It seems like for years, Discraft fans and players, especially those who have switched sponsorship from Innova, have wanted a disc just like the popular Innova Destroyer.
When I first got into disc golf 15 years ago, Discraft’s “big” distance driver was the Nuke. Its ultra-wide rim supposedly gave it more distance potential than anything else. However, most…
When Paul McBeth first switched sponsorship from Innova to Discraft, the Destroyer with his name on it was the #1-selling disc golf disc. Initially, he threw the Force as his Destroyer replacement, but that disc just wasn’t the same. It didn’t provide the distance or the versatility. So next, the Paul McBeth line released the Kong (later renamed Zeus), which was to be the Discraft equivalent of the Destroyer. It was close and provided more distance than the Force, but it just wasn’t the same.
Discraft wanted a disc with Destroyer flight and utility without it actually being the exact same disc.
But if you want a disc that will be pretty much exactly the same as the Destroyer, then you need a disc that is shaped the same as the Destroyer. You need a Destroyer clone.
Hence, the Terminator was born.
Is the Terminator Actually Like a Destroyer?
And with the name “Terminator” being so similar to “Destroyer,” it appears that Discraft isn’t even trying to hide it. If you’re looking to “terminate” or “destroy” the course, these two discs are pretty much the same. Discraft even gave the Terminator the identical 12/5/-1/3 flight rating.
I compared a 175g Z Terminator with a 171g Halo Destroyer.
Rim width = same.
Rim shape = same.
Dome = essentially the same, it often vary’s slightly based on the run and which Innova Destroyer mold is used.
The flights when I threw these discs side by side were nearly identical. Perhaps the Halo Destroyer was a little bit more overstable, but Halo plastic tends to be. Both of these discs are ideal for my max-distance forehand shots, and I’m able to push them out to about 350 feet. I release on a little bit of anhyzer, and they turn just a little bit and then always come out for a beautiful S-curve flight. I had multiple throws where the Terminator and Destroyer landed only a few feet apart from each other.
I don’t have enough power to throw a Destroyer or Terminator backhand unless I release it at a slight anhyzer angle or am just going for a big, curving, fading shot. But when I got my release angle right, the Terminator bombed and flew just like the Destroyer.
The Z plastic of this first run of Terminators feels really good. It is much softer than old-school Discraft Z plastic and really feels a lot like Star plastic, which would be intentional, as the Star Destroyer was always number one.
In conclusion, the Terminator isn’t a new or revolutionary disc, but it is just like an Innova Destroyer. So, if you’re an advanced disc golfer looking for a Discraft version of the Destroyer, you found your new go-to distance bomber.
