Terrapin bearings have been in related discussions about the top tech yoyo gear for quite some time. Today it is not uncommon to spend over $100.00 to get a competitive-ready product right out of the box, but the question remains: is it worth it to spend $40.00 on two bearings? Continue to find out.
left: center track – center: terrapin – right: grooved
I had a chance to speak with the owner and creator of the Terrapin bearing, John Hollister to gather some facts and get some behind the scenes information.
A – What was the original purpose for creating these bearings?
J – With a perfect throw the string will find center, that is the furthest point. I wanted a bearing that would center on a decent throw and center the layer of string carrying the most weight during play. A string restricting centering bearing is only balanced when hanging from one string, when you go to a trapeze the layer of string between the two fingers is carrying the most weight, not the attached loop.
My other intent was to be able to utilize the full gap freely as intended with a large gap yoyo. Unlike others the wing cut starts at a shallow dip and progresses steeper to the center. As I say in my eBay description, “play like you wish you could with a flat bearing”. I sell the uncut flats to the purists.
A – What materials are the bearings made from?
J – The bearings are SR188ZZ hybrid/ceramic. The outer and inner races are low carbon stainless steel along with the ribbon retainers.The balls are ceramic. Being of dissimilar material they are not prone to galling as steel on steel is.
A – Are the internals designed in a way to provide an advantage over standard bearings?
J – I chose ABEC 5 tolerances for consistency, free spin and to allow for the polymer treatment which is somewhat like a glaze on the otherwise porous ceramic balls allowing them to never require lube.
The bearings are rated fir 100,000rpm at continuous duty and will last 5 times longer then all steel.
You will have the [bearings] for a lifetime of throwing.
Review -
So is the tech worth the cash? The advantages are minuscule, but scientifically proven to provide higher RPM’s for a longer duration. However, the ability of the product may be overshadowed by products that provide a similar effect that come standard with certain model yo-yos and may not be financially worth the upgrade. The bearing’s showcase feature is the slower decay rate between 8,000 and 2,000 RPM’s where most standard 1A play takes place. The idea is that between these specific RPM’s, the Terrapin bearing will perform more optimally than a standard bearing and grant the capability for longer trick combinations. This may be the case in a vacuum, but in reality the most dramatic element for longer spin times is the friction that occurs between the string and yoyo walls/response system. While the string centering certainly does the job, it is inevitable that most yoyo tricks will involve friction with the string and yoyo and cause a more rapid decay than a free-spinning yoyo.
left: center track – center: terrapin – right: grooved
While you cannot guarantee a vacuum environment in something as dynamic as yo-yoing, with this product you can expect the highest quality bearing money can buy, and the science and precision to back it up.
The bearing sings loudly as you play with it, and is smooth and spins free when you flick it. The description claimed to never need lubricant while playing with it, but at one period the bearing became especially noisy and no longer spun as freely; something a drop of thin lubricant remedied immediately.
Overall I was very satisfied with the product. If you are looking to replace your center-track or KK bearings for a longer spinning upgrade, I may not recommend the purchase. If you are looking for the most precisely machined, attention to detail, scientifically competitive yo-yo bearing on the market today, this is the right product for you.
You can buy these bearings on John’s eBay Profile
Check out the review on Yoyoskills
http://www.yoyoskills.com/?p=13682
Review by Andrew Robinson
