5a player here!
In my experience, 5a is one of if not the most intimidating styles to learn. Wether it be the inevitable counterweight bruises, or just being uncomfortable with the counterweight swinging around. If you are having trouble with 5a, feel free to ask me any questions and I might be able to help!
what features in a yoyo are most ideal for playing 5A?
It’s different for everyone, I personally prefer wide (48-60mms) small diameter (53-55) and light (63-65) because you have to pay attention to the weight and the yo-yo, and a wide yo-yo just makes it so you can pay a little less to the yo-yo, but some people prefer 3a-type throws (40-44mms wide, 56-60mms diameter, ~66grams) for more stability and spin times through their big combos, but really any 1a yoyo (43-48mms wide, 56-58mms diameter, 64-67grams) will work. As for material, most competitors opt for either hybrid or bimetal throws simply for their superior power and spin time, but some will use monometals as to not dislodge their stainless steel rings. Hope this helps!
I would argue 4A is the most intimidating to learn as most everyone already has a 1A YoYo of some sort and anything can be a cw if your brave enough.
However 5a does require tracking two things like 2a or 3 a with the added fear of dropping the YoYo which for some a ding is really hard to accept initially.
Personally I struggle with remembering to know where the cw is and often miss catching it as I’m so used to focusing on the YoYo itself .
I think a drywall repair supply company should be the official sponsor of 5A. It hasn’t happened to me yet but it’s coming. I can feel it.
God I’ve had to fix so many holes in my walls and not one was YoYo related. I have a hole to fix right now that I’ve been putting off cause the reason it exists brings back hard thoughts.
Cheap cheap new construction walls I feel like I live in a paper bag at times
Durability is probably the most important thing bc a broken yo-yo is no fun.
Yo do you have any trick videos anywhere? Nice idea for a thread! Just curious!
Not a super beginner…BUT…E-fans…I…just…can’t. How do I learn this. Like I have no problem with loads of 5a stuff…but to keep that thing swinging with my throwhand whilst doing something else with my non throw…I just can’t do it.
Easiest if you have issues with two handed motions is if you start with two handed pinwheels and then get more complicated. Double figure eights or on pinwheel one trapeze and so on.
Edit: if you aim for classic EFan you maybe better of practicing the scoop yoyo motion separately. Long string heavy CW helps to make the outer motion slower.
This is might be the only time you will ever seen me actively encourage longer string, but yeah I agree with what Kray said. Longer string and (if you have access to one) heavier counterweight. It’ll slow everything down and the counterweight will want to retain more momentum on its own.
90cm is my sweet spot for 5A and I’d encourage lots of people to shorten their string hella for 5A if they’re having control issues, but at least for learning to get comfortable with efans at the start just using your normal 1A length string wouldn’t even be a bad idea if you’re really struggling.
Also I feel like this is an aside worth noting: just because anything can be a counterweight doesn’t mean it’ll be a good counterweight. Weight distribution in counterweights matter, and shape also matters for way more than just catching/holding it. How easily can the counterweight untwist itself and pull free from string tangles, can the cw snag or catch on the string or your clothes (especially during rebounds), does the cw pull away in a clean line on plane during rebounds? CW shape and weight distribution actually matters and I think it’s worth noting that there are cw choices I see people making that will actively make 5A harder. Good players can show that you can use anything, but that doesn’t mean you should.
Also wider yoyos actively make efans and a lot of 5A tricks harder. If you’re reading a thread like this, you are not Sora, you’re not doing horizontal behind the back/through leg complex sequences. I feel like having the CW interact with the gap when you don’t want it to is a much bigger issue for newer players than just keeping the counterweight on plane for a bee sting. The whole “wide is best for 5A” narrative is such a weird and recent trend that feels like is mostly pushed by people very new to 5A.
As a beginner, I can say all of those things helped me. Hadn’t thought about a heavier counterweight, though.
Also, picking a durable and comfortable yoyo is very important in my book. Modern mid-full sized organics seem like good options (particularly the more performance driven ones); here lately, however, my favorite has been the DD Monarch. Not especially durable in theory, but it excels in every other category needed for 5A from my novice perspective.
longer string and narrower yoyo definetly help. I would also reccomend a lighter weight so you don’t have to exert much force.
i am definitely not new to 5a and i use a wide yoyo. I do a lot of bangers and body tricks. I’m not sora, but i am an advanced 5a player with difficult tricks and i prefer a wider yoyo. It’s nothing to criticize, especially because i clarified MULTIPLE times that it’s all preference. But yea for efans specifically narrower throws make them easier to learn initially.
Do you think plastic peak would be good for 5a?
Yeah! It’s a little heavy, but I think it would be great!
I would definitely use a different yoyo. I know taste is different but there a many many yo-yos out there which make your live easier when playing 5A then a plastic peak.
Nice satisfying day you ticked all boxes 
