There is no “best bearing” just as there’s no “best yoyo” and just as there’s no “best string”. It’s all about personal preference, and what you personally think is the best. However, certain bearings do complement certain yoyo’s in different ways, and different bearings do lean more toward certain preferences. After trying most of the bearings on the market, here’s what I’ve gathered.
One Drop 10 ball - One drop 10 ball bearings are know for being consistent, extremely smooth, and noticeably quieter than most bearings. In mine, and I think most peoples opinions, you can’t go wrong with a OD ten ball. If you’re looking for a happy medium, a bearing you can throw in all of your throws and KNOW it’s going to play fantastically I’d go for this. You also won’t get yelled at as much by your wife/girlfriend/sister/mother/brother/dog since it is, as I said, very quiet.
Center Trac - Center track bearings are all about performance. Shipped dry, or near dry, from my experience this bearing will spin for days, while helping keep your string centered. However, in my experience they don’t last very long, and are (extremely) noisy if kept dry. They’re good in the short run, but I’ve had multiple problems with them freezing. You can micro-lube them, however doing this does slow down the bearing a bit, decreasing spin times which is one of the major advantages to this bearing. I’m personally not a fan, I know people who are, but it’s not my thing.
KK/Konkave - The Konkave is does everything the center track does, but it does it better. I’ve never had one freeze on me, whether ran dry or not, and the sound it makes is more of a hum than a WHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. I’d say for competition play, long combos, and general awesomeness this bearing does fairly well. Definitely a good bearing, worth the extra $ to pick one up.
Crucial - IMO plays more or less on-par with the Konkave. It does help keep your string centered a little more than the KK, but spin times are slightly less.
Twisted Trifecta -This bearing takes all of the goodies of the KK/Tenball and mixes them in one. Long spinning, long lasting, simply outstanding. It’s a very happy mix between the two, without sacrificing the attributes that made either bearing so outstanding. A simply marvelous bearing, definitely a favorite of mine if I want to put in some serious work while still having the smoothness of a 10ball.
I’d recommend picking up at least one of each of these. It’s definitely worth switching out bearings to see what works best in each of your throws. Some bearings definitely compliment a throw more than others. Have a yoyo with a smaller gap? Throw in a KK/Crucial/Trifecta to help with spin loss. Have a yoyo that’s known for being amazingly smooth? Throw in a 10ball to compliment it.
Once again I’d like to reiterate. There is no best bearing, it’s all about what makes yoyoing more enjoyable to you, and under what criteria you would consider a bearing to be the “best” that there is. It’s the same with everything in life, isn’t it?