big-bang-bandalores endeavor review
Introduction
Big Bang Bandalores is a new company from New Hampshire, started by a cool guy named Paul Zografos. He has been around for a while, but has lurked in the shadows for the last 5 to 10 years. He is a total homie and is dedicated to hooking up the yoyo community with unique designs and superior products. I know him personally, as I am on the Big Bang Bandalores team. I purchased the yoyo and I am not going to be biased at all when it comes to this review, so I hope you enjoy it, and garner a good understanding of how the yoyos plays, and what big-bang-bandalores is all about.
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Specs
Material: 7075 Al
Diameter: 50mm
Width: 38.25mm
Weight: 67 Grams
Gap: 4.6mm
Response: Extra Wide Flowable Silicon Groove
Axle: Stainless Steel
Bearing: Fully Ceramic
Pictured left to right: endeavor (50mm x 38mm), quake (53mm x 42mm), kuntosh (57mm x 45.5mm)
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Construction
First of all, this yoyo has a super sturdy feel to it. I really do feel like I could sit on it, and maybe step on it and it wouldnât create any vibe. With that being said, donât do that.
The endeavor I have is a pre-order, so I didnât receive a box. I did receive a leather bag in my desired color, though, which has been really handy, and has aged really well (they get all wrinkly and soft, I really suggest you pick one up). The colorway is called âMilky Wayâ. I didnât really like it when Paul first handed me the yoyo, but after I started playing it, the colorway grew on me fast. It really is a unique color while spinning, and I actually couldnât stop thinking about milky-way candy bars, even before he told me it was called milky-way. It also is very smooth on grinds. Reminds me of CLYWâs ano.
This yoyo is pretty narrow, and pretty small. I like that, quite a bit, but you may not. I have some comparison pictures for you to show you. Itâs all up to preference. I feel like this would make a really cool full size yoyo as well, but I do feel like it was meant to be how it is now (50mmx38mm).
Itâs made out of 7075 aluminum. It feels sturdy and sounds excellent. Canât comment too much on durability as I havenât even dinged mine yet.
Every time I looked at the profile area of this yoyo I really do think it looks like an angular pyro. This thing has super fat rims. Like, super fat. These things are as beefy and wide as possible. They never quite flatten out either, which gives for a neat feeling in the hand (and also makes the catch zone much larger). When looking at the face/cup of the yoyo, you can see that the rims are rounded on the outside like an 888.
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The endeavor sports a slightly angled high-wall. I am a huge fan of high wall yoyos in the first place, given the yoyo I learned how to play on was a dark magic. It tells you a lot about your play. The walls on this yoyo are a little less sensitive to string centering than a true high wall yoyo, which I find to be a nice compromise. The cup area has a short nipple surrounded by some shallow grooves, which complement the yoyo nicely.
This thing has an idiot-proof thumb grind lip. Donât worry about it, I promise you can thumb grind it.
Weight and Guts
The Endeavor weighs in pretty heavy, at a 67 grams. Though at times you can feel it, the first thing I said when I played with this yoyo is âyo paul, youâre full of it, this has to be lighter than 67 gramsâ. You can feel the weight during certain times during play, but I will get into that later. I probably wouldnât want this yoyo powder-coated or nickel plated because it may send it over the top in terms of weight for some people. It probably wouldnât for me or Paul, who both grew up playing heavier yoyos, but it may for some people who are not used to that and are craving the new 64 gram bi-metal design or whatever. The added bulk weight really does sit in the rims. I know this (and you will know it too) because it spins for a while.
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When you open the yoyo, you will be greeted with a ceramic bearing. Mine came with a center trac because I got this one before he even got the ceramics that he was planning on sending out with the pre-order one, so I canât comment on the ceramics. I keep a flat (a 10 ball) in mine and I think it plays well and works really well with the response, which is an extra wide silicone groove. Itâs deep and you could probably put some pads of some sort in there. I feel with a dry flat bearing and the silicone groove response you get good binds every throw. It checks out.
Playability, finally!
I really enjoy this yoyo. Itâs my go to pocket throw, and I have plenty of undersized yoyos that I really, really like. Iâve been playing with this one a lot lately. Itâs just a cool little yoyo, really. It doesnât really play like anything else I own.
Direct from Paulâs description of the yoyo ( bigbangbandalores.com ):
âThe Endeavor is catered to those that embrace smoothness and style over sheer speed. Those that practice not only a trick, but the transitions from one to another, who combo from a bank of moves without needing a plan.â
I think this quote does a good job of explaining what type of style this yoyo best fits. Itâs not fast. Not going to sugarcoat that. Itâs not a slug either, though. Itâs a solid yoyo on the string that is excellent for focusing on style and honing in the empty space that isnât present in speed-demon style yoyoing.
This yoyo is very smooth. No problems here. No vibe on the string, on grinds, etc. As smooth as can be. You can move this yoyo around with ease. It moves from side to side very well during sidestyle, and cycles through all your frontstyle combos at a comfortable pace. This is a really comfortable yoyo in the hand and on the string. What I want to talk about most about is the weight. Itâs a heavyweight but itâs not a bad type of heavy. Itâs hard to distribute 67 grams into a 50mm x 38mm frame and I think Paul did a good job of it. Personally, I would like to shave off a gram or two, but I think it says a lot that I still play with it a lot even though I mentioned that I would make that change if I could. I feel a solid yoyo, not a brick on the string. Letâs just say, I wouldnât go try to slow down a mickey freestyle and try to learn all the fast elements with this yoyo. You could totally do that, but I have others in my collection that Iâd rather do that with, and Iâm sure Paul does too.
What I would use the endeavor for though, is a yoyo to carry around in my pocket on the daily. Iâd bring it to the beach, or to the park, or to my friendâs house. I never get to the location Iâm going to and say âdarn, I should have brought another yoyo because iâm just not feeling this one right nowâ when I have this yoyo on me. Itâs got the extra rim weight for teaching/learning stuff, itâs got a small diameter to fit in your pocket, itâs got a robust and very unique design, and it plays fun on the string. Its high wall design and narrow profile will whip your *** into shape. And also, it was also worth my money.
Well, I hope you enjoyed my review. More info available at https://bigbangbandalores.com/ !
