Looking for a new distance driver to reshape your game? If so, you might want to give the Innova Tern a whirl. Known for its high-speed, understable characteristics, this disc could be the missing link in your disc golf arsenal.
After playing and testing disc golf discs for over 13 years, I’ll share my Innova Tern review today. My experiences with the Tern have shown it to be an underrated gem among high-speed distance drivers.
Whether you’re an intermediate player looking for more distance or an advanced player searching for a new strategy disc, our journey into the pros, cons, flight characteristics, and more about the Tern might be precisely what you need. So, stick around as I dive deeper into what makes the Innova Tern a game-changer.
Flight Numbers
- Speed: 12
- Glide: 6
- Turn: -2
- Fade: 2
The Innova Tern brings an impressive flight speed of 12 to the table, cutting through the air with precision and grace. Its substantial glide rating of 6 provides a remarkable distance that adds significant yards to throws.
A turn rating of -2 indicates that the disc has a gentle tendency to curve to the right (for a right-handed, backhand throw) early in its flight, making it ideal for those controlled anhyzer shots or long, winding fairways.
With a fade of 2, expect a moderate but reliable finish to the left toward the end of the flight. It’s the perfect balance of predictability and versatility, allowing various shot shapes and trajectories.
What does this all mean? The Tern is a disc designed for distance but offers excellent control over its flight path. This disc provides good distance and reliable handling for players with a good range of throwing power.
With its flight numbers, the Tern is a speed demon with a gentle touch, marrying power and finesse wonderfully!
A Closer Look
- Diameter: 21.10 cm
- Height: 1.70 cm
- Rim Depth: 1.10 cm
- Rim Width: 2.30 cm
The Innova Tern boasts a decent diameter of 21.10 cm, which, for most players, sits comfortably in hand and provides a reliable grip. Its height is 1.70 cm, making it rather slim and giving it that sleek, lean look we love in a distance driver.
With a rim depth of 1.10 cm, it’s relatively shallow, and this is something most experienced players like, as it tends to offer improved control and a comfortable feel. Plus, a shallower rim is easier to release, which can help with speed and distance.
The disc has a rim width of 2.30 cm. That’s a wider rim, typical for high-speed drivers like the Tern. Wider rims can aid in aerodynamics, helping the disc maintain its speed and glide longer. But be warned, they can be trickier for those with smaller hands or less grip strength.
Who Should Wield The Tern?
The Innova Tern is an understable high-speed disc offering intermediate players maximum distance and comfort. It’s a slightly understable disc designed for those long, shaping throws, offering dramatic right movement (for right-hand backhand throws) and a gentle fade to end on a predictable left.
For advanced and powerful players, the Tern may be one of the farthest flying discs due to its glide and gentle turn. Despite being a high-speed driver, it’s relatively easy to throw, allowing even those with slower arm speeds to get a decent distance. I remember the first time I got a satisfying S-curve from the Tern. We’ve spent countless hours at the local disc golf course since then!
That said, the choice of plastic can affect the disc’s flight. The Champion plastic offers a more stable flight and might be a little tough to handle for beginners. On the other hand, the G-Star Tern, with its flexibility, offers more forgiving flights, tolerating more mistakes and allowing even beginners to achieve some serious distance.
Jack Of All Disc Golf Trades
The Tern provides the versatility to shape various shots, from long, straight throws to wide anhyzer shots. Depending on the power of your throw and the release angle, this disc can deliver a long, controlled turn or a high-speed straight shot followed by a moderate fade.
Types of shots the Tern handles well include:
Max Distance Shot
With its high speed, impressive glide, and understable nature, the Tern can cover a lot of distance. Give it a flat release or a slight hyzer angle, and watch it flip up and glide for a long way.
Turnover/Anhyzer Shot
Throw it with an anhyzer angle or flat and hard, and the Tern will give you a good, sustained right turn (for an RHBH throw). Ideal for those long, right-finishing fairways.
Hyzer Flip
The Tern is perfect for executing a hyzer flip. Give this disc a good hyzer angle and power, and it will flip up, ride straight, and glide a long way down the fairway, possibly farther than you’ve ever seen!
Exploring Alternative Distance Drivers
Clash Discs Wild Honey
The Clash Discs Wild Honey is a stable to understable distance driver that mirrors the functionality of the Tern. It’s designed to be a fast but manageable driver, ensuring a comfortable grip and control. It’s mainly known for its smooth, long S-Curve flights, reminiscent of the Tern’s graceful and predictable trajectories.
Discraft Hades
The Hades is a disc comparable to the Tern I’ve got to play around with. It’s a similarly understable driver optimal for easy distance off the tee. It has a wider rim than the Tern, but its flight characteristics are strikingly similar — offering long, gliding anhyzer shots with a predictable fade at the end.
Gateway Apex
The Gateway Apex is a high-speed driver built much like the Tern. It’s in the category of workhorse discs, delivering straight flight paths and optimal distance with only a moderate fade. This type of disc suits a wide range of long throws, whether off the tee or across the fairway.
Innova Tern Disc In Review
The Innova Tern is an underappreciated gem in the world of distance drivers. It can add significant distance to throws of intermediate and advanced players while potentially pushing the boundaries of beginners ready to step up their game. This high-speed, high-glide disc is not for every player, but its understable nature offers possibilities for a broad range of strategic shots.
Pros:
- High speed and impressive glide make for maximum distance
- Reliable, controlled flights with gentle turn and fade
- Versatile and accommodates a variety of throws
- Comfortable grip and handling
Cons:
- Might be challenging for beginners due to its high speed and understable nature
- Different plastics significantly alter its flight path, which could be confusing for new players
- Not a great choice for tight, straight fairways or strong headwinds
