Can you recommend an advanced responsive yoyo for string tricks? While I enjoy unresponsive play a LOT, it’s not something I can casually carry around with me outside with one hand just mindlessly tossing it. I need two hands for binds and since I usually carry around a book, it gets pretty clumsy. At the same time, I want the possibility to do advanced string tricks when I put my book down…
Another reason for wanting a responsive yoyo is so I can let others handle it. When I took my responsive Sage to Costa Rica, I met people on the road who would like to play around with it a bit, and they can bring it back up. But almost no one would have known how to bind an unresponsive yoyo! So in terms of just making friends and having a good time outside, responsive feels like a better choice to me.
I have the Sage from some other site right now, and it’s really cool. But can the Sage carry me through advanced string tricks? I know it can’t do loops. Is there a better responsive yoyo you’d recommend? And if you had to pick one responsive yoyo that could do the max stuff (looping, strings etc) which one would you choose?
Again - I know you can do a lot more with unresponsive. I already play unresponsive, but that’s for inside the house while practicing alone. I just want a great yoyo that I can carry around, let others play with, and still be able to get the absolute max out of it with skill.
Lubing the bearing sufficiently will make most any yoyo responsive. Besides that, most medium priced models available today do not play appreciable less satisfying than “high end” yoyos, so look at something in the mid-priced range and lube the bearing.
The responsive version of the dv888 would be a good choice. It doesn’t require frequent lubing to stay responsive. I love mine. It can handle string tricks and it shoots the moon with ease.
I was thinking of the dv888 myself! Though I’ve been considering that if I want to get into looping, I’ll need a “flat” yoyo. More difficult to do string tricks of course, but not impossible with precision. However, doing looping might be impossible with a wide yoyo…
But I think the dv888 is a solid choice that I’ll definitely been looking into.
Using something like brain lube or an equivalent “thicker” lube you can easily go 12-15 hours.
If you want to incorporate looping, I would recommend a Raider. They were originally promoted as being able to do both loops and string tricks. Looping with a butterfly shape is not impossible but not easy either. Part of looping involves the yoyo flipping over at the end of the loop. The dynamics of the butterfly shape tend to resist that.
When you say Raider, I assume you mean the old Saber raider from the 90s? (link to competing store removed) Or do you mean the latest Raider from Yomega?
You can get a narrower bearing called a half spec that is much narrower. This will make almost any modern metal c bearing yoyo play responsive. You will need to adjust the axle lengthto accommodate it.
Another option is to wrap the string around the yoyo 4 times or so. This makes a yoyo responsive without losing speed. I do this alot.
The DV888 is good, its only responsive because of the SPEC bearing, which can be put on any Yoyo.
I find some pleasure in just using a wooden yoyo with no bearing at all. Just buy an old Duncan. They just have a nice classic touch that can’t be beat.
