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Check out our MD1 comparison article, here and our 5 reasons to try the Streamline Echo article, here!
The 5 Neutral Midranges We Tested
The Midrange in disc golf is for some players, the perfect, do-it-all disc they reach for on almost every shot. Midrange discs usually fit somewhere between 4 and 6 speed, and come in a wide variety of glide rating and stabilities. In this article we focus on the top 5 neutral midrange discs everyone should try, today!
The List
- Discmania MD1
- Streamline Proton Soft Echo
- Axiom Hex
- Discmania Meta Origin Midnight Prowl II
- MVP Reactor
What is a Neutral Midrange Disc?
A neutral midrange disc golf disc is characterized by its flight numbers. If a disc has the flight numbers of X/X/0/0 or X/X/-1/1 or anywhere in between, you would consider that a neutral flight, as the disc’s turn and fade do not dominate to one side. The fade and turn being relatively equal impart a neutral flight path to the disc.
Why are Neutral Midrange Discs Good?
Nowadays it seems like there is an endless supply of discs to choose from in nearly all categories of disc speeds. This is much the case for midrange discs and to many consumers this can be daunting. Here are a few reasons why neutral midrange discs are helpful on the course:
- Line Control
- Ease of Use (especially with low power)
- Distance Potential
Having a midrange that can essentially hit every shot you’d need during a round while still offering high levels of distance when needed is important. A neutral midrange is a disc that can be used by every player at every power level, as their fade won’t be demanding to slower arm speeds. Take for example the Discmania MD1. When thrown hard, Eagle McMahon has parked 400+ foot holes and when thrown with little to no power, the disc can be used to carve tightly wooded fairways with touch.
1. Discmania MD1
The Discmania MD1 made our list due to its ease of use, excellent plastic choices and flight path. The MD1’s flight numbers are 5/6/0/0, giving this disc the most glide out of all the neutral midranges we tested. In the hand, the MD1 has a tall rim, giving this disc a deeper feel than most neutral midranges, which gives players who like forehanding midrange discs a better feel.
For backhands, the MD1 performs as the numbers imply but with a touch more stability at the end of the flight for the C-line and S-line plastic. We found this disc to be particularly handy when going for longer lines with a high ceiling, as the disc’s glide carries it a long way.
Buy the Discmania MD1, here.
2. Streamline Proton Soft Echo
The Streamline Echo in Proton Soft plastic was released as a 2023 OTB Open fundraiser disc and therefore is a limited release disc in a special edition plastic. Streamlines Proton Soft blend alone was enough to make us love this version of the Echo. With a fairly shallow feel in the hand, the disc has a large amount of flex and give with a very soft feeling plastic.
The Streamline Echo has 5/5/-1.5/1 flight numbers, which are mostly true for the base Neutron release of the disc but we found the Proton Soft Echo to have more stability after a fairly neutral flight. Where discs like the MD1 tend to dislike wind, the Proton Soft Echo held its flight path well, not turning over like many other neutral midranges do when faced with a headwind.
Buy the Streamline Echo, here.
3. Axiom Hex
Fans of the MVP family of discs already know how good the Axiom Hex is. Currently, it’s the only midrange James Conrad bags and was the first signature series disc made for Simon Lizotte when he signed with MVP. The Hex sports 5/5/-1/1 flight numbers, close to the Streamline Echo and identical to the Discmania Origin.
The Hex, much like many of the other discs listed above, flies straight and true. We found the disc to fly with a touch of stability at the end of its flight. Much like the Discmania MD1, the Axiom Hex loves to be thrown hard and can handle a lot of torque. One of the best qualities of this disc is that for a neutral midrange, the Hex holds its line thrown hard or softly.
Buy the Axiom Hex, here.
4. Discmania Meta Origin Midnight Prowl II
The Discmania Meta Origin Midnight Prowl II is the flippiest neutral midrange disc we tested out of this group and was the easiest to maneuver on straight and anhyzer lines. One of the best things about the Meta Origin was its ability and love for getting to flat and holding that line before pushing straight. Where many of the other neutral midranges we tested finished with a fade to the ground, this disc in most cases landed as if pulled by a string forward.
Discmania Meta plastic is slick without being slippery, giving this disc even better attributes at being thrown slowly with finesse. The look of Meta plastic is unique as it has a slight sheen of blue when shined in the light. While the Midnight Prowl II struggled in the open, we found it the most fun disc out of the group to hit tight, carved out wooded lines with.
Buy the Discmania Origin, here.
5. MVP Reactor
The MVP Reactor is our final favorite neutral midrange on this list. It’s the only disc out of the five we tested with a slight stability for its flight numbers of 5/5/-.5/1.5 but makes our list as the disc compliments the others so well. For a midrange disc with the 1.5 stability rating, the MVP Reactor flies straight but fades a bit earlier than something like a Hex.
We found this discs flight to be most similar to the Streamline Echo in Proton Soft plastic with a touch more stability. The MVP Reactor is a perfect neutral midrange for relatively tight fairways where the green is somewhere tucked off to the right or left. The disc feels slightly rounder in the hand than the Hex or Echo, so players with larger hands may prefer throwing the MVP Reactor.
Buy the MVP Reactor, here.
Here’s how we rated the discs:
- Easiest To Control: Discmania Meta Origin
- Straightest Disc: Axiom Hex/Discmania Meta Origin
- Most Stable Disc: MVP Reactor
- Best Feeling Plastic: Streamline Proton Soft Echo
- Furthest Glide: Discmania MD1
- Least Stable Disc: Discmania Meta Origin
- Most Versatile Disc: Axiom Hex
Looking for more Disc Golf Reviews and Articles? Check out our friends at the Birdie Blog!
