I’ve used bulk slick 6 and slick 8 string from the start. I’ve tried 100% poly and a few others but always go back to slick and cotton. Pretty much “parts is parts” for me. When it looked like Dale Oliver’s store was seeing it’s final days I bought a large supply of slick 6, slick 8 and #8 cotton. Pretty much set on string for the foreseeable future. See no reason to change at this point.
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I’ve decided I like a fatter string than the basic bulk stuff so I need to go at least semi-boutique.
I also got some of Markmont’s because I like Markmont.
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Ok… Josh ‘Photogeek’ Root. I have a life size voodoo doll that looks like your identical twin. Seriously; Josh; I know it’s just a dummy but I swear it looks just like you🤓
If you don’t buy a crapload of boutique strings before the next full moon. I am going to pound a 10 penny framing nail right into the head of your doppelgänger and then throw it into the fireplace!
Is that enough convincing?
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I’m still using the string I have from the 90’s; slick 6, cotton and poly blends. Does fine for me. I bought some custom/boutique strings and they’re fine. A nice way to support some nice people who make it. But that’s as far as it goes for me.
Same
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Anyone consistently switch between nylon and poly? Maybe a couple throws with poly and couple with nylon in the rotation say?
I do. I like to get a feel for different strings on different yo-yos. Really changes the rotation up.
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This is why I make sure I use the same string when comparing yo-yos.
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You make a strong argument. But I feel like, if that doll exists, we should use it for something more important. Like getting me to actually learn Seasick. Or, you know, at least cleaning out the garage or finishing the bedroom repainting.
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It lasts a lot longer. I tried out some no name brand 50/50 string and was not a fan. The hand feel of it goes downward extremely fast in my experience. My favorite string is YYSL as its soft and durable. I dont notice that much of a difference between the styles (ammo, plutonium, venom, type x) i just like the quality. I think a few are thicker than the rest however
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Boutique string is a lot better and you should be using it. Also start using the fancy soaps that you get as gifts and drink that unopened bottle of aged scotch. YOLO.
Cost analysis:
YYSL in bulk (100) is double the price or a little more than double, but it’s at least twice as good and lasts twice as long so dollar wise it’s a wash.
Ziplines and Airetic are also fabulous but at 5x more money. Five times better than the cheap bulk stuff yes, last five times longer no.
Markmont strings are advertised as lasting over a year if I’m reading this correctly:
“Lifeline per string 1+ year any level and amount of play (washing recommended)”
If that’s the case it’s the best value in the history of yo-yo strings and I straight up don’t believe it but I’m definitely gonna buy some and see for myself, if it only lasts for a month and then done it’s still a great value.
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Other than skylines ziplines don’t last 5x as long I agree but Airetic do EASY.
Markmonts last even longer than Airetic. Idk bout a year of regular, hundreds of hours of play but I’ve never actually burnt out a Dragon or any other string made from that type of poly thread before.
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Someone offered to send me one of those OneDrop strings to try so I’ll give some feedback when I get it.
I’d shout you out in the thread but wasn’t sure if that was okay, I don’t want anyone to e-beg for some strings from you.
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You should just buy the sampler pack from Markmont
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Yeah that’s right. Kitty still make nylon like this and I like it.
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Make your own.
Some Heartstrings landed at my place from a BST deal and I immediately found the string I was looking for, that I didn’t know I was looking for.
That sent me on a journey to make them myself. With another Airetic string to compare with, I figured out how to make them, but was missing the proper ingredients. After some searching and testing, I found a string that is almost as good as the heartstring, and last forever.
IMO it is super fun to experiment to make a string that is ‘yours’. When it plays as good or better than any you can buy it is a real winner.
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Just received a One Drop Choice Long Cut from another forum member (thanks @Rosenberg !) in the mail.
I know these take a while to break in so I will post my initial thoughts on them fresh and update later when they’re broken in a bit.
As of now I’m really enjoying the texture of the string. It definitely has that coarse feel I enjoy. It doesn’t have that thunk at the end of the string that previous nylon strings I’ve used had, but I’m not sure if it’s because this is poly and nylon or just because nylon strings are better now. Maybe someone else can chime in.
As far as tension goes it’s definitely noticeably more responsive than poly for lacerations and whips but more controllable than nylon I’ve used in the past. It still has the issue of nylon where when there is too much twist it bunches up tighter than poly would. Maybe that will change as I break it in.
So far I’m impressed though, I’m really enjoying the texture and the really tight binds the most, and I’m not experiencing the two main issues I’ve had in the past with nylon feeling overly taut and too responsive to laceration inputs. I’ll update after I’ve broken it in more.
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Aha! I knew you’d like the OD strings! 
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They definitely don’t have the main qualities I disliked about previous nylons I tried. The lacerations and slacks are much more controllable for sure.
And they feel great.
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I bought the OD Choices on a whim, and I was really surprised. I’ve played about 2.5, maybe 3 hours on one string, and the only thing it’s lost is a little bounce, but it’s still very lively. Slacks and whips still require less effort than even fresh poly, yet are much more controlled than soft bouncy nylon. Best of both worlds, IMO. At close to 3 hours that’s already almost 6 times longer than most poly lasts me, and 2-3 times longer than good poly.
So I bought some Markmonts. Those are the only strings that might beat OD Choice strings for me.
Only reason I might buy other strings now is for color… which is rare for me to do.
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