cheap "throw away" option if I am feeling like a hole is sketchy and I might lose the disc (because I am brand new and not yet confident in my skills) so for discs at $5-$8 I'll take it..... I have spent some time using a dremel to quickly take down the flashing and now they feel great in the hand, and I am excited to try em out tomorrow. I bought 3 FX2s and I had to take them down a lot quite a bit because I throw forehand primarily, I am curious if it will change the flight at all.
You forgot to mention that they are the only manufacturer that supports a Veteran team (Battalion Team). I am a proud member of the team and my game has gone through the roof since I joined them.
I had no idea they had a veteran team. Prodigy should definitely advertise that more!
I didn’t really know about the prodigy controversy when I bought an FX-3 and H4 V2 last month. I’m pretty new to the ins and outs of pro-level disc golf. I love both of those discs, the 400 FX3 I got might be the straightest fairway in my bag.
Yes. I worked for Prodigy in the warehouse for a bit in 2016. Whole operation was horrible
is there a warehouse job that isn't horrible?
@@shamanschlong he specified the "whole operation," not just his job. Meaning it was not well managed.
Elaborate
I started disc golf and fell in love with prodigy discs. I’m still a supporter of prodigy.
I’ve always liked their naming convention. Just easy to understand. It’s simple.
I always loved their 400 plastic I’m a big supporter of the FX line. Mainly FX-3 as well as their D1, D3, H2, H3 as notable favorites for me.
I honestly didn’t get a lot of flashing discs and never noticed till one of my friends had one on an FX-2 like you mentioned but easy fix.
Their baskets are definitely not my favorite. But I also extremely dislike Discatcher baskets. They spit out soft putts a lot too and if the chain is caught on the bottom screw it’s a guaranteed spit out.
Prodigy suing Gannon was a terrible move for the company definitely understand the breach of contract. They were stuck between a rock and hard place with that.
But over all, I still throw prodigy and love em
I got what I think is a prototype M1 as one of my first discs 10 years ago and it's still my go-to forehand approach disc. It never got chalky, there's no flashing whatsoever, and it's my favorite plastic in the bag.
That being said, I've never bought another Prodigy disc because I don't like how most of their plastic feels now and most have pretty bad flashing. I did however just get a 400 D1 in a mystery box and it feels pretty good and the flashing isn't any more than other brands have. I'd totally throw it if I had the arm for it.
Found an F5 once and texted the owner, he hadn't seen the disc in years and told me to keep it. It's the only Prodigy disc that's ever made my bag, it's such an easy disc to hyzer flip. Full power it turns over and holds the turn the entire flight, mid power it'll flip to flat with a nice straight fade, low power will still flip to flat but with a very slight fade. Haven't given any other Prodigy discs a chance yet though lol
I bag an F7 and M4 in 300 and an A5 in 500 Glimmer. I find Prodigy's 300 plastic to be a great value in that it is their equivalent of Innova Pro plastic, offering good grip and pliability, while balancing cost with durability. I can often find them for $9-10.
I really like a lot of Prodigy's disc and more of their disc keep getting into my bag but recently I've gotten a decent amount of discs with flashing. At first I thought it was just how the disc was and I couldn't reliably throw my Pa3. After removing the flashing, it was completely fine. I haven't had a chalky disc without knowing before hand, so I haven't had any issue with that. Their pricing is very good and they have constant sales so it is a reason why I'm playing with more of their discs. I've only played with 500, 400, 350g but I'm going to try 300 soon
I am a casual player only, and I play for relaxation, fun, fresh air, and exercise. Everyone on a course is using the same baskets, so different baskets are just a course feature I have to navigate. Flashing - I hand-picked each disc out of the box at the store and feel for it. If I have to buy one with a little flashing to get the weight and color I want, I just rub it on the driveway for a few seconds when I get home. I prefer American-made, but I more strongly prefer quality at a fair price. It changes the subject, but higher tariffs would resolve some of this problem. I say that Prodigy should do what they need to do to be profitable without doing anything illegal.
Prodigy suffers from just bad marketing...really bad marketing. Their naming scheme seems simple and great but their plastic names are just bad and confusing. They don't have discs that sell really well due to bad marketing and not having a great names. Their bad PR with the lawsuit, flashing and powder has just added to people not wanting to even give them a shot. Their baskets are well known for not catching well and it doesn't matter if it's a old basket or not. I do know back 10 years or so ago when I was first trying out disc golf their discs were priced at least $3-4 more than everyone else. That is like 25% more. That just made me not even want to give them a shot. Not sure their pricing now but as a new player I stuck with the Innova, Discraft and Trilogy discs since their pricing was better and they had "cool" names.
I am a beginner, I have been playing for about a year and a half. My putter of choice is the PA3, it just works for me. The only other Prodigy disc I have is a FX3 in 400 plastic and it is one of my favorite discs. I have had only positive experiences with Prodigy disc. I agree that it looks bad to sue a 17 year old, if you are old enough to sign a contract, then you are old enough to deal with the consequences of breaching that contract.
Their approach lineup is the best imo and their putters are amazing too.
I am on the Prodigy Street team and I have a vlog in which I only throw Prodigy. So, I am biased. I love their discs, and even before I joined the street team my bag was 90% Prodigy. I am surprised that you did not discuss their naming system in your video. I like the idea of their naming system, but my problem is their naming system does not convey the information that it is supposed to for many discs. For example, the A1 is super stable, like the name suggests (lower numbers = over stability), however, the A5 (which should be under stable as the high number 5 indicates) is not under stable at all. As matter of fact, their entire line of A approach discs are overstable. To that end, most of Prodigy's discs are overstable, which I have also heard as a fair critique. But I guess you could criticize flight numbers in general, but if you are going to name your discs based on their flight, it should be more accurate. On a different note, you are the one that taught me how to play disc golf. Although I don't watch your channel as much as I used to, I wanted to say thank you for your videos that helped me tremendously as a beginner. I am not an expert, but I also started my own vlog in large part because of enjoying your vlog. Thanks man!
Completele agree on baskets: Variations are naturally included in this game. Wind, the leaf cycle of the trees between spring and fall, quality of tee's etc. Why is it not ok for baskets to be different as well? When playing on these old Prodigy baskets, a few hours practicing the optimal put will pull you ahead of the pack. This issue should be a known thing. They might be practicing and it still is not enough, but I am fine with puts not being gimme from 30 and in. It adds flavour.
I understand some of the discs from prodigy have issues but I hope they stick around. The M4 and A5 are some of my most thrown molds and would be sad if I had to replace them.
As a player just getting back into the sport after like 6 years of not playing, I realized my bag was really unbalanced and only had Innova and Discraft so I recently bought a few discs all from different brands including an F9 for something really understable and to try to throw rollers for the first time. I lost it after about a month following two compounding bad attempts at rolling it so I didn't get enough time with it to fully develop an opinion on the disc itself, but I wasn't a huge fan of their marketing and purchasing process. I understand what they are trying to do with their naming scheme, but I had to watch their video explaining it for it (or at least the number part) to make sense and I unfortunately didn't find that video on their website until I had already spent a decent amount of time researching each "F" series disc. I feel like they either need to make that information really up front, or choose to go with more memorable albeit less meaningful names like other companies (I understand that rebranding all of their discs is not feasible at this point so I am mostly suggesting the first option since they chose to go against the 2nd). I also was very disappointed with the color of the disc when it arrived as the purple on the website was far more vibrant than what I got, and I had trouble clearly seeing my disc even when sitting in the short fairway grass when I purposely buy purple or pink because those stand out against most of nature. Obviously if I bought my disc in a local store both of those issues could be avoided by talking to someone who understands their system and being able to see the disc in person (I ordered from their website because of the Father's day sale), but that purchasing experience was enough to put me off buying any more of their discs unless a specific mold fits a niche in my bag.
New player that didn't know their reputation prior to buying. The A series is my absolute favorite for approach discs. Love the A5 and A4. All others have been very over stable and just don't feel as good relative to other brands.
When I started out I got some prodigy stuff and didn't know any better about flashing or other things. What I did notice is that nothing flew as expected when compared to other manufacturers with same numbers. I know, numbers are made up... but when your "understable" fairway comes out and flies like a Thunderbird, you hurt your trust with a player. That hurts sales today and future sales as the player moves to another brand and doesn't look back.
I do always wonder why soo many top pros left and that seems like a big reflection of mismanagement or poor culture. I do really love a lot of molds you listed, pa3 great thrower and putter, a3 feels amazing flys even better, m4 is a solid butter mid, and the h5 I found to be incredibly fun to throw but I could not figure out how much Hyzer was needed and it had this beautiful but unpredictable late flip to turn for me, I couldn’t get that one figured out. The more you learn the more the naming convention makes sense, but then you hit the H series, Hv2, mx , fx, and pro series disc names and questions start up again. add in the plastic confusion (though it is getting better , 300, 400, 500, 700 easy enough) and it feels like you are constantly trying to remember was that a 7, 8, 9 speed disc ? Never had a flashing or a chalk issue, and love seeing the “made in USA”. Recently picked up some pa5 great feeling disc great flying disc , returned them when I realized they were no longer the USA discs I have loved. Lots of solid companies are making great discs in the states soo other good options to look at to support our economy and our work force. Just my opinion.
the biggest issue for me personally with flashing, in this case on an f5, was that it seemed very much like the mold they were using was misaligned or poorly made. No matter how much sanding was done, the flashing never went away. This turned me off from their products as even though I don't mind getting rid of a little bit of flashing, if I had to do this to every disc I bought from them.
A3 has been my go to overstable approach disc. I tried a Zone and it seemed to fly exactly the same. I prefer the shallow rim of the A3 and haven't looked at anything else for that slot.
Removing plastic flashing is tedious, variable, and expensive if done manually in production. Most production engineers will try to develop some automated version of flash removal like tumbling in an abrasive medium or automated scraping/sanding in the flash areas. That process will also have variability and why you see flashing to different degrees on all discs. I've had to remove flashing from several manufacturers on my discs.
I don’t know about how they take care of pros. But I can tell you they take very good care of their amateur players!
I would say it is by far the best of any of the companies I have seen
The only Prodigy disc I currently throw is the PA-5. With that said, I have only seen it in premium plastic in a good color once, and it's the one I got. Prodigy isn't always the easiest to find.
Personally, I don't hate Prodigy, but I do with they had stayed within the US. Flashing may have gotten better, but they shouldn't have to ship over the ocean to fix that.
Point 1. I'll be honest I don't pay attention to the pro seen when I'm picking discs for my bag its irrelevant.
Point 2. Baskets are baskets I personally believe there are pros and cons to each basket
Point 3 and 4. When I buy Prodigy which is a decent amout (A2's, A5's MX-1's and feedback's) I make sure to buy the newer stuff because I do love there newer plastics.
Point 5 it is annoying to have to buy discs from China instead of the US but i understand the business side of things.
At the end of the day yes Prodigy has there issues like all disc manufacturers but I will still buy from them if they continue to have molds I like to throw and that fit my game.
Almost bought a shadowfax at the local shop today just because it's a cool name for a disc. Havent used any prodigy discs since I stopped putting with PA3s a year ago
I started playing last fall and bought prodigy discs due to I found a few online stores here in Finland that sold them really cheap :D In away, I cannot complain that the discs would be bad but honestly the flashing has been irritating. Not every disc has it and little sandpaper action and the problem was gone but still... Prodigy has here somewhat a "bad reputation" that their discs would be trash/bad but I doubt that using another brands discs would make a big difference in most players game..
So many great and underrated molds from prodigy. But manufacturing quality is VERY hit or miss.
Until the internet told me that my Prodigy discs had flashing, I didn’t realize that my Prodigy discs had flashing. Same with the chalk thing.
They need some help with their image but i've found nothing better than my f7 and pa-5 - they make good flippy stuff!! Hate the 400 plastic and the 300 honestly. Love the 500
I used to really like prodigy. I bagged a bunch of their molds. But the chalking is really what turned me away. I've done the pil, but it's temporary. I don't want to need to oil up my frisbees - that's dumb - especially when you consider that I don't have to oil up any other discs from any other company.
However, living in MN, I do like buying Cale Leiviska's molds so I can support him. The Shadowfax is a great disc IMO... I will say I was disappointed when the brand new one showed up with chalking on it.
Half my bag is prodigy would say most of the discs need to broken in before getting consistent throwing and distance. Also have let friends throw them it’s can be a challenge, would say look at air for first time prodigy user (especially in the drivers) and of course as people say the pa3 is that good
I love several Prodigy discs, especially the putters, F7, F9, FX-2, H7 and a couple of others. I have many as big favourites from several other manufacturers.
What I don't get is the criticism their disc names get. For me, it is the most logical system out there. What does a name like (if such disc exists, this is a coincidence) "Hobgoblin" or "Elf" or "Extra-Terrestial" say really? Plus, I also dig their aesthetics - I don't like cartoons (and it seems I'm in a minority here) on a disc, I like stylish lettering. The FX-2 is a case in point.
From 2020 through 2022 felons always had the worst flashing of any disc I ever felt. I didn’t buy a new felon for 3 years and thought I was about to replace the mold as a whole because of it. Luckily the original it ones that came out when Rick signed fixed it. But it drove me bonkers
I have only thrown a P Model S. I have felt a number of their discs and just havent been impressed with their plastic and the way the disc feels in the hand. I throw a mixture of so many brands, I wanted to like them, but sadly hated the feel before I even considered buying.
Additionally, I absolutely hate their baskets.
I believe that there are so many issues, albeit smaller issues, that they tend to stack up.
I used to be one of those Prodigy haters. Then I started throwing the A2. Aced twice with them. Now I bag a PA-3, MX-1,FX-2,F1,F3,& D1. Aced with the MX-1 as well. Great molds.
Aces build loyalty.
To be honest I’ve only thrown an FX-7. The main detractor for me (as petty as it is) is that the naming system doesn’t make sense to me. It also doesn’t feel cool to say you’re throwing their disc names. Compared to throwing a Shark, Wraith, Raptor, Insanity, Hex, Crave, Mamba, Candy, Spice, or literally anything else (maybe not Discmania). Thats really it for me. Yes I know it’s petty.
The only reason I've stayed away from Prodigy is my local shop still has the old plastic on the shelf that's chalking with flashing.
What’s the shop??😂 I love me some chalk discs!
@@Fr3dWoodDG disc golf center in debary Florida
@@ViJt-oq5nq Bet😉
I honestly havent thrown much prodigy, but its also cause the 2 local shops i have really dont carry it. Mostly innova discraft and mvp, barely even any discmania
Count me in as someone who finds their lettering and numbering system as boring. I picked up an A2 and A3 ( chalky), but don't bag them. I also bought Chantel's Tour Series disc this year because I like her channel.
I throw mostly Prodigy because they are easy and cheap to get here. Seem fine to me. The approach discs and the FX series in particular are great. So are all their distance drivers.
F5 was my favorite disc ever but lost it. Sold out everywhere here for over a month. Love the plastic 400.
The discs really are oozing the chalk themselves indeed. As far as I have studied, it's the plastics components literally separating from each others. Some sources claim the substance in question is something called "plasticizer" with the purpose of making the plastic softer/more bendy. I've got a 400 pa-3 that in addition to the oozing residue is also forming these small cracks akin to dried crumbling paint. In short: the discs are "drying up" and turning more stiff and brittle.
The same can happen to old discs from other companies like old champion plastic innova discs, but way later and in way smaller amounts than even relatively new prodigy plastics(not all of them do this). Whether it means the plastic is cheap(I mean they usually *are* more affordable than most) and hence of poor quality or someone higher up simply considers it being a feature instead of a fault is up to ones own opinion. (it does add more grip and some people claim to like it).
I have a prototype M1 that's over 10 years old and still feels brand new
If Im gonna be honest, I havent bought more than like 5 prodigy discs, but theyve all been let downs to a degree.
A 500 D3, a 400g X3, 400g F3, 300 PA3 and a 400 M1. The D3 was more OS than my halo destroyes and chalked like crazy. The X3 chalked a ton but flew ok, didnt stay in the bag though. The M1 had insane flashing and I prefer my buzzz os, and the F3 flew good but I chucked it into a pond and also it had a lot of chalk issues.
I can live with the chalk and flashing bit and I honestly dont care about how they treat pros, but when there are 5-6 other brands that have a way better track record just with me personally why take a chance on prodigy again when Ive mostly been let down.
I know I would probably dig a A2 or an FX2/3/4 but Ive already got zones and FD3s in my bag that I really like, why take the chance.
9:41 That's not true! An indoor hoop will be different than a outdoor hoop, a hoop in Minnesota is going to behave different than one in Arizona. No two locations are exactly the same(Even on the same course!), so no two baskets are going to have the same histories. Are these differences going to be extreme, no they will not be, but the DO still exist. When you play a game where so many things affect your result it's easy to blame the thing you can't control.
Now, I am NOT saying that Isaac's spit-outs weren't crazy, what I'm saying is that for every Isaac there was dozens of players that had no issue at all.
I have had no flashing or chalk problems with Prodigy discs.
As a Georgia native I wish they hadn't gone overseas, I live an hour from their HQ. I understand it but it's a turn off for me when I can buy other companies discs that are made in the US. I would probably bag a lot more of their discs. I do, on occasion, bag an A2 and PA5. Hopefully they can sort out the issues they are having and move production back but I highly doubt it.
I bag several prodigy discs and i like them. Seppo Paju is making great sosial media content for them here on Finland.
Yikun's discs are pretty good, they just have insanely off flight numbers for their own molds
Dynamic discs has had pretty bad flashing from my experience.
A big thing for me is how basic the branding is. I'd much rather throw a Firebird with a sick stamp than a boring looking/sounding FX2
Love the shirt! Where can I get it??
I putt like Ricky so yeah i like prodigy baskets. Don't like the new disc golf park basket. my favorite is the Old innova basket with heavy chains
My only issue with them is that the stamps and names are boring , like the Ripit ones and archive are the step in the right direction . I feel like I could be fine with all the other points . Shit discmania has a similar naming, but i dont get many of their stock runs, and their tourseries at least have a change of more fun marketing
Great points Robbie C!
I throw alot of prodigy, h7, f2, f7, pa5, distortion, a2, on there site in canada can get 400 plastic discs at 19$, 500 a bit more which is 15$ american. The only hic i have is there made in China… but i guess thats why there very cheap.H7 is my bomber disc mega dome great for my noodle arm
Not a prodigy disc fan but they make a good value bag
Prodigy definitely gets a bad rep for some silly reasons and others completely valid. My first experiences with their discs were very negative. I didn't even want to try any other molds initially. After two years I did and have found some of my favorite molds in their lineup. The F3 will probably never leave my bag. They have some sleepers in there for sure. Overall, it's hard to get people to try something different when they've already had good experiences elsewhere and with other brands.