Do you have the best ultimate frisbee gear available? It’s surprising how many people go out to play a game and find themselves unprepared. The best ultimate frisbee discs and other equipment can make a huge difference in how well you play, and it can impact your overall performance. You could run well, but your throw would be off because your frisbee is sub-par. Or, you might not get a good enough grip to make those long throws if you don’t have the correct gloves.
It makes sense that you want to invest in the best ultimate frisbee gear available, but there are so many choices out there. You’ll have more fun playing with the entire family when you know you’re playing at your highest level, and this is what this in-depth guide is going to outline. Not only will we give you short reviews of the best ultimate frisbee gear, but we’ll highlight why each piece is important. Before you hit the field, let’s make sure you’re ready by being properly equipped.
Equipping yourself with the best ultimate frisbee gear can help you improve your game, and it’s an excellent investment.
Contents
The Best Ultimate Frisbee Gear – Basic Equipment
You can break the best ultimate frisbee gear down into four main categories. You’ll need a good pair of cleats to help you gain traction as you move, a durable frisbee disc that will fly straight, a nice pair of friction gloves that improve your grip, and a bag or backpack to carry all of the best ultimate frisbee equipment you bring with you. Since there are several different types and styles available, it can be challenging to narrow down your choices to the best ones for your needs. We’ll break it down for you below.
Reviewing the Best Ultimate Frisbee Discs
Next on the list of the best ultimate frisbee gear is the disc. You need the right disc to be able to play ultimate frisbee properly, but there are so many choices available. The brand, weight, size, color, and prices all make a difference in your final choice. You have to consider:
- Consistency – The consistency of the frisbee disc refers to how well it flies. Ideally, your disc will fly straight 100% of the time and avoid hitting objects like windows. If it doesn’t, it’s a good indication that you don’t have a high-quality product. In turn, you’ll work harder to get the disc into the basket.
- Durability – Your frisbee disc should be durable enough to withstand wear and tear and the elements like wind, sun, or rain. However, this doesn’t necessarily be thicker or heavier material because this can impact how well it flies.
- Size – Frisbee discs come in a range of different sizes, and you’ll have to adjust both your throwing and catching ability based on the size disc you’re going to play with. A wider disc may give you more control, but it’s easier to launch a smaller disc further distances.
- Weight – Finally, we have weight. Heavier frisbee discs can give you more control on windy days, but you have to work harder to get them to fly long distances. Lightweight discs will fly, but they can get negatively impacted by the weather. Official tournament discs weigh 175 grams, but you can get discs that weigh between 150 and 200 grams.
A well-balanced frisbee disc will help you make those long throws and get it into the basket much faster in all weather conditions.
1. Wham-O Reflyer
This ultimate frisbee disc weighs in at a perfect 175-grams, and this is the USA Ultimate regulation weight. It takes the top spot as the best ultimate frisbee disc on the list, and it made Esquire Magazine’s list of “31 Things Every Man Should Own”. It features a very rugged design to it that allows it to take hits and survive rough play without damage. It has a lighter coloring that makes it easy to see.
It comes carefully crafted to be able to fly for long distances and float through the air when you release it. You can easily take it to the park, to a game, or virtually anywhere you’d like to toss it around. As a bonus, it’s an eco-friendly product that uses recycled materials in the design, and it won’t break the bank when you purchase it.
2. Discraft Ultra Sport Disc
If you’re someone who is after a classic, all-round frisbee, Discraft’s Ultra Star Sport Disc is one that you should check out. This was the official disc of the 1991 USA Ultimate Championship Series, so it works well for seriously competitive play. The aerodynamic design on this disc allows it to fly far when you release it, and it’s easy to grab because it comes with a very contoured grip on it.
This disc features durable premium plastic material in the design that can handle rough or repeated use without failing, and it gives you the ideal stability and weight at 175-grams for precise, even throws. You can choose from a decent range of colors, and some of them will even glow in the dark. It’ll also keep your release angle longer to ensure you get it to your teammates or the basket.
3. Innova Big Kahuna Heavyweight Disc
This is a slightly heavier ultimate frisbee disc than others on the list, and it weighs in at 200 grams. So, this means that the official Ultimate tournaments won’t sanction it to play. It will fly further and stand up better to wind than lighter weight options on the list, and it’s a great option if you want to play or practice with your friends. If you’re someone who wants to play in a larger space, consider getting this disc because it’ll keep a decent angle and fly far.
It’s a great pick if you’re just starting out or are more inexperienced because it’s easier to catch and throw. The slightly heavier design allows the edges to be a small bit thicker, and this makes it easier to catch it one-handed. It’ll also hold up to rougher play better than other options. You can choose from a decent range of colors and designs.
4. Aerobie Pro Ring
If you’re a player that likes to throw the disc and see how far you can get it to fly, try the Aerobie Pro Ring. The manufacturer claims that this was the disc that was used to set a world record regarding the furthest throw, and it flew an impressive 1,330 feet. It has a very aerodynamic, thin design with a 13-inch diameter that lets it travel further on each throw, and the soft rubber edges on the ring shape make it a snap to catch.
There is an open center for the design of this ultimate frisbee disc, and you can personalize how you catch and throw this object. For example you can grab the edge or use the hole in the center to catch it around your foot or arm. This product works best for intermediate players.
Reviewing the Best Ultimate Frisbee Cleats
Next on our list of the best ultimate frisbee gear is the cleats. Lacrosse, soccer, and football cleats are all very popular for people who play this sport because they give excellent traction. However, there are a few things you want to consider when you start to compare cleats, including:
- Price – Prices for cleats will have a huge price range. Screw-in studs are more expensive than molded cleats. The best ultimate frisbee cleats may not necessarily be the most expensive. You just have to find a solid fit and give you the traction you need without breaking your budget.
- Size – In order to perform well, you want to pick out cleats that mold to your foot and fit very well. If they’re too tight or too large, you’ll sacrifice mobility. If you plan to buy them in person, take a pair of socks and shop during the day to get the best fit.
- Stud Design and Type – Studs come in a screwable or permanent design. Screwable ones are what you find in football cleats while the permanent ones are in lacrosse or soccer cleats. As for type, you can choose from hard ground, conical, and blade. Conical give you better stability, bladed give you better traction and speed, and hard ground work best on artificial turf.
- Style – High-tops and low-cut cleats are the two main styles. Soccer and lacrosse cleats have a low-cut style to increase the comfort level, and football cleats have high-tops to give you better support around your ankles.
Picking out the correct cleats for the best ultimate frisbee equipment will ensure you stay comfortable when you play.
1. Adidas Adizero 8.0 Cleats
The Adidas Adizero 8.0 cleats are durable and lightweight for professional-level playing. They have a unique design to them that is perfect for helping you get excellent stability on firm ground with speed control. So, if you’re after an ultimate frisbee cleat that is going to improve your speed and stability, this is for you. They even work well on artificial fields or hard surfaces. They have textile uppers that are very lightweight, and there is a shock-web that helps reduce the shoe’s weight.
You can move more quickly and smoothly with them, and they have a techfit bootie construction to give you a fit that will conform to your feet. There is also a low-top design to make them more comfortable to wear for extended periods. There are cleated outsoles with a reinforced top plate for excellent traction, and they’re easy to take off or put on.
2. New Balance Men’s Freeze Cleats
If you don’t move as quickly as you want during an Ultimate Frisbee competition, try these cleats. They come designed to work well for athletes, and they have sizes that fit people with wide feet very well to make it easier to move. They feature a very sturdy synthetic material in the design, but they’re comfortable and soft with a snug fit that will help you move around quickly and easily. The Quixrail plate with the explosive saddle on these shoes gives you agility and flexibility.
As a bonus, these cleats also have a full bootie tongue built in with dual-density TPU cleats that offer a great mix of motion control, traction, and stability. The internal heel pads will lock your foot in place to stop it from sliding up and down and forming blisters as you play.
3. Puma Universal FG Soccer Cleats
As one of the few cleats for women for Ultimate Frisbee, this product comes designed to ensure you get smooth and seamless movements while feeling comfortable as you play. You get striking and bright colors that make them stand out from the more traditional white or black color scheme, and you get synthetic uppers that have a high durability rating because they’re very abrasion-resistant. They give you long-lasting wear with ComfortLast technology built in.
This technology will conform to your feet’s natural shape, and there is a padded collar on each shoe to give you more support and cushioning. The tongue also has padding on it. They come designed for intermediate to professional-grade players, so you can use them in natural, hard fields. They are slightly undersized, but they give you excellent support and traction.
4. Adidas Goletto VII Football Cleats
If you want a durable pair of cleats for your kids so they can play Ultimate Frisbee, look no further than this. They have a nice combination of mesh and synthetic material that makes them much more lightweight. It also gives your kids a more ventilated space to keep their feet cool and dry as they play. There is also a rubber outsole on these shoes that gives whoever wears them additional traction as you walk on firm ground.
The heavy-duty studs on these shoes give additional grip that allows you to stop more quickly without slipping or sliding around. There is a low-cut form on these shoes that lets you adjust the length to fit your feet snugly, and it minimizes the possibility of heel slippage so you can focus harder as you run.
Reviewing the Best Ultimate Frisbee Friction Gloves
The best ultimate frisbee gear wouldn’t be complete without friction gloves. A nice fitting pair of these gloves will help you grip the frisbee when you play, and this can improve your score. They can also help keep your hands warm when you play in cooler or wet conditions. However, just like everything else one the list, no two friction gloves are the same. You’ll want to consider:
- Breathable – As a general rule, ultimate frisbee friction gloves aren’t very thick because they’re supposed to be breathable. Your hands shouldn’t sweat, and the thinner fabric allows for the highest range of movement possible. All of these things make it easier to grip the disc.
- Fit – The fit will be one of the most important aspects on these gloves. If they’re too loose, they can slip when you catch or release the frisbee. If this happens, it can compromise your grip. Ideally, your friction gloves won’t be too tight to restrict your movement, but they shouldn’t be loose enough to slide around.
- Grip – Friction gloves come with different materials on the fingers and palms, and this material is what improves your grip on the disc. They’re more effective if you have a textured frisbee, but they work well with any type of disc.
- Non-Slip Coating – Finally, take a look at your friction gloves and see if they offer a non-slip coating. This coating makes it easy to grip the frisbee, and it also makes it easier to pull the gloves on and off between uses.
Your friction gloves should fit very well to prevent slipping and dropping the disc.
1. Friction 3 Gloves
Friction Gloves has the reputation as being the first company to come about to create gloves specifically for Ultimate Frisbee. They have rubberized fingers and palms on them to give you a very strong grip in any type of weather. They can improve your throwing accuracy by giving you more spin, and they can also improve your catching and throwing accuracy. The thumb on these gloves comes with four-way stretch to keep them firmly against your skin.
This helps to avoid webbing when you reach out to catch the disc. The upper palm on these gloves comes reinforced to prevent snags or holes, and the entire glove is double-stitched to prevent accidental tears. They handle moisture very well, and they offer a 100% money-back guarantee if you’re not completely satisfied with them. They’re also available in six sizes to give you a nice fit.
2. Mint Ultimate – Sports Gloves
Mint’s ultimate frisbee gloves are low-profile and lightweight, and this allows them to feel like an extension of your hand. They come designed to improve how you play by working in tandem with your body. The palms come with padding to help absorb impact each time you catch the disc, and this can help keep your hands safe. There are Coolflex panels in the glove’s backing that allow for comfortable movement and easy ventilation to keep your hands cool and dry as you wear them.
These gloves have a MAXX Tack grip to help you handle and catch the disc without a problem, and they’re smooth to the touch. The low-profile fastener on these gloves stops them just above your wrist to allow you more freedom of movement. It has synthetic materials that are very durable, and there is a toweled thumb that works on touch screens.
3. FUDOSAN Cycling Gloves
These gloves give you flexible control when you wear them, no matter if you’re playing a game of Ultimate Frisbee or riding a bicycle or motorcycle. They work to protect your hands, and they have fingertip touch screen technology built in. You can easily use your phone without taking them off, and they feature breathable Ice Silk technology to help keep your hands dry and cool when you wear them for extended periods of time.
The palms of these gloves have a non-slip silicone material coating them, and this gives them extra durability against grass, turf, and mud. You get balanced all-weather control that allows you to play confidently in dry and wet weather and still keep a good grip on the disc. The better gripping capabilities also offer more rotation when you throw, and this can help the frisbee fly farther with greater accuracy.
4. Seibertron F.O.D.G.G Ultimate Frisbee Gloves
When you choose these gloves to play in, you get the choice of 12 sizes, including six for youths and six for adults. In turn, this allows you to get a very good fit that ensures the gloves fit like a second skin. The wrist closure combined with the concave-convex surface will give you an anti-slip function. There is a hook and loop opening and closing mechanism that makes it easy to pull them on or take them off when you finish playing.
The reinforced thumb has rough materials that prevents the gloves from tearing with heavy use. The fingertips on these gloves are also reinforced, and the palm material is tacky enough to give you a good grip in different weather conditions. There are gaps between the finger joints that increase your dexterity, and the double-stitching on the whole glove ensures they won’t snag or rip.
Reviewing the Best Ultimate Frisbee Bags
Picking out the best ultimate frisbee bag can be a challenge, especially if you’re buying your first one. This can be an investment because they have a huge price range. The key is to find one with all of the space you need to hold your equipment, but it shouldn’t be too bulky. Just like everything else on the list, there are several considerations you should think about, including:
- Capacity/Size – How much equipment do you have? Chances are, you’ll collect quite a bit once you really get into ultimate frisbee. Look for a bag that has a larger capacity or bigger size that can easily fit all of your items with a little room to expand.
- Comfort – It’s essential that your bag is comfortable to carry. Things like padded straps and different strap lengths can really impact how comfortable your bag is. You can get shoulder bags or messenger-style bags.
- Durability/Strength – Your bag should be very durable and strong enough to easily support all of your best ultimate frisbee gear. If you have mesh pockets, make sure that they have reinforced stitching, and double-check the strap connection points. The zippers should be larger, and they should use a high-quality material.
- Material – Ideally, your bag will have a slightly thicker material. This material will have to put up with a lot of weight, and you don’t want it to tear. Things like reinforced bottoms, double-stitching, and a waterproof coating can help it last longer.
Picking out the correct bag can be challenging, but it’s important to pick out a durable one that will last for years.
1. Discraft Weekender Disc Golf Bag
This bag comes made out of a firm, flexible, but durable material with a very soft external finishing on it. It resists water, and it has a very sturdy build with thick back and base padding to protect your items when you carry them. There is a wide, extendable strap that gives you comprehensive support to make carrying it out to the course comfortable. There is also a pad on the strap to prevent it from marking up your shoulder if the bag is full and heavy.
The main compartment of this bag is large enough to hold up to seven discs, and there is a side-pocket that can carry up to two discs. There is a water bottle pocket with an adjustable thread, and the zipper on the main compartment is very sturdy. There is an additional velcro strap over the biggest compartment to give your gear extra protection and safety, and it won’t warp, tear, or over-stretch with heavy use.
2. Athletico Disc Golf Bag
Athletico’s disc golf bag has a big enough volume, height, and width to comfortably hold up to 14 discs, a host of accessories, and a larger water bottle. There is a side pocket on this bag that can hold up to four discs, and it has a flexible construction. The accessories pocket gives you more than enough space to hold scorecards, towels, and cellphones. There is another side pocket that is big enough to hold pens, pencils, notepads, or other smaller gear.
The zipper pocket on the top can hold sweatbands and tissues, and the zippers have synthetic fabric extensions that make them easy to grab to open or close the pockets. There are triple layered locked teeth that are very durable, and there is a special white padding on the main compartment’s zipper to make it more durable. There is a soft interior netted layer that will pad the discs.
3. The Throwback Sack
This is a large enough bag to comfortably hold cold water bottles, discs, towels, cellphones, putters, and other accessories you need to play. It is very large, and you’ll find multiple compartments and sections in the design. The main compartment can comfortably hold up to 15 discs, and the side pocket can hold two more. There is a water bottle pocket with an adjustable fitment thread to keep it secure, and the zippers are flexible and sturdy.
The tight teeth on the zippers can interlock to give excellent stability when you close them. There is a netted inner layer on this bag that gives you soft support for the discs, and the main bag keeps its shape without collapsing. There is an insulated compartment that is large enough to hold two water bottles to keep them cold. The shoulder strap is very sturdy, and it has several locking latches to help you adjust the length.
4. G4Free 3-Way Duffle Backpack
This Ultimate Frisbee bag is a good pick if you’re just starting out and on a budget. It’s lightweight, and you can easily carry it on your shoulders like a backpack, or you can switch it up and carry it like a traditional duffle bag. It features a tear and water-resistant nylon fabric that is very durable, and it has a secure zipper closure to keep all of your items nicely contained.
You get detachable and adjustable shoulder straps with a reinforced D-ring handle on the top. It has one bigger compartment with a mesh zipper pocket inside, an upgraded shoes compartment that is well-ventilated, and a side pocket to hold your phone, water bottle, notebooks, or accessories. The front pocket zippers closed, and it can hold your tablet.
Bottom Line
It’s possible to buy the best ultimate frisbee gear as long as you know what to look for when you shop. Our comprehensive list gives you everything you need to make informed decisions, and you can compare the products to find the best ones to suit your needs and improve your game.
Jen is a master gardener, interior designer and home improvement expert. She has completed many home improvement, decor and remodeling projects with her family over the past 10 years on their 4,500 sf Victorian house. She is also a passionate farmer who keeps goats, chickens, turkeys cows and pigs on her farm, and an instructor for her community’s Organic and Sustainable Farming project.