The 5 yo-yos that revolutionized yoyoing

General Yo-Yo
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If the list was “5 yo-yos that had the greatest impact on yo-yoing”, might that list look something more like:

  1. Imperial
  2. Butterfly
  3. ProYo
  4. FreeHand
  5. ??? (something metal perhaps?)

It’s hard (for me) to imagine a top-5 list where every single entry is a plastic yoyo, but maybe that is just a reflection of how new metal yoyos are relative to the 100-year history of the toy.

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  • Yomega Panther
  • Duncan Yoffy
  • YoYoJam Big Kahuna (ok honestly Yomega Wingforce was just as good)
  • Throw Down Lucha Libre
  • Revolution Rev-G
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^^^ Edison would have just said “those are just five ways to not make a yo-yo. :slightly_smiling_face:

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I almost spit my LaCroix at my iPad reading that :rofl:

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wow that video seems underappreciated

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Oh I love this!

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This is one of the best threads in years.

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Reviving something pretty old here, but this is a good thread, so please forgive me!

Although it’s interesting to see things like the SB-2 popularized the ball bearing, I’m most intrigued by the yoyos that sparked a cultural rather than technical revolutions. There are a few here like the yomega brain. I’m also wishing I could learn more about some of the more modern cultural changes after the 888. It seems like the last couple decades are being summed up as tweaks to the 888.

I don’t have any information to draw on personally, so I’m hoping all you smart people can help me scratch a history itch! I’m very intrigued in learning the history of what yoyos sparked some of the modern cultural revolutions like:

  • boutiques in the sense of individuals making high quality small, single runs for themselves and friends on the internet.
  • annodization being treated as a true art form
  • the rebirth of responsive play for a generation that started unresponsive
  • yoyos that sparked the shape debate and the fun vs stable debate
  • the first yoyo all new throwers bought that conformed to modern performance standards.
  • The yoyo that popularized gimmicky finger spin shapes
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89

I just watched this video last night, enjoyed it a lot (and kinda groaned at the Shutter as 5 but being a video on Gentry’s channel it was pretty expected, esp after the Grind Machine got mentioned haha).

This is a more modern trend I think, like within the last 4, maybe 5 years. I’m not sure what sparked it though, my guess would be cheaper and more readily available small batch shops, not sure which shops those are though.

I think CLYW gets this crown, the SB2 did splash ano first IIRC but CLYW took it to a whole new level with the BvM and its acid washes and splash releases. After that, pretty much everyone was doing it.

TMBR was founded in 2011, that undoubtedly helped usher in new interest in fixed axle and responsive play. Drew Tetz was posting kickflips and such back then. For non-fixed responsive I’m not sure where the crown would go to. The original Alleycat came out ~2017 if I remember right but that’s a good 6 years between TMBR and then.

without diving into archives (of forums that have them available), part of me thinks this debate has existed since shapes besides O came into existence.

back in 2006 this was something like a Kickside, Lyn Fury, or Speedmaker. Nowadays it’d be something like the Shutter or any of the ~$50 range metals.

I wanna say fingerspins started to become more popular around 2014/2015/2016? Between 2012-2014 I wasn’t paying super close attention so entirely possible the trend could’ve started earlier. I just remember around 2011 Harold Owens III was doing palm grind binds that are remarkably similar to fingerspin binds we see today, and he wasn’t using any special yo-yo for it, and he was also the only one doing them that I recall.

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I feel like yall are hating on the shutter more than needed lol. Plus there are some more points that help the argument. The point that most people, if not all are making, is the shutter being a high performance metal at a low price point. It’s shape was also kinda revolutionly.

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So excited to see this necro. Gentry is back in Arizona this week and we wanted to make another 5 yo-yo video.

Only one thing guaranteed…

Shutter will be on the list again!

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Omg YES, I AM SO EXCITED.

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Well, imma stand behind my opinion. Shutter is a monometal timeless classic.

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personally just 4 - Coco Cola Russell Yoyo - Yomega Fireball (1998) - Duncan Echo 2 - Magic Yo3 Hertz

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Best thread.
My list of game changers. Keep in mind I quit in 1992 and started again last September.

  1. Flores/Duncan invented the game

  2. Tom Kuhn first boutique yo-yo. Amazing

  3. One Drop you know why. They raised the bar

  4. Ed Haponik I was out of the scene for years but it seems he is pretty much the reason wood yo-yos are still popular.

  5. Doc Popular I like the yo-yos and videos and everything else he makes. I really want the knife tank card game.

  6. Zipline strings. Everyone loves it for good reason.
    Sorry couldn’t leave them out.

I don’t know any of these people, but I know I will buy more from them when possible
I could go on forever. There is so much great stuff now.

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Tbh I think Kitty String is more popular.

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Hspin Handquake

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image3024×4032 1.96 MB

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It’s outstanding!

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I’m hoping he makes more.

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