Ektena

(Pronounced Ook-tan (native speakers)/ or Ook-tay-nah (formal))

**NOTE** I am new to this plastic disc thing, and I used the same pad printing stamping process as our rubber discs. Unfortunately, the stamp did not adhere very well to the Bendy plastic, so the stamp does rub off easy. I will fix this for future runs because the stamp is incredible and I want it to last forever.

This run's feel: Incredible grip, almost leathery. Flexible and impact resistant. Able to be bent in half with high pressure, but firm in the hand.

Uktena is a creature from Cherokee legends, its aggressive, cunning, and powerful! With its snakelike body, wings, antlers, and powerful crystal imbued upon its head, it carves through the forest and glides through the sky. Cherokee Elders say that the Uktena can be seen when major change is coming. This is exactly what the Uktena is for us at Elevation Disc Golf, because this is our first disc made from plastic! A distance driver made to snake its way through the course with the flight numbers of 11/5/-2/2. Legend has it that if you can best Uktena and capture its crystal you can become very powerful! So come see if the legends are true about Uktena and see if you can master the power it has inside!

This disc was designed by Austin Minocci and the name and story behind the disc was made in partnership with Drake Bendabout of the Cherokee tribe of Oklahoma. Drake wanted to tell more people about his culture and thought the new Disc at elevation disc golf could help do that! He grew up on stories about Uktena and got more resources from his Uncle Choogie Kingfisher (Cherokee National Treasure for his Storytelling) to help bring this idea to life. He hopes it brings awareness to the Cherokee people and their rich culture of stories. Drake Bendabout is on Team Elevation and illustrated/designed the art for the official stamp of the first run of the Elevation Disc Uktena!

"As a company that has made a name for itself making flexible rubber discs, it was weird to think about attempting a disc in plastic, but being that our rubbers are so much more dense than plastic, I needed to use plastic to make a distance driver with the wing shape I wanted. Somehow, I was able to formulate a plastic that was rubbery in every way, and really unique especially in the world of distance drivers. The flight is everything I could have hoped for, easy distance with a finish, kicking out all the wraiths from my bag (sorry wraith)."

-Austin Minnocci, Elevation Co-Founder, Mold Designer

Stamp design by the talented Team Elevation Member Drake Bendabout

Bendy, Thermoplastic Elastomer - Our Bendy plastic is made of the grippiest and shiniest plastic we could find, made to be the next level up in stiffness after ecoFIRM. We wanted to expand our materials lineup to allow for more design and flexibility freedom, but didn't want to stray too far from our roots as a maker of unique discs. So, we made a plastic blend that has the grippiness of rubber, with just enough flexibility to reduce things like tree kicks, and super durability despite its bendable nature.

Images are one per color/stamp. Shade may vary.