By disc type
Innova Aviar Review
The most-bagged putter in the sport. Here is what its numbers actually do, and where it stops being the right answer.
By Selena H. Published September 1, 2026 Updated October 13, 2026
Hyzer & Chain is reader-funded. We earn a commission when you buy through a link here, at no extra cost to you. Picks come from published manufacturer specs and current retailer availability, never from who pays most — here is how we pick.
Verdict: buy it, buy three, and buy them in DX. The Aviar is the default putter in disc golf for defensible reasons: at speed 2 with a single point of fade it is forgiving enough that a slightly wobbly release still goes where you aimed, and it is available in every plastic Innova make. The one thing it is not is a wind disc.
Quick picks
| # | Product | Best for | Key spec | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Innova Aviar The disc itself | a brand-new player who needs one disc that does exactly what they aim it at, and for every level above that as a putting disc | 2 / 3 / 0 / 1 · Putter | |
| 2 | Dynamic Discs EMAC Judge The main alternative | a beginner or intermediate player who wants a beadless putter that flies straight and holds whatever angle they release it on | 2 / 4 / 0 / 1 · Putter | |
| 3 | Discraft Zone What to buy alongside it | an intermediate or advanced player who needs a short-range disc that finishes left every single time, in any wind | 4 / 3 / 0 / 3 · Putter |
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1. The disc itself
Innova Aviar
- Flight numbers
- 2 / 3 / 0 / 1
- Speed
- 2
- Glide
- 3
- Turn
- 0
- Fade
- 1
- Disc type
- Putter
- Stability
- Neutral
- Plastics
- DX, Pro, Star, Champion, GStar
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Reviewed here in full. The short version is that 2/3/0/1 is close to the ideal beginner-and-everyone-else putting specification: low enough speed that release errors barely change the line, enough glide to carry a putt, and a single fade point that only shows up at the very end.
How it flies
Speed 2 with 3 glide and a flat 0 turn means the Aviar goes where you point it at any arm speed. The single point of fade shows up only at the very end, so from inside 30 feet it drops almost straight down rather than drifting left. That predictability is the whole reason it has been the most-bagged putter in the sport for decades.
Best for a brand-new player who needs one disc that does exactly what they aim it at, and for every level above that as a putting disc.
Look elsewhere if you want a putter that fights a headwind — the Aviar's 1 fade gives you very little resistance when the wind picks up.
What works
- Flies the same line for a 150-foot arm and a 500-foot arm
- Available in DX (cheap, grippy) all the way to Star (durable) so you can buy the same flight in whatever plastic suits you
- Low speed means a bad release barely changes the line
What does not
- 1 fade is not enough to hold a line in real wind
- DX plastic wears noticeably after a season of tree hits
Specs read from Innova’s own published product page.
2. The main alternative
Dynamic Discs EMAC Judge
- Flight numbers
- 2 / 4 / 0 / 1
- Speed
- 2
- Glide
- 4
- Turn
- 0
- Fade
- 1
- Disc type
- Putter
- Stability
- Neutral
- Plastics
- Classic Blend, Prime, Lucid, Supreme
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Included because the honest version of an Aviar review names the disc people switch to. The EMAC Judge has nearly identical published numbers with one extra point of glide, and a beadless rim. If the Aviar's bead does not suit your fingers, this is where you go — and rim preference is the stickiest decision in the sport.
How it flies
Speed 2, 4 glide, 0 turn, 1 fade: straight, with enough glide to carry a putt and only a hint of finish. Dynamic Discs describe it as the Judge with less bead and a bit less fade, developed with Eric McCabe for exactly that reason. It holds a hyzer or an anhyzer without wanting to flatten out.
Best for a beginner or intermediate player who wants a beadless putter that flies straight and holds whatever angle they release it on.
Look elsewhere if you want a bead to index your grip against — the EMAC Judge is deliberately beadless and feels quite different in the hand from an Aviar.
What works
- Holds the angle you release it on, which makes it a good teaching disc
- Classic Blend plastic is tacky in the hand and cheap enough to buy three
- Straight enough to use as a 150-foot approach disc
What does not
- Beadless rim takes adjustment if you learned on an Aviar
- 1 fade is not a wind answer
Specs read from Dynamic Discs’s own published product page.
3. What to buy alongside it
Discraft Zone
- Flight numbers
- 4 / 3 / 0 / 3
- Speed
- 4
- Glide
- 3
- Turn
- 0
- Fade
- 3
- Disc type
- Putter
- Stability
- Overstable
- Plastics
- Z, Big Z, ESP, Jawbreaker, Titanium
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The complement rather than a competitor. The Aviar's one real weakness is wind, and the Zone is the standard answer: 3 fade with 0 turn means it holds its line when an Aviar would drift. Most serious bags carry both, doing different jobs.
How it flies
Speed 4 and 3 fade on a putter-height rim makes this the most dependable approach disc in the sport. It flies flat for most of its distance then turns hard left, and because the glide is only 3 it stops where it lands rather than skipping away. In a headwind it does the same thing — the 0 turn means wind cannot flip it.
Best for an intermediate or advanced player who needs a short-range disc that finishes left every single time, in any wind.
Look elsewhere if you are looking for your first putter to actually putt with — 3 fade means it will not drop straight into the chains from 25 feet.
What works
- The most predictable finish of any disc on this site
- Immune to headwind flip
- Low glide means it sits down near where it lands
What does not
- Too overstable to putt with for most players
- 3 fade costs you distance on a straight shot
Specs read from Discraft’s own published product page.
What 2 / 3 / 0 / 1 actually does
Speed 2 is as slow as a usable disc gets, and that is the central virtue. At this speed there is almost no aerodynamic behavior for a bad release to trigger — the disc simply goes where it was pointed. For a new putting stroke that removes most of the variables.
Glide 3 is modest, which is correct for a putter. Enough to carry a putt from 30 feet without forcing a hard throw, not so much that a miss sails past and leaves a long comeback.
Turn 0 means a firm release does not flip it. This matters more than it sounds: an understable putter is excellent for a soft push putt and drifts right on a firm one.
Fade 1 shows up only at the very end. From inside 30 feet the disc effectively drops straight down rather than curling left, which is exactly what you want when aiming at a basket.
| Number | Range | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | 1 to 14 | How fast the disc has to be thrown to fly as designed. Higher speeds cut wind better but need more arm. |
| Glide | 1 to 7 | How well the disc keeps itself in the air. Higher glide means more distance for the same throw. |
| Turn | +1 to -5 | How much the disc banks right early in flight. -5 turns most; +1 resists turning most. |
| Fade | 0 to 5 | How hard the disc hooks left at the end. 0 finishes straightest; 5 hooks hardest. |
Ranges as published in Innova’s flight ratings system. All four numbers describe a right-hand backhand throw.
Which plastic
DX for putting, without much hesitation. It is the grippiest and the cheapest, and grip matters more on a putt than on any other shot. Being cheap is also what makes buying three a normal decision rather than an indulgence.
Pro or KC Pro if you want something more durable that still grips — these are the mid-tier blends and plenty of long-term players prefer them.
Star or Champion if you throw your putter on long approaches and want it to survive tree hits. Slicker in hand, which is a real cost on a putt.
See plastic types for the full ladder.
Who should look elsewhere
If you play somewhere consistently windy. One point of fade gives very little resistance, and an Aviar in a stiff crosswind will drift. You do not need to replace it — you need a Zone alongside it.
If your putts consistently finish left. That is the single fade point, and the fix is an understable putter such as the Latitude 64 Pure, whose -1 turn cancels it out.
If you dislike the bead. Entirely legitimate and very common. Go beadless with an EMAC Judge or a Roach.
Buy three
This matters more than anything else in this review. Three identical putters make a real routine possible — throw three, walk once — which is how putting actually improves. They also mean the disc in your hand on a scoring putt feels exactly like the one you have thrown a thousand times in practice.
Pair them with a practice basket. That combination lowers scores more than any driver purchase, and it costs less.
Common questions
What are the Innova Aviar flight numbers?
Innova publish the Aviar at speed 2, glide 3, turn 0, fade 1 — a straight putter whose single point of fade only appears at the very end of the flight.
Is the Innova Aviar good for beginners?
Yes, and it is the standard recommendation. At speed 2 with one point of fade, release errors barely change the line, and it is available in cheap grippy DX so buying three is affordable.
What plastic should I buy an Aviar in?
DX for putting — grippiest and cheapest, which matters most on a putt. Star or Champion only if you throw your putter on long approaches and need it to survive tree hits.
Is the Aviar good in wind?
No. One point of fade gives very little resistance and it will drift in a crosswind. Carry an overstable approach disc such as a Discraft Zone alongside it rather than replacing it.
Every flight number and spec on this page was read from the manufacturer’s own published product page, linked beside each pick. We do not throw these on a course — here is how we pick.
Sources
Read next
Disc Golf Putters
Six putters compared on fade, glide and rim shape, with the full category explained.
Best Disc Golf Putters for Beginners (2026)
Five putters that forgive an unpracticed stroke, compared on fade and feel.
Dynamic Discs EMAC Judge Review
The beadless putter standard at 2/4/0/1, compared directly against an Aviar.
Best Disc Golf Putters for Long Putts (2026)
Four putters for the 30-to-80-foot range, compared on glide and fade.