Two of the most popular distance drivers in disc golf, the Valkyrie and Beast from Innova are overall very similar.
Both Innova drivers have close flight numbers, but the factors like control and stability are different and are impactful on when you can throw the disc and how each one will fly.
Learning how to control each disc will definitely help your throwing form and disc golf skills.
These are two drivers that I’ve thrown a lot around my local courses, so here’s everything you need to know when comparing the Valkyrie and Beast!
Innova Valkyrie & Beast Comparison Table
| Valkyrie | Beast | |
| Ratings | 9 | 4 | -2 | 2 | 10 | 5 | -2 | 2 |
| Stability | Understable | Stable |
| Skill Level | Beginner or Intermediate | Intermediate |
Overview of the Innova Valkyrie
The Innova Valkyrie is renowned for its excellent flight characteristics, boasting a speed of 9, glide of 4, turn of -2, and a fade of 2. This combination allows the Valkyrie to achieve impressive distances while maintaining control. Its versatility has made it a go-to disc for many players, offering consistent performance for a wide range of throw styles.
The Valkyrie truly shines on long, controlled turnover shots, and is often recommended for sidearm throws and tailwind drives. It’s particularly well-suited for players with moderate power who are seeking to maximize their distance without sacrificing accuracy.
Overview of the Innova Beast
On the other hand, the Innova Beast presents a slightly different set of flight characteristics with a speed of 10, glide of 5, turn of -2, and a fade of 2. Designed with stability in mind, the Beast caters to intermediate and advanced players who can harness its slightly faster speed and stability to benefit their game.
The disc is especially effective for downwind shots and power turnovers, making it a valuable tool for those looking to cover a lot of ground on the fairway. The Beast’s recommended throwing techniques include power drives and hyzer flips, which require a solid foundation in disc control and arm speed.
Similarities Between the Valkyrie and Beast
Both the Valkyrie and Beast are Innova drivers that are great discs for those with less arm speed or players who are newer to the game of disc golf. The Valkyrie is the more popular disc between the two and is even one of the most popular drivers across all disc golf brands.
Even though the speed rating is different between both discs, they are similar enough to mention here. A one-speed difference doesn’t have a huge impact on the flight of the disc or how much power is needed to throw it correctly.
The Beast and Valkyrie have the same turn rating of -2 and fade rating of 2. With the low fade amount, it makes sense why these discs make good distance drivers.
Differences Between the Valkyrie and Beast
There aren’t too many differences between these Innova drivers but it’s important to cover each one here. They have different speeds, stability, and flight paths.
Speed Rating and Glide
The speed rating for the Valkyrie is 9 while the rating for the Beast is a 10. This isn’t a huge difference but the Beast needs more arm speed and spin to reach its maximum distance. That’s also one of the reasons why the Beast isn’t usually recommended for brand new disc golfers.
There’s also a small difference in total glide, with the Beast having more consistent and further glide. It will easily carry down the fairway and that helps lead to more distance thrown.
Stability
Even though the flight numbers are very similar, these drivers have stability levels that don’t match. The Valkyrie is less stable than the Beast, which also makes it a better disc for specific holes and turnover throws. The stability of the Beast allows players to put more power and snap behind the throw without fear of the disc turning over.
Difficulty Throwing
One of the reasons why the Valkyrie is such a popular disc is because it doesn’t require a lot of arm speed to throw, and it’s easier to control compared to other high-speed drivers. It was one of the first drivers I ever bagged, and thankfully it’s still a great disc to use even as you get more experience playing.
With a higher speed rating, the Beast can be more difficult for newer players to throw.
It’s more stable than the Valkyrie so beginners should be able to control and handle the turn amount.
Between the two options above, the Valkyrie is the more beginner-friendly disc. Even though the Valkyrie is easier to control and throw, the Beast won’t take much practice to learn to throw either. A few rounds playing with the Beast should be more than enough to feel comfortable throwing it for maximum distance.
Here are a few other control drivers from Innova that you might want to consider trying out!
Primary Shot Types
There are plenty of shots that you can throw with the Valkryie, especially since it’s a good beginner disc. For newer players, it’s a great way to add distance to your drives, and more experienced players can turn the Valkyrie into a great roller disc.
Since it’s an understable driver the most popular throw is a turnover drive. It has a consistent flight pattern and consistent turn, making it a reliable choice for most drives off the tee.
Another shot type that’s more difficult to throw is the backhand roller. The Valkyrie is understable and has a turn of -2, so it’s great at flipping mid-flight and turning into a roller. This can also depend on the plastic type of the driver, with Star plastic being more understable and flippy.
The Beast is a great disc for both forehand and backhand drives. It’s one of my favorite drivers for throwing a sidearm off the tee since it fits comfortably in my hand and the material is very grippy when I’m throwing.
Most players should be able to throw a decent amount further when using the Beast, especially if they control the angle and throw turnover throws. It’s also stable enough to be thrown on more straight holes, as long as it reaches the landing spot before beginning to fade.
Conclusion
When choosing between the Innova Valkyrie (full disc review) and Innova Beast (in-depth review), the biggest differences are control, speed, and stability.
Combining all of those key features will help you decide on which driver is the right disc for you!
I think that both the Valkyrie and Beast have certain holes and scenarios where they make a great choice to throw, so it’s nice to have experience throwing both drivers!