So just as I posted about unique yoyo materials, I think it’s worth exploring response materials that should be tried out but aren’t available (or commonly seen).
Materials I feel would be interesting:
Vulcanized rubber (probably super-responsive)
Teflon (i don’t even know if this would be possible)
I feel that response pads are made the way they are because they’re the most practical for their cost, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t innovate! What do you think are response materials worth researching?
Custom yo-yos used to come with bath mat like material as response. We have cork and rtv and various types of silicone and even string on string. Also plastic in the form of star bursts and holes or just thin gaps against rough walls.
I do wonder about other response materials though. Might be a neat thought but cost might become a factor on some.
IMO response is just a single spectrum from grippy to slippy and I’m not exactly sure what the point would be. We already got a ton of options for response on that spectrum and the extremes. I feel like the Yoyo would have to be designed with a specific and weird response set up to warrant weirder or less common options.
Edit-Then again people do say cork pads are different and I specifically like ultra grey bc it doesn’t snag. Maybe there is a space to explore. A response that is snappy but doesn’t snag could be cool but that’s also just ultra grey with no recess so idk lol
I was thinking neoprene reading this thread, I think that’s what the “bath mats” @Captrogers was mentioning are made of. Fingerboard griptape is sometimes neoprene and if feels pretty good and it wears down linearly/ predictably. Kind of a finicky material though so not really worth it but it would look and feel slick
I think @SML was the one who brought it to my attention as I never thought to look at the pads on these things but to show what I mean by bathmat material I’ll put these below
I would put a picture of one of the pads I have like this but it’s deep in my office closet right now and my in-laws are in there are asleep (they sleep till noon must be nice)
They said they are heading home today… they come up every couple of months for a few weeks but if it’s between my wife being happy and access to my stuff I know what I’ll pick.
