This might sound like a noobish question, but what features/abilities do hub stacks grant a yoyo? Easier thumb grinds maybe? Longer spin times? I’d just like to know what. Thanks in advance.
Neither. Basically, the ability to pick up the yoyo by the stacks.
Well the post above is MOSTLY true. However I would have to argue that pull-starting a yoyo SHOULD give a much longer spin just because you can control how hard or soft you want to pull. Also if you like the idea of popping a yoyo up and then holding it in place without the possible jeopardy in loss of RPMs for doing so, then hubstacks are pretty much the way to go John Huber has some interesting hubstack tricks, even a conceptual style he called A-Squared which was attaching two hubstacked yoyos to one string. It is pretty much on the same level of novelty as Jensen’s elbow playing style in my honest opinion, however fun nonetheless. Most people will say that Hubstacks get boring quick, I just think that very few people are creative enough to properly utilize them, and that frustrates them so the natural response is “stacks suck!” Give them a shot, who know you might love them.
Stacks can be a very cool addition if your planning to do 5A, as it allows you to hold the yoyo and the counterweight separately. Stacks can also be used well for whips and slacks, they do not increase spin time though. Now, I can go really far off and say that you can play horizontal with a stacked yoyo and use it like a spin top! Though I dont have any stacked yoyos, so I cant say much else about it.
Thumb grinds are way harder on a stacked yoyo because there’s so much less room for your thumb. Mostly people get stacked yoyos because they like the idea of holding and catching their yoyo while it’s spinning, but they get tired of it really fast. Also, they cost more. But, it’s a good thing to experiment and try different things.