ILYY has always seemed like a super cool company to me, but I haven’t gotten a chance to try out any of their yoyos. I’ve still been on the hunt trying to find another comfortable organic-ish yoyo I really like. The Duncan Freehand is my favorite, but I kind of want something a bit smaller.
In the past I loved the RSO x Doc Pop End Pt. 2, and ILYY seems like they have a lot of great stuff to pick from in that undersized realm. Is the new E1ns run what I should get, they seem pretty easy to acquire, but they show up on the BST pretty often so do people not love theirs? Does that mean I should look for some older models like the Mary or Wasabi? The Dote1ns seems super cool as well.
I was just wondering what everybody else had as their favorite or recommended model for a comfortable/undersized feel.
I have 90% of their models. You looking for some classic organic? E1ns is nice but pretty old school very close to general yo models from that time.
My fav is the Solid, but must tries are imo LIO, Valve, Enigma and Sakura.
Mary and Wasabi are even more old school feeling.
DotE1ns is very special, super small Bimetal Yoyo but hard to find.
I also love the new Pybit because it is just a crazy design visually and play wise.
Ah Right definitely get something candy blasted since the finish is crazy and super unique.
E1NS is definitely one of the quintessential ILYY yoyos given that it’s their first release and probably the most aesthetically influential yoyo they ever made (Noctu and Pybit are up there too just for being so weird). I love mine and I think it’s a very enjoyable, capable player. The most recent releases are very nice.
The new Lynx strikes a really nice balance between their more extreme aesthetics, comfortable feel, and just being an all around great yoyo. It isn’t undersized like the E1NS, so might not be for you if you are looking for undersized at the moment. It has a pleasant amount of float, and I have drawn comparisons to the Peak in the past because I think the two yoyos share a lot in terms of feel. I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to describe the Lynx as being an upgraded Peak in many respects, with a distinctly ILYY look. One of my all time favorite players and lookers.
Mary is a very fun yoyo, but definitely a tougher sell than the E1NS for most given that it is less forgiving, harder to find, and only available with an L bearing and nonstandard response. Another one of my favorites by ILYY. I often wish I hadn’t traded my red one away.
Josy-Ann is another one of their earlier designs that deserves a mention. Awesome yoyo that sort of functions like a proto Panorama/YWET, but they are very difficult to find currently.
Personally, I think the E1NS and Noctu are the best ones to start with if you want the ILYY experience, but I understand that the Noctu isn’t exactly comfy and organic. Preferably candy blasted so you get to experience the finish they were so well known for earlier on. The Mary and new E1NS runs would also be excellent choices in line with your preferences here.
It sounds like the E1ns really is the quintessential model, and it does check my boxes. Should I seek out one of the older runs for a candy blast, or is the latest run just as good? I don’t think the latest run is candy blasted but I could be wrong.
The Wasabi still seems really appealing as well though, because I’d say most of my favorite yoyos are early 2010s models that don’t stack up to the performance of modern stuff, but they have an impeccable feel in the hand and their higher walls give a ton of character in play.
The Wasabi kind of looks like it has that higher midwall somewhat reminiscent of the OD Cascade/CLYW AC1. They feel like more of flared out modern yoyo in the hand, but have just enough of an extended wall around the response groove to give you that extra level of control in play.
I might just try and pick up an E1ns and Wasabi then lol. I’m not looking to pay a premium for rare/expensive models though, so the dote1ns might be out of consideration entirely.
The Noctu definitely doesn’t interest me because it’s just a bit too sharp looking, seems very cool but I value hand comfort a lot for old school throws. The Lynx seems like it’s got the striking visual design of the Noctu but with a design that’s way more comfortable in the hand. Just not super interested in a full sized model at the moment.
I forgot the fury… was love at first sight
I think the E1nsTien is also a fantastic choice. You have best of both worlds. Old school organic organic a bit lighter and longer spin time. Def worse the penny imo.
Wasabi is definitely smaller and more heavy feeling then what you would expect from you description.
But also fun, all fun lol
Enjoy your journey!
P.S. candy blast is not done anymore since a couple of years but def worse trying since it is just fantastic.
The new ILYY ano is more silky kind a porcelain.
Correct, the most recent ILYY releases are soda blasted. The shop that did candy blasting for them shut down some time ago.
I think the E1NS is a great call. If I could pick a yoyo for you, it would be a candy blasted 61g E1NS, but that’s gonna be tough to find. The new soda blast is really nice and a Wasabi or Mary would be easier to find if you really want to see what the candy blast is like.
I’ve always liked ILYY a lot so I’m here for this thread. Used to have a Sakura, Josy Ann, Lynx, and Nile. Have a 2WEI and Mary right now.
The one suggestion I’d make that hasn’t been emphasized yet is that older models only take metric bearings but updated ones use C bearings. No big deal, but it is harder to find metric options.
Frank still had some L sized KKs laying around last I heard from him. I think their shipping situation is not great at the moment, so it would be relatively expensive if you wanted to buy one without buying a yoyo from them, though.
I’m located in Finland so metric bearings are fine for me. I think I’m going to pick up a latest run E1ns just to experience an E1ns soon, and for the true oldschool feel/L bearing/candy blast I’ll try and find a Wasabi.
I didn’t know about the Fury though. That’s super unrelated to the kind of yoyo I’m looking for right now but I love the YYF Genesis and Mowl M, and the Fury seems amazing lol. If the E1ns and Wasabi impress me enough the Fury is absolutely something I’ll have to seek out. It’s also a bit unrelated to what I’m looking for but the Josy Ann looks killer for a full sized organic. That might be going on the eventual yoyo bucket list too.
It’s been a couple months since I made this thread. I figured an update might be interesting.
From left to right: Blackbelt, Torino, Josy-Ann, Liopleurodon, E1ns, Fury
Blackbelt: This is just something you know if you’re interested in or not. Extremely cool collection piece. If you’re into big diameter super slimline yoyos, I’m not entirely sure you could do much better than this without making it feel like a rock to play. Blackbelt very much does not feel like a rock, and you’re going to be more concerned with missing string hits than running out of spin time. I’m impressed with this yoyo for what it is. The “black belt” aesthetic of is fantastic, it’s one of the best looking yoyos I own.
Torino: This yoyo rules, it makes me want an AbysmAL. Extremely comfortable rim shape, has that nice beefy presence on the string that I enjoy, and lower walls for a way more forgiving string break angle. It doesn’t even cross my mind during play that there’s a flat bearing in this yoyo.
Josy-Ann: A yoyo from a different time period. A long-lost cousin to the AnY Free Rider, distant relative to the YWET. This yoyo shares the same DNA of those other oversized diameter/slim width organics. Shockingly stable with very impressive spin times for its weight. It has walls this high and a width this slim yet “challenge” is not a word I’d ever use to describe this yoyo. It’s just comfortable, it just plays well. Feels super light on the string and reacts to all of your movements instantly. There’s really nothing on the market even similar to this yoyo, it really does feel from a different era. Makes me nostalgic for times I didn’t experience
Liopleurodon: I was worried the rim shape would be uncomfortable and dig into my hands. I was extremely wrong. On the profile the rims curve downwards before the edge of the yoyo, that causes the rim lip to never actuall touch your hand. The profile cradles your palm perfectly. This yoyo has a fairly high midwall past the response groove, and it’s equipped with a flat bearing, yet those two factors never even cross my mind when I’m playing this. I can just completely autopilot it. It is absolutely getting the most out of its beefy weight. This is the best performing yoyo of the bunch, it’s the most stable and has the best spin times. The Torino is a close second though, but the Torino does have the big advantage of much lower walls. The newer 2022 Lios have much lower walls, from both reducing the OD of the response groove and eliminating the midwall. This yoyo is an extreme winner. If you want one ILYY, buy a Lio imo.
E1ns: It’s an undersized organic. For what it is this yoyo is really good. This is the most comfortable yoyo I’ve ever held in my hand. The hand feel is completely unrivaled. The play is just a little bit anemic and this yoyo needs to be babied in play if you don’t want to tilt/kill your spin. But to an extent that should maybe be expected considering the size of the yoyo. I think a centering bearing would help this yoyo quite a bit. That being said if you can play clean, this yoyo is amazing for 5A. In general I’m usually throwing shorter combos/tricks in 5A, so lower spin times/stability of undersized yoyos don’t bother me. And the feel on the catch/grip of this yoyo is amazing. For 1A I’d rather play a full sized though, and Lio is the 1A winner.
Fury: Not what you expect, not what I expected. I expected a sluggish, rimweighted monster of a yoyo. That’s not at all what I got. It feels much lighter than its 66g body would imply. I think the combination of IRG and a bit of extra center weight from this hub style really balance out the big step to push the rims outwards. This yoyo feels like it’s sacrificing a bit of spin time and stability to be easier to move around in play. This yoyo feels very forward-thinking for a competition oriented yoyo. If I had to make a comparison, it’s kind of similar to 62g bimetals. Technically they’re pushing out the rim weight in an effective way, and getting a lot out of what they’re working with, but they’re sacrificing some performance to hit that lower target weight so they’ll feel more comfortable and less effort to accelerate in play. Ignoring the Blackbelt (which serves as a unique specialized yoyo, instead of being a generlist design) this is my least favorite yoyo of the bunch. That was very shocking to me, because I expected this to be my favorite. I think maybe a centering bearing and 2-3g of extra weight on this yoyo would go a very long way.
To summarize for anybody else looking at recommendations for a first ILYY:
Get a Liopleurodon if you want an extremely good performer of an organic yoyo, with profile curves that make other organics seem hard-edged and uncomfortable in comparison. If I could only have one yoyo in this bunch, I’d probably pick the Lio.
Get an E1ns if you’re willing to sacrifice performance to play the most comfortable yoyo you will ever hold. If your 5A preferences are anything like mine, C bearing E1ns will probably be one of your favorite 5A yoyos ever.
If you want a yoyo that just performs extremely well, has a great shape for grinds, and an excellent soda blast, maybe grab an AbysmAL? I really want an AbysmAL after playing the Torino. I plan on buying either one of those or a Krapfen whenever those are released, depending on which one I think looks cooler.
Also as good as candy blasts are, I think they’re a little overrated. The soda blast on the Blackbelt is exceptional, and personally I love the look of candodized. The candodized Torino can grind competently enough. The spin of the Torino doesn’t screech to a halt when it bumps your hand during play, and the glossy finish looks amazing if you record lots of trick clips like I do. Soda blasts grind every bit as well as candy blast, the difference is entirely negligible to me. The only thing candy blast has going for it is that it truly does feel amazing to just hold in your hand and run your fingers across, but I’m not really sure how much I actually care about that.
