Legacy Peak vs First Run Peak

Yo-Yo Reviews
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I was recently lucky enough to pick up a legacy peak, and was even luckier to pick up a first run 28 stories peak a few years back. I thought a few people might enjoy a comparison between the two, so here it is. If you have any questions or want any specific pictures, feel free to ask.

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Visually, they’re incredibly similar. The original obviously has a slightly different finish, which is less glossy, but BT have done an amazing job at recreating the original colourway from Pioneer. I’d say it’s the closest recreation I’ve seen to date.

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There’s no change to the response, and the legacy ships with a pleasingly nostalgic flat bearing (a 10 ball to go along with the One Drop machining). The most noticeable difference here is that the original axle post curves down in the middle, whereas the legacy is flatter. I assume this change was one of the alterations made by the original machine shop.

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A look at the inside walls makes the legacy appear slightly more high-walled, but I think this is mostly down to the light reflecting differently on the less matte surface.

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The rim on the legacy appears to be a hair wider, and the inside edge is just slightly sharper on the original. The outside rim has the same familiar roundedness, rather than the flatter design of the second run. The nipple feels a little sharper on the legacy, which I figure is down to more precise machining (the original 28s was known for having one flat nipple, and one pointed).

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As there is no obvious change in specs (I don’t have a scale or any way of providing precise measurements), the minute differences don’t translate to a major difference in play, but there are subtle nuances to each.

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The original has a certain thunk to it, which combined with the floatiness it somehow carries creates a fairly unique feeling. The legacy maintains the balance brilliantly, feeling just a touch lighter, and more nimble as a result. While both play excellently, the legacy has a little more purpose to it, and ends up playing a bit more like a third run (arguably the best playing peaks).

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Overall, I’d have a hard time guessing which I was playing if blindfolded, and unless you’ve spent years obsessing over peaks, the minute differences are easy to miss. All in all, the legacy peak is the perfect celebration of the original design, and I can only hope they run some more in years to come (I know another 50 are already on the way).

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Excellent write up and pics, thanks for taking the time!

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Glad you managed to grab one eventually!

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Very interesting, excellent observations and beautiful photos! Thanks!
As regards the anodic coloring, the color shades and the acid wash are surprisingly the same, the only difference lies in the product used to mask the red splashes which on the Pioneer OG was much more fluid and therefore formed very thin lines and drippings (absent on Legacy), a very beautiful and characterizing effect which was typical of the anodizations of the Caribou of the time (BvsM Wolverine, Ogopogo, etc.) the product used on the Legacy on the other hand is certainly denser and it produces thicker and “coarser” splashes… from that aspect the result was not achieved in my opinion and I repeat, that type of splash was very, very characteristic.

P.s. How many Legacys were made and where were they sold?

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100 made, 50 dropped in person at us nats (:roll_eyes:), rest tbd. allegedly more will be made next year at some point but also tbd.

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The thunk could just be your response?

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I think Steve said they’re trying to make another run in time for worlds.

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This is accurate!

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I’ve played a whole bunch of peaks over the years, they all have what I would describe as a thunk, characteristic of a lot of yoyos from time period. It’s not a negative, and certainly not as noticeable as the kickball that impacted some older designs, like the G&E series.

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But why?

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Why would I describe it that way? Or why do I think it’s the case?

For me most modern yoyos are either floaty, or solid, depending on the design. It’s a spectrum for sure, with something like the chief or cascade at one end, and maybe more like the sasquatch or P2 at the other.

I think a lot of mid-school yo-yos tried to strike a balance; adding weight for spin time, without pushing too much to the rims, as more modern designs have. I think it’s this point between centre and rim weighted which gives some older designs a slightly dense feeling on a throw (an example off the top of my head would be a bapezilla). There’s a certain feeling as it hits the bottom of a throw, not a dead weight, but certainly not flowing into the next movement like more modern designs do. There are definite exceptions, like the first 888s, but it feels like a characteristic of a lot of '06-'08 yoyos for me at least.

The original peak strikes a really unique balance, a little bit of that ‘thunk’, but definitely still floaty, which I think is a bit part of what has made it so popular. The modern machining of the legacy seems to get rid of that ‘thunk’ a little bit, and it ends up feeling a little more deliberate as you reach the end of a throw.

I don’t really know much about yoyo design, and modern to me is stuck in 2011, so take this all with a pinch of salt; just my feelings

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What I mean is that in this specific instance, the response set up is the only possible difference that might lead to a thunk feeling in the OG but not the legacy Peak that I can think of.

People also used to favour much thinner strings back in the day than they do now which might have contributed to your impression of older yoyos.

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Since the original machine shop made changes to Chris’ design, it’s no suprise that the legacy feels a little different - they’re brothers, not twins.

You may be right about thinner strings!

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I was just thinking about this… Peaks have always had flowable silicone as a return system, and the grooves aren’t supposed to be the same size as Snow Tire pads… it’s hard to tell by looking at the photos, we’d have to ask…

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The grooves are the same size as snow tires. I have a vague memory that the old grooves were just slightly shallower, leaving snow tires sitting proud in peaks, BvMs, wooly marmots, etc but I haven’t tried in years now. It may be down to the variability of snow tires, I know they’ve been a little too thick in the last couple years.

The particular snow tires in my legacy peak are slightly recessed.

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