I’ve been throwing for about 3 months now, and have thus far been using plastics such as yyj kickside, speedmaker, legacy, and yyf protostar. I’ve been using the protostar mostly to practice and learn tricks and was in love. The protostar is such an awesome plastic throw.
As with many other people, I was always afraid to invest in metals because I like to keep my toys nice and shiny and ding free. I know that some dings and scuffs are inevitable, but that still lingered in my mind. When I found the protostar, I thought ‘I would never need a metal’. Well… I still don’t ‘need’ a metal… but I the lingering thought in my head kept asking me, “What am I missing if I don’t go metal?”
Lo’ and behold… I just received my first metal orders… both YYF Superstar (Yuji edition) and Yuuksta. My mind is now thoroughly blown with BOTH of them. I’ve been throwing them for several hours now, and I’m in love! They are so smooth… much quieter than the protostar.
The Yuuksta is my first undersized throw and I dig it for sure! It was a toss up between the Yuuksta or the Protege. I decided to go with the latest and greatest for personal reasons (though they are only like 1 month apart release wise). I ordered to orange wash color and at first it feels a little ‘powdery’ but that fades as you play with it. It comes with a Center trac bearing and yellow poly string. The first thing I noticed was the stability. Even when I threw it with a slight tilt, it stayed stable and spun forever. The size is very interesting and definitely catches you by surprise when you’re used to full sized throws. Still very easy to catch on the string and play with crazy speed (I’m slow but playing this makes me feel faster already!).
The Superstar is like wo’ … I’m most definitely never taking this anywhere but in the house. It’s so beautiful out of the box. Yuji edition is silver with some grainy graphic along the catch zone. This is a double whammy for me. Metal with hubstacks. I’ve played with the hubstacks for a while with it and am pleasantly surprised to have this as an option. The H-shape is very familiar as it is similar to the protostar but not identical. It feels like home in my hands. The weight is fairly heavier than what I’m used to, but definitely feels amazing in my hands. It is so stable and spins for ages out of the box. It came with 2 sets of red and blue hubstack replacements, and a yellow poly string.
So, with the advent of metals, I won’t say that I’ll never go back to plastics every now and then… Plastics are still my choice for on the road random yo-yoing. I plan on keeping my protostar near me everywhere I go for that spontaneous throwing itch. I will also keep the Yuuksta as a travelling yo-yo as well for when I want to show off. Hopefully I don’t go overboard and ding it up too! As for the superstar, that will be my prized possession locked away in my yoyo case for those times when I want to throw it around the house.
Bottom line is, if you’re using plastics, definitely keep using them as some are really good with awesome play. I will keep using mine as travelling yoyos. As for if you’re thinking about getting some metals. DEFINITELY do! My experience so far with these new metals are outstanding! They feel amazing in your hand, so cool and natural. They play extremely well and feel a little more ‘umph’ with each throw. They little ‘ring’ that each metal puts out is different and is like a different beautiful woman singing to you with every toss. They are my new babies. I shall guard and cherish them for life.