As of the past couple days, I’ve been tempted on picking up a spin top and try something sort of new out. I just don’t know which one to get. I do have some experience with a spin top as when I as younger I had a cheap wooden one I bought at Walgreens. My friend from around the corner also bought one as that’s what they played with when he was in Mexico. He showed me how to wind and throw. Of course, our tops got beat up as we did it outside in the street.
Fast forward to today, I want to try one of these out once again and I now know there are the classic ‘fixed tips’ and ‘bearing tips.’ One of the models I was looking at were the Duncan Bearing King (I kind of want to stay away from the ripcord starts as it seems too ‘Beyblade-ish’ to me). What do you guys recommend?
Also, are these safe to use indoors on laminate floor, or on concrete outdoors? Yea, I sound completely newbish right now
I started on a Duncan Bearing King, and it took me pretty far. The Rip Cord is the same exact thing, but with a fixed tip.
In general, you have to be careful about dropping the top on a hard surface of any kind, especially with a plastic tip, as opposed to metal. I’ve snapped at least 4 Bearing King tips so far. I’d stick to carpet and grass.
I have 2 Bearing Kings, 1 I keep fixed tip and 1 I keep bearing tip.
When I throw, I usually throw on this area carpet that’s over a tile floor. I get OK spin time. It’s not the best, but when trying to get my throw better, it prevents damage.
The Bearing Kings are great. They come with a fixed and bearing tip, so you can go either way. Pop out the bearings and clean them to get much better performance. As Pat said, the Ripcode is the Bearing King without the bearings, but can be upgraded to a Bearing King with the right tips and a second A-sized bearing. It does come with the “pull start” thing, which I think is kinda silly. Bearing King all the way: best of both worlds and no silly pull start device.
So one of the other ones I was looking at (which there’s only 1 in stock here) is the Spintastics Trompo Grande (bearing version). I know that has the metal tip and with my luck I know I’d probably end up snapping the plastic tips from the Bearing King…Any input on the Trompo Grande?
I own a Trompo Bearing and like it a lot. The shape of the tip isn’t the best, since it isn’t v shaped, but the way it is attached to the top is superior. The size is nice and big for learning, too.
I notice it takes a bit of a more oblong throw, which might make it more difficult, if not just different from smaller tops. If you’re learning on it as a first experience with tops, I can’t see it being much of anything.
Doing some more looking, still not sure which way to go, I also found a Spintastics Blizzard which is also outfitted with the bearing, and a ripcord. Anyone try the Blizzard? I had read that they have some weight to them, not sure if that’s desirable or not. Is the Blizzard worth checking out or should I just go with the Bearing King or Trompo bearing?
Doing further research and watching tricks, I see that a lot of tricks involve getting the top to land on your hand. Not sure if plastic tip, metal tip, heavy, light, or what’s best suited, what will last me up to harder tricks. All of this input so far is appreciated.
If you don’t want to collect lots of different tops, I would advise you to get the ripcord (you can throw it with the string, you don’t need to use the rip cord start) and the bearing kings. they are basically the same, so if you tear up a BK, you can put a fixed tip in it and keep throwing.
Also there are tons of fun mods you can do to them.
Everybody has an opinion about spin tops, but remember that lots of the people you hear from are basically professionals. You can do anything with the Duncans, if you get a different or more expensive top, it isn’t really going to help you learn the basics…
Check out www.itopspin.com
