Amplified Return Tops, A.R.T. for short, is a new company brought to market by 19-year-old LaMonte’ Patterson. Patterson’s North Carolina (but soon to be Alabama) based company is, according to their official company bio, “dedicated to meeting player needs through quality production and creative designs”. If I didn’t know anything else about the company, I would still be impressed by Patterson’s drive to bring his freshman effort to market. After graduating high school, he took a year off to pursue his idea for his company. He waited tables to raise capital and waited until it was economically feasible with a solid design before even announcing his company. The ambition and drive from this teen is impressive. But that is enough praise for the company, this is a yo-yo review after all so now it is time to turn the focus to the Shout itself.
good review as always robyn… crazy has put in alot of his own time and effort into this project and i feel it will pay dividends for him if he keeps it this way.
Agreed. I could tell a lot of time and handwork went into this release and he is doing it right. Too many companies start off with flash and grand claims. This one started off getting all the ducks in a row first inorder to make sure it started off on the right foot. I look forward to seeing what they come out with in the future.
As for the Shout itself, I am hoping I can try a blasted one at a club meet or a contest sometime just so I can see how it feels. The finish at the moment is fine in anything but humid weather. Unfortunately the High Speed YoYo bunker is located in Ohio which has been inundated with stormy and muggy weather.
When solids are coming out (or when I have enough money for a sick splash) I’m getting this Yoyo I had it as a prototype and that just made me want it more now.
Waiting for a blasted run since grinds are right up there in my favorite tricks, but other than that, his thing looks amazing!!! Sounds right up my alley
I am still super new to the sport but I have seen a lot of folks saying stay away from grooved bearings and some saying it doesn’t make much of a difference. On the other hand I have seen nothing but praise of flat or curved bearings. Can I ask why you chose the most controversial of the bearings(at least from what I can see with my noobie eyes).
They are beautiful yoyos though! keep up the good work
From my experience, these have been the most consistent bearings I have used. As stated in the review, the grooved bearing I chose doesn’t have the problems usually associated with bearings of the sort. Long story short, not every grooved bearing is the same. These spin quietly and smoothly. Not a controversial decision in the least.
Also if you prefer a different bearing style, it can easily be swapped out with any other size C bearing.
I think I can add to this conversation, since I wrote this review.
Many have said I loath, despise, absolutely cannot stand string centering, grooved, non-flat bearings. I will just say I am not a fan of them. The key word in that statement is “I”. Bearings, string, and response pads are all personal preference. While I am not a fan of those types of bearings that is just my personal preference just as my reviews are just my one opinion on the subject. While I have no problem voicing my opinion I always recommend people getting a second, third, and fourth opinion as well and when it comes to those personal preference things, I HIGHLY recommend you try them out for yourself and build your own preferences. If you only listen to others you will never know what you truly like and dislike.
