Is Gyro-X finally here?! 2 new PDGA approved discs!
Hello again my disc golfing friends,
I am back again with the second blog post this week. While this post will be talking about fewer newly approved discs than we are used to with the common 3-7 discs per post, it will most definitely be a blog with some exciting disc golf information! Why, you ask? Because it appears that after 5 years of anticipation, it appears that Gyro-X may finally be hitting the market soon. If you don’t know what that means, you will soon if you stick around for this read. Let’s get right into it. Here are the 2 most recent discs that were certified by the Professional Disc Golf Association this week!
Loop Discs - Joey
Specifications Max Weight: 176.0gr
Diameter: 21.2cm
Height: 2.0cm
Rim Depth: 1.3cm
Rim Thickness: 1.1cm
Inside Rim Diameter: 19.0cm
Rim Depth / Diameter Ratio: 6.1%
Rim Configuration: 52.75
Flexibility: 5.23kg
MVP Disc Sports - Beam (retooled)
Specifications Max Weight: 176.8gr
Diameter: 21.3cm
Height: 1.8cm
Rim Depth: 1.1cm
Rim Thickness: 2.1cm
Inside Rim Diameter: 17.1cm
Rim Depth / Diameter Ratio: 5.2%
Rim Configuration: 31.00
Flexibility: 11.14kg
Recently, I have been trying to write these new disc sections out in order of approval, but I know why most of you are here, so I will get to the point and talk about the MVP Disc Sports new Gyro-X Beam (retooled). I would like to ask that you please consider sticking around for the second section of this post as well, because I always like to give props to all companies that are growing this amazing sport that we love. Some of you may not know this, or maybe have even forgotten, but over 5 years ago in February of 2021, MVP Disc Sports had a disc called the Beam PDGA approved with a marketing campaign promoting a new Gyro-X technology. To properly break this down for you, I feel like I need to explain not only the Beam / Beam (retooled) discs, but also the Gyro-X and NEW Gyro-X technology to the best of my ability. So here goes.
The aforementioned Beam which was originally certified by the PDGA on February 22, 2021, owns the certification number 21-22 which means it was the twenty-second disc that was approved in 2021. This number and approval date seem wild to me because it comes with some odd coincidences within the approval page. The number 21 is significant because it was approved in 2021, but also because the disc is just over 21cm according to the approval page. 21.2cm to be exact. The number 22 is significant because it was approved on the 22nd day of February, and is also the 22nd disc to be approved that year. Am I looking way into this and creating a conspiracy theory as I type? Or does this beg the question of MVP allowing nothing to happen for no reason? I will let you be the judge of that, but the next section will possibly sway your opinion on the matter as it is now a known fact that the original Gyro-X technology has been dropped.
2021 Gyro-X Beam Proton Prototype
PDGA Specifications Max Weight: 176.0gr Diameter: 21.2cm Height: 1.7cm Rim Depth: 1.2cm Rim Thickness: 2.3cm Inside Rim Diameter: 16.5cm Rim Depth / Diameter Ratio: 5.7% Rim Configuration: 28.50 Flexibility: 12.16kg
The first Beam distance driver featured a Gyro-X technology that varied from their normal Gyro technology in that the outer gyroscopic rim was much thicker than the original. In fact, there was only a thin ridge of the disc core visible from the underside of the disc. While the point of this technology was to maximize the weight distribution in the rim, therefore enhancing gyroscopic capabilities, this new Gyro-X technology appears to be the opposite in design. Not opposite in weight distribution, just opposite in design. The new Gyro-X, first being promoted with the Beam (retooled), has a Gyro rim that is even thinner than even the original Gyro technology with a huge portion of the disc core being visible from the underside. Looking at the bottom side of the disc, the underside is predominately the Neutron core with a very thin Gyro-X rim. According to videos I have seen online of the Beam (retooled), the newer Gyro-X rim is made with a much more dense plastic which still allows MVP to further enhance the gyroscopic capabilities of their discs. In short, Gyro, 2021 Gyro-X, and 2026 Gyro-X are all different bruh.
Now that I have explained both of the Gyro-X iterations to the best of my knowledge, let’s talk about the Beam and the Beam (retooled). The MVP promo pictures and PDGA pictures alike of the 2021 Beam show the disc in their translucent Proton plastic with only a small prototype logo and no official stamp. Rather fitting in my opinion because that disc was never really released to the public as far as I know. I do know that some were released at their Gyropalooza warehouse event as well as in the Gyropalooza Mystery Boxes, but as a person who has worked in disc golf since before this Beam was announced, I have never seen them hit proshop floors. The Beam (retooled) however, may actually end up in disc golf stores. I say this because this version also features a prototype stamp, but with a slick scientific stamp design slapped atop the opaque Neutron plastic. I know it sounds crazy, but this one feels a little more worldwide release friendly than the first iteration.
2026 Gyro-X Beam (retooled) Neutron Prototype
Will the second generation, or Gyro-X 2.0 if you will, technology be hitting the market with the Beam (retooled) joining MVP’s three other molds (Stasis, Control, and Mass) approved this year? Or will the Beam (retooled) be shelved and mostly forgotten like the original Gyro-X technology and 2021’s Cypher? Yeah, I’m going there. Either way, with the new Discmania Premier Line and Latitude 64 Max technology recently exploding on the disc golf scene, it was definitely time for MVP to attempt to reclaim their place as “the leading edge” in gyroscopic disc technology. Oh and one last note before closing out the MVP Disc Sports discussion… I just noticed that the Gyro-X Beam (retooled) has a black rim and not the PLC white rim. Does this mean that the Project Lab Coat line is exclusively for Gyro and will not be applied to the Gyro-X line? All I know is that now, I am even more confused, and we will only find out if and when this disc is officially released. I knew this was going to be a lot of typing, but damn! As you could imagine, I don't have a video of me throwing the 2021 Beam or the 2026 Beam (retooled), but if anyone out there wants to send me a couple that I will gladly mail back to you, please reach out to me. If you want to see me throwing as many MVP Disc Sports molds as I possibly can, (40 molds so far) check out the playlist below.
Throwing MVP Disc Sports by PDGA approval date
And now, we have finally reached the point where we can talk about the 2nd disc to be approved on October 26, 2026, the Joey from Loop Discs. Unfortunately for Loop Discs, this section is going to be much shorter. That is because not only have I never thrown a single disc from the brand, I have never actually even seen one in person that I can remember. Loop Discs is a newer brand in disc golf whose first disc, the Wonder, a mid-range, was approved in 2024. I spoke about their second disc to be approved the Swoop, a “full flight driver”, in an earlier blog post, which was just approved last month. The new Joey would complete a Loop Discs starter set package as their first putter hitting the market. This is obviously a fantastic way for brands to break out into the market with a complete 3-disc set that newer players could start with. As far as I know, Loop Discs is only the second Australian disc golf manufacturer joining Fourth Circle Discs whose first disc was approved in 2018. To me, brand variation is an integral part of growing disc golf so having two different brands in Australia is extremely exciting! With New Zealand’s RPM Discs also pumping molds out of Oceania, there are now 3 disc golf brands down under! How good! (let me know if you get that reference #44club)
Actual image of the beginning process of joey production.
If you have kept up with these PDGA approval blogs thus far, you know that I like to share a little bit extra info at the end of each. This week I'm going to give you an idea of what videos you can expect on BDGC soon. The next 10 days of the Throwing EVERY Disc Possible series will feature the AGL Discs Money Tree, Wild Discs Tasmanian Devil V2, H13 Disc Golf Companion, Hooligan Discs Cash, Goliath Discs Genesis (formerly Covenant) and Ambush, Ozone Discs Andro C, Prodiscus Pyramid, Lazeri, and Razeri, and Millennium Golf Discs Quasar. Well, that's actually 11 days but I have already typed it, so I am leaving it. haha! Also don't forget, I recently filmed a round throwing only Disc Golf Avenue molds so stay tuned for that as soon as I get the chance to edit the footage! That's a ton of different brands in a small amount of days which brings me to my final paragraph.
In closing, I would like to ask a question and a favor, if you are ever-so kind to oblige. Do you know of another disc golf channel who has kept as aggressive of an upload schedule as I have with a daily episodic series for 1,255 days? That’s 3.4 years with daily episodes featuring 111 different disc golf brands. I ask this, not in arrogance, but to actually get an idea on whether this could be a world record. If you think this is for sure a disc golf world record, please start sharing my channel with the Guiness Book of World Records and let’s see if we can get make this official! Plus, I already have episodes scheduled until February 13th, 2027 for a total of 1,362 episodes and 3.7 years. Sometimes I must take the time to reflect on that myself, so that’s what this final paragraph is. Once again, if you made it this far, I can’t begin to explain how much I appreciate you. Please consider sharing my channel with your friends. BDGC is getting very close to 10k subs on YouTube and you can expect the biggest giveaway I have ever done once we hit that mark! Thanks again. Each of you are goats!
Love,
Baysinger
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