The weather has finally warmed up, allowing me to test my latest brand from Europe, Exel Discs. Exel graciously sent me six of their prototype discs to try a few weeks ago.
Exel Discs, a Finnish disc golf brand, currently offers six discs in premium plastic. At first glance, these discs remind me of Clash Discs with their exceptional quality, comfortable feel, and sleek appearance. However, the notable difference between Exel and Clash lies in the price point. While Clash positions itself as a premium brand with some of the most expensive discs on the market, Exel Discs are surprisingly affordable, costing even less than popular US-made brands like Innova and Discraft.
In Europe, they are priced at nearly 22 Euros per disc, which translates to almost $25 a disc. However, for some reason, the discs available at Infinite Discs are significantly less expensive.
Typically, European disc golf brands are more expensive due to higher manufacturing costs and additional expenses from government regulation. Additionally, overseas shipping is not cheap and adds to the overhead.
Loving Nature, Missing Trees
According to their website, Exel places a strong emphasis on nature. Their slogan, “Loving Nature, Missing Trees,” is clever and witty, though it may lose some of its charm in translation from the original Finnish.
Each Exel disc name is inspired by trees or some form of vegetation. For example, the Havu Approach Disc is described as a fresh sprig or small branch from a coniferous tree. The word “Havu” is closely associated with Finland’s lush forests, where coniferous trees are a dominant feature of the natural landscape.
Individual Exel Discs Review
The disc line from Exel is quite impressive.
Nila Putter
The Nila putter feels great with a flat top and smooth finish, comparable to a cross between Kastaplast and Clash. While not as grippy as Kastaplast, it still offers good tackiness combined with a durable premium feel. I typically don’t prefer premium plastic for putting, but the Nila’s grip is sufficiently comfortable, making it a reliable choice for a go-to putter. Currently, Exel offers only one plastic type, but it is of high quality. Unfortunately, it appears that I left my Nila Putter out on the course somewhere so some lucky disc golfer will find a beautiful brand new prototype disc with no name on it.
Havu Approach Disc
The Havu approach disc is perhaps my favorite, offering a lot of fun for long putts and short holes. It’s a true straight flyer with a slight understable turn when thrown with power, perfect for approach shots between 80 and 200 feet. I nearly aced with it several times during my round on a short disc golf course today.
Exel Midranges
Exel currently offers two midranges, the Kanto and the Tuohi. These discs have distinct feels but similar flight patterns. The Tuohi has a mostly flat top and a pronounced curve on the rim, resembling a fairway driver. Despite its appearance, it flies relatively straight with a fade at the end.
The Kanto features a blunt rim edge and a large bead at the bottom, yet both discs perform similarly in flight, making it unnecessary for a player to carry both molds. The choice between them would likely come down to hand feel preference.
Puro Fairway Driver
The Puro Fairway Driver, my second favorite of the six Exel discs tested, offers a smooth flight with a slight turn, straight flight, and consistent fade at the end. It’s excellent for those 300-foot shots, featuring good glide and a forgiving nature that doesn’t require much effort for distance. It’s an excellent disc for intermediate players, not complete beginners, but those who have developed some power and are looking for a straight flyer or a hyzer flip disc.
Korpi Distance Driver
The Korpi Distance Driver, unfortunately, was too fast for me, resulting in an overstable flight rather than a distance disc. I achieved similar distances with the Puro as with the Korpi, but the latter’s higher speed and thicker rim led to more fade and larger skips at the end of the flight. I imagine for people with enough arm speed to throw a Destroyer, the Korpi will go really far.
Overall, I’m thoroughly impressed with Exel Discs. These are high-quality discs made from premium European plastics, and I’m eager to see what else they release. Whether the current pricing is a promotional effort to introduce their products or not, these discs are cheap, and I highly recommend giving them a try. It will be interesting to see if Exel invests in marketing and if this brand is able to take off, or if it will end up like Obsidian Discs — a great brand that nobody knows about.
