I am curious to try a titanium yoyo. I have gone through the list of yoyo types (plastic, metal, bimetal, and hybrids). I can pick up the subtlety of each of the types. Many of the titanium yoyos are fairly pricy (also to add my spec preferences). That keeps me from just picking one up on a whim and trying it out.
My question to you titanium owners is there a significant feel in play with a titanium yoyo that is not found in other yoyo types? Is the experience worth investing in?
It depends on the specific Titanium. Some have a pretty unique feel that you can only really achieve with titanium, but some will play just like any other mono-metal. The real beauty of Titanium is in the sound. It rings on every string hit in such a pleasant way.
I would say try to get a used Ti yoyo at a decent price if you just want to experience it before jumping into a $300+ release.
I am a sucker for how a yoyo sounds.
So the design also has a part in performance than just the titanium alone?
Yep, the thickness of the walls and the general shape of the yoyo both affect the sound and performance a lot.
Short answer is no. But the same goes for any yo-yo over $120 the difference in performance is marginal at best when you get to the higher price tiers. However if you need to stop a bullet or go to war with nothing but a yo-yo you definitely want titanium.
Titanium is a lot stronger than Aluminium is in general. Which means you can make thinner walls and end up with the same strength. This plays in to the sound as well. But it just means you can do more extreme things with the weight redistribution than you can with Aluminium throws.
Whether this is always used to it’s full potential I don’t know. I don’t have enough experience in throwing them (I have one on the way to me…and the only other titanium I’ve used it a mini yoyo , the Bangarang so it’s hardly representative of the genre.)
I think it’s worth it to have one. Lurk around here and you’ll find good pricing occasionally. I’m basing that off my Ti Vayder though, which has an admittedly unique feel and sings beautifully in play.
I was thinking the same thing. Which made me think that they would play a little like hybrids. Like you said it all depends if they use it to its full potential.
Hope you enjoy yours when you get it.
The first couple of Ti yoyos I purchased (Wanker and Ti Vayder) contained an abundance of that good old Ti magic I had heard about. As a result, I caught Ti fever and bought a bunch of Ti throws. I quickly learned that not every Ti yoyo has this magic, and I came to regret dropping big bucks on some Ti yoyos that are inferior to $50 Al throws. If you’re going to buy a Ti, do some research first to help make sure you end up with one of the magic ones.
I ponder over a $25-30 dollar purchase, so I guess titanium is not for me.
IMOH
I am an average thrower with a collection. The best answers is Yes and No. I have a few Titaniums that have an Aluminum versions.
Yes there is a difference in feel, play, sound and yes there is something about it being expensive that makes it special to throw. There are some technical advantages to making a throw out of titanium. All of that on the yes side.
But I would also have to say, No to the question is it better than everything else because it is made of titanium the honest answer would be No. There are incredible Aluminum and Bi-Metals throws that are as good or better for many reasons.
The fun part
The only way to settle this is fortunately for a person to buy a Titanium and a Aluminum that are the same model and specs and throw and see.
Suggestions of Ti throws I have seen available on the forums that have a aluminum counterparts.
G2 Ti Hawk - G2 Aluminum Hawk
Fair Trade Yo Yo’s Project Ti - Project Y
ProjectY and ProjectTi are a great example… i know @fatguysnacks247 tried to maximize the benefits of Titanium in the ProjecTi design and you can feel the difference, both are great organic yoyos, but the Ti feels slightly diffrent and i can appreciate the material throwing them back to back. I also know you can get both on BST at very reasonable prices.
If you want to go with C3yo Krown and Ti Krown that might blow your mind.
It’s been said countless times on the forums but it’s just worth whatever you think it is.
Yoyos don’t necessarily have to be performance oriented to give a unique feel from the material, with a yoyo like the Luftverk 000 or RSO Bowl they feel really wild because of how thin the walls are and they almost sound like bells during play. They perform almost objectively worse than getting a great budget non organic bimetal for a fraction of the price though, but they do offer a unique feel that plenty of people love. Certain ti meant to optimize weight distribution for performance though can easily just feel like a very very good aluminum monometal though. If you want something that has that ti “magic” of a unique feel you won’t find it there, but you’ll be left with a yoyo that plays very well and has a unique shape/specs/weight distribution you might find you love even if it doesn’t have some kind of ti magic to it.
If you can afford a ti yoyo and it looks cool, give it a shot. But I don’t think anybody else can personally tell you if it’s “worth it.”
I do the same. I’m mostly wondering if I should sell some old hobby gear for a very pricy yoyo. 
I have to agree that throwing is a lot like an experience and its worth is very personal.
It’s a bit like going on a trip to a beach. Do you pick one that is hundreds of miles away in another country or to a local beach a few miles away? In the end, you still get sand in your shorts at either one.
Indeed, Ti yoyos do have a tendency of sounding brilliant upon being thrown into action, similar to a Samurai sword being drawn into battle. That is the kind of sound my “TiRade” by Kyo made when deployed.
Ti yoyos are the most indestructible when you consider it being more scratch, dent, or gouge resistant. There is absolutely no comparison to anodized aluminum or colored plastic when you consider wear & tear and prolonged aesthetics.
Ti is Beauty for a Lifetime and worth the extra money.
My #1 Dream Ti yoyo that I don’t own yet is the genetically-altered “Legacy888” Made in China by YYF. A very eloquent Yoyo indeed and a must have for me.
Ti Is Not Trendy~
Imo, yes. It feels like a monometal (if it is a mono, since bi-Ti is a thing now), but because of the denser material definitely has a unique “Ti” feel. I own 10+ and they all feel different than if they were Al. They tend to have a tad more fingernail vibe, but they are lovely to play with and I have yet to induce additional vibe by smacking it on hard surfaces, and I have a pretty dang beat up and sparked Ti-Vayder I use for 5A. They don’t get gouged like Al, and imo make great beater/5A yoyos if you can foot the cost. And as was mentioned, the ‘ting’ sounds them make in play are a decent part of the charm. Al is an objectively better metal in everything but durability imo, but the added durability and charm factor make Ti to be my favorite metal to make a yoyo out of. Similar arguments can be made for stainless steel yoyos, but I find them a bit too dense; I like the middle ground I get from Ti.
It depends on what you are looking for. For pure performance and variety, the Al market totally kills it. Tbh, I think anybody invested in the hobby and the subtleties of different yoyos should at least try a Ti yoyo or two, but the price to value ratio is kind of low. If you aren’t afraid of using the BST, you can probably buy and sell for very little loss.
Investing in 1 Titanium yoyo is worth Nothing.
Very overrated.
Titanium yo-yos are only expensive because they are very hard to make.
The only way Ti yo-yos are worth it is if you have at least 2 Dozen of them. Because without learning a single trick, you are elevated to the level of Supreme Lunacy.
The sound is a Legendary near worthless feature.
…The actual sound of a Ti yoyo is more than you think. If you use some sophisticated equipment and make a Soundprint… filter the notes and slow the feed speed, you will actually hear the sound of a dying person screaming in Bankruptcy Court.
And…. You save money not having to buy an ‘I’m Stupid’ T-Shirt, because the proof is already in your yo-yo case.
I have a few dozen Titanium mono and TISS yoyos(no T-shirt). I have so many 000’s I forgot(at least 4 or 5).
I love them, obviously… but when I throw them, I only hear the sound of a Cash Register.
I must admit though, it’s the best way to lose weight and stay in a diet. How, you may ask? Simple> you can’t afford to eat and your wallet gets thinner.
Sadly, some folks that read this post will actually believe what I said, lol…
But on a more truthful note> Ti and TISS yo-yos are like any other yo-yos with their own scale of ok to Great playing features. Mono Ti yo-yos usually make better sounds, but it depends on the shape.
The more hollow shapes enhance the sounds and such. The thicker v types have a duller sound.
The Ti body stainless models usually ‘don’t’ make much sound because the rims sorta kill the sound like the silencer on a gun…
I personally like the sounds the 000 and RSO bowls make. But that is just ear entertainment more or less. But if the yo-yo plays well and sounds cool too, that works doesn’t it?
Ti yo-yos are fun and interesting. But not at all necessary to either have fun or learn tricks.
Example> I have 3 Shaqshine FG yoyos. Absolutely design defined awesomeness. Aluminum body stainless rings.
I recently got a Ti Fg. A spittin image of the Shaqshine fg but All Titanium.
The Ti plays great but to me, no better than the Shaqshines. Since I just don’t happen to be on a budget it doesn’t really matter. But if I had to choose to sell one or the other, I could flip a coin and the results would not matter.
I Love Titanium yoyos. But a must have? Nope…
I have dozens of high performance yo-yos that have zero Ti in the recipe.
Dozens…
Titanium yoyos are like any “luxury” item: completely unnecessary but still desirable to many. As others have said, you aren’t necessarily paying for better performance or better quality, though both are possible, rather you are paying for the cost of materials, the toll taken on the manufacturing tools, and the relatively low production quantity.
This is most confusing.
After reading this often contradictory essay; I am no closer to understanding whether I should invest in Ti or not. Although you cite many that are not so good; and sometimes the traditional model is just as good as the Ti-model; what about all the other yo-yo’ you have?
The Ti-Walker plays unlike anything but a Ti yo-yo. The Mustang? The Ti Krown? There are so many Ti yo-yo’s that make good use of the Ti material to achieve superior results. What about those? It is hardly helpful to focus on the negatives and ignore the positives when reviewing a broad category of Titanium yo-yo’s.
