One small piece of information was leaked about this years mystery box. One detail that both shot down all old speculation, and created a melting pot of other possibilities. This years mystery box would include a brand new signature yoyo.
I hoped it would be a David Ung signature (maybe one day). Others were certain it would be the long awaited Jason Lee Detour. I don’t recall anyone mentioning a new Gentry throw.
Once pictures circulated the forums (totalartist) many were surprised. Not only is the new yoyo a Gentry Sig, but it also closely resembles a previous signature the Super G. To top it off, the yoyo was made out of plastic. It didn’t look like your good 'ol polycarb of years past though. Right off the bat, most thought it could be delrin. I suspected it to be glass filled. YYF later revealed that the yoyo was made from POM. A machined plastic similar to delrin. So with photos (totalartist) and details from the company itself, all information about the new yoyo was quickly gathered. The new yoyo is a plastic version of the super G. It has a mass of more than 68 grams (totalartist). Upon feedback from mystery box purchasers, the yoyo will be released in another run with a different color-way.
I think I’m missing something. I left something out. Oh yeah, they have yet to name this yoyo. Right when you thought you knew every detail about this yoyo, out pops another mystery. Currently yoyofactory is open to suggestions about the name. You can shoot them your name suggestion via their ask.fm page. They are currently considering the name REGEN and possibly others.
A yoyo this mysterious must play amazingly, right? Well that’s what I’ll break down.
Looks
The yoyo is basically a plastic rendition of the Super G. If you are unfamiliar with that model, it has a severe H profile. The yoyo is made out of black POM, and it has a minimalistic style. The caps blend perfectly with the plastic. It would be impossible to tell them apart, if it weren’t for the words “yoyofactory” and “gentry stein” being printed a tad darker than the material. Overall the yoyo has an understated, yet classy look.
Gap Features
The Regen comes stock with white CBC pads. The response provides snappy binds without being snaggy.
YYF chose to use the CTX bearing. It’s not quiet, but it is smooth. It’s possibly the loudest CT type bearing I have.
You’ll be glad to know that those dreaded spacers are not used in this model. There is no need for pliers and elbow grease to pluck out the bearing. The seat looks similar to that of a YYJ classic.
Play
This yoyo surprised me. It’s just plastic, yet it spins with similar stability and power of a metal yoyo. Having a mass of 68 grams helps. However, it doesn’t feel heavy on the string. It is quite nimble. I’m sure faster players out there will enjoy this one. Mine is also dead smooth. It grinds better than most plastics as well.
Conclusion
The REGEN is a great all plastic yoyo. If it never gets a full release, it could easily become YYF’s Yeti. It’s that good. It’s stable, smooth, and long spinning. Bundle that into a sleek look and a unique profile, and you’ve got a yoyo that could easily become a favorite of many.
YYF used to play around with the whole “death to metal” slogan. The only yoyo’s that really came close were the NorthStar and ProtoStar. However those yo-yos weren’t just plastic, metal weight rings enhanced their performance. Now YYF has a full plastic yoyo that plays on par with today’s competition metals.
Could it be “Death to Metal”? Probably not, but it’s still a great high-end plastic yo-yo. If you ever have a chance to snag one, do it.
