Ahh yes, the General-Yo Torrent. Ernie’s first venture into the world of manufacturing yo-yos, which unexpectedly set the definition of smoothness, and are now so highly sought after that they are considered gems on the BST boards. Like many other players out there, I never got the chance to play the Torrent, and I personally had not even heard of it until it was far too late to purchase. Since then, General-Yo has grown and now sells out models in mere seconds on various sites, and to commemorate two years of being in business, Ernie decided to re-release the Torrent with the exact same specs, with the small change of using the red pads for the response system. I will be reviewing the torrent II through the eyes of somebody who has never played a Torrent before, which I have a feeling will be a lot of people once this thing hits the shelves.
LET US BEGIN.
Specs:
Shape Wing
Weight (g) 66.70
Width (mm) 41.32
Diameter (mm) 54.34
Gap Width (mm) 4.4
Bearing Size (Inside x Outside x Width) .250 x .500 x .187 in
Gap Type Fixed
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/8632/74160037.png
Initial Impressions:
The Torrent II came for me in a standard shipping box, wrapped carefully to prevent damage. There was no signature General-Yo box, but that’s understandable considering this is an unengraved model. As it always seems to be the case, pictures never do the color of the yo-yo justice. I was debating on whether to get the pink/silver or the grey/silver, and I don’t think I could have gone wrong with either choice, but after personally seeing the grey/silver, I know that this was the one I wanted. I can only think of one word to describe both the appearance and the feel of the yo-yo, and that is “soft”. The blasted finish feels like silk, and when combined with the color gives it a very relaxing feeling. The T2 also appeared to feel light in the hand, which is somewhat contrary to what it weighs in at. I spent so much time looking at the yo-yo that I actually forgot to throw it before I had to go to work.
Finish:
Anybody who has played with a GenYo knows that they have the absolute best finish out there for grinding. I myself hate to grind, and when I do it’s only an arm or finger, but this finish always makes me want to grind more, just because it’s that easy to do so. There’s no slow-down, there’s no rough edges, there’s no uncomfortable part. It’s just smooth.
http://img862.imageshack.us/img862/871/38145331.png
Performance:
Honestly, there’s not a lot to say here, except that I can see why and how this yo-yo set some pretty high standards as to how a yo-yo should be built, and how smooth it should be on the string. Even being two years old it feels just as strong, solid, and stable as today’s throws, and while that may be the case with a lot of yo-yos today, I feel like this one has some sort of iconic status that’s up there with some of the more renowned models of other companies. It sleeps forever, it doesn’t catch, it’s fluid on the string, and for me, has just the right amount of floatiness that I can play with. My only regret is that I wasn’t able to play with this thing for the last two years.
Shape and size:
Catches grinds easily, doesn’t turn on the string, and never gets in the way of tricks. 'Nuff said about the shape. The size is to my liking.I’m not a gigantic fan of undersized throws, so this one fits the bill nicely.
Bearing and response:
I haven’t taken the shields off yet but I believe this is the standard AIGR bearing, which is always a favorite for me. While I do slightly prefer the other GenYo bearing (the one that came in the mini stars), I haven’t yet figured out how to get a hold of more of those, so for now this works. The response pads are the same one found in the Essence, and take a bit of time to break in, but once they do they never grab the string or bind too loosely.
http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/3879/53497531.png
Summary:
Since receiving this yo-yo I haven’t really been able to put it down, and will make my main-player-list along with my Essence and a few CLYW models. I think what I appreciate the most about the T2 is not only how well it plays, but the fact that you can tell from the moment you pick it up that you know you’re throwing a General-Yo. Several companies have this unique feel to them, and I love that. It shows a dedication to originality and creativity, and as far as GenYo is concerned, it has established a place in my mind to where I will always look forward to the next product released. Do I like it more than my Essence? No, not really, but it comes damn close, and will make a fine addition to any thrower’s arsenal. When these hit the stores, pick one up immediately; you won’t regret it.
PICTURE TIME. First up is a picture of it spinning. I think when regarding stability and smoothness, this picture will speak for itself:
http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/9353/35996686.png
Some comparison shots between the T2 and the Essence:
http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/4483/79329455.png
http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/3827/14492308.png
Random desk picture because it’s pretty:
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/8269/24421115.png
Hope you enjoyed the review!