MonkeyfingeR Design Gelada
Ray and Tawd over in Canada just began offering the second addition to their incredible line of high quality yoyo’s or as they call them in Canada return tops. For those not familiar with the 1962 patent battle Duncan fought over the use of the word “yo-yo” the term “return top” was in a way spawned from this battle and has left some parts of the world referring to yoyo’s as return tops. If memory serves correctly, I also believe that the term “yoyo” is subject to trademark in Canada so the use of “return top” avoids any legal unpleasantries. Being in the states here I will refer to the yoyo as a yoyo from here on. While the Evil-Yo had each color way besides the YYE edition named after the Three Wise Monkeys, Mizaru, Kikazaru and Iwazaru which translate to See no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil the Gelada is named after a species of large and sometimes fierce baboon. The Gelada was originally named the Lux but the name was changed towards the end of production and reflects the theme of the company quite well. You see, a Gelada is a type of terrestrial baboon that is colorful, large and despite being ground dwellers these big apes are brave enough to stand up to jackals and even leopards when threatened. The yoyo version of this majestic beast is fierce, sizable and just as colorful…and fits easier in one’s hand!
Anyone who has read my other review will know that my yoyo’s come in pairs although I am a 1A player. I just like having a back up in case of that potential catastrophic string failure while playing my throw in traffic. Hey, you never know, it could happen and then where would I be? One Gelada short of a pair! (Seriously though I did, a couple years back, suffer a string break on a pier and I watched my yoyo careen off the pier and have never been the same since…hence the multiples. ALWAYS CHECK YOUR STRING!)
So onto the fun stuff!
Gelada Specs:
Butterfly shape
66 grams
57mm diameter (fullsize)
44mm width
4.25mm gap
Center Trac C size bearing
Monkey Snot flowable silicone response (various colors)
UPDATE June 4, 2012: According the the MFD site the yoyos offered on the site come with CBC pads but will still accept Monkey Snot flowable
The colorways I received from Ray and Tawd are a blue and gray and a black and purple. I am not all that sure if these particular colorways have names but currently there are 4 colorways available on the monkefinger.ca store which are named Curious George (a brown and gold), Pink Stormy Days (black with pink splash), Red Stormy Days (you guessed it, black with red splash) and Yield (silver with a black and yellow splash). Personally I find the blue and gray I have to be an awesome combination but of what is available on the guys site, the Yield is amazing and I’m sure when spinning it takes on the appearance of a flashy, raw yoyo.
All in all though, no matter what version you choose you are in for a ride with the Gelada!
On the website you can purchase your Gelada by itself and it will come with a specs card, a card from the guys with info on the company and some cool Monkeyfinger Design stickers, a Made in Canada card showing Canadian pride and each Gelada comes packed away tight with a custom string and a custom pouch. Those who purchased an Evil-Yo will remember the drawstring pouch the yoyo came packaged in but the pouch you get with the Gelada is more of a tag-along pouch that flips open and has a loop on it you use to hook onto something or even on your belt.
I received one of the combo packs the guys offer plus one additional Gelada. The combo package included:
1 Gelada with center trac bearing
1 Gelada pouch
1 spec card
1 info card
1 Rhino multi-tool
2 MFD stickers
1 Gelada t-shirt
1 pack of One Shot Monkey Snot (3 tubes in various colors)
1 bottle of Gorillius Lubricus Bearing Lube
1 extra center trac bearing (which is good since I tend to burn out bearings)
1 pack of custom poly string
Build:
The Gelada is the first full size yoyo offered by MonkeyfingeR Design. The butterfly shape is weighted at the most crucial areas to allow for maximum spin without decreasing balance and stability. Anyone who has studied physics knows that there are very finite parameters when working on something like a yoyo and in order to translate kinetic energy into a stable platform a lot of care and tweaking on the design is necessary. For those Evil-Yo owners, the Gelada’s butterfly shape remains comfortable in the hand with rounded edges and a one step slope from the rim to the wall to the response groove; a shape that is familiar and yet in the Gelada crowned with a gentle transition from the upper catch zone to the rim. When you consider the weight of the Gelada is the same as the Evil-Yo you may wonder what the difference in design translates to and while the Evil-Yo feels somewhat heavy the Gelada spreads the same weight out across a broader and larger surface. Ray and Tawd paid close attention to the finish of the Gelada utilizing a completely new technique for anodizing which shows in the creative colors as well as the Maple Leaf and MFD logo on the yoyo that make for a superb finish. The Gelada was blasted on the catch zone while leaving a brilliant shine in the cup which really makes for a spectacular yoyo both in the hand, on a throw or even just sitting on your desk. While the finish feels different than the Evil-Yo that is known for grinding forever, there seems to be no sacrifice in the grindability of the Gelada. One of the features that I noticed was a quite different IGR on the Gelada when compared to the Evil-Yo. The IGR on the Evil-Yo is a rounded surface that functions incredibly well while on the Gelada the design is similar to that of the Omnicron X which uses a minimal approach by maintaining an IGR that is not rounded but comes to a point. The inner rim of the IGR is sculpted quite ergonomically to accommodate a thumb and when coupled with the IGR design itself you have a quite formidable player in your hand. The cup has a center hub that features a concave bowl. Although I don’t incorporate much Matador play I would think that this would still function in a similar fashion to spikes but for more swift movements with a shorter duration of contact to avoid killing the overall momentum of the yoyo.
On a Throw:
The shape of the Gelada is welcoming even though I am a real fan of the H-shaped yo-yos. One of the benefits of a butterfly shape and why so many yo-yos are offered with the tried and true design is that there is a certain degree of self-correcting play that comes with a butterfly yoyo. When done correctly and weighted in the right areas this shape can mean the difference between a yoyo for play and a yoyo for competition. As I mentioned before, the weight of the Gelada is 66 grams and the same as the Evi-Yo. Despite being the same weight the two play very differently. While the Evil-Yo zooms on the string and the weight can be felt through each mount and transition the Gelada floats but still maintains that crucial ability to be pushed at higher speeds while maintaining stable, controlled play. The blasted catch zone accepts the string well and I found the play a pleasure once I broke in the custom string. Slacks, wips and multiple layers of string are handled well and the Gelada’s overall design and playability are a surprise considering this is only the second offering from MonkeyfineR Design still a young but very impressive company thus far.
Stock Bearing and Response:
The Gelada comes with a C size center trac bearing installed for optimal play and the bearing, as anyone who has played one knows, handles layers well and provides for tight binds. Just to try it out I switched out the center trac for a crucial grooved bearing and the play was just as stable. A standard bearing in this yoyo also does quite well and due to the design of the Gelada the stability remains strong with any bearing you feel like using. The stock center trac comes clean, dry and shielded but as always I gave my bearing a cleaning prior to use. MonkeyfingeR Design yoyo’s come preinstalled with the company’s own flowable silicone aptly named One Shot Monkey Snot which in my opinion is one of the top notch flowables available. The silicone response groove is designed for effective binds and longevity of the response system. I play my Evil-Yo’s often and after owning them for nearly a year I have only just recently changed out the Monkey Snot in them. The response groove in the Gelada is deep enough so the flowable does not tear out during play and comes recessed perfectly for unresponsive play and tight, consistent binds.
If you appreciate the butterfly shape and are looking for a stable, comfortable, consistent full sized yoyo I definitely suggest looking into the purchase of a Gelada. The finish is incredible, the choice of colors breathtaking and the design as a whole just awesome while the play is consistent, forgiving and allows for variable speed making it a great all around throw! Couple this amazing yoyo with a couple of guys who are truly there for their customers and you have the making of a truly incredible experience.
Ray and Tawd have done it again with the Gelada!
A few more pics!