Hi y’all, I go by Cake online. I’ve always loved review content, and I’d like to be one of the first ones to focus specifically on string! I’ll be posting here when I have the time, and since I’m pretty perfectionist in nature the reviews will take a while per string, especially since I’m a full time college student and not getting paid for this. I just love yo-yos!
Below will be my grading process, if you disagree with any of the criteria or feel like I missed anything, you can always comment and I’ll show my reasoning. I’d rather not measure anything else besides what I came up with, though, since my hands are pretty full.
Said grading process
Current string length:
101cm / 40in (August 2023-present)
Will be ranked on
Durability/Fray (30 minutes of nonstop play, 30 more minutes)
Thickness (personal feel used on 4.5mm gap Monarch w/ Hollywood Modern Pads, then changed out to better gap width if necessary)
Whip Feel (measured after break in and after 1 hour)
Slack Feel (measured after break in and after 1 hour)
Tension holding (measured during 1 hour overall)
Softness (break-in only)
Consistency (with all categories overall, reliability basically)
All will be ranked 1-5 scale, 1 being almost if not
unbearable and 5 being perfect and ideal.
Thickness (Literal) will not be ranked by 1-5, instead I’ll talk about the overall string experience and include these.
Durability 30 min (1-5)
Durability 1 hr (1-5)
Personal Thickness Feel (1-5)
Whip Feel Break-In (1-5)
Whip Feel 1 hr (1-5)
Slack Feel Break-In (1-5)
Slack Feel 1 hr (1-5)
Tension Hold over 1 hour overall(1-5)
Softness during break-in (1-5)
Overall consistency over 1 hour (1-5)
Total: 0-50 x 2, graded based on letter system (A: 100-90, B: 89-80, C: 79-70, D: 69-60, F: 60<)
I will use the strings I currently have to start (which is almost only YYSL and Zipline) and I’ll put an effort to order tons of different string if the interest is there. I probably forgot tons, so I’ll edit as I see fit. Happy throwing!
YoYoStringLab Plutonium
YoYoStringLab Type X
YoYoStringLab KaPow
YoYoStringLab Nytro
YoYoStringLab Ammo
YoYoStringLab Nytro+
A&A Yoyo String Formula 1
A&A Yoyo String Formula V
A&A Yoyo String Fades Prototype
Watieoboo Stock String
Easter egg: remind me to rereview everything above this message
YoTricks Cage Free String
Sochi x Zipline AlphaLine
Kitty String First Class (Fat)
YoYoFactory Knot Bad String
Zipline Executive Class LITE
iYoYo SLACKiES
YoYoFactory Retro Response String
Snakebite Super Fat
Monkeyfinger Vines Phat
Zipline Prototype
Original Throw Fat
Twisted Strings Normal
Twisted Strings Fat
Twisted Strings Super Fat
C3 Pro String Fat
Fox Tails
Duncan 100% Polyester
Kitty First Class Whip
Zipline CS121
Zipline EP .20/20 Keiran Cooper/Paul Harness
Sochi Fat
Original Throw Normal
Kitty String Signature Series: Polo Garbkamol
MarkMont Copernicus
Takeshi String V3
Zipline/G2 Prestige
Throw-Yo SOLUTIONS Rope
Throw-Yo SOLUTIONS Ink
Throw-Yo SOLUTIONS Elixir
Throw-Yo SOLUTIONS Ether
Throw-Yo SOLUTIONS Solvent
MagicYoyo String
Zipline EP .20/20 Betty Gallegos Edition
Zipline CS118 Easter Edition
HKMT Arata
Original Throw Slim
Candy Wires Fat (Old)
MarkMont Dragon Foam
Stricklin Strings
HKMT Ayumu
HKMT Hajime
Canopy Rope
MarkMont Nylon Nylon Nylon (Fat)
Sochi Phoenix String
DISCLAIMER: Everything is my own opinion after a bit more than two years of 1A throwing. Support string creators by purchasing your own packs and figuring out your own opinion! This guide will only serve as a general overview of string from the perspective of a player with no knowledge of string creation or specifications (which is a big portion of players), as well as entertainment purposes.
First review! Had some time today to throw a new string, which is the favorite of a lot of people!
YoYoStringLab Plutonium || B+ (87/100)
When I first played this, my first thought was how soft and nice to touch it was, and it stayed like that throughout the hour of play. On the bind it felt really thick, but not too thick that I thought negative about it immediately. Kept its bounce, but by the end of the hour it looked pretty bad aesthetically.
Tech tricks against the spin were absolutely terrifying (and i hit my knuckles about 5 times), but i’m sure it’s just a skill issue. I’ve seen better tension holding, whips became janky near the end of the hour. If it weren’t for the weird thick tension mix getting in the way of whips, it would be perfectly consistent.
Overall, highly recommend if thick playing string is your thing and you don’t mind a few snags. HIGHLY recommend on a gap bigger then 4.5 mm.
Durability 30 min (4)
Durability 1 hr (3.5)
Personal Thickness Feel (4)
Whip Feel Break-In (5)
Whip Feel 1 hr (4)
Slack Feel Break-In (5)
Slack Feel 1 hr (4)
Tension Hold over 1 hour overall (3.5)
Softness during break-in (5)
Overall consistency over 1 hour (4.5)
Total: 43.5-50 x 2 = 87, 87/100 = B+ graded based on letter system (A: 100-90, B: 89-80, C: 79-70, D: 69-60, F: 60<)
Any feedback is greatly appreciated, thanks for reading!
Please keep doing this, having a grading scale with some explanation like this, will at least give anyone a reference point to go from finding their own string type that works for them.
i’ll do it as much as i can! maybe this thread can become big enough like @KirbyRobot ’s so I can get string sent! i’m super excited to see where this can lead
Nice I look forward to seeing more! I’m super cheap with string and use the same one for 15+ hours sometimes but as I’m learning new slack tricks I’m realizing old beat up string makes some slack tricks almost impossible compared to new string.
hey y’all! hope the labor day weekend is going well. got new throws in and just had to try some of the string on hand. hope y’all enjoy this one!
YoYoStringLab Type X || B (85/100)
This string feels solid, in both a texture and a function way. After 30 minutes of hard play, it barely frayed. Even though it starts looking a bit used after the hour, it still plays exactly like it did after you break it in. Binds were close to perfection. Whips were BEAUTIFUL, but slack tricks were a bit harder than normal. They both evened out eventually, and stayed consistent after. The only con is the texture, it is surprisingly rough. Also, C’s are perfectly average string, so don’t let the B’s drive you away. Don’t let that scare you though, if you need good string on a budget this is a perfect middle ground!
Durability 30 min (5)
Durability 1 hr (4.5)
Personal Thickness Feel (4.5, perfect on ~4.55 to 4.6 gap)
Whip Feel Break-In (5)
Whip Feel 1 hr (4)
Slack Feel Break-In (3.5)
Slack Feel 1 hr (4.5)
Tension Hold over 1 hour overall(4)
Softness during break-in (2.5)
Overall consistency over 1 hour (5)
Total: 42.5 x 2, = 85, 85 = B graded based on letter system (A: 100-90, B: 89-80, C: 79-70, D: 69-60, F: 60<)
Like last time, let me know your thoughts! I’m doing this for you guys, so input is appreciated. Thanks for reading!
It’s weird. I want to call it coarse but it’s a comfortable kind of coarse. If you’ve ever tried Nytro I think you’ll like it as it’s a bit more durable.
hey y’all, had time to fit one more review into the weekend! i’m coming down with something , so i’ll be taking the next review at a slower pace. this one’s a recommendation from @Benthrowsyoyo and @YoYoExpertEric ’s signature!
YoYoStringLab KaPow! || B+ (89/100)
Gonna be honest here, this surprised me. Texture is something I care about a lot in string, and while it was soft, it was weirdly scaley throughout the hour (you could really feel every strand). Besides that, this string is a performance powerhouse. Whips are amazing, slacks are amazing, and it stays amazing for a while. Like Plutonium, you need your technique down for tricks that go against the spin so it doesn’t catch. In my opinion, having the string be a less thick and a hair less “there” would be perfect. Without my personal preferences, this string would be an A. This is objectively good string, give it a shot!
Durability 30 min (4.5)
Durability 1 hr (5)
Personal Thickness Feel (3.5)
Whip Feel Break-In (4.5)
Whip Feel 1 hr (4)
Slack Feel Break-In (5)
Slack Feel 1 hr (4)
Tension Hold over 1 hour overall(4.5)
Softness during break-in (4)
Overall consistency over 1 hour (5)
Total: 44.5 x 2 = 89, 89 = B+ graded based on letter system (A: 100-90, B: 89-80, C: 79-70, D: 69-60, F: 60<)
Any feedback or recommendations are welcome, and make sure to follow me on instagram @cakeyoyos, i might start making these reviews in video format along with text (strong might, depends on how much string is out there). thanks for reading!
Sickness is leaving, so we’re back! And oh man are we back, I’m so happy to review the first A-tier string! Enjoy!
YoYoStringLab Nytro || A- (92/100)
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I have no idea where to start with this. Strings with nylon normally last forever and whip super fast, and both of those sentiments are true. I barely made a dent in it after the hour. It’s a bit slippy on the 4.5 gap so i put it on my 4.2 Dopamine and my Orca and it plays close to perfect. Whips were too fast at first, so you definitely have to tune it in. Slacks were the best i’ve ever used, and actually got better by the hour, miraculously. Softness and consistency are both the ideal, I doubt improvement can be made. String stayed as soft and as consistent as it was when i broke it in. The only issue i saw was the tension hold, which was surprisingly bad, so I’m assuming it was a dud string for my own sanity. That’s the ONLY reason this is an A- and not an A or A+. It is expensive at $7.50 for two plus a keychain, but it definitely plays like it’s price. If you have one or two yo-yos you always use, this is a worthy investment so you don’t have to keep changing strings out. I can’t recommend this string enough. Below are the stats.
Durability 30 min (5)
Durability 1 hr (4.5)
Personal Thickness Feel (4.5)
Whip Feel Break-In (4)
Whip Feel 1 hr (4.5)
Slack Feel Break-In (5)
Slack Feel 1 hr (5)
Tension Hold over 1 hour overall (3.5)
Softness during break-in (5)
Overall consistency over 1 hour (5)
Total: 46 x 2 = 92, 92 = A- graded based on letter system (A: 100-90, B: 89-80, C: 79-70, D: 69-60, F: 60<)
As like the last times, feedback is encouraged so I can improve, and let me know your thoughts! Thanks for reading!
