Lunarwind
Specs:
OD: 56 mm
Weight: 66.3 g
Width: 42 mm
Pic is blurry because I’m not a photographer. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
Intro:
The Lunarwind is the flagship model from the new company Jekyll & Hyde spins. J&H was born from two of our very own forum members here at YYE (aznnboyaZ and SuperSnproductions) This means that the owners of the company are very well versed in all yoyo related knowledge. And also that they are awesome. Because YYE is the place where cool kids hang. Let’s see if J&H and the Lunarwind can stand out in the crowd of all these newly blossoming companies with newly blossoming yoyos. Or if they will fade into obscurity, only to be forgotten in 3 months when a new yoyo comes out.
Look:
This yoyo is a prototype. All I can say about the look and finish is that it’s raw. I personally like raw yoyos as long as their polished. This one is not polished. I won’t complain or hold it against them, though. Once again it’s a prototype. I do expect some sweet colors once the production run comes around. So don’t disappoint me, J&H. The sharp, steep angles give it a cool look. Almost dangerous. When yoyoing with the Lunarwind you feel like a 16 year old girl, sneaking out in the middle of the night to go see Chad. The guy down the street with the leather jacket and the sweet Camaro. Your mom said she doesn’t want him around because he’s 21, and he smokes, and she thinks he’s…dangerous. Much like the Lunarwind however, Chad is not dangerous. Those are candy cigarettes, the Camaro belongs to his grandma (and it’s a hybrid), Plus he’s holding out for marriage. The total package. Watch out for his friend Jake, though. That guy is a creep.
Shape:
The shape is nice. It’s feels very comfortable in the hand. The steep H shape lends well to rejections and provides minimal contact between the string and the wall. Much like the minimal contact between you and Chad. The spike in the center seems like it could do matador, but I have never seen a point in trying matador and the Lunarwind did not change my mind. There is no IRG so finger grinds are out unless you throw at an angle. I have an analogy with Chad for this too. But, you know, little kids.
Next to a Deadly Spins Pride. Which is like if a Camaro was a yoyo. shameless plug
Performance:
Now we get to the part of the review that you care about. I have to say at first I was a little disappointed. Much like you were with Chad when he left you for Stacy. That loose cheerleader, with her stupid blonde hair and perfect legs. Also, she spells her name “Staci” and dots the “i” with a heart. Because she thinks it’s cute. UGH. I HATE HER. The spin did not feel very powerful and the yoyo lended to tilting very easily. I did not hear about any other reviewers having this issue but the Lunarwind I received had a small pulsing vibe out of the package. It was still smooth. But there was a little pulse which some tuning corrected. I had heard stories of other reviewers swapping bearings with a KK. After the swap the yoyo was much more tolerable. Spin times were average and it did not lend to tilting so easily. Honestly, I have never felt such a difference in performance from just a bearing swap and I highly recommend to J&H that they ship these with a KK. On the string the Lunarwind plays light and a little more slow paced. I like these qualities in a yoyo. While it is not the best performer out there, it is definitely a fun yoyo to pick up and just enjoy. Just make sure there is a KK in it. Because tilting in the middle of a combo is not enjoyable.
Overall:
The Lunarwind is a pretty average yoyo. I wasn’t expecting much because the owners of J&H have no previous design experience as far as I know. But it’s definitely not bad. Being from the community and born on YYE I expect good things from J&H as they evolve as a company. That is if they stick around. Is it worth the money? I can’t say because I don’t know what the price range is. I wouldn’t pay more than 100$ for this particular yoyo. I would like to see the production run add a gram or two straight to the rims to fix the tilt / spin time issue, but that might take away from the light feel I enjoy so much. I am also recommending again that J&H ship these stock with a KK. It is not a very good yoyo without a string centering bearing.
Now that’s a clean desk.
Spin Times: 5/10
Smoothness: 9/10
Ergonomics: 9/10
Aesthetics: 8/10
Overall: 7.75./10
