[size=12pt]There is absolutely NO WAY that the Rally is made out of plastic…
So guys, I’m not much for writing full length reviews, but I just wanted to give my quick thoughts on the Rally and show my appreciation for what One Drop has accomplished with this throw. I was one of the ones that was on the fence about buying a Rally, and barely decided to snag one when the stock here on YYE started to run low. I was exchanging some emails with David from OD, and he asked me why I was on the fence about buying one and I suppose I’ll share that with you as well. This was my response:
“I was on the fence mostly because there are quite a few throws on my “wants list” at the moment, so I was hesitant to spend any more money. Beyond that, I didn’t really feel like the Rally was bringing anything new to the table. I’m sorry if that sounds rude, as I mentioned before, the throw is downright amazing and I’m extremely glad I got one. I love plastics, but in all honesty, it looked so similar to other plastics (H/Wing Shaped Polycarbonate w/ Metal Weight Rings), that I didn’t feel too much of a need to add one to my collection. At the end of the day, the deciding factors for me were that it was a plastic from One Drop, and the stock on the Spring Rain colorway was dwindling. I knew that if I ever got a Rally, it HAD to be in this colorway, so I decided to not pass up the opportunity to get one brand new. The flat “mint chip” look is my favorite color on a plastic, period. Seriously though, I apologize for ever doubting One Drop.”
On top of all that, I also forgot to mention to David that I was a little put off when the Rally took a bump up in it’s specs for the production run. I generally like smaller and lighter throws, so it was a bit of a disappointment when the Rally’s specs were raised from the prototype.
As you can see however, I have been thoroughly impressed by this throw. As I mentioned, I am a fan of plastic and a proud owner of a Northstar, a Shaqlerstar, a Protostar, a Trigger, and a Halo (along with quite a few “cheapies”). I would not say that play-wise, the Rally is leagues beyond any of those, as most of us know just how capable those can be, but I would say that it is the closest thing to metal that I’ve ever felt that wasn’t actually metal. And that goes for play, as well as feel.
My initial reaction out of the box contains some expletives that I am not allowed to share here on the lovely YYE forums, but take my word for it…I was in shock. It FEELS like metal to the touch. It makes that charming metal sound when you slide your fingers across the finish. It even makes the lovely “ding” when you tap on it with your fingernail. It doesn’t make any sense. I refuse to believe that this thing is made of plastic, let alone made of polycarbonate. As far as the overall feel in the hand goes, it reminds me of a more narrow Supernova. Also, I would like to take back my statement about the Rally not bringing anything new to table, as I clearly overlooked the 7075 aluminum response area, bearing seat, and press fit axle system. I don’t recall seeing such parts being used on any other plastic, but please feel free to correct me if I am wrong.
http://i1278.photobucket.com/albums/y504/WretchedRapture/Rally4_zps8bc98c38.jpg
[b]On a Throw:[/b]
Since I've ranted for so long already, I might as well share my initial thoughts on how it plays, ehh? I haven't spent much time with it yet, as it just came in the mail a few hours ago, so these are just my first impressions. In my opinion, it feels lighter than it's 67 gram weight. It's extremely nimble and has no problem hopping in and out of tech, but feels just as comfortable laying back and flowing along from trick to trick. As far as grinds are concerned, they are absolutely no problem. The machined surface of the catch zone works nearly as well as blasted metal, and arguably better than delrin. There isn't much of an IRG, but I've found that if you can hook your thumbnail right behind the weight ring, it works decently well. Please keep in mind that I am not the best of throwers (which is why I generally don't write full length reviews---I don't feel that I have the ability to FULLY test out throws), but from what I can throw at it, the Rally eats tricks up like Kobayashi eats hot dogs.
[b]Specs:[/b]
[i]Diameter:[/i] 58 mm
[i]Width: [/i]43 mm
[i]Gap: [/i]4.2 mm
[i]Weight:[/i] 67 grams
[i]Response:[/i] Flow Groove Pads
[i]Bearing:[/i] One Drop Budget 8 Ball
Also, it is the smoothest plastic I've thrown by a long shot even with the "budget" 8-ball bearing. I've heard this comparison made before, but I'll throw it out there again. The budget OD 8-Ball (also used in the Cafe Racer) feels very much like the stock AIGR bearings that come in General Yos. I'd argue that it is just as smooth as the 10 ball after being lightly lubed, but definitely not as quite as the 10-ball. If you're not a fan of bearing noise, you may want to do a quick swap, but other than that the OD 8-Ball performs very well and is complimented nicely by the Flow Groove pads. These pads are long lasting and provide consistently tight and snappy bands. They are just as good, if not better, than flowable silicone.
If you are on the fence like I was, I can't recommend picking up the Rally enough. It has set a new bar for plastics, and as much as I am looking forward to the Yeti as well, this one is going to be tough to beat. Also, if you are one of those strange non-believers in plastic--- You need this throw in your life.
PS: This was accidently my first review (I didn't initially intend to write so much, but I decided to go all out when my rant got a little out of hand), so any feedback is much appreciated. Thanks for reading, guys! ;D
