It's All in the Disc

      It's all in the disc.  All the running, chasing, throwing, catching: it's all done in pursuit of the plastic god.  That's why you had better be sure what you're throwing isn't the Justin Bieber of discs: flimsy and sure to crack at some point.
   
     Ask anyone in the ultimate frisbee world, and they'll tell you there is only one disc.  Discraft has been producing the Ultra-Star since 1981, and it has become the staple of the ultimate world.  The traditional white disc, weighing 175 grams and stamped with the classic Discraft design, has been the only sanctioned disc of USA Ultimate (the powers that be) since 1991.  That's 20 years of being at the top! It was selected because of its balance, how it is weighted, and its durability.  It is comfortable and easy to throw, and has become the universal choice among picky disc-heads everywhere.

     There are other discs, of course.  Wham-O made the first disc that flew through the air.  Formed in the 40's and 50's, the first discs were the evolution of pie-plate tossing on college campuses.  However, it has taken a back seat to the Ultra-Star, as it was never of the same quality or caliber of it's newer cousin.

   Other discs are mostly created by lesser known manufactures, usually for the sake of advertising.  Some of these can be fun on family vacations, but you probably do not want to hit the competitive field sporting an off-brand.  These are often weighted poorly or have sharp edges that can do some damage to the catcher's fingers.
 
Those off-brand discs can be cheap (free-$10 wherever sporting goods/summer recreational stuff is sold), however, top-of-the-line Ultra-Star discs aren't much more expensive.  The best place to find these high quality heroes of the air is online at http://discraft.com/order.html#retail.  You will spend between $12 and $15 per disc, but as usual buying in bulk can be cost-effective.  Also, if you are buying in bulk you can purchase discs directly from Discraft, and custom designs can be printed on them.  There are hundreds of colors and the designs are endless.  Discraft does not do small orders, but they have hundreds of retailers who would love to sell you a disc.  They also supply a variety of weights, as well as disc golf discs (should that be your area of interest).

   Keep in mind when you look to purchase your plastic that you will want to get used to throwing and catching exactly what you will be throwing and catching in game situations.  This will ensure that weight and shape of something unfamiliar will not affect your performance, and you can focus more on your game.  Happy playing!