So, recently, I’ve noticed a lack of review concerning yoyos that I’m interested in. So, I figured I’d do my part in purchasing a yoyo, and letting other people know what I think of it, inorder to hopefully better informing potential purchasers before they spend their money.
With that being said, onto the review…
Specs
Diameter:52.55 mm
Width: 38.38 mm
Gap Width: 4.25 mm
Weight: 63.9 grams
Bearing Size: Size C (.250 x .500 x .187)
One Drop 10 Ball Bearing
Response:Flow Groove Pads
http://i924.photobucket.com/albums/ad85/Mr_Ikelace/null_zpsc3876df0.jpg
Specs Overview
The Yelets is a very comfortable midsized 52.55 diameter. It’s on the low end of midsized, but still falls above 52mm. Feeling it in my hand, I think that 52.55mm is perfect for the shape of the yoyo.
The width of 38.38mm actually quite thin by todays standards. You see, even just five years ago, 35mm width was considered “normal” and anything above 40mm was considered wide - anything above 42mm was really wide! Over the years, however, width has slowly been creeping up. I think it’s great that One Drop decided to break the norm a little and produce a yoyo with a less than 40mm width.
63.9 grams is on the lighter side, but is not uncomfortably light. I find that it plays heavier than what the weight suggests, but that’s slightly subjective. Fortunately, One Drop invented the WONDERFUL side effect system, which allows you to add some weight. There is a small flaw with this on the Yelets, but more on that later. I think that it’s a great weight for the size.
The gap on the Yelets is a perfect 4.25mm. Now, I prefer really nice, tight binds, so a slightly thinner gap is better by my standards. I find that with a thick string, I can get the really right binds I enjoy, but with a thinner (or normal sized) string, I can get the more expected kind of bind. Comes with a 10 ball and Flow Groove Pads, which are both wonderful systems.
Build
The Yelets has a build that I’m not quite used to - it’s not only thinner, but it also has a small catch zone relative to it’s width. The rims appear slightly flatter than pictures suggest; the eye and the lens see things slightly different
The inner cup is interesting. It has this “ripple” which I don’t find too pleasing to the eye, but it’s extremely minor. There are two very simple laser engravings on either side of the hub, which look nice. They’re not super eye catching, but I’m happy that they’re there.
http://i924.photobucket.com/albums/ad85/Mr_Ikelace/null_zps76c9de76.jpg
http://i924.photobucket.com/albums/ad85/Mr_Ikelace/null_zps422ea367.jpg
Now, onto that side effect issue that I was talking about. As the yelets is a thinner yoyo, the side effects are closer to the edge of the yoyo. I find that side effects other than the ultra lights or domes tend to stick out a little bit too far into the cup, which can be slightly uncomfortable in the hand. Small issue that doesn’t impact play at all, but something that should be noted.
The Yelets has One Drop’s pyramatte finish. This is the best finish ever to grace the yoyo community. It grinds forever, but still offers a great grip. It comes with matching color ultra lights, which I’m not really a fan of. I think it would look better with gray side effects. I swapped the blues one out for some mirror polished side effects. Much prettier ;D
Play
This is where the Yelets stands out. Ignore everything else about the yoyo. This thing rocks on the string.
The first thing I noticed with the yelets was it’s speed. The yoyo moves incredibly quickly, due to it’s weight distribution and weight. This yoyo hops and glides between string segments and around your body with ease.
The second thing I noticed was how insanely stable the Yelets is. I cannot get this yoyo to tilt. Even at very low speeds, this yoyo does not want to tilt. You see, it seems that people have forgotten one of the great benefits of slimmer designs; they can be incredibly stable when made correctly. The Yelets stability cannot be understated.
One of the reasons why yoyos have been getting progressively wide is to help with horizontal play. Wider yoyos tend to perform better on horizontals. It was very interesting revisiting my horizontal tricks on a slimmer yoyo. At first I had difficulty performing them, but after awhile, I got the hang of it. The Yelets performs uniquely on horizontal tricks. Not worse, just differently, and highly enjoyably.
I was a little nervous when I first got the Yelets and realised how thin it is in comparison with some of my other yoyos. The catch zone is smaller than many modern yoyos. I’m not going to lie; this yoyo was a little bit harder to catch on the string. However, after a couple of days, I found myself getting a little bit more accurate with tricks. With all these fancy new fangled wide yoyos, it seems that I’ve lost some of my accuracy.
http://i924.photobucket.com/albums/ad85/Mr_Ikelace/null_zps48248622.jpg
Overall
I love the Yelets. I really do. This yoyo is slowly becoming a part of my EDC. The color is beautiful. It fits in my pocket much better than my cascades. It plays extremely well. It can handle any trick that I can throw at it. It gave me a different perspective on tricks and made me more accurate. It moves effortlessly.
The Yelets leaves little to be desired. Any issue that I have with the yoyo is small, and is insignificant in relation to the play. I think that calling the Yelets a “pocket” throw gives the idea that the Yelets is not focused on playbility. Trust me, it is. I cannot recommend the Yelets highly enough. It’s only $85 - pick one up.
YYE link :One Drop Yo-Yos – YoYoExpert
