Over the last few months you might have seen the new Innova Leopard3 pop up on social media or at a big tournament. The limited release can currently be found as part of Innova’s new Player Sponsorship Package. These discs are exclusive to events to pick up Innova as a sponsor. Along with the new disc, players get a handful of other Innova items.
The Leopard3 is another in the line of the “3 top” discs. This joins the other fairway drivers of the Teebird3 and TL3 with the lower profile top which helps it fly with a little more speed and drops the somewhat domey top that can be found on the fairway driver’s mold without the “3 top” on it.
Innova sent us the Leopard3 to check out and we threw it along side an older Champion Leopard and GStar Leopard which as seen a decent amount of wear.
The Champion plastic the Leopard3 uses is very pearly and produces a very pretty disc. From when we first opened the box to when we were out on the course on a beautiful, sunny day, the Leopard3 really looked sharp. The plastic was on the stiffer side and likely played a factor in the flight. More on that in a moment.
Looks are one thing, but the flight itself is what is more important. The Leopard3 can be thrown with a power grip or a modified fan grip that brings the fingers a little closer to the rim. It all depends on what kind of shot you’re going for. Regardless, we had no problem trying to find a comfortable grip with the Leopard3.
We’re in the belief that many Champion Leopards we’ve thrown in the last five years have been a little on the stable side. You see the turn rating of -2 and fade rating of 1 and hope for a disc that has a natural turn to it to produce some easy anhyzer shots and turnovers. Lately that hasn’t been the case and some of the domey Champion Leopards have flown more in the -1, 1.5 or even 0, 2 range. The GStar Leopard start out on the understable side of things, around a true -2, 1, but soon beat in to something with even more turn.
The Leopard3 for us flew much closer to the -2, 1 ratings when thrown at full power (this is important), and had a flight closer to those “pre-Barry” Leopards that so many love.
The strongest arms in our testing group found the Leopard to have a very predictable flight when thrown at max power. Those who tend to have max distance of around 350-375 feet all found the Leopard3 to produce a decent turn and minimal fade when thrown at full power. The turn would fire up once it reaches max speed and will hold that turn for the rest of the flight before a very minimal fade.
The turn was gradual and smooth during these shots. It didn’t flip too fast and it held its path the whole time. The fade at the end was enough to have it return flat and show just a hair of movement back to the left. The turn wasn’t huge when taking the power into account, which was a welcome sight. Often times you’ll lean into a disc at full power and easily over power it and turn it into a roller. The Leopard3 wasn’t the case as it would show the turn, but only to a certain extent.
Now, when this group of throwers who could reach 350-375 max distance took just a little power off of their drives, the Leopard3’s flight was much straighter. Even at 75-85%, the Leopard3 flew more like a Discmania FD with just a little turn before a moderate fade. The flight was still very controllable, but in order to produce those natural turnover shots, it does need as much power as you can give it.
If you have a max distance of 300-325 feet, or less, the Leopard3 will likely be a straighter disc with maybe a hint of turn before a little more fade than others might see. You could get it to a level to show that turn, but it need some power and speed in order to do it.
When thrown on an anhyzer angle with some height the Leopard3 will hold that line and can be a great turnover disc when you help it. Power is needed for it to naturally turn over, but if you help it a little with a release angle, results should still be desirable. If you don’t have the power to naturally turn the Leopard3, a little encouragement from you should go a long way.
Overall, we’d rate the Innova Leopard3 at 7, 5, -2, 1. The bump up from the Speed 6 rating of the normal Leopard is due to the requirement for a little more power to get it to fly as designed. It needs a little more behind it, but it will produce that natural turnover if thrown correctly. If you don’t quite have that 350 foot power, you’ll expect something more around 7, 5, -1, 1.5 or even 7, 5, 0, 2. You can still produce the desired turnover shot, but it might require a little help from you in terms of release angle.
In our minds, the Innova Leopard3 is closer to the “pre-Barry” Champion Leopards of the past than what you’ll find in the current offerings. It does turn easier, but needs a little more power than before. The Leopard3 is a little more stable than the GStar Leopards out of the box as well.
There were a few moments during our tests when we executed the small turnover flight path that so many desire in the Leopard and had to say out loud, “there we go!” The desired flight is in there, but it just takes a little work from your side to make it happen.
With the firmness of the plastic, we’d also expect it to beat in nicely and the power requirement should drop a little bit. The stiff plastic can force the disc to be a little more stable than you’d think out of the box. Give it some time to wear in and soften a little and a little more turn should be easier to achieve on the fairway.
Keep your eyes open at an upcoming tournament for the Leopard3 to be a part of the players pack. If you are planning on running a tournament and have an interest in the Innova Players Pack Sponsorship, reach out to your Innova representative or email info@innovadiscs.com for more information.
116 Comments
This is one I’d truly love to throw. Ive been looking forward to it since I heard about them a few weeks ago. Thanks for yet another great giveaway!!
Would love to try this disc.
looking for slight turnover tunnel shot discs.
Love to give this to my wife!
I love my Leopards and I’m over eager to try this one out!
Would love to give this leopard a try. My bag is full of Innova plastic!
I’ve never thrown a Leopard before, and this looks like a nice straight-shooter for me.
Leopards are fantastic. Would make a great addition to my bag!
I started out with a DX Leopard in the Innova starter set I first bought. Took me a long time to figure out how to throw it with a forehand. I’ve given it to my kids now, and they like throwing it. Haven’t tried any of the “3 top” discs from Innova yet, but if they’re flatter than the normal ones, I’d like them.
Got my first leopard 12 years ago. I loved it. I just recently let a new disc golfer try it out and he threw it into a lake… Never to been seen again. This looks like a great replacement.
I want to try the Leopard 3 because I used to throw a red pre-Barry Champ Leopard which I lost about 2 years ago. I’ve since tried Star (which are too stable) Gstar (which are not consistent enough) and have settled in to a modern-day Champ Leopard which is nice but doesn’t have the same easy turn as the pre-Barry Leopard. Maybe the Leopard3 will be my saving grace for the 200-300 ft anhyzer shots.
I would love to use this leopard 3 at my local course. A nice tunnel shot with a dog leg left I think this disc would be awesome.
Would really like to win the mew Leopard3 I would like to try it for me an my son. My son swears by his leopards an quite a few in his bag. And i have a very old one in my bag an would like to upgrade an try a new one. Thanks for the opportunity
The leopard was one of the first drivers I used and I still love it as a solid fairway disc. Would love to try out this new version and see how it compares!!
I’m a huge Leopard fan and have been drooling when I heard about the 3. Would feel honored to actually sully one in person!
Thanks
Would love to try out this disc. Have DX and star plastsic. Only need the champion plastic. The leopard is a great fairway driver. Have hit few aces with my star plastsic. Very predictable driver.
I want to win this contest because it will make all my friends mad that I won this sweet disc and they all tried but didn’t win.
I would love to have the leopard3 because I’ve been using the leopard in my bag for about a year and it is my go to! I would love to see how this one works for my game!
I love throwing fairway drivers, they fit perfectly in my hand. Would love to make the Leopard3 a part of my bag.
I am the Leopard’s biggest fan. It has always been and always will be my go to driver. I have 3 in my bag, a star leopard, and 2 gstar leopards…. Sounds like I need the Leopard3 to round it out.
i started with a leopard and always have liked it, would love to give the leopard3 a try
Always like to use encouragement on any disc.. Leopard disc in the past have responded well for my throws, especially now with loss of distance..Excited..
This disc sounds perfect for me. It has a decent turn and a slight fade. Also given I am new to the sport, it sounds like it will give me a much straighter flight path with a slightly weaker arm. Plus you really have to put some oomf on it to turn it over. Thanks for the chance. Keep making the great products that your consumers have come to love!
The Leopard is my go to disc and has been since I started to play 4 years ago. I would love to get this as it almost sounds like a nice season champion Leopard out of the box. Leopard, the love of my life!
I’d really love to try this! I got one last week in a tourney players pack, but it got stolen yesterday; only had a chance to throw it a few times.
I would love to try one of those beautiful discs!
Id love to try this guy out! As im switching from an all discraft bag to a all innova bag this would come in handy.
I want the Leopard3 because I’ve thrown the Gstar Leopard and love it.
I feel like I can put more torque into a champion plastic disc. I love throwing my gstar leopard but it is starting to turn over a bit easier.
Gimme a leopard 3
lookinb for a replacement for my DX Leopard and live champion plastic. This would be a great fit for my bag and would love to have it.
I would love to try the this disc because I’m just getting into the fairway side of disc golf and I think it would be a great addition to my bag!
Had a Star Leopard I really liked, but lost it and haven’t had a chance to replace it. Could use something that turns a bit in a fairway driver.
Love getting an update to my favorite fairway driver!
This is one disc that has never made its way out of my bag.. I’d love to see how this new plastic handles. Looking forward to seeing it at a tournament near me!
I’m new to disc golf this year. Recently bought a Champion Leopard and would love to try the new Leopard3.
Been looking for a gentle turnover disc. Considering going back to the DX Leopard, but would like to give this a try.
Leopards are generally my go to disc for a variety of shots, and i’ve tried a lot of them! I’d love to try a Leopard 3, see if it can knock one of my other Leopards right out of my bag!
I’m 45 and just recently began playing about 3 months ago and absolutely love it. This disc would definitely enhance my learning curve!
I would like to try a leopard. I’ve heard from. fellow golfers that it’s a must have in the bag. Maybe some day I will.
Extensive review, enjoyed the read!
To be honest I’ve never thrown a Leopard, but my go-to disc is the Discmania FD.
Would be great to have a chance to compare this Leopard3 with it!
I’d love to see how this compares to my old Pro Leopard “Long range turning driver.”
I would definitely like to try a Leopard3. You mentioned it might fly like a FD for people in my power range. I wanted to like the FD but couldn’t quite get a comfortable grip with the dome on it. This sounds like the answer!
I bought a 2x Barry Leopard over a year ago with intentions of using it exclusively for turnover shots and it is still surprisingly stable. I thought I just had some factory fluke that was freaky strong. Had no idea the mold had changed since I first threw a Leopard 15 years ago.
But most importantly fairway drivers rule! My home course’s longest hole is 356′ yet people insist on using speed 11,12, 13 distance drivers and never learn the value of a solid fairway driver.
Love it! So pretty
Love the leopard and a slightly less dome is nice, reminds me of CE.
I’m from the west coast of Canada and love to play disc all year round! I currently have a Teebird3 that I absolutely love and works very well with my rhfh, but I would really like to throw the Leapard3 and see how it stands up to my forehand throws. Cheers eh!!
I would like to try it, because I like the feel of my pro Leopard, but it is way too flippy for me to control.
I’ve been playing for a few years and have never thrown a Leopard. I’ve been looking for something a little less stable than my usual forehand discs and this might fit into my bag.
The Leopard has been my go to disc for years. Can’t wait to throw this new plastic.
Yes. The leopard3 is definitely a disc I want to add to my bag. It would be great for some of the holes on my home course, at least, it sounds like it.
Would live that Leopard because my game needs it!
I’ve lost more DX leopards than any other disc. I’d like one of these.
I would like to put it in our physical education collection so my classes can all test the leopard3 out. We have 7 baskets we use during our disc golf unit!
I’d love a Leopard3! I own 2 DX Leopards and they’re great. One of them is super beat in and I like using it for rollers a lot. A Leopard3 would be a great complement to my Teebird as an understable fairway driver with a little more distance than the original Leopard.
I want to try a leopard 3 because I have been missing a 7 speed understable fairway driver in my bag and it is a shot I am currently missing
Yeah! I can’t wait to sling a Leopard3! Sounds like it’s right up my alley.
I have a pro leopard that I got as one of my first discs. I love the way it flys and would love to add the leopard 3 to my golf bag. It sounds like a great all around disc.
This stamp looks so cool!
I’m a big fan of Leopards and would love to try this one.
im just now getting my drive figured out and it would be great to grab this disc and start to learn it too. I’ve been playing for over 10 years and I’m just now starting to be a decent Disc Golfer!
It’s another great review from ATDG! A Leopard 3 could prowl around in my bag!
My friend was just talking about his Leopard today at disc golf. It would be awesome to try a brand new one! If it doesn’t work for me, I would give it to him for helping me out all the time.
Always looking for consistent, trustworthy discs to add to my bag. Never tried a Leopard. It would look great next to my Groove and Destroyer.
Would love to throw this disc. Use to throw a special edition leopard and loved that. I imagine this disc would definitely have spot in my bag.
Really could use an understable mid range for my bag! Thanks for the giveaway.
Had a leopard a while back and loved it but lost it. Would love to try this new leopard3 and pair it with my teebird and conquer all courses!
Looks awesome. Love my champion leopard would love to get my hands on this!
Would love to try one. I had a DX that went astray….
The leopard is my go to disc, I need to try the new one! Can’t wait for the leopard3!
This would be a great addition to my bag. I’ve just started disc golfing this year and look forward to using new discs. I’d love to see what it can do to improve my game! Thanks
Huge fan of the leopard discs by Innova for the last 10 years it has been my go to disc for a many holes on all the local courses in Maine, please I beg you to send me one of these beautiful discs! Please and thank you
My father loves the Leopard discs. This would make a very nice addition to his bag as a gift from me.
Have had a Seer in my bag as a possible leopard replacement, but it doesn’t seem to handle power as well as my leopards did… so back to the leopard? Would be interested in this new flatter style.
The Leopard was one of the first discs I ever bought when I originally learned about disc golf. Would love to try out the new version!
The Leopard is my all-time favorite disc!
The Leopard3 looks like a lot of fun to throw. Thanks for the review!
I want one of these to get that pretty flip up to slight turning shot with less effort than a sidewinder takes because of the higher speed!!
Need it to tear up some wood courses!
I would love the leopard because I am wanting to give my siblings a good driver to use!
I love cats and disc golf.
Would love to try this gorgeous disc!
I’ve got a pretty domey champ leopard right now, would love to use a faster, more understable one for turnover shots!
My leopard was my go-to driver before I lost it on an overgrown course this past weekend. Definitely a big loss for a new player without many discs to choose from. I love the look of this– definitely one I’d like to try if it flies like the original leopard.
I have a Star Leopard that just was too overstable for my arm…no matter what I give it, there is virtually no turn and always a fade. It acts like my Roc3, with a little more distance. I would love to see if the Leopard3 gave me that turn that several lines on my local course require.
I have a champion and gstar leopard and they neither one fly like the numbers, however i love my gstar leopard. It probably just needs beat in more but id love to see one do it right out of the box
There are rarly leopards in austria … so I want one
Who would not want to throw one of the best faurway driver made. I would love to throw a new mold of the trusty leapord.
L-E-O-P-A-R-D3!!!!!!!
Sounds like if you can give it the proper launch it can do some wonderful things!
It’s good to see that the Leopard still gets the respect it deserves. Since I began playing , it has been my go to driver . I think the new Leopard3 with higher speed will be an awesome addition to any bag . Love to give this one a try !!!
Would love to have a chance to throw this disc
One of my first discs was a Leopard. It’s a good go-to disc when you need it. So I would love to see how the Leopard3 would fit into my bag.
I recently started playing disc golf and my first driver was a Star Leopard. I have grown to love the disc and would love to get my hands on one of the new Leopard3 discs. Thank you for having such an awesome giveaway!
My favorite disc is a champ leopard. I would love to try out the new leopard.
I would lige to try to have a fairway driver, that I don’t need to rip my shoulder apart, to make it fly some-what straight, as I am currently throwing Champ Glow Teebirds.
I threw my last champion leopard in a lake. I’d love the opportunity to do the same with a leopard3
I’m pretty excited for the leopard3 to be honest. I have tried a few champ/star leopards out in the past couple years and just as you stated they seemed to be more on the stable side out of the box very close to my teebirds. I did have a gstar leopard that as you stated flew more like a true leopard but I don’t really like plastic that is too gummy. That’s why this FIRM champion leopard3 sounds like it’s right up my alley!
Currently bag a star leopard that has been around since I’ve started playing…about 3 years ago. This would be a perfect upgrade and eventual replacement once the star wears out completely. Would love to get the chance to throw one of these Leo3s!
Me make leopard3 disc fly far!!! Pretty shots! Fits into a major gap of speeds in my set.
Working on honing in my arm speed and am getting into less stable plastic to increase my distance. Would love to give the Leopard3 a go!
I have a older version of the leopard which I have been throwing for a while and getting an upgrade to it would be a huge deal and mean a lot!
I would use this disc for a couple short holes at my local course, because I don’t have any fairway drivers. I would also show this disc off to my friends because it’s one of the sexiest discs I’ve ever seen.
Would love to win this awesome looking disc.
The Leopard was the first disc I ever bought. Still in my bag. This disc sounds great. I would love it. I’m sure of it.
I’d like to start out by saying thay I’m a newer member to the world of disc golf and I’m loving every second of it. I’m a college student, so money can be a little tight at times. I can’t always go out and buy a new disc whenever I want, due to my academic priorities. I play a few rounds whenever I get the chance (which isn’t as often as I would like). In my time spent at the course, I have talked to several of the experienced local players in my area about what they throw, what they like, etc. I would estimate that nearly 8 out of 10 people tell me about how great the “Pre-Barry” leopards were back when they were being produced. I would love to win this disc to expand my arsenal, as I really believe it could help make a difference in my game!
I forgot to include my website on my initial post, I added that in this reply!
I have trouble with anhyzer/turnover shots, and this disc seems like a great one to use to try to improve.
I really want to like the Leopard but I don’t like the domey top. The Leopard 3 sounds like it will fit my feel just right.
I use disc golf as a way to meet new people and enjoy the outdoors. I have so much pride in the game and the utmost respect for Innova. Would be truly honored to receive this disc and continue to spread the joy Innova has brought to me through this game.
I’ve had a leopard on my bag for a good 4 years now. Anticipated the leopard 3 and would love to have one. Innova does it again!!
Great review! As a avid thrower of leopards this has me intrigued. Hopefully these will see full production soon!!
The leopard is my go to disk for a lot of my shots. I carry six in my bag, each broken in slightly different so I can get my desired shot. I am looking for one with just a bit more stability and I think the Leopard 3 might just be the answer. Can’t wait to try one.
My daughter(11) is just getting into disc golf and lovers her old, beat up DX Leopard. Would to grab one of these new ones for her to grow her game with!!!
Dying to get my hands on one of these to see how it compares to my star leo!
Love innova, would be amazing to try this disc out. We have a lot of trees and tunnels in PA and my champion leopard is dinged up pretty bad. Thank you ATDG.
Love the “3 top” discs! Can’t wait to try it on the good ole leopard!
This is the fairway driver I’ve been waiting for.