String Theory Remnant 2
Reviewed by Chris Rhoads
May 18, 2011
Introduction
When the original Remnant came out in 2009 I was blown away by the performance of this freshman effort. My only real complaints were with the finish, IGR, and spike. Enter the Remnant 2. It appears that Mark and company took those critiques to heart and redesigned the Remnant to meet the needs of all players, not just the 5A segment that the original Remnant catered to. The problem with updating an old design is that if it is a winning design, like the Remnant, you run the risk of killing the magic that the original possessed. In looking at the Remnant 2 I will be keeping a keen eye on how it plays and deciding if it has that same spark that made me thoroughly enjoy the original.
Specs
• Diameter: 50.0 mm
• Width: 41.0 mm
• Gap: 4.55 mm
• Weight: 66 grams
• Bearing: Terrapin C-Bearing
• Response: Theory Pad
Construction
The Remnant 2 retains the same hybrid V/H Shape that the original had. The flat rims give way to a V-Shaped cut which transitions to a concave H-Shaped catch zone. The gap has an extra little step that gives the profile more of a low walled feel reducing contact with the inner wall. The cup of the Remnant 2 is where we see some of the biggest design changes. The rims are thicker and house a nicely implemented IGR. The spiked hub in the center has been given a concave look that comes to a very functional, and sharp, spike. These two additions obliterate two of the biggest issues I had with the original design, the third issue I had was with the sticky finish. Luckily for me, they fixed that as well. The finish on the R2 is now a chalkboard bead blast finish. It is velvety smooth and feels great in the hand. There is one concern for this type of finish. It can get “dirty” easy. It isn’t really dirt but it marks up like a chalkboard, and just like a chalkboard all it takes is wipe of a cloth to remove the marks. No big deal, just something to be aware of. Over all I am excited about the changes in the design. It is always good to see a company take the comments from their fans and redesign their product to suite their followers. It shows a lack of ego and a willingness to go that extra step to please the community.
Weight
With the rims being beefed up as much as they have you would think the weight took a huge jump, but that is not the case here. String Theory pretty much just shifted the weigh to the areas that needed it. When all was said and done, the R2 only gained a gram over the original. This extra gram does reduce the float that the original had but it adds extra spin time, allowing for more intricate combos. It is a fair trade off in my book.
Response and Bearing
The response is listed as a Theory Pad. In reality it is a silicone pad made by the same company that makes One Drop’s Flow Groove pads and in the end they feel identical. If you are a fan of One Drop’s pads you will know exactly how this plays and should be just as happy with the results.
During the original Remnant’s review I was a little critical of the use of the KonKave bearing. I have never been a fan of these gimmick bearings. They tend to bunch up the string in the center of the yo-yo and hamper tricks. Now this is just my opinion on the matter, there are many people out there that would be more than happy to educate me on the superiority of these types of bearing. In the R2, String Theory chucked the KK bearing and went with a Terrapin coated bearing instead. The Terrapin process leaves the bearing dry and whisper quiet while giving great spin times.
Playability
It is no secret that I am a huge fan of the original Remnant. I stated as much at the beginning of this review. It was just an incredibly fun yo-yo to throw around. It is one of the few yo-yos I regret giving away. When I first took the Remnant 2 out of the box my hopes were that it had that same spark. Luckily, I was not disappointed. The Remnant 2 is quick and stable on the string. It breezes through all the tricks I can throw at it. It pretty much plays just like the original Remnant only better. The tiny step in the gap reduces string contact making suicides much easier on the R2 when compared to the original. Those spikes are extremely easy to catch and balance on a thumb or finger. On average I am getting almost a full minute when balancing the yo-yo on the spike. The chalkboard finish grinds like a champ. While the finish does pick up dust it is a very small trade off for the level of performance it gives while spinning on the skin. Arm grinds are easy to control, allowing you to stop and start its movement while it crawls up your arm. Finally, the new IGR makes thumb grinds a snap. All in all this yo-yo feels like String Theory redesigned it with the intent of combating every issue I had with the original while not sacrificing an ounce of the feel that I praised it for.
Final Thoughts
Great job String Theory. The Remnant 2 is an overwhelming success in my book. It retains the magic from your freshman outing while correcting every little ------ I had with the original design. As with the original Remnant, I have no problems recommending this yo-yo to anyone looking for a new throw that is fast, smooth, and just plain fun to play.