Contents
  1. Overview
  2. Flight characteristics
  3. Recommended uses
  4. Plastics & variants
  5. History
  6. Notable throwers
  7. Similar discs

The Innova Archon is a 11-speed stable distance driver. With published flight numbers of 11 / 5 / -2 / 2, it is most often described as suited for long, gentle turning drives that come back at the end, flip-up drives for players who throw around 300 feet.

Overview

The Innova Archon is an 11-speed distance driver rated 11/5/-2/2.[2] Innova describes it as "reminiscent of a longer Valkyrie" and as a disc that "blends the graceful long turn of the Katana with the smooth fade of a Wraith."[2] IsaacSam puts it the same way from the mold side: take a Valkyrie and stretch out the rim and you get an Archon.[1] He adds that it was designed as a relatively flat disc aimed at intermediate players, though it has seen use at every level of the sport.[1] PDGA specifications: 21.1 cm diameter, 1.7 cm height, 1.2 cm rim depth, 2.3 cm rim thickness, and a 175.1 g maximum weight.[3]

Flight characteristics

Flight numbers: manufacturer vs. community
SourceSpeedGlide TurnFade
Innova (mfg) 11 5 -2 2 Published spec
Discpedia community Loading ratings…

Flight numbers describe the published behavior of the disc when thrown at its design speed. Real-world flight varies with plastic, weight, age, and thrower power. The community-averaged numbers above reflect crowd-sourced observations from real throws — typically slightly more understable than the manufacturer's published values, which is the most consistent pattern across nearly every commercial mold.

Innova lists the Archon's best uses as straight flight, tunnel shots and finesse driving.[2] The two steps of turn mean it wants to be thrown flat rather than on a steep hyzer — powerful throwers can use it for long-range flip-up drives the way they would a beaten-in Wraith, and IsaacSam suggests it works as a general-purpose distance driver for players throwing around 300 feet.[1] Team Innova's Nate Sexton calls it "a great mix of control and speed" for "long accurate drives."[2]

Best for:

  • Long, gentle turning drives that come back at the end
  • Flip-up drives for players who throw around 300 feet
  • Wide-open shaped lines that need a slow finish
  • A first 11-speed for players stepping up from a Valkyrie

Plastics & variants

The Archon is available in the following plastic blends from Innova:[2]

Star, GStar, EchoStar, Champion, Glow Champion

Plastic blend significantly affects flight character. Premium plastics like Champion, Z, or C-Line generally fly more overstable when fresh and hold their stability over time. Base plastics like DX, Pro, or Active beat in faster and become more understable workhorses with use.

History

The Archon was PDGA-approved on March 9, 2011 under certification number 11-11.[3] It arrived in the stretch of Innova's catalogue that IsaacSam covers in Part 9 of his every-Innova-disc series, alongside the TeeDevil and the rest of the 2009–2011 run.[1] IsaacSam notes that flat, neutral drivers of any speed "have always been a recipe for success," which is the niche the Archon was built for, and identifies Nate Sexton as a fan of the mold — while explicitly qualifying that he does not believe Sexton ever bagged one full time.[1] The Archon remains in production and is currently offered in Star, GStar, EchoStar, Champion and Glow Champion, all listed at 165–175 g.[2] IsaacSam also observes that Innova later positioned the Mystere as a glidier take on the Archon.[1]

Notable throwers

Nate Sexton

Similar discs

References & further reading

Sources

Content on this page has been cross-checked against the following sources. Numbered citations in the prose above link to the matching entry here.

  1. A Quick Guide to Every Single Innova Disc, Part 9 (Dart – Lycan) — u/IsaacSam98 (used with permission; Part 9 URL not preserved)
  2. Archon — Innova Disc Golf official product page
  3. Archon — PDGA Equipment Certification (approved 2011-03-09, cert 11-11)

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