RPM Discs’ Piwakawaka approach disc is an elegant option for a light touch toward the chains and will amaze you with its glide. RPM discs recently sent us a Piwakawaka for reviewing and we’ve been awed by the glide and control that it provides.
Manufacturer’s Notes
“A good reliable straight disc, this will easily hold a line and with the glide is sneaky long.”
Available plastics: Strata, Cosmic, Atomic
www.rpmdiscs.com/product/piwakawaka/
RPM Discs recently redesigned the Piwakawaka stamp which you can see by checking out their product page through the link above.
Flight Rating: 4, 5, 0, 0
Initial Reactions
The Piwakawaka is another beautiful specimen of a disc from RPM both the plastic and the design. The nose is sharper than many 4 speed discs, something like an Innova Dart with the rounded top of a Latitude 64 Fuse. It’s a wider diameter disc with a thin rim and is begs to be finessed in the direction of the basket.
By the Numbers
Tailwinds or grip alterations could straighten out the Piwakawaka’s flight path but didn’t feel like the normal attributes.
Flight Notes
The Piwakawaka will glide all day! This is an approach disc that is made to throw at low power but float to the basket despite the light toss. The Piwakawaka enjoys a fan grip and is very forgiving for almost any release style. I’d compare the Piwakawaka to a Latitude 64 Fuse, both are larger diameter discs with crazy amounts of glide and are understable. The Piwakawaka fades a touch harder than the Fuse which greatly increases control when dealing with an understable disc with so much glide.
I found the Piwakawaka’s sweet spot to be gentle approaches from 125-175 feet (38-54 meters). At this distance the Piwakawaka displayed only moderate turn and I could finesse almost any line I wanted. It also fades and drops a little more consistently at that distance so I was able to land next to the basket frequently. Long anhyzers are fun with the high glide and easy turn. Hyzers are a little more difficult with it’s propensity to flip up, but I think this would work wonders on a tight course that requires a gentle hyzer thrown with finesse. S-curves are also possible at this distance but the Piwakawaka displays significantly more turn on longer throws. I was looking primarily at anhyzer lines from 150 and out. It’s profile allows for a comfortable sidearm but it doesn’t handle a great deal of torque so flicks are best used inside 125 feet.
The Piwakawaka is affected by the wind, especially with its high glide. I’ve found that it’s difficult to control with gusty winds, but if you’ve got steady winds then it can actually be a great option for approaches. It’s flight becomes stable in a tailwind and the high glide allows you to run the basket even with a tailwind beating it down. I was able to throw the Piwakawaka in cross winds better than many putters because of its ability to cut through the air plus its tenancy to drop a little harder than most putters.
While I wouldn’t consider the Piwakawaka the best wind disc, it did have a significant advantage over many putters when used as a wind putter. Piwakawaka offers an alternative to fighting the wind with an overstable putter by tossing lightly and cutting through wind on longer putts. It actually putts somewhat like a Discraft Roach but a little faster of course. I also found that the Piwakawaka can handle almost any putting style including spin, straddle, push, and turbo, so it could make a great short utility disc for many players.
Final Verdict
RPM Disc’s Piwakawaka is a great approach disc full of finesse and glide. If you’re using it appropriately it will provide many opportunities to reach the chains with little effort. The Piwakwaka would be a great choice for a novice learning form and finesse on shorter shots or could fit in the bag of an advanced player who needs a light touch with control close to the basket. We’ve said it before but it’s worth repeating, RPM Discs produces some of the most beautiful stamps that we’ve seen and you’re disc golf groupies will be in awe at this disc.
If you’re interested in a Piwakawaka for yourself you can check it out on Infinite Discs here (we are not affiliated and will not receive any kickback).
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