I know this is almost a year and a half later but I had an itch to get a good responsive yoyo and since I really love iYOYO and had some Amazon points to spend, I decided to go with the Passion. Given that it’s been awhile since this post, how do you feel about it after the excitement of having something new has worn off. I feel like you get the most honest opinions/reviews on this kind of stuff once the honeymoon is over.
Also, @Pun1sh3R, I know you know your responsive yoyo’s quite well. What would you recommend as a good responsive throw? I saw Dr. Pop’s site, which had some really cool ones that he designed but I figure Passion is a good starting point and I could always convert my Shooting Stars back to responsive play but I just love how they play unresponsive too much, I am really just looking to have a few good dedicated responsive throws for when the mood strikes. If anyone else has some suggestions, don’t hesitate to post your thoughts. Sometimes I just want to throw responsive but doing string tricks with them is much harder in my opinion, I’ve hurt myself pretty bad with the Sage, lol!
To update my post; I dont play the Arrow or the Sage at all anymore. I have found “I” prefer the Modern Responsive style better (Mixture of 0A and Responsive 1A).
My question to you; Which style do you prefer or want to do with this “New Responsive” yoyo?
Without knowing your answer yet, I would recommend a Duncan Free Hand 1. It is a organic, highish walls. Will do 1A Responsive well and can get you started towards Modern Responsive 0A. $25.00 isnt a bad entry point either.
Since then I have gotten alot more into unresponsive play. About a year ago I switched it from responsive to unresponsive and mostly have played it that way so it’s hard to give a good review with it responsive right now. Now that I have so many unresponsive yoyos I have thought to actually change it back to responsive recently cause I do remember how much I enjoyed playing it that way. Maybe this weekend I’ll swap it out and see what I think. The Freehand 1 is a great unresponsive yoyo. I still use it all the time. It reminds me of my older style yoyos I played with back in the day but way better playing.
Thanks for the suggestion, added one to my wishlist. I noticed these come with a counter weight, which is cool, 5A is something I would like to get into down the road.
That’s a good question, I haven’t really thought about that to be honest. I would like to do mostly string tricks and eventually progress to 5A but I was thinking 5A was only unresponsive, I bet it’s hard to master on a responsive yoyo. I guess I’m just looking a for a quality modern responsive yoyo to have, from both your responses it sounds like the Freehand 1 is a good starting point.
Some times just dropping some thick lube in your bearings work to get the response you want. Have a tube on hand. Thin lube for the Half Spec Bearings.
Docpop PLTPS comes 5A capable, but is a Great Modern Responsive attached to your finger
Turbo Grind Machine has a really classic feel with the cork pads.
Zeekio Slim Jim - Great Player in this style. Not talked about much, hidden gem.
All 3 of these are currently available.
There are other great Modern Responsives, but you may have to hunt them on the BST.
I would not use the FH1 for 5a, especially just starting out bc it’s going to take a lot of damage and plastic just isn’t that durable. You can def do responsive 5a tho, it’s just a different kind of vibe. Now you’ll have a CW to use when you decide to give the style a go. It’s very fun!
Interesting enough, it usually just plows through my inaccuracies. It is not very snaggy with its power.
I would say with its power and spin time, it gives me the additional time I need to work through things, before dieing out.
However - Dont mistake its kindness for weakness. The couple of times I have snagged, It informs you with authority. I have learned real quick not to do that again. THWACK - “Bad Words”
Also, Remember, I am a extreme Noob (Still) with 1A string tricks. I hardly ever play unresponsive .
Great choice for a “Modern Responsive”. 1A Responsive String Tricks will be tougher with this one.
Check out Fixed Axle February and Modern Responsive March events from this last year. There are 8 weeks of tutorials. The PLTPS is capable of all of them!
String tricks on a responsive yoyo scares the hell out of me, lol.
I will check that out. I’m curious what the appeal is for fixed axles? I feel like the bearings have progressed past that but I guess I get the appeal for the old school & the traditional. I was listening to a Docpop “Pop Cast” where they discus the bind and it was quite funny hearing them talk about being stubborn and shunning the bearing yoyo when it first started gaining traction, I absolutely get that and have been there in other hobbies and probably would have been doing the same during that time… I know you aren’t just a fixed axle guy but I know that’s kind of thing, right? The bearing is what got me so pumped about the yoyo when I went down the rabbit hole.
Man, that reminds me. I need to finish reading your beginners journey thread. I keep slacking on that.
This is a good point, I may try one of my Shooting Stars with a half spec in it… I’ve heard the Speedholic & Shooting Star are similar but I may be remembering wrong on that front.
So, do I have this right? 0A is essentially 1A (wider gaps for string tricks) but with a responsive yoyo? Modern Responsive are the PLTPS, Turbo Grind Machine & the Slim Jim? And those aren’t as good for string tricks, correct? What are some of the things people do with Modern Responsive yoyo’s as far as tricks go? I assume they are made more for like looping, picture tricks and that kind of thing? I’m sure it’s gotten way more advanced but I’m trying to get a good feel for the difference between Modern Responsive & 0A. At first I thought you were using those terms interchangeably but now I’m starting to see that they are very different. Do Modern Responsive use a D bearing or can you put a C half spec in those?
2000-2010 (Generally Speaking), started with Modders “Beef Caking” 2 bearings side by side to get to the Umresponsive state. Invention is the mother of necessity, so we see the “Bind” come into rotation and manufacturers designing for the New Meta of Unresponsive 1A.
Yes, you had the hold outs, but I dont think this was a defining group. Full steam ahead towards Unresponsive.
Fixed Axle was something Nostalgic if you will. Until… the Stall was invented. Mr. Ed Haponik and Mr. Drew Tetz had their own little trick circle going on. The “Stall” introduced a whole new dynamic to fixed axle play. Stopping the yoyo spinning while playing… what?
So Fixed axel play that we just did in Fixed Axel February is actually newer than most people realize (Roughly the last 10 years).
Modern Responsive was basically the next step in evolution. Lets reinsert the bearing, but design it to stall…
There is a little more in this post about the opinion of “Modern Responsive”
Now, I wasnt there. But these are my opinions and conclusions on this subject. Based on what I have played and learned over the last Year and a Half.
0A is based on Fixed Axel Play, now days including stalls. The difference between 0A Responsives and 1A responsive is more along the height of the walls. 0A will have higher walls where 1A will only have enough wall to start the return (Generally Speaking).
Typically with the higher walls string tricks are more difficult. Not saying they cant be done, but it will definitely require a lot more accuracy.
1A will typically be Wider overall to help with Stability. Modern Responsives will typically be narrower to aid in Flips and Varials while stalled.
This is the Beauty of “Modern Responsive” you can do the Stall Tricks of a Fixie AND Responsive 1A String tricks.
Any Trick from 0A (Fixed Axel February) & Responsive 1A String tricks. Yes some Modern Responsive are capable of Looping also.
Modern Responsive yoyos may use any bearing; MR85, D, C… Because these are “Designed” to play a certain way, Gap is machined into the halves from the onset.
Not all Modern Responsives are created equal either. They typicall split the difference between 0A and 1A. Some designs lean closer and work better with the 0A style, while others lean towards the 1A style.
