i think its interesting that with all of the color options we have for yoyos, the clear anodized or raw colorways seem to always be the first to sell out which means its a popular colorway definitely. Why dont companies do more clears?
How do they do it? is it harder?
i myself prefer a clear anodized yoyo. that and a good FADE!
im trying to work towards making a wall display with only clear yoyos.
is there a reason you prefer clear over colored or splashed ?
for me its bc my other hobby is building and tuning vintage small engine motorcycles and mopeds. usually when a part is cnc AL with some loud anodized colors and splashes it means its a cheaply made part that may look “cool” but is bad quality and probably wont actually fit the bike correctly. so for some reason i associate the 2. Even when the yoyo is from a higher end company. splash ano can just make things look cheap. i am aware that there are companies that put a lot of effort into the splashes. MFD and g2 come to mind when i think of splashes that dont make the yoyo look cheap
what are your thoughts?
also if you love splash ano and crazy colors then by all means go for it im not trying to throw shade here just giving opinions.
I think a big advantage of clear is that it’s always the same color. It’s just the raw aluminum anodized without a dye, the sheen can change a lot depending on the surface finish, but it’s always going to be the color of the raw material.
If you value consistency in color in your collection, clear is definitely the way to go. Black feels mostly consistent, but sometimes a company will release a “black” yoyo that leans closer into blue/purple or some other very dark gray shade. If you pick any color than those two your collection is going to be all over the place, even if you’re always buying one single “color.”
I think the reason there aren’t bigger/constant runs of clear is that people like other colors too lol.
Fades can be great, but I am picky about the colors involved.
I love splashes no matter what. Even if don’t otherwise like the colors together. Even if I don’t like the colors individually. They add another dimension that I enjoy both sitting still and in motion.
They just don’t seem that common, and sometimes I am unwilling to commit to the extra cost if I am taking a risk on liking the yoyo at all. E.g. I have a clear Aitch because I just wasn’t sure enough about the shape to commit to the higher priced finishes. I love the Aitch so I wish I did, but I’m fine with the clear in a way that I would not be with any other solid (unless pink was available, which it wasn’t).
Which may be a reason clears get bought up earlier – for everyone who can’t get a color they really want, clear is a acceptable fallback.
Most of my yoyos have solid color finishes. Splashes, fades, acid washes, etc. just aren’t for me. I mean, I have some, but they are definitely not my preference. I think solids are just so clean, and are less likely to age poorly from an aesthetic point of view. As for that raw look (as opposed to silver), I find that they can be incredibly striking in appearance and really “pop” in play, especially if they lean towards a mirror finish.
I only have one clear, a last run Rebirth. I like the finish ok, but it does show the pyramatte marks much more than any of my other OD yoyos. I prefer a smoother look. I think that may be because it has some thinner anodizing and not because of the clear. Can anyone verify this? As for solids vs splashes, most of mine are solids. I like some splashes, but I always feel like it’s a crap shoot. Some look cool and others can have a big, dripping blob on one side and not much on the other. Being a bit OCD, I tend to play it safe with the solids. I do have two Yoyofriends splashes that I love. These are both acid washed and I feel like these tend to come out better.
Contact (1st run) - Gloss emerald sold out first, Clear was dead last I think
Sliver - PK sold out first, then gloss taro
Spyglass - Black+Rainbow was more popular than Clear+Rainbow, barely. I think the rainbow disqualifies both from this category, though I can’t imagine clear+silver rims would do well on that design.
I prefer fades, generally, or pink or green, unless there’s something that fits some theme so clearly that it HAS to be the choice for me.
I get the vibe that a lot of companies that put a lot of effort into interesting or hard to make colorways get rubbed the wrong way when the clears do better than those. It’s nothing personal though, clears just look super clean.
Ray is one who can take 4 colors I never thought I wanted on a yoyo, cram them together in a way I would have sworn I was going to hate, and end up with a combination that I can’t find a single fault with.
