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Today I will be reviewing the Triton from G-Squared Yo-yo’s. It is their newest member to the family and has yet to be released. I believe that the full production run will be released in the first week of April if all goes as planned. I was lucky enough to win the ver.1 prototype, and my review will be based on this model. Note that the only difference between the prototype and the final production model is the spike was made sharper.
Personal History
I have tried G-Squared’s full line up including the Nessie, Albatross, AL7 Albatross, and AL7 Nessie. The Triton will be the G-Squared’s third release.
*Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with G-Squared Yo-yo’s, and I am simply a fan expressing my personal opinion on the play of their throws
Triton (Pre-Release Review)
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Specifications
Diameter: 56.5mm
Width: 44mm
Weight: 66.25g
Gap Width: 4.44mm
Bearing & Response System
This throw comes stock with a one drop 10 ball bearing. It has great spin time and can be extremely quiet when lightly lubed. The response is clear flowable silicone hand poured by Jacob Gross. It works well with the Triton and provides nice snappy binds after a quick break in period.
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Shape/Feel Impressions
The Triton is a full sized throw and has very round and soft edges throughout the catch zone while the inner rim has more prominent and bold curves. Its design mainly resembles that of an elongated “C.” The catch zone slopes inward nicely with 4 levels. The first three levels are barely noticeable, and without close inspection you would think that it would be perfectly smooth all the way down, but it is not. Then once you get to the fourth level, there are ribbed ridges that continue down towards the bearing which then barely flare until you arrive at the response grooves. Now over to the inner rim of the Triton. It has a tiny lip, and then extends before diving into the main lip of the yoyo, allowing the possibility for comfortable thumb grinds. The shape then travels down to a convex bump, and then flattens out and becomes the center hub. The center hub is a nice matador spike that is slightly prominent but dull on my prototype (as I said earlier, the final version will have a sharper pointed spike). The anodizing is extremely smooth and soft to the touch with no apparent flaws whatsoever. The smooth finish would make it perfect for palm and finger grinds. I especially love gripping this yoyo because the catch zones ribbed ridges allow me to obtain a more satisfying grip when throwing a hard breakaway for longer combos. With the Triton there are no harsh edges whatsoever, and it is one of the most comfortable Yo-yo’s that I have ever held.
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Play Impressions
The Triton maneuvers very quickly with play. It also has an overall floaty but solid feeling to it, without compromising stability at all. The weight distribution is perfect and allows for very long spin times. The stability of this throw is pretty amazing, while still having the ability to move with speed and flowing grace. It does not tilt easily at all, and stays very straight with a good throw and technique. It is prominent on the string but without slowing you down or making you work hard to get it to go where you want it. I think that the Triton strikes a perfect balance between being solid and also being able to maneuver with ease with its 66.25g weight. I can’t say whether the catch zones ridges improve finger grinds or not, but I definitely love the extra grip that it adds. I cannot comment on matador style play since my prototype spike is somewhat dull and I haven’t truly ventured into the style that much. I also cannot comment on how well it holds up doing horizontal tricks since I haven’t traveled that road yet. This is definitely one of those throws that once you pick it up, you will not want to put it down! It is just a blast to play and is great for slacks, whips, suicides, and basically anything you throw at it! Even with landing the string off center, the catch zone easily sweeps it down to the bearing where it belongs. The gap width is the perfect size allowing for multiple string wraps without hitting the response pads and compromising spin time. This is the first throw that I am extremely pleased with overall in terms of it’s shape, play, feel, and well thought out design.
Comparisons to the Albatross
The Albatross is a G-squared favorite, and the Triton comes somewhat close to modeling it’s shape, so I thought I’d briefly comment on how they play/look differently. I would say the Triton definitely has more stability, and also is more nimble on the string, even though it’s weight is heavier than the Albatross. It must just be how the weight is distributed. To me, the Albatross is pure float, while the Triton is more floaty/solid/stable combined. I am able to obtain longer spin times on the Triton due to it’s added weight and the way that it is distributed. Comparing them side by side, their width and diameters are barely a few millimeters apart, but they play very differently. The Albatross also has a very round and organic bubbly type of look, while the Triton has a more subtle but prominent bold features in terms of it’s design. In terms of spin time, I am achieving higher numbers with the Triton. I believe this is due to the increased weight and it’s stability. Personally for me, I think that the Triton looks and plays better than the Albatross overall, and makes up with the added weight and stability that I felt the Albatross was missing.
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Concluding Thoughts
With G-Squareds new release, they have once again created a wonderful Yo-yo that is aesthetically pleasing, as well as being fun and having great overall performance. I am highly impressed with its design and functionality. The Triton makes a great throw for competition or just for a casual throw session. It is very agile on the string and will shine through any style of play.
This is my new favorite G-Squared throw, and I would highly recommend picking one up when they drop early April! I know there have been a lot of good throws being released as of lately, but I assure you that this is definitely one that you will not want to miss out on. A few people from the Yo-yo club I meet with regularly got to try the Triton out and they all had great things to say and loved the way that it played. (Including Cory Hendon sponsored by Chico-Yo)
Thank you for reading my review. If you have any specific questions about the design/play/feel, please feel free to comment and I will try to answer as best as I can!