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§ 01 · Latest reviews

From the workshop bench

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  • A Look at the Dressel Designs Monsoon
    Folio 2037

    A Look at the Dressel Designs Monsoon

    The Monsoon is a big throw. The largest diameter in my collection, as a matter of fact. Upon unboxing it, I was a bit intimidated, wondering how it would feel in my hand. After stringing it up and giving it a throw, my fears were gone. An organic shape with a diameter of 63.0mm and…

  • A Look at the Riforgiate Design RippleDrop
    Folio 636

    A Look at the Riforgiate Design RippleDrop

    I knew going in that the RippleDrop was going to be light. I did not fully appreciate what that meant until I threw it hard and it sailed off the end of the string and hit me in the side of the head. Lesson learned. A softer touch, and this thing is wonderful. There’s a…

  • Recess | PC Hypernova | S-tier
    Folio 624

    Recess | PC Hypernova | S-tier

    The plastic category is absolutely packed, stuffed, and filled with yoyos that do what every company claims they do: be just as good as metal yoyos. 9 times out of 10, this tends to be somewhat true, but with the caveat that it’s one of the geriatric gentleman’s yoyos meant for a cool, calm, and…

  • A Look at the Dressel Designs Musubi & Musubi SS
    Folio 618

    A Look at the Dressel Designs Musubi & Musubi SS

    Dressel Designs dropped the Musubi and Musubi SS at the same time, and I’ll be honest, my first instinct was to wonder if one was just a novelty version of the other. A simultaneous dual release of the same shape in two different materials can feel like a cash grab. Spending time with both quickly…

  • MK1Yoyos | Laze | A-Tier
    Folio 610
    ·

    MK1Yoyos | Laze | A-Tier

    A new review? Hell yeah. No, this thread isn’t dead. A quick update in general: Good morning gang, it’s been a few months since I’ve posted anything regarding yoyo, and that’s mostly because I’ve been busy with school, training for an out-of-state job that I’m very excited for, and properly getting into cars. You oldheads…

  • A Look at the MK1/YYF Heron
    Folio 609

    A Look at the MK1/YYF Heron

    While I’ve certainly played my fair share of MK1 yo-yos, this is the first time I’ve played a Yoyofriends release. This collaboration is a tri-material beast, comprised of 7075 aluminum, stainless steel, and polycarbonate. The Heron features a V/H hybrid shape with a “lock-in” finger spin dimple, and is designed to be a “play all”…


§ 02 · Player profiles

The throwers we follow

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  • John Higby

    John Higby

    Artistic Performance world champion, street performer, and yo-yo artist known for hand-painted collectible yo-yos, four Guinness World Records, and a 27-country touring career.

  • Paul Escolar

    Paul Escolar

    1A trick innovator credited with inventing the Green Triangle and Magic Drop; Duncan Crew member, artist, and foundational figure of modern string play.

  • Mark Montgomery

    Mark Montgomery

    2003 WYYC AP World Champion known for dense technical 1A and the pioneering of slave tricks.

  • Remy Baskin

    Remy Baskin

    1A competitor and founder of Dis, known for technical flow, multi-division competition, and designing the Anima yo-yo.


§ 03 · Articles

Longform from the archive

Read the journal
  • The Evolution of Spin: A Material History of the Yoyo
    Folio 2954

    The Evolution of Spin: A Material History of the Yoyo

    For as long as humans have been tossing spinning objects at the end of a string, the soul of a yoyo has been defined by what it is made of. The material dictates not only the weight and balance but the very sound, feel, and capability of the return top. From the earthy thud of…


§ 04 · Companies

The makers behind the throws

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  • Markmont.

    Markmont. is the independent skill toy brand of Mark Montgomery, 2003 AP World Yo-Yo Champion and longtime figure in the yo-yo community. Mark has been involved in the sport since 1996 and was previously sponsored by Duncan, Yomega, Buzz-On, and One Drop Design. All Markmont. aluminum throws are machined in collaboration with One Drop Design…

  • Dis

    Dis is an independent yo-yo brand founded in 2023 by competitive player Remy Baskin of Northampton, Massachusetts. The brand produces limited-run precision throws that pair high-level performance with distinctive artistic packaging. Early releases have featured design collaborations with Martin Koprna of the Czech Republic and artwork by engravers and visual artists including In Hyeok Choi…

  • Kyo

    Kyo is a small-batch precision yo-yo manufacturer operated by Kyle Weems, a machinist, modder, and mechanical engineering graduate from Florida State University. Weems discovered yo-yos through a 1998 school science project and spent years combining his passion for the hobby with his manufacturing expertise, eventually building a brand known for uncompromising metallurgy and ultra-limited production…

  • SuperYo

    SuperYo was founded in 1994 by Arne Dixon, a former Duncan yo-yo demonstrator who had spent years performing and teaching at schools across the United States. Based in Lynnwood, Washington, the company was notable for owning its entire manufacturing process end-to-end, including all machinery — a rarity among small toy manufacturers of the era. SuperYo…

  • Lumar

    Lumar was the British yo-yo brand of Louis Marx and Company, the American toy mogul who built one of the world’s largest toy empires from the 1920s onward. Marx began manufacturing tin yo-yos in England under the Lumar name around 1930, operating first from Dudley before establishing a factory in Swansea, Wales by the late…

  • HICOO

    HICOO was a small artisan yo-yo manufacturer founded in 2006 by designer Shu-Yu Chen (known in the community as “Black Cement”) and partner Lucifer Chen. Based in mainland China, the brand holds a landmark place in yo-yo history as the creator of the first high-end aluminum yo-yo ever produced by a Chinese manufacturer. The debut…

§ 05 · Yo-yos

The objects themselves

Open the cabinet

What's currently on the Curator's desk.

§ 06 · Stories

Throwers, in their own words

Read the oral histories
  • Cerasus Design Notes

    This is a project that I’ve been working on for a few years now, but with protos now in the wild and getting shared around at a few clubs, I figured it was time to actually talk about it. The Cerasus started as a simple vision, simply wanting a large diameter yoyo that actually had…

  • Pun1sh3R’s Yonomicon ‘Merica Edition Adventure

    As memtioned above, I purchased the ‘Merica Edition. I also opted for the “Delivery In Person”. “The author will take a paperback copy of the book to the gun range, shoot a hole in, then take it to a burger joint where he will eat the largest burger on the menu with fries and get…

  • Dale Oliver picture from 1998 YoYo Boom – Earliest Offstring Photo?

    Later in the thread he references this article, which is an excellent read, followed up by this amazing video. Overall, some amazing yo-yo history here!

  • The Chief, a Documentary by Gingie

    Popular online yo-yo reviewer, Gingie, has released a video documentary about the CLYW Chief. “Super proud to finally be able to say this The Chief Documentary is done, at long last! After nearly two years of work, it’s my magnum opus and the single longest video on my channel. This video explores the lead up…

§ 07 · The index

The Archive Catalog

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