Hammer

The Hammer is another example of a name that Innova used on multiple molds, 3 to be exact. The original version of the Hammer was a putter mold released around 1986-7 and simply were beaded Aces. Aces themselves are obscure discs, but as a modern reference, Aces resemble Darts. (Note, the Ace I am referring to here is the putter mold from the 1980s, not the Wal-Mart exclusive) When referring to the original version of the Hammer these days, we usually call them “Classic Hammers” as that’s how they are sold on the Innova Pro Shop.

The second generation of the Hammer was a midrange mold that came around 1988. Second generation Hammers have a Roc bottom and a Shark top. These were the most popular variant of the Hammer and were around until the early 1990s. Third generation Hammers were faster and a bit more concave and marketed as “Hammerhead” Hammers. However, Innova did not make many of these and they are quite rare.

Both 2nd and 3rd generation Hammers were designed such that most of the discs weight lied on the outside edge instead of being distributed evenly throughout the disc. This uneven distribution was to make the Hammer more durable; and remember, the only plastic available at the time was DX. So, tricks like this and adding beads were the only tools Innova had to increase durability. As Millennium and premium plastics came around, gimmick discs like the Hammer became obsolete and the Hammer went out of production.