This is a review for SPYY’s new flagship yoyo, the Pro. I’m going to borrow the general format for my review from the high speed yo’s review site, as I like their layout. Also, I am definitely not a pro reviewer, and certainly not a pro player (notice how I am cleverly incorporating the word “pro” so much :-p) so my review will not be as good as the high speed ones, but i hope it can at least help give some folks direction on whether to get this yo. Please note, my camera is CRAP - I mean, really, really bad. So please, don’t use any of my photos for an opinion on the look of this really beautiful piece. On to the review!
Specs and intro (from SPYY’s website):
The Pro pic from SPYY website:
The Pro is SPYY’s newest flagship throw. It features a massive catch zone and an ultra-low wall combined with extreme rim weighting to meet the needs of today’s competitive players.
SPYY Pro key points:
- super-super wide profile at 44mm
- ultra low-walled 4.5mm gap
- 54mm diameter
- 67.5g weight
- massive rim weight percentage
- no spike!
- recessed pads – accepts silicone
- dry large C bearing
Construction:
The Pro is a very solid feeling yoyo, and all surfaces are incredibly smooth, as this yoyo has gone through their industry renowned bead blasting process. The construction of the yoyo is very simple, essentially each side being a single metal piece. I really feel this allows the yo to just “gel” on each throw, really feeling that it flows well as an entity, as things like weight rings and other additions are not present that I think sometimes give the feel of “extra parts” that can give the yo a “clunky” (read, less than buttery smooth) throw and play. There is a well rounded lip on the inside quite large enough for thumb grinds.
I love the pattern on it, but my pics below don’t do it any justice (again, I’m using a very crappy camera), check out some online stock photos for a good look at how truly beautiful this thing is! It looks like it has an acid wash anodized finish, it is a very cool looking yoyo!
About the size of The Pro, this puppy is wide! When you hold it, it almost feels like it is “all gap”. Even as wide as it is, I never was uncomfortable using it, even using it immediately after playing for a while on the much thinner YYJ Dark Magic. Here is edge to edge and side by side comparison of the Pro, the Dark Magic, and YYF’s Protostar:
Left to right: Protostar, Pro, and DM
One negative I will note: due to the silkiness of construction of the Pro, the halves may unscrew just a bit from time to time if you don’t twist them together tight enough. It happened to me maybe once or twice in the week I’ve had it, but hasn’t happened again since I got used to how tightly I needed to get it to keep it together. This may just be a yoyo breaking in thing, or maybe a newb player (like myself) breaking in thing, but I want to make sure I do a complete review 
Weight:
At 67.5 grams, the Pro is actually a bit lighter than one would expect just looking at it. This is mainly due to the huge gap size, as most of the weight distribution is much more spread out. I find this weight to size ratio to be quite pleasing actually, the throws feeling very manageable but still with a solid “thump” at the end of the string on a throw.
Response and Bearing:
The Pro comes with 2 CBC slim pads. I took one of my pads out and added silicone to the exposed gap (as you’ll see in my “guts” pic below). This allows for an almost dead response, while still giving a very strong and definitive wind on a bind. I say “almost dead” because there is still a little snag on some multi layer tricks, but I believe this to be due to the sticker I left in and the silicone both being so new. I anticipate a completely dead response one they have both broken in.
The bearing arrives clean and ever so lightly lubed, making it one of the most quiet unresponsive bearings I have ever played with out of the box. They really know what they are doing at SPYY in getting a good clean / noise free ratio in their bearings!
Yoyo Guts:
Playability:
This yoyo is amazing! I don’t think it’s the longest sleeping yoyo I have ever played with - possibly due to the bearing; I have found that a KK or similarly grooved bearing to add quite a bit to sleep times, which this yoyo does not have. It is, however, SMOOOOOTTTHHHH on the string. Due to it’s nearly flawless construction, it floats on the end of the string happily while you throw everything you got at it. And not just smooth in multilayer string tricks, this yoyo literally grinds as if it was coated with pure butter. I am a HUGE fan of grinds: palm grinds, thumb grinds, finger, arm, foot, my dog’s back, top of my head - and any other surface which I can possibly grind on - grinds. The Pro grinds magnificently! Anything I throw at it, I lose very little spin, and can chain a series of grinds with plenty of spin left for a random Kwijibo or something followed by a nice tight bind! This is a feat none of my plastic and metal / plastic hybrids could ever do.
This is obviously not the fastest yoyo in the world on string tricks, as it is incredibly wide. But, it is no slouch either. It can move pretty nimbly on the string for a very wide yo.
The Pro is built for taking as much string in the gap as you can throw at it, and begs you to give it more! The huge gap allows multilayer string tricks with great ease, and will allow folks learning complicated string tricks a much easier time in doing so, as it is incredibly forgiving - no matter where the string hits anywhere near the gap - it’s going in.
The heaver size and shape and ultra smooth finish allow for a solid throwing, highly forgiving and very high performance yoyo, which can switch between types of tricks with great ease.
Final Thoughts:
I really feel this is one of the best, and very likely “the” best yoyo I have ever played with. I would without hesitation bring this anywhere, anytime for an amazing throw, knowing I could have the capabilities of an amazing high performance device behind me. For me, one of it’s major drawbacks to making it an everyday throw, however, is the price. At around $105 USD, this is one of the most expensive readily available yoyo’s on the market. I would be afraid something would happen to this beautifuly crafted and colored piece. But, around the house, or if I were going somewhere I knew didn’t offer many “yoyo hazards”, I would, without hesitation, play with SPYY’s Pro above any other yoyo I own.
