Discraft Nuke Overstable Distance Driver

The biggest arms in the game all can agree that the Discraft Nuke flies far. Thrown by the likes of Ezra Aderhold, Anthony Barela, Aaron Gossage, Brodie Smith, and other professionals and amateurs across the world, this max distance driver is hugely popular in the disc golf world. 

The Discraft Nuke sports a 13-speed, wide-rimmed profile with an overstable flight pattern. While its specifications point to a non-beginner-friendly mold, Discraft produces the Nuke in a number of plastics and weights, making it useful for all skill levels. 

Out on the field and the course, the Discraft Nuke is highly workable as a flippy forehand bomber and a headwind fighting distance driver depending on plastic and weight. Many players will bag upwards of 5 Nukes in their bag to fill multiple spots. 

Here’s what Discraft has to say about the Nuke:

Longer drives are now as easy as pushing a button: NUKE™ delivers virtually effortless maximum distance for moderate to expert players. The wide, heavy rim and refined aerodynamic engineering give NUKE unparalleled velocity, while a 1.6 stability rating makes it more useful to a wider range of players. Seize the power!

This video review of the Nuke from Discraft is a great example of this disc's brilliance!

 

Discraft Nuke Flight Numbers 

Speed: 13 | Glide: 5 | Turn: -1 | Fade: 3

Discraft Stability Rating: 1.6

The flight numbers of the Discraft Nuke suggest an overstable flight with maximum distance potential. In brand new ESP and most Z plastic runs, the Nuke flies extremely overstable and is perfect for players with big arms. 

In many variations of Discrafts more understable plastics like Ti, Jawbreaker, and heavily seasoned ESP Nukes, this distance driver will flip up and glide straight before fading back.  

Nuke Flight path chart 

Here's a Discraft Nuke flight chart to give you a basic idea of how it's going to fly!

 

Plastics for the Nuke

Z: The stiffest and most stable plastic in the Discraft Line-up, the stock Z Nuke is the most overstable. Preferred by Aaron Gossage, the Z Nuke has an aggressive overstability that can help players with big arms get a full flight out of the disc. Players who love max distance flex-lines will also love this variation of the Discraft Nuke.

Big Z: Anthony Barela’s Nuke of choice for maxing out his distance, the Big Z Nuke is softer and grippier than the standard Z. These runs of Nuke are often less stable and with a touch less durability, making them ideal for those who like to cycle their drivers. 

Z Lite: A perfect way for beginners and players with slower arms to dip their toes in the water with the Nuke. Z Lite plastic is light and stiff, offering a stable distance driver usable by nearly all players. 

ESP: Perhaps the most widely used plastic of the Discraft Nuke, ESP plastic is soft, grippy, and allows a slower break-in period than Big Z or Titanium. This run of Nuke is predictably less stable than Z but offers the closest flight to the Discraft-provided flight numbers. 

Titanium: One of the flippiest Discraft Nuke’s out of the box, Titanium plastic is slightly soft and provides a similar feel and flight to Big Z. This run of Nuke is great for maximum hyzer distance as it loves to flip up to flat without a huge burn on anhyzer.  

Jawbreaker: Jawbreaker plastic is the quickest premium plastic to beat in from Discraft and this run of Nuke will be no exception. This disc will start out overstable but can eventually beat into a highly workable and flippy distance driver.

Discraft Nuke Skill level recommendations 

Beginner: Many beginners may struggle to throw the Nuke and may want to steer clear of this distance driver. Its overstability and wide rim mean it’s prone to dumping fast when thrown nose up or too slow. Beginners should only throw the Nuke if they intend to use it for overstable shots or scramble shots. 

Intermediate: While the Discraft Nuke was designed with advanced players in mind, many of the new plastic variations lend themselves to players with slower arms. Intermediate players will feel comfortable throwing a Ti or Jawbreaker Nuke to maximize their distance. 

Advanced: For players with over 400+ feet of distance on a golf line, the Discraft Nuke will be a wonderful addition to their bag. The Nuke was designed with big distance in mind and is a great disc to help some players reach their maximum distance potential. Advanced players should make sure to try out Big Z, Z, ESP, and Titanium Nukes.

Nuke Dimensions 

These are the dimensions listed for the Discraft Nuke on the PDGA website.

Reasons to Buy a Discraft Nuke

• Maximum Distance
• Able to be Cycled
• Tons of Plastic Variation
• Tons of Fun to Throw
• Headwind Fighter/ Tailwind Warrior

The Nuke is one of those discs that should be used with full confidence. A Z Nuke will put to light arm speed and form weaknesses and many players should reach for slower or more flippy discs, such as a Nuke SS or Crank. Players with massive arms will love the Nuke and will find themselves breaking their own distance records with the distance driver.

Nuke Characteristics

Ratings are on a scale of 1-10.

Stability: 8

Consistency of Flight: 8

Consistency in Wind: 8

Beginner Friendliness: 4

Distance Potential: 10

Control: 6

Utility: 6

Fun Factor: 10

Similar discs to the Discraft Nuke

It seems as if every day another manufacturer is making a new distance driver. The Discraft Nuke has stood the test of time as far as maximum distance goes and is still one of the most popular on the disc golf market. Below are a few of its competitors. 

• Innova Charger
• Innova Boss
• Dynamic Discs Captain
• Westside Discs Prince
• Latitude 64 Rive
• Discraft Venom
• Axiom Delirium
• Axiom Panic