Part of our Quick Dash series is to inform you about courses, products, and discs. In this review we take a look at the Kastaplast Grym distance driver. Our disc reviews try to cover topics such as the flight numbers of the disc, use cases for the disc, player skill level for this disc, and possibly compare it to an alternative or standard. Ultimately answering the question, is the Grym a good disc?

Kastaplast: Brief History

Formed in 2011 Kastaplast is a relatively newer disc golf manufacturer. Based overseas in Stockholm they pride themselves on the experimentation of disc design while focused on producing a quality product. What started out as a basement side-effort has now developed into a full on high-tech process.

Kastaplast utilizes computer models to create disc flight simulations that help with prototyping various designs. Further, they make an effort to be a sustainable company through the use of solar power and recycling efforts.

Kastaplast Disc Lineup

With only 16 disc designs in their current offering you may think of Kastaplast as a startup.  And while they are newer than say Innova, their reputation for creating quality discs is quickly taking notice by both the consumer and competition. 

In 2022 Latitude 64 became co-owner of Kastaplast. Having the backing from one of the largest disc golf companies in the world legitimized the Kastaplast brand and brought forth its product to the masses . Their limited selection of discs span a methodical range of distance drivers to putters, including classics such as the Berg, Guld, and Grym.

Kastaplast Disc Lineup

Kastaplast Grym Disc Review

The Grym was gifted to me for my birthday. My best friend Paul decided it was time I added a high speed distance driver to my inventory. He was thoughtful in not only gift giving, but in choosing the Grym over the Grym x. While the difference is mino to some, for others having a bit of extra turn helps keep a disc from completely hyzering out…and I for one need all that help I can get in that area.

Admittedly I am not worthy of throwing such a high speed disc yet…my arm is only breaking into the 300+ range and I typically throw high speed fairway drivers to low speed distance drivers. But, as with any sport, or life endeavor for that matter, one must push their limits to achieve greater goals…something my buddy Paul knew was needed for me to continue on the path of growth in disc golf. 

Kastaplast wasn’t necessarily new to me, albeit I don’t recall having reviewed or even mentioned much about them in previous articles. However the Berg and Grym were both discs I had always wanted to try. Grym is Swedish for cruel or awesome…two words not often put together in my mind but I think to the Swedish it has a slightly different context.  

Kastaplast Grym First Impressions

They say first impressions make the biggest impact. Slowly acquiring better discs leaves one easily impressionable to high end “shiny” new plastic. My current inventory is a mix of new, old, and cheap misprints from various manufacturers. So, when I received my gift in the mail I was pleased to rip open the beautiful packaging and anxious to find out just how cruel or awesome this disc could be.

As with any new disc, I first struggled to get it to turn over and fly straight or perform in a manner that seemed resourceful. Perhaps this was due to my weaker arm and trying to throw a speed 13 disc, or perhaps I just needed a bit of time. 

As someone who regularly and methodically tests new equipment I can tell you my greatest suggestion is to experiment. Ironically, much like Kastaplast’s early years of formation with experimenting on disc design,  a little trial and error found to be useful in figuring out the ideal throw for the Grym.

How To Throw The Kastaplast Grym

As it turns out (pun+1) flicking the Grym seems to be better for me than a backhand. In fact, about halfway into my round I started to notice more distance and control from my flick as opposed to forcing the backhand tee drive. Furthermore, I had the opportunity to throw a few “S” curves and found the Grym excelled in flight distance and overall pattern…meaning, it actually made an “S” shape!

I wouldn’t say, at the time, I broke any of my distance records. This disc was afterall a higher speed disc then I had really bagged in the past. And although I had thrown 13 speed discs from borrowed sources, I really tried pulling the Grym out for every Tee shot…at the very least to see how it flew. Paul had been mindful of my ability and purchased the Grym at a 170 lb weight instead of the slightly heavier 175lb. Anything heavier and it would surely have been a one and done situation…at least until my arm got stronger.

When I can find a disc that seems suited to a particular shot I like to “bag it”. My forearm being weaker than my backhand is proving to be a huge limitation in keeping my average round near par. A good disc golf course will always include a variety of shots that equalizes the game for those players who master one and not others. So for me to find a disc that I enjoy throwing forehand, and actually see some improvement in such, I definitely knew it was time to take a deeper dive of the Kastaplast Grym flight numbers…

Kastaplast Grym Flight Numbers: Speed: 13, Glide: 5, Turn: -1, Fade: 2

A speed of 13 is a good indicator that this is a distance driver.  I can’t think of a distance driver with a speed so high and that has a higher glide than 5. Although there are fairway drivers with higher glide, such as the LT 64 River, they are slower speed discs and do not rightfully compare to the Grym. There are also some 12 speed distance drivers with a glide of 6, such as the later mentioned Prodigy D2. 

This was the first distance driver with a speed of 13 that I really started feeling like I could control a flick off the tee. To my credit, this in part could be a representation of me becoming a bit more skilled player. However, the more I threw the Kastaplast Grym, the more confident I became in letting it fly and of course the better it performed, as is the case with most discs. 

With a glide of 5 the Grym is set up to sail into the fairway and then some.  However, I have yet to make it all the way to a green from a tee drive on courses that average 300 ft in distance per hole. I am seeing an easy birdie shot on my local course. A small 9 hole course such as at Lees McRae College, possibly shooting for the ace run, given the stars aligning right and the gods show me favor.  

With a slight turnover and instability of -1 the Grym provides the benefits of both speed and initial movement to the opposite side of my throw. If you need help understanding this a bit more check out my article on Turn…trust me, it can change your choice of disc and improve your game overall. 

Note: I reached out to Kastaplast for confirmation of the flight numbers after noticing some discrepancy between what mine says. They got back to me and confirmed they have updated the Turn to -2, making it a more understable disc they previously thought of. This was due to some feedback and retesting of the disc. If you check it out on infinite discs you will see several reviews of it stating to be more understable than expected.

The disc flies out of my forehand on a hyzer line but quickly levels off a bit, providing some extra distance. However, as always the case with those of us still building our arm strength and improving our technique, the additional turn is welcomed. For me, the leveling off of the Kastaplast Grym lasts mere seconds of flight time and quickly goes into its fade pattern.

A fade of 2 is nothing to warrant much thought on. In fact, some would argue having a bit of fade at the end of flight is exactly what they want. Interestingly enough, I threw the Grym as an overhead thumber on an upshot recently, and the fade at the end seemed to play into my favor. Albeit I do not claim to understand the physics of fade on an overhead throw. Further, I wouldn’t consider myself an expert at overhead shots, though the outcome may warrant further trial. The results were a birdie on a 315ft upshot through some dense forest. Perhaps my first of this kind…perhaps just a bit of luck. Regardless, I suspect stronger arms and backhanded throwers will appreciate the average amount of fade the Kastaplast Grym provides. 

There is not a better feeling in the game than when your shot goes exactly as planned, exactly as the vision you had in your mind. However, one could argue the feeling of the disc leaving our hand, your form being perfect and hearing the snap of a good release might outweigh the actual results. We typically judge a throw by distance and accuracy, rightfully so, but when one plays a solo round or heads to the field, no one cares.  What matters in fact is if the disc is “feeling” good and you can envision using it for various shots. Proving itself over and over again during that round led me to believe I had found my new forehand driver, but first field testing needed to be done…

Field Testing The Kastaplast Grym

Typically, once I have found a disc I like in the cheap plastic I like to upgrade.  This not only gives me discs to throw with better gripping plastic but also adds to my collection for field practice. This being a gift, Paul is not one to spare on the cheap stuff…he likes high end plastic discs and truly believes in their ability to help up your game. I didn’t complain. 

However, Kastaplast has limited plastic types and the Grym only comes in the K1 series or K1 glow plastic. That being said, the K1 plastic is also arguably Kastaplast’s best line of plastic, but some may choose the K1 soft for a bit more flexibility and grippiness. I for one, am happy with the K1 plastic as it’s durability will provide a long lasting resistance to tree chopping and basket “doinking”. 

The grip of the K1 plastic is certainly better than other discs I own. I put it on par with a Prodigy D2 400 in terms of overall feel and performance. The edge and inner rim are what sets the overall design apart from other discs. Both the Prodigy D2 and Kastaplast Grym have what I consider to be a flat inner rim. The depth of this inner rim is perfect for my pointer and middle finger to lay flat against and flick the disc out of my hand. (-don’t want to mistype that sentence -ha).

As with any field practice I like to throw a variety of discs for at least a portion of the practice. This lets me compare and ultimately helps provide insightful nuggets of information to share with you all. What I am learning about different disc designs is that certain discs just work better given their shape and architecture for certain throw types and situations. For the life of me I can’t flick a rounded inner rim disc anywhere near the distance or control of a disc that has a flat walled rim.

Regardless of its speed, glide, turn, or fade, the Kastaplast Grym wasn’t all perfect. Out of the 100 pulls I gave it more than half tended to hyzer out than turnover and fly level. But, this was seemingly less than my first field test with the LT 64 River…my go to disc for when the occasion calls. Rather, the Grym only hyzered a bit, and only faded a bit…even more so when throwing forehand. The little bit that it did has become an advantage on certain shots…making it both a powerful and unique prospect to add to my quiver. 

One other interesting note I took from the field was the outside of the disc rim. It’s sharp. Personally, I don’t mind it. In fact, I like my disc edge to be thin and sharp, especially on my drivers. By design it helps reduce air drag and ultimately fly faster. Although I do appreciate the roundness of discs such as the Wolf, Judge, Magnet, or Avair, those tend to come out of my hand a little wobbly if thrown with too much power and not enough finesse. Hence their purpose being more approach and putt. The Grym is the opposite…throw it hard, throw it long and watch it fly. 

What The Kastaplast Grym Taught Me

Part of learning to disc golf and taking you on the journey with me is sharing what knowledge or experience I gain from testing new equipment. Now that I have thrown the Grym for a few rounds, and put in some hours at the field,  some confidence has been gained. But perhaps the most interesting form of practice, as of late, has come from a practice net. 

Although I have had access to the nets at the college I teach, I recently received a practice net for my birthday. The Gonex practice net has changed my practice routine for the better, and might arguably become the best piece of gear for improving my game. 

The practice net allows me to throw without inhibition. I pull it close enough to me that I can focus on my form and power without concern of my disc flying off into the abyss. There are other benefits the practice net provides but I won’t go into much detail here. The bottom line is it allowed me to throw the Kastaplast Grym a lot…like over and over and over, without having to walk down the field to retrieve it.  I like to compare new discs to a set I am both familiar with and would be a beginner starter set.  Thus, busting out the old but reliable Innova Starter Set. I also looked for something closely related such as the Prodigy D2.

Lesson #1: Throw type matters. The Kastaplast Grym started for me as a way-to-high of speed distance driver for my intermediate level backhand. But, one mystical practice session I actually decided to commit to the forehand throw and made a discovery. The Grym flew out of my flick as if it were on rockets. 

Now I by no means aim to claim that my forehand shot is up to a pro level, but certainly anytime you see a 50ft plus gain in distance while retaining control, you know you’re headed in the right direction. Lesson learned, not all discs are great for one all throw types, trying different types of throws is as important as trying different discs.

Lesson #2: Don’t fear the speed.  I am a huge advocate for new players starting with slower speed discs. I didn’t, hated the game, and then years later found the love I have now by starting off slowly. With age comes wisdom, I suppose, but don’t lose sight of your enthusiasm to try discs. You might just find a use for a disc that doesn’t turnover as much as you would like…and ultimately it should make you a stronger player in the long run. 

Kastaplast Grym vs Prodigy D2

I’ve been hinting at this match up the entire article so it shouldn’t come as a surprise to you for a comparison between the Grym and D2. So why did I choose to compare these two discs?  Well first, they’re both newer to me, having received the Prodigy discs during Christmas and shortly after the Grym for my birthday. Secondly, they both have a similar feel and similar albeit slightly different flight numbers. Perhaps comparing two discs that are so similar is a bad choice, but there is at least one slight difference for me that comes to mind, so let us compare…

Flight Number Characteristic Comparison Chart

Is The Kastaplast Grym A Good Disc?

With a speed of 13 and only a -1 turn rating, the Grym certainly positions itself to be for the more advanced player. It is the epitome of the modern driver in that most other companies have a similar if not all too familiar thin shaped low profile high speed driver available in their lineup. 

For the new disc golf player the Kastaplast Grym will be frustrating if not difficult to use. Don’t get me wrong, any player will notice the quality and potential much like one can discern a Ferrari being fast just by its looks. But will it add distance to your throw as a beginner…doubtful. Will it hyzer out into the woods…likely. 

If a newer player was asking me, I might suggest the Valkyrie to start with, but would offer that having a Kastaplast Grym to work towards is never a bad thing…especially as a gift. 

Who Should Throw the Kastaplast Grym?

Once you’re hitting that 300ft backhand and seeing some consistent throwing patterns, it’s time to add a double digit high speed distance driver to your quiver. Both the Prodigy D2 and Kastaplast Grym would make fine options to try. 

With the lack of different plastic types and weight options for the Grym, I might pick up a Kastaplast 9 speed disc instead of another Grym. In fact, that is the plan. I’m liking the specs on the Falk (9, 6, -2, 1). We shall see. But regardless, am I happy with bagging the Grym? You bet! 

Final Thoughts…

Every new disc deserves a dedicated review.  Though you might see these discs in our collective posts (Most Stable Mid-Range, Best Disc Golf Drive For Beginners, Best Disc Golf Putters), I think some discs deserve an in-depth review…especially since I own and throw them. 

At the end of the day, the Kastaplast Grym is my go-to forehand driver. You might catch me throwing it backhand or even overhead here and there, but for now, I look forward to it helping hook those left to right shots and lowering my overall course score. I also look forward to seeing how it feels with more time to break in and my arm getting stronger.

While there certainly are other discs on the market that seem downright the same, I would argue the quality of the Grym and performance make it a worthy option to pick up and try. Definitely one of the best gifts I got this season and hope you have a chance to try yourself.  So, pick one up for yourself and share your opinion with the community on it below in the comments. 

Cheers,

Corey

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