Blink
Specs:
OD: 52mm
Weight: 65g
Width: 42mm
That’s boxing gloves in the background. What a coincidence I had them in red and black.
Intro:
The Blink is the signature model of renowned Japanese player Tatsuya Fujisaka. It is a variation on the original stardust design by YYR. And with it’s sister yoyo, the E=Mc^2, it seeks to bring a classic design to a newer generation of yoyoers while making some small improvements to suit our modern needs. It’s going to be tough but I am going to do this review without directly comparing and contrasting this yoyo to the E=Mc^2 (of which a review is coming soon) Hopefully you will be able to read both reviews and make an informed decision on which yoyo you would prefer.
Look:
I’m going to get this out of the way. I don’t like the color on this one. There, I said it. But beggars can’t be choosers and this is a lender so I’ll try not to cry about it too much. Like I said in my last review I prefer YYR in just a solid, classy color. But unlike the Re Clash I reviewed here it doesn’t look awesome when it’s spinning. As far as overall appearances go this yoyo looks pretty cool. Probably the coolest looking yoyo I’ve seen is a…you know what, I don’t even know. But this yoyo still looks kinda cool compared to it. I like the small lip on the outer rim and the transition YYR made from the flat hub to the small bump was a good one. I think it adds…character.
Shape:
The shape isn’t really anything new. It’s just a rehash of the Stardust with the rims rounded off a little bit more. It’s super comfortable, fits perfectly in my hand, and rejects the string very well when I want it to. All while making sure string contact with the wall stays at a minimum. This is one of my favorite things about YYR and while it may seem simple or bland I think it is one of the reasons that these yoyos are known to perform so well. I’m not sure whether or not to call this yoyo undersized or mid-sized. At 52mm It sits right in the middle of both and I think it’s more interesting to call it either a small mid-sized throw or a large undersized throw. It’s a little bit wide for it’s size range at 42mm so I think I’m leaning towards calling it a large undersized yoyo. Just because saying “large” makes it sound bigger. And bigger is better.
Yuuksta, Blink, La Goutte
Performance:
This yoyo is small, and this yoyo is light. On paper this yoyo seems like it would be lacking considerably in the spin time department but I have no problems going through any of my combos. Most of which are fairly long ~20 seconds and it still returns with a snappy bind to my hand. I would say that the spin times are on par with your average full sized yoyo. Taking into consideration how small and light this yoyo is I would say that it is an amazing feat, but nothing short of what we have come to expect from YYR as a company (I’m talking to you, Messiah) This yoyo plays light which is what you would expect at 64g, but it also plays fairly solid. I’ve heard yoyos described as “Zippy” before and I think that fits the bill perfectly with this yoyo. It has the capability to go very fast but has no problem matching my medium paced yoyoing. The Blink is very easy to maneuver how ever you want it to and will gladly slide past any string segments should you so choose. This yoyo performs very, very good. I can’t stress that enough. But it doesn’t feel like it has any special qualities to it. Almost like a lifeless machine. It’s there to get the job done, and it gets the job done very well.
Overall:
It’s an amazing yoyo. The Blink is personally one of my favourite (I spelled it like I’m British) yoyos of all time. But this might not be for everyone. If you’re looking for a little more “character” then you should check out some other companies, maybe CLYW. This yoyo is about raw performance and it certainly delivers. It is a little on the small side and the trend lately has been anything between full/over sized. I don’t know if this is for competition purposes, but the Blink is definitely freestyle ready and I would choose it to go on stage over almost any other yoyo. This is a short section because there’s nothing else I can say.
Same yoyos as last time
Spins Times: 7.5/10
Smoothness: 10/10 NOTE: This yoyo hasn’t been unscrewed yet. Unscrewing this yoyo will lead to a vibe that is inherent in all YYR models. It does not affect play. But I would say an unscrewed YYR has a 7-8/10 on the smoothness scale.
Ergonomics: 9/10
Aesthetics: 8.5/10
Overall: 8.75/10
Shout out to Cole Jordan for lending me the Blink and Re clash! Thanks a lot!