The Butterfly is always a good choice, but don’t expect long spin times.
The Axlotl (basically a rebranded Arrow) comes with half spec and doesn’t cost much. Not good for 0A because it doesn’t have high walls, but good for everything else.
Freehand is a good classic choice, but I feel I have to work harder to keep them responsive.
Deepest State is great if you can find/afford one
Got to be honest with you. If I’m going to buy a responsive, it’s going to be a good responsive, something of quality. I’m not a big fan of the plastic crappy yo-yos like the Duncan butterfly XT I think it’s trash honestly.
I just feel like if I’m going to spend money I might as well buy something high quality from a reputable company that I know they put effort into
Quite a few mentioned here are aluminum and available. All good choices.
this man is a 0a god and only ever uses $3 bflies, and when i talked to him about it he said he wanted to show ppl what you can do with even the most basic equip. it’s only ever been the player that matters
Wow, I don’t think you have experienced them enough to fully appreciate the importance and playability of the Duncan.
I watched a 10 year old kid last week, his first time at our Thursday club meet with his Duncan butterfly that was not at all crappy or trash, just playing with it and thoroughly enjoying it with a genuine smile on his face, Looping it and busting out some string tricks that made us stop playing and watch him go. It’s most certainly not the equipment that makes the yoyoer
Everyone has their tastes and preferences… me, I love them…
But I think the Deepest State with a greasebucket or Doc Pop Weekender are excellent choices choices as well.
I do get what you are saying, you prefer the more solid feel of a well built boutique throw?
Honestly you should look for a deepest state, they made a TON and they are still coming. They are tough as nails, and customizable with side effects and different bearing combinations.
Aluminum butterfly has been very enjoyable for me as well
Turbo confusion is also a certified ripper
If you take the time to hand smooth a freehand, they feel fantastic in the hand once you get rid of the mold line, I use 3m 5micron sandpaper for this and get an excellent results. Really makes it transform from a cheaper feeling plastic to a nice quality throw. Same with the butterfly, it feels great
I guess I didn’t mean it that way and it just came out bad. I’m sure not all duncans are bad. What I mean by the Dunkin butterfly XCS I just feel like it feels like a cheap plastic kids toy doesn’t have like the quality feel. I mean granted, it’s only $5, but I feel like if I’m going to spend money I’d rather buy a $70 deep state or deepest state. Then a $20 plastic yo-yo maybe that’s just me.
But some of you are right. I have not played with yo-yos long enough to make a valid claim that this is good and that’s good. My comment definitely came off as rude and ignorant. That’s not where I really was going with it. I just feel like like I said I don’t want to buy cheap duncans. I’m sure they have their place and it puts smiles on people’s faces but it’s just not what I want in my collection.
I did find a deepest state on here. A cotton candy one for $70 or $75. I think it was so I’m looking at that and a couple of others maybe. I’m just trying to decide what I want to go with
I appreciate your candor. I took offense to your comment because of your inexperience. It’s good that you like what you like, however, way more tricks with a $5 butterfly are possible than you are capable of doing yet so trashing a yoyo or type of yoyo that’s been around far longer than you have and has tought millions of yoyoers around the world including me 55 years ago can do more harm than good for the community.
Some people want boutique yoyos always searching for a better one. (myself included) Meanwhile, other finds simple wooden or cheap plastic one and spends the afternoon lost in a world of pure joy of learning and expanding their tricks.(myself included)
Much love to both worlds
The deepest state plays most reliably responsive with a blank or Greasebucket (available through one drops store), but a decently lubed standard c (that comes in it) work great also
I finally got my Deepest State playing the way I like with a dry narrow bearing. 
I’m still trying to figure out which way I want to go. You got like the deepest state which has big diameter but little width. But then you got something like the yo-yo factory 888 which is a smaller diameter but a bigger width so I don’t know which way I want to go. I’m not sure how good I would be if I had like a deepest state with the width being so small.
I definitely want to get something soon. I’m just trying to figure out what I want. This is going to be the last yo-yo I buy for a while because I’ve already bought in 10 yo-yos in the last 2 months so I want one responsive and I’m going to call today for a while
Just go all in and get a pair of Loopers
Another vote for the Deepest State! With a Greasebucket. Playing that thing just takes me back. And back, and back…it’s been a while. 
I have two. One is an olive NQP (not quite perfect but still a good player) that I grabbed in the recent drop. Might look around, could be some still looking for a home.
rEvolve
That was a pretty sick video. I’m not going to lie. Super entertaining
Shu is a Master
I couldn’t turn away. The sheer mastery on every level that some are capable of reaching at certain things is mind boggling to me.
