Vibram VP

[REDFIVE]

I have been sent a few prototype putters to test for Vibram. These discs are made using the Vibram sole rubber and other polimers. The discs are soft, flat, and stable. I throw Kc aviars which are the exact opposite of the VP. The discs are awesome as driving putters. I am going to be at CSI in sea tac on the 4th and the 5th if any one would like to check them out. I am not a fan of soft plastic so I am unable to give these discs their proper due. If you throw softer putters and live or will be in the west side of washington send me a PM and I will meet you to try the discs.

[Ol' Bob]

I bet those Vibram sole lugs grab the chains well, but would track mud into the house.

[Uhlman]

i am looking in to getting one of these discs. Can anyone give me a review of them?

[captain jack]

I have been putting almost exclusively with an Xlink VP for the last four months now.
The VP is a big bead, overstable putter.
I cant turn this disc over, so its great for anything from flat to hyzer putts for me.
I use a light XD only for turnover putts, and anything outside of 60 feet.

It feels very similar to a JK Pro Aviar in the hand. The JK Pro got kicked out of my bag when I started dinking fourty footers with the VP.

At first I thought it was that puppy love that you always get for a new disc, its happened to me many times before, but the VP just keeps banging chains, round after round, so I keep using it.

These discs are rubber, not plastic, and are pretty much indestructable.
Mine bounces like a b ball if I throw it straight down onto the pavement.
The material is quite grippy , even when wet and did soften slightly when the temps got above 90° recently, but its never lost its shape.

The VP doesnt glide much, requiring a alot of loft once you get beyond a certain distance, but for straight line putting, its rock solid.
Its a good performer into the wind,it rarely takes off on me, and rollaways are almost non existant.
Despite the newness, I was so impressed with mine, I went and bought a second one, for backup, two weeks after I bought the first one.

Mine is a limited run CHUNK VP.
Front

Back

Steven Dodge ran 97 of these discs and sent them out to his best dealers as a thank you gift, but I think the regular runs fly exactly the same.
I think these were Xlink Firm rubber.

The rim is tall which prevents me from getting a comfortable driver grip on it, but its my go to putter for anything under 60' and at this point, I have no reason to consider any other putter.
I am thinking about adding the slightly less stable Ridge to my bag now, as an upshot disc.

[Uhlman]

thanks for the review... now all I need to do is get the wife to let me get one.

[jshrack]

On an un-related note:

I have been using the Vibram Five-Fingers KSO shoes for disc golfing lately.
It's like walking around bare-foot with no worries about broken glass or sharp objects on the course.

I had to try out a couple pairs at the same size to find a good fit.
I wouldn't attempt to buy these shoes online as a result.
Once you get a good fit these 'shoes' are wonderful though.

[Kris C]

On an even more unrelated note - I was watching "Bee Movie" with my girls last night, and the man was using a pair of Vibram boots to try to squish the bee!

[captain jack]

Originally Posted by jshrack

I have been using the Vibram Five-Fingers KSO shoes for disc golfing lately.
It's like walking around bare-foot with no worries about broken glass or sharp objects on the course..........................................

Not recommended for foot draggers.

[Burge]

Originally Posted by captain jack

Not recommended for foot draggers.

Speaking as a foot dragger (only on sidearm drives), NO shoe is good for foot draggers. I've killed the right toe on half a dozen pairs of good shoes (Vasque, Merrel, La Sportiva) and the only remedy is something called a (pichter's toe) which you can pick up at most big sorting goods stores. It's an ABS toe guard that you can put on whichever foot you like to grind. You can also use it to kick disc thieves in the biscuit!

[The Ombudsman]

At the Jersey Jam, I got to throw the Vibram prototype driver. It feels very heavy in my hand but flies like a bullet. it was way overstable (not quite as much as a Max) and very tough to turn over IMO. The rubber is great for grip - especially in the high heat and humidity of the East.

On a somewhat related note, I got into the Vibram Open this weekend in Leicester, Massachssetts. I had been #7 on the wait list to get in to the Grandmaster's pool of 16 players and didn't think I had a shot!

My Friday tee time is at 3:08PM Eastern time.

I hope all of my NW buddies will be rooting for me to play well!

[Tim]

Originally Posted by Burge

Speaking as a foot dragger (only on sidearm drives), NO shoe is good for foot draggers. I've killed the right toe on half a dozen pairs of good shoes (Vasque, Merrel, La Sportiva) and the only remedy is something called a (pichter's toe) which you can pick up at most big sorting goods stores. It's an ABS toe guard that you can put on whichever foot you like to grind. You can also use it to kick disc thieves in the biscuit!

Or, you can learn to throw without dragging your toe.

[captain jack]

Originally Posted by Tim

Or, you can learn to throw without dragging your toe.

Bwaaaaa haaa haaa haaa haaa. Your funny.

After playing almost 30 years, its easier and far more enjoyable just to shred through a couple of pairs of running shoes. It's only when I throw FH anyways, and only on concrete tees, so its a gradual process.

Vibram is aware of us foot draggers, and I think they are working on a reinforced version of the Five Fingers shoes , just for disc golf.


And, GO MIKEY !, kick all them East Coasters ass's !

*ps Mike, if you could possibly hide one of those proto drivers, or say you lost it so you could get another, I would like to try it.
I hear its an "overstable Teebird" which sounds interesting.

[Burge]

Originally Posted by Tim

Or, you can learn to throw without dragging your toe.

Paaaaleeeeese.... Dragging your toe on a FH throw provides the counter-balance necessary to offset the force that would pitch your ass to the ground (or at least mine)

[jshrack]

If anyone knows more about a disc golf version of the Five Fingers I would love to know.

I have been using the KSO as my disc golf shoe and LOVE it on our dirty, elevation happy, courses around Spokane. "we also have limited areas with concrete tees"

If anyone needs a tester I would work my ass off to put them through the disc golf ringer.
Take a couple trips, see how they hold up across the NW, sounds like another reason to play.

[Tim]

Heh, I say that as a reformed foot dragger. After seeing Nate and Dion's FH drives (undeniably 2 of the best forehanders in the NW) and noticing that not only do their drives go FAR and accurately, but they don't drag their feet, I worked on not dragging my foot too.

My form still needs work, but I've learned to get my foot off the ground. It's refreshing to not have a shredded-to-hell right shoe while the left one looks almost new.

[Ol' Bob]

Originally Posted by Tim

Heh, I say that as a reformed foot dragger.

Hmmmm, I remember you being a crash-n-burner. You didn't drag your feet. You barked your knees. I was ready to call for the stretcher bearers.

[Tim]

Originally Posted by Ol' Bob

Hmmmm, I remember you being a crash-n-burner. You didn't drag your feet. You barked your knees. I was ready to call for the stretcher bearers.

Yeah, but my shoes still looked great!

[Ol' Bob]

I'll give you that.

For having a terrible memory, that moment on the 5th tee is indelibly burned in my brain. We didn't think it, but you got up and made a weekend of it after all. If you were a pro, you'd have busted sumpin.

[Tim]

Ain't nothin' a little IPA can't fix.

Anyway, to bring this back around to anything related to Vibram, I'm watching live coverage of the Vibram Open right now, where one of the tees is made of Vibram rubber. Now THAT'S a tee I might not mind taking a knee on.