Not plastic, but you could take a look at the metal Duncan Bumblebee that was released earlier this year, it feels great and has that tug response if set up with the right pads.
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I had it in my head that I didn’t want anything metal, but a few of these are pretty compelling… the Confusion seems pretty exciting for anyone who wanted but could never afford a Cold Fusion in the late 90’s (i.e. me)
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Get a Bolt xp then.
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+1 for the Confusion. I grabbed one a couple months ago and have been having a lot of fun with it. I also started playing in the late 90’s (while in high school) and got back into it earlier this year when my kids showed interest. Don’t give up on unresponsive throwing completely; you may like it more than you think at some point lol. Responsive is so much fun though. Welcome back to throwing curmudge!
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Thanks! I’m definitely not writing off unresponsive, just taking it one thing at a time. I’ve had a ton of fun getting into fixie, and responsive 1a is the next step… Sort of working my way through the history
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That is the nice thing about the RBC and El Mijo, they can be set up for either type of play.
Interesting that no one has mentioned the Duncan Butterfly AL. I think if you like old school butterfly-shaped yoyos and want to experience what a modern metal yoyo feels like while keeping that old school feel, the Butterfly AL is the yoyo to get.
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Nice you are getting back into throwing yo-yos!
I also started before unresponsive was the norm, so I always look at the responsive offerings as they come out. I haven’t tried a lot of the newest batch because it finally dawned on me that a new throw ain’t gonna change my abilities.
For the traditional pre-unresponsive tricks, at my level of play, I really like the basecamp moonshine, a Spyy flying-V (good luck scoring one) and for just goofing with a cheap yo-yo, a Duncan butterfly xt.
To me the modern responsive throws all feel very different so it’s hard to recommend one over another, you should do like these guys and just get them all.
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Everyone here has done a wonderful job with their recommendations. A plastic Freehand covers exactly what you asked for. An RBC is metal, I know you’re on the fence with metal. Get one anyway.
If you need something from the past, yoyoexpert has Fireballs and Raiders in stock. Wish they still had Cherrybombs and Tigersharks.
Speaking of Cherrybombs, if you can find a Moonshine, not the Moonshine 2, I strongly recommend it. It is metal, and it can be setup for responsive or unresponsive. It will definitely give you the nostalgia, but it also holds up very well to what we are using today. You would need to put up a post on the BST asking for one.
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Well, I did it. I am now the proud owner of the yoyo of our forefathers.
It’s definitely not the highest tech yoyo out there. The starburst response can be a little grabby. It doesn’t sleep for geological amounts of time like a new metal unresponsive does. But it feels fantastic. The shape is super comfortable, it’s heavy enough to feel substantial while still feeling pretty nimble (to my relatively inexperienced hands,) and it’s just a ton of fun. I’ve been trying to get all my old string tricks back and having a blast doing it
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“it finally dawned on me that a new throw ain’t gonna change my abilities”
These seem like wise words. Nothing against collecting, but I’m definitely more interested in the fun of playing. That said, there’s a couple of yoyos in this thread that I am ~psyched~ to try, especially the new Freehands…
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No one mentioned it because it plays so terrible.
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i’ve bought and sold 2 at this point lol, the second was purely for the unknown hype
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they are a bit grabby at first but that’s part of the deal. Once the starbursts wear down enough, it gets even better!
Imagine buying a Butterfly AL only to then throw a Butterfly XT and realizing that you could’ve gotten a better yoyo for 1/10th the price lol.
I really wanted to like the AL, but nah it just wasn’t it. The design is just bad for 1A, and for 0A the bearing/response choice and weight make it okay at best.
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Imagine the butterfly al like 10% lighter with an a-bearing, flush friction stickers and a <3mm gap? Ooof
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I like both the Butterfly XT and the AL. I totally agree that the AL is heavy. I just have so many light responsives, that it’s nice to change it up. Now I don’t use the AL for tricks really. I mainly throw it down and catch it with an Around the World snuck in while watching tv/YouTube. There’s something about giving the AL a good throw and getting a solid return in the hand.
I use all the light ones for 0A tricks and such.
I would also buy that 10% lighter/friction/gap yo-yo version in a heartbeat.
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Glad no one told him to get the new Bumblebee, lol
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I like my FH1 AL, I put a half spec bearing in for responsive play and I does have a very solid return. Spin time is about avarage. I get 10 around the world with my RBC and about half with the FH1 AL.
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