If you are interested in ultimate frisbee or looking to play for the first time one of the best parts about the game is that the starting cost to play is very low. The only specific equipment needed is a disc and if someone in your group already has one then the only cost you will have is getting yourself to the field.
While technically this is all that is required to play, investing in some equipment can help improve your performance, decrease the risk of injury, and improve the playing experience. It's no fun sliding around, not being able to cut properly because your shoes don't get traction. Ultimate is a sport that requires a wide range of athletic movement. There's running, jumping, throwing, catching, diving, and more. If you don't have the right equipment it is very difficult to do all of these things consistently.
Unlike other sports where you only focus on one skill at a time in ultimate you need to be able to perform all of these skills at any given time, which makes choosing the correct gear very important. Your gear needs to be versatile enough that it boosts your performance without hindering other areas of your game. The links below are affiliate links and gear that I recommend.
Required to Play Equipment
-Disc
-Water
Essential Equipment
-Disc
-Water/Powerade/Gatorade
-Water Bottle
-Cleats
-Sunscreen
Other Helpful Gear
-Gloves
-Practice Equipment
-Bag/Bucket
-Performance Apparel
-Recovery and Aid
-Accessories
-Video Camera
-Energy Bars
Disc
Discraft Ultra-Star 175g
In order to use a disc in a game, it needs to be a model that is approved by USA Ultimate. The Discraft Ultra-Star 175g is the most popular approved disc for competition. You also want to get it in the white color option because in general, only white discs are used in competitive play. When looking at a disc it is important to understand the terms mold and stamp. The mold of a disc is the plastic itself and the stamp is the design on the top of the frisbee. The Discraft Ultra-Star 175g is the mold of the frisbee. You can use any custom stamp/design as long as it's using the Discraft Ultra-Star 175g mold. It says what the mold of the disc is usually on the front ring of the disc.
Hydration
Water/Gatorade/Powerade
Ultimate is a sport that requires a lot of running and you need to keep yourself hydrated. Gatorade and Powerade have electrolytes that can help you perform.
Water Bottle
Nalgene Tritan Narrow Mouth
Having a water bottle will allow you to bring water to the field and make it so that you don't have to keep buying plastic water bottles over and over. This bottle has a screw on lid, so you don't have to worry about it leaking and is very easy to drink out of.
Cleats
Cleats are very important and allow you to make sharp cuts without slipping or falling over. It's important to note that you can't use metal spikes in competitive play. Football, soccer, and lacrosse have the most similar style of running to ultimate, so you want to look at those types of cleats first. There are a few things you want to look at when choosing cleats.
1. Weight: You want cleats to be lightweight because the sport requires a lot of running (soccer and receiver football cleats are normally the lightest).
2. Stud Pattern: You want square/rectangle studs over round studs if possible when playing on grass. Square studs will normally dig into the ground better and provide better traction.
3. Durability: You want a pair of cleats that will last at least a couple of years. Ultimate uses very aggressive cutting and if you don't buy a pair of cleats that can handle this they will tear quickly. The biggest problem area is the area to the side of the foot. You want to check to see if the shoe is welded properly on the side of the shoe.
4. Ventilation: You want a shoe that has good ventilation. You are going to be running a lot and bad ventilation can cause blisters and other moisture problems.
5. Materials: The materials should be comfortable. Again you are going to be running a lot, so the shoe should be comfortable to wear.
6. Support/Lateral Containment: You don't want your foot sliding all over the place inside the shoe. You want a cleat that fits well.
Nike CTR360
Good stud pattern. Lightweight. Good Support.
Sunscreen
Coppertone Sport
This sunscreen doesn't make your hand sticky and is great.
Gloves
Ultimate frisbee gloves provide grip without being too sticky to impact throwing.
Layout Gloves
These gloves have very good traction and are amazing in the rain.
Friction Gloves
These gloves don't have as much traction as Layout or Mint gloves, but are still a really solid pair of gloves.
Mint Gloves
These gloves have a unique fit and good traction.
Practice Equipment
These are products that help you practice and potentially train in new ways or more efficiently.
Flexible Cones
These cones are good for drills because if you step on them they won't break or hurt you.
Soccer Cones
These cones are good for making targets and using for conditioning drills.
Champion Sports Disc Target Net
This is a net specifically made to fit discs. Very portable and fun to use.
7x7ft. GoSports Net
Medium size net that allows for good throwing practice.
12x9ft. PowerNet
Large size net for practice and training.
Pack of 6 Discraft Ultra-Star 175g
This is a good number of discs to make practice sessions a lot more efficient. This way you don't have to walk over and pick up the same disc over and over.
Agility Ladders
Good for conditioning and footwork training.
Indoor Shoes
When practicing or playing ultimate on gym floors you want a pair of shoes with basketball style traction to get the best grip. These shoes have great traction and are lightweight.
Bags
Things to consider for bags
1. Waterproofing
2. Storage
3. Strap Style/How will it be carried?
4. Organization/Pockets
Why Use a Bucket?
Many players use buckets over a bag because they are waterproof storage containers that you can sit on. Many fields don't have benches or places to sit so a bucket can be very handy.
5 Gallon Bucket With Screw Off Lid
You want to make sure you get a screw off lid for your bucket because it makes it very easy to open compared to the pull style lids.
Hucket Bucket
Bucket designed for ultimate frisbee players. Comes with a shoulder strap, disc tie, and more.
Drawstring Ultimate Bag
Drawstring bag with a disc compartment. Perfect for practice and games where you don't need a lot of items.
Greatest Bag 30L
Backpack straps and waterproof when using the built in rain cover. Separate compartments for cleats and disc.
Heckler Ultimate Bag
Weather resistant fabric. Mesh cleat pocket and external disc strap.
Performance Apparel
Dri-Fit Shirts
Cotton soaks up sweat and keeps it in whereas dri-fit polyester allows the sweat to evaporate much more readily, hence giving you a dry and light feeling shirt.
Dri-Fit Shorts
Dri-Fit polyester wicks sweat better than cotton and keeps you light and dry.
Cold Weather Compression Shirts
Traps hot air and keeps you warm in the cold without being bulky.
Leggings
Keeps your legs warm without being heavy or baggy. Can also aid in muscle recovery.
Running Socks
These socks wick moisture away from the skin and have great padding, which comes in handy when you play a lot of games in a day.
Recovery and Aid
Foam Roller
Used to roll out tight muscles to relieve tension. Can help speed up muscle recovery.
Stick Roller
Portable roller that is used to help muscles recover.
Accessories
Metolius Super Chalk
Use this when you are on the sidelines to get the sweat off your hands. Makes it so you don't have to worry about the disc slipping because of sweat.
Wilson Wristbands
Protects your wrist from getting bruised by the disc on catches. Doesn't shed.
Disc Clips
You can attach a frisbee to basically anything.
Scoreboard
Really helpful for knowing what the score is at all times. Also fixes the problem of teammates constantly asking what the score is the whole game.
Portable Folding Chair
If you use a bag instead of a bucket this is a way for you to be able to sit off the ground.
Scrimmage Vests
Helps create teams for scrimmages or practice drills.
Nite Ize Flashflight Disc
Now you can play in the dark!
ZipChip
Mini pocket disc you can take anywhere.
Bucket Backpack
Put this on your bucket to make it easier to carry.
Video Camera
Allows you to film games, get highlight clips, and film your mechanics in slow motion.
Camcorders
These types of cameras don’t have recording limits so they are a good option for filming games.
GoPro
These cameras can shoot at a very wide angle, which allows you to get a lot of the field in frame. They also have very impressive slow motion capabilities for reviewing your form or mechanics. In addition they are small, weatherproof, and extremely durable.
Energy Bars
Clif Bars
All around good energy bar that tastes amazing.
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