Here it is! My third review.
Flying Panda
Specs:
Shape Butterfly / Wing
Weight (g) 69.30
Width (mm) 42.18
Diameter (mm) 65.63
Gap Width (mm) 2.60
Bearing Size (Inside x Outside x Width) 5x10x4
Gap Type Fixed
Stock Response System Duncan Friction Sticker
A little background from the Duncan site:
“Utilizing the same design that made the Freehand™ the choice of World Champions, the Flying Panda has the extra bonus of flexible, over-molded rubber rims. With the increased gap width and rim weight, the Flying Panda is ideal for high-speed string trick play or for off-string play, where the yo-yo isn’t even tied to the string! Designed with input from World and National Champions.”
First impressions:
I got this yo-yo in the mail just yesterday, but I ordered it two days before that. I’m amazed at how fast priority mail delivers! Anyway, when I opened the package, I saw the Flying Panda an grabbed it at once. I opened it and put on the string. To my surprise, the yo-yo was attached to the string! So I threw it a few times and tried out some 1A with it. It was okay for a 1A yo-yo, but I really wanted to try it out for 4A.
I took it off the string, and wound it up. I threw it like I always have when I played 4A with my DM(with epic failure). It landed on the string and sat there, sleeping like a baby. I did a bind, and woah! It went back to my hand! No need for double or triple wraps! Hooray!
Performance → 3.5/5
Spin time
This yo-yo is pretty heavy for a plastic. Almost as heavy as a Dark Magic! This extra weight is supposed to help in spin time, but so far I’ve had a hard time keeping it spinning for longer than 30 seconds.
Smoothness
The first time I threw this yo-yo, I was shocked to hear one thing from the bearings: nothing. This yo-yo is so quiet, I thought it wasn’t spinning at all! Compared to all the other yo-yos I have, this one sounds like… nothing.
Response
Ugh, the dreaded friction stickers. These things either wear out easily, or last you forever, depending on how often you use them. But to be honest, friction stickers are a great response system. It’s adjustable to a certain point, and it gives enough friction to get the yo-yo back to your hand. Great for beginners and experts alike.
Feel and Appearance → 4/5
Feel in your hand
The one thing I want to say is that this yo-yo is huge. I’ve never played with any other oversize yo-yo, but this one feels comfortable in the palm. The rims are a bit sharp in the edge, but the area where the plastic and rubber meet is smooth.
Feel on the throw
Again, this yo-yo boasts smooth spins. No vibrations at all. The size of this yo-yo, though, is one of it’s best qualities. It sort of floats in the air when you do string tricks. Great for beginners who’re new to landing the yo-yo on the string.
Appearance
This yo-yo comes with many different color combinations to choose from. I suggest a combination of an opaque body and clear rims. This, I think, makes it more appealing. The side caps also have many designs, but unfortunately you cannot choose the one you like. The rims make this yo-yo look larger than it really is. It sure makes it live up to the name of Flying Panda!
Maintenance → 3.5/5
This yo-yo doesn’t need a lot of work to get it to work like the best 4A yo-yos out there. Actually, the yo-yo is already an exceptional player out of the box. The only thing that’s significant when maintaining a Flying Panda is its response. Friction stickers are well known for wearing out pretty fast, making you have to replace them often. The stock stickers on the Flying Panda are made of rubber. I suggest you get silicone stickers as well when you buy a Flying Panda. These last longer and they’re a bit less responsive for the more advanced player.
Overall → 4/5
I think that Duncan outdid itself with the Flying Panda. It is simply one of the best yo-yos out there built for 4A. It’s also rather good for a beginner hoping to start out 1A. Again, I was shocked at how smooth it spins and how little noise the bearings make. And the best part about this yo-yo? Its rubber rims. Nothing makes it more appealing than knowing the yo-yo will not fall apart after missing an offstring throw. I highly recommend this yo-yo to beginners of both 1A and 4A. Beginning 1A players will enjoy it’s large size and responsiveness. Beginning 4A players will like it for the same reasons.
A National Master helped design it. Try it out to feel the work of a Master!
