# Help me pick my upgrade **URL:** \ **Category:** Looking for Help/Recommendation\ **Created:** [September 17, 2023, 7:19pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/help-me-pick-my-upgrade/384798 "2023-09-17T19:19:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ctaylor8964](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c89c15/32.png) [@Ctaylor8964](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Ctaylor8964)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2023, 7:19pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/help-me-pick-my-upgrade/384798/1 "2023-09-17T19:19:47Z")
New member here! I have been throwing Duncan freehand, and metal drifter as an unresponsive yoyo. I am absolutely in love with this hobby. What should my next step up throw be? It needs to be unresponsive, priced between 40-60 dollars. Thank you friends! ---
**Author:** ![theendofcake](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/theendofcake/32/245990_2.png) [@theendofcake](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/theendofcake)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2023, 7:28pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/help-me-pick-my-upgrade/384798/2 "2023-09-17T19:28:19Z")
from a recent beginner, it honestly depends on what you know you like. lots of really good yo-yos are actually below what you want to spend. yoyofriends shortcut is insane for its price and would be the #1 yoyo i recommend for someone in your place, super good and an amazing learning yoyo ---
**Author:** ![MaximShoots](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/maximshoots/32/171131_2.png) [@MaximShoots](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/MaximShoots)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2023, 8:03pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/help-me-pick-my-upgrade/384798/4 "2023-09-17T20:03:30Z")
I have 2 bimetals up, will gladly bundle both for $60 if you’re looking to get into some solid performers. ---
**Author:** ![Yooo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/yooo/32/196320_2.png) [@Yooo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Yooo)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2023, 8:11pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/help-me-pick-my-upgrade/384798/5 "2023-09-17T20:11:55Z")
I made a thread like this awhile ago and the options I came down to were the good life gulch, One Drop free solo, and UNPRLD recognition. I ended up going with the recognition. It has a ton of power, plays great, made of 7075 aluminum, and is only $45. Glad I got it. Crazy it’s only $45. Here’s a thread from awhile back when a bunch of people gave me advice about a similar decision if you want to check it out: > [@Decent Metal Unresponsive Suggestions](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/decent-metal-unresponsive-suggestions/370372): > > I think it’s almost that time to get a solid metal yoyo. Right now both my metals—iYoYo Passion and Goodlife Valley—are undersized. My other unresponsive is a iYoYo Shooting Star. I like them all but want a solid, full-sizeish metal. I began going down the rabbit hole of looking at options and realized there’s a ton. I think I’m looking for something 65-66 grams and 55-56 mm in diameter. I was looking at maybe the Gulch or Shortcut, but would like to hear everyone’s suggestions and thoughts. If … ---
**Author:** ![zaf](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/zaf/32/235871_2.png) [@zaf](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/zaf)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2023, 8:18pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/help-me-pick-my-upgrade/384798/6 "2023-09-17T20:18:40Z")
Pretty sure b grade recogs are still available for like $25 shipped ---
**Author:** ![Sergio](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/sergio/32/70931_2.png) [@Sergio](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Sergio)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2023, 8:29pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/help-me-pick-my-upgrade/384798/7 "2023-09-17T20:29:13Z")
i would go for a quality plastic yoyo. ---
**Author:** ![Georgekouts](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/georgekouts/32/645027_2.png) [@Georgekouts](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Georgekouts)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2023, 11:20pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/help-me-pick-my-upgrade/384798/8 "2023-09-17T23:20:01Z")
Here are some of my propositions, some based on personal experience ( marked by p for personal), some from info j have read or watched in YouTube, Instagram or this forum here, (marked by I for info): Magicyoyo hertz y-03 (p) : Amazing yoyo for the price which is between 18 and 25 euros. There is also the new V8 that goes both responsive and unresponsive. Have not tried this one yet but with that price you cannot go wrong. Yoyofriends shortcut (p) : My first metal yoyo which I sadly destroyed. (Stripped the axle). Excellent throw amazing price, stunning looks. Only drawback : has a weird 7 mm that is hard to find as a replacement. You can try a 6mm hut you will strip the yoyo eventually like me. Other than that, it is an excellent yoyo. Yoyofriends koi (p): very fun yoyo, top quality for an acceptable price. Solids go for 45 euros. While being an organic throw, jt is very stable. Only drawback : organics are a matter of taste and hard to recommend. You will have to try an organic before you know. (I like them! You might not). If you prefer plastic organic, go with plastic peak (p). It has a drawback though : it is kinda weak when it comes to spin time and spin power. Pretty fun though. Yoyofriends pheasant monometal (I) : Never tried it but it looks amazing. Dresses design emotion (I) : everybody talks bout this one. This one must be fire. Even though I haven’t played with it, I do not think you can go with this one. C3YOYODESIGN cyberchrash or cyberchrash 2 (I) : c3 makes top notch yoyos and those are some budget options. I have the galaxy diver 7075 V2 which is fire (also bi-metal) but the price is not that I’d an entry level yoyo. You might want to consider the scintillator, the berserker decade or the krown, but I have not tried those, just read about them. Yoyofactory shutter is known as the jack of all trades (i) but I have never touched one. Maybe some one else can pitch in here. Finally, if you want to return to plastic, I cannot recommend the luftverk plastic fulvia enough. (P). I think it goes toe to toe with most entry level monometal throws out there. ---
**Author:** ![fradiger](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/fradiger/32/66850_2.png) [@fradiger](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/fradiger)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2023, 11:39pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/help-me-pick-my-upgrade/384798/9 "2023-09-17T23:39:45Z")
Here’s a list of recent releases you can check out, literally all of the yoyos mentioned so far in this thread are great performers, so I would recommend picking something that interests you (aka, i think it looks neat 🙂 ) > **[Paragraph](https://shop.yoyoexpert.com/collections/new-releases/products/paragraph?variant=43022228521150)** > > Presenting the Paragraph, the distinctive signature model of Malte Voss, a seasoned yo-yo player with over 14 years of experience and two German National titles under his belt. Driven by his profound insights, the Paragraph encapsulates several key... > **[Shortcut](https://shop.yoyoexpert.com/collections/new-releases/products/shortcut-yoyo-by-yoyofriends?variant=41566757847230)** > > From YoYoFriends: The shortcut is a yoyo that is great for any level of play. It offers plenty of spin power for learning new tricks and combos while still feeling fun and floaty in play. It has enough stability to handle any type of combo from speed... > **[Colossus S](https://shop.yoyoexpert.com/collections/new-releases/products/colossus-s-yoyo-by-topyo?variant=42638900625598)** > > The Colossus series, manufactured by TopYo, has consistently been the brand's flagship model, representing their highest-quality and most sought-after yo-yos. These yo-yos have gained popularity among enthusiasts and players due to their exceptional... > **[Path](https://shop.yoyoexpert.com/collections/new-releases/products/path-yoyo-by-mk1yoyos?variant=42994617876670)** > > MK1 presents the PATH signature yoyo design for Jack Hudspath. Jack was the first yoyoer to join Mk1 team after its founding, and has been with them since late 2019. They spent three years together working out this design! It has a wide and... > **[DEMA](https://shop.yoyoexpert.com/collections/new-releases/products/dema?variant=43014407946430)** > > From Polyform: This is the DEMA - the signature yoyo of sponsored Polyform player Jacky Le. 6 months of testing and feedback from Jacky lead up to this unique looking aluminum 6061 monometal. The design features cuts on the body to create an illusion... > **[Dopamine](https://shop.yoyoexpert.com/collections/new-releases/products/dopamine-yoyo-by-hollywood-modern-yoyos?variant=43034274463934)** > > Dopamine is the signature yoyo of Ross Levine. He's been posting to Instagram under...various names (mostly ilinx\_toys and modern\_yoyos) for over a decade and in that time has received praise from some of the top names in yoyoing. Ross' style... > **[Pheasant Monometal](https://shop.yoyoexpert.com/collections/new-releases/products/pheasant-monometal-yoyo-by-yoyofriends?variant=42599484588222)** > > Pheasant Monometal is YoYoFriend's first flagship monometal. Based on the Pheasant 2023, they tweaked the shape by adding more stages and weight to create flow and a splash of fun on top of pure performance. This has resulted in a yoyo that can not... > **[ReCognition](https://shop.yoyoexpert.com/collections/new-releases/products/recognition-yoyo-by-unprld?variant=37773086523582)** > > From UNPRLD: Colin Beckford has been a player at the center of pushing competitive yo-yoing through SCALES. He understands better than anyone the importance of the perfectly designed competition yo-yo. His first signature yo-yo the Cognition was... > **[Emotion](https://shop.yoyoexpert.com/products/emotion-yoyo-by-dressel-designs)** > > This is Emotion! Dressel Design's flagship monometal for 2023! Shortly after the release of the assassin they started thinking of what a more normal sized assassin would look like. They knew 7075 would be the way to go to retain some of that... The emotion and recognition are my choices if you only care about performance. ---
**Author:** ![theendofcake](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/theendofcake/32/245990_2.png) [@theendofcake](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/theendofcake)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2023, 11:52pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/help-me-pick-my-upgrade/384798/10 "2023-09-17T23:52:51Z")
HIGHLY recommend something from this list ---
**Author:** ![Yooo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/yooo/32/196320_2.png) [@Yooo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Yooo)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2023, 12:12am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/help-me-pick-my-upgrade/384798/11 "2023-09-18T00:12:56Z")
How does the emotion compare to the recog? I sometimes want to get an emotion. It looks a little more comfortable to catch. With recogs insane power it can be jarring at times but also great sometimes when you need it. ---
**Author:** ![hsb](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/hsb/32/193274_2.png) [@hsb](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/hsb)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2023, 12:23am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/help-me-pick-my-upgrade/384798/12 "2023-09-18T00:23:43Z")
The Emotion is also quite powerful, but the I find that the catch is much more comfortable. IMO the Emotion feels a little more balanced, overall more refined and I prefer the shape. ---
**Author:** ![hsb](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/hsb/32/193274_2.png) [@hsb](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/hsb)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2023, 3:44am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/help-me-pick-my-upgrade/384798/13 "2023-09-18T03:44:04Z")
If you want even more options, checkout C3yoyodesign’s monometals. I think their quality is outstanding in your price range. > **[C3yoyodesign](https://shop.yoyoexpert.com/collections/c3yoyodesign)** > > C3yoyodesign has made it their mission to deliver some of the highest quality and built for performance yo-yos you can get your hands on. Being based in Hong Kong with an extremely competitive yo-yo culture they know what it takes to empower a... Edit: I see @Georgekouts mentioned the Cybercrash line. ---
**Author:** ![Jdah611](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a88e4f/32.png) [@Jdah611](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Jdah611)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2023, 3:56am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/help-me-pick-my-upgrade/384798/14 "2023-09-18T03:56:53Z")
The Mk1 path throws beautifully. It has a nice and wide catch zone so you dont miss the string, it sleeps for as long as you need, it feels amazing in your hand, its about 65 grams but you would know it holding it and it goes where you tell it to. Its also made out of 7075 aluminum. It really is a great yoyo and exceeded my expectations, i am pretty impressed with it. This is my go to yoyo when im learning a new trick. Very beginner friendly. But anything the guys at yoyoexpert recommends is going to be great. ---
**Author:** ![Shwa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/shwa/32/108351_2.png) [@Shwa](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Shwa)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2023, 2:30pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/help-me-pick-my-upgrade/384798/15 "2023-09-18T14:30:20Z")
DD Emotion. Period. ---
**Author:** ![Ctaylor8964](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c89c15/32.png) [@Ctaylor8964](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Ctaylor8964)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2023, 2:59pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/help-me-pick-my-upgrade/384798/16 "2023-09-18T14:59:11Z")
Wow… you guys gave some great feedback and advice. Thank you! I was impatient, so I made a move. I almost decided to get a koi from yoyo friends. I saw that it was suggested multiple times. I opted for the Rockstar from yoyo factory. Can anyone with experience with this yoyo give me an honest review/ assessment of what to expect? Does it ship with non responsive bearings? I’m still new to this game! Thank you so much for the advice. ---
**Author:** ![Yooo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/yooo/32/196320_2.png) [@Yooo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Yooo)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2023, 3:11pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/help-me-pick-my-upgrade/384798/17 "2023-09-18T15:11:10Z")
I’m sure someone on here has played or has one. I never have but it looks solid. It should be good yoyo to start with and it’s designed by SUS. They have designed some great yoyos. It’ll come with the unresponsive bearing ready to go. Theres so many good yoyos these days its really hard to go wrong. Hope it gets there soon and you enjoy it! ---
**Author:** ![theendofcake](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/theendofcake/32/245990_2.png) [@theendofcake](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/theendofcake)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2023, 3:51pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/help-me-pick-my-upgrade/384798/18 "2023-09-18T15:51:28Z")
definitely comes with an unresponsive centertrac bearing since it’s from yoyofactory, rockstar is a jds collaboration so expect a powerful throw, never played it but it seems super fun! really excited for you, hope you enjoy throwing more