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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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”…
With a name like “Laze,” one might think this MK1 release was a bit of a slouch. While it may have a laid back feel, this yo-yo is anything but. Combining a rounded and angular shape, the Laze manages to walk the middle path between performance and comfort. It’s on the lighter side, isn’t overly…
Seven-time 5A World Champion from Saitama, Japan, known for blending speed, technical density, and counterweight mastery across both 5A and 1A divisions.
From a Cincinnati whirligig to centrifugal clutches and the courtroom battle that set the name free – the story of who owned the yo-yo, and what that meant for the toy that never stops coming back. When James L. Haven and Charles Hettrick walked their paperwork into the United States Patent Office in the autumn…
Turning Point is a Japanese boutique yo-yo manufacturer founded in June 2008 by Kentaro Kimura, a three-time World 3A Champion, with the goal of building his ideal competition yo-yo. The brand pioneered the K-Pad response system, now an industry standard, and developed the low-edge wide-body step-round shape with its flagship Leviathan series. Turning Point is…
At Design Lab is an independent yo-yo design studio founded in 2021 and based in Tokyo, created by a designer who goes by “At.” The brand operates as a self-described “CtoC experimental brand” — a quiet creative space rather than a conventional business — with a philosophy rooted in Tokyo’s fast-shifting cultural scene: “new things…
sOMEThING by YoYoAddict is a Japanese premium yo-yo brand founded in 2012 by Hiroyuki “Mickey” Suzuki, the most decorated 1A competitor in World Yo-Yo Contest history — four world titles (2004, 2005, 2006, 2012), seven Asia-Pacific Championships, and six Japan National Championships. The brand operates as a sub-label of Suzuki’s retail operation YoYoAddict, sold worldwide…
“alternatives” is a Southeast Asian competition yo-yo brand founded in 2023 by Swee Jim Ho, a Malaysian competitor who returned to the hobby after a seven-year break. Built around a roster of Southeast Asian and international champions, the brand emphasises power, stability, and unconventional material combinations. The name references finding different possibilities. Products are competition-grade…
YoyoChampion is Gentry Stein’s own yoyo brand, launched around 2022 with the Master Pack progression system. Stein — a two-time World Yo-Yo Champion (2014, 2019) and four-time U.S. National Champion — designed signature models for YoyoFactory from 2010 onward before establishing his own storefront and exclusive product line. YoyoFactory remains the manufacturing partner for metal…
iYoYo is a German yo-yo brand founded in 2015 by Dave Geigle — 5× European YoYo Championship Champion and multiple German National Champion. Known for collaborations with designer Ze’ev Yehuda, player signatures (Ryan Connolly, Mathilde Witt), and brand collabs with ILYY, YoYoFactory, YoYoTricks, hspin, and CLYW, iYoYo spans beginner aluminum models through competition titanium bimetals.…
This post is originally from the YoyoExpert Forums, and is republished here with permission from Cody (Pun1sh3R.) It is posted here in its original format, with no editing from The Yoyo Archive Team. As memtioned above, I purchased the ‘Merica Edition. I also opted for the “Delivery In Person”. “The author will take a paperback…
Andre Boulay posted this story from World’s 2024: 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!
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…
