The Discraft Hornet is a 5-speed overstable midrange. With published flight numbers of 5 / 5 / 0 / 4, it is most often described as suited for headwind approaches, controlled hyzer and fade placement shots.
Overview
The Hornet is a beadless Discraft midrange with 5/5/0/4 flight numbers.[3][4] Discraft says it is "aggressive into the wind" and sits between the Wasp and Drone in its lineup.[1] The PDGA lists a 21.5 cm diameter, 1.9 cm height and 1.3 cm rim.[2] Retailers rate it as overstable to very overstable, with strong glide and a hard fade.[3][4][5] It is available in several plastics, including Z Line and ESP.[3]
Flight characteristics
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.
Recommended uses
The Hornet suits intermediate to advanced players who want a midrange that holds its line in wind and when thrown hard.[3][4] It works for placement shots, headwind approaches and controlled fades, and for forehand throws in gusty conditions.[4] Its 1.3 cm rim and beadless profile give a clean release.[2][4]
Best for:
- Headwind approaches
- Controlled hyzer and fade placement shots
- Forehand and backhand shots in windy conditions
- Hard-fading mid-range lines
Community notes — how players actually use this disc
Plastics & variants
The Hornet is available in the following plastic blends from Discraft:[1]
Z Line, ESP, Big Z, Jawbreaker Z FLX, Glo Confetti CryZtal
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 Hornet began as a prototype in Discraft's 2010 Ace Race event, where thousands of disc golfers tested it before it went on sale.[1] The PDGA lists the disc as "Hornet (Ace Race 2010)", approved November 19, 2010, with a maximum weight of 178.5 g.[2] Disc Golf Dojo gives the same November 19, 2010 date.[5] Infinite Discs lists a lower 170 g maximum weight, which conflicts with the PDGA figure.[2][3] Sources also differ on stability: Infinite Discs and DiscMetrics say very overstable,[3][4] Disc Golf Dojo says overstable,[5] and Discraft calls it "not overly stable".[1] No source consulted names a designer.
Notable throwers
Currently no information
How it compares
How the Hornet lines up against the discs players most often weigh it against, using each manufacturer's published flight numbers.
| Disc | Speed / Glide / Turn / Fade | Stability | Rim width |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discraft Hornet | 5 / 5 / 0 / 4 | Overstable | 1.3 cm |
| Discraft Wasp | 5 / 3 / 0 / 2 | Overstable | 1.3 cm |
| Discraft Drone | 4 / 3 / 0 / 4 | Very Overstable | 1.5 cm |
| Discraft Buzzz | 5 / 4 / -1 / 1 | Stable | 1.3 cm |
References & further reading
- How to read disc golf flight numbers — Discpedia primer
- PDGA Approved Disc List — search for "Hornet" to find the Discraft Hornet entry (PDGA-approved 2010)
- Discraft official site — manufacturer product page
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.
- Z Hornet Midrange Driver — Discraft (official product page)
- Hornet (Ace Race 2010) — PDGA Equipment Certification (approved Nov 19, 2010)
- Discraft Hornet — Infinite Discs (flight numbers, plastics, dimensions)
- Discraft Hornet — DiscMetrics
- Discraft Hornet — Disc Golf Dojo
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