A Review of Wham-O's Reflyer Frisbee

Frisbee has been a well-known sport and outdoor activity for many years, and more recently it has gained notoriety as Ultimate leagues have spread and become more popular. Beyond this, throwing a frisbee around with friends is a great way to spend a summer afternoon while being environmentally friendly. In this article, I am going to review the Reflyer, a frisbee made by Wham-O that is made out of recycled polyethylene.

Since chemistry is close to my heart, let me talk a little about polyethylene. If you're not interested, feel free to skip ahead to the next paragraph. Ethene, also known as ethylene, has a chemical formula of C2H4, meaning that it is comprised of two carbon atoms and four hydrogen atoms. The molecule looks sort of like a dog bone, with the four hydrogens as the knobby parts at the ends of the bone, with two connecting to each carbon. Polyethylene is a polymer, meaning that it is comprised of many individual ethylene molecules connected together. There is more, but it is difficult to describe in words alone.

Polyethylene is the compound from which plastic grocery bags are made. In normal conditions, it could take up to 500 years for one of these bags to decay. They are not particularly environmentally friendly for this reason. The fact that the Reflyer is made of 60% recycled polyethylene makes it very attractive to anyone wishing to be green. Frisbee is an inherently green sport, so it is nice that the Reflyer is available for those wishing to be even more eco-friendly.

But does the Reflyer fly? The answer to this is yes. It weighs the standard 175 grams, though a 110 gram model is also available. It is regulation size as well, if you are interested in using it for a formal Ultimate league. The Reflyer is well-balanced and works just as well as any other high-quality frisbee. It is flexible and durable, so it is unlikely to break unless it is your intention to do so. It has a unique green-grey color that is mixed with hints of bright colors. No two Reflyers are exactly the same.

The Reflyer is a great choice for anyone just getting into frisbee or for those that have been playing for a long time. The Reflyer is available for about $13 and can be found at Dick's Sporting Goods. It costs about $3 more than other frisbees, but consider the fact that it is a quality frisbee and is eco-friendly. To me, knowing that I'm paying for a green item is worth an extra few dollars. Beyond that, the Reflyer is a quality item that I'm confident will last.