Newer looping yoyos has only just become a thing in the past 2 years starting with YYF’s loop series. There were primitive attempts like the YYJ sunset, but none of them succeeded.
Why did it take us more than 15 years just to produce another yoyo that can merely catch up with a yoyo from the 90s and not even specifically designed for looping? I cant believe this is only because of market. What, in your opinion, was stopping modern yoyo companies from making new looping yoyos? And what made the raider unsurpassable?
It’s entirely because of the market. Looping just isn’t something many people are into anymore.
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has it ever been?
Yes it was. At one time 2A was the thing to do, though it probably wasn’t called that at the time.
(kids these days, yeeesh)
So at that time why did no more looping yoyos appear? Was it because technology wasnt easily accessible like today? Also was it pure coincidence that the raider is the best yoyo ever for looping, or was there a specific reason (like for example every trick we today classify as looping were specifically designed to fit the raider?)
A and AA were the only two divisions a while back. A (1a now) was viewed as the amateur division. AA (2a now) was the division where the real pros were at.
Eventually 1a overtook 2a in popularity.
There aren’t many looping yoyos because the market is small, especially in America, and because the ones that we already have are really, really good.
I don’t know if it’s fair to call the raider the “best looping yoyo ever”. A well modded raider is a top tier looper, but there are plenty of guys who prefer other looping yoyos.
You also have to consider the fact that many of the guys in the 2a division have been competing for a very long time. They learned all of their tricks on the raider, are very comfortable with the raider, and have such decided to stick with the raider.
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Just for perspective>
If you lived on a Planet where water was only as deep as a mop bucket; how much time, trouble and expense, would you spend; building Submarines?
If you lived on land outside the largest village in the Kingdom; and 90 percent of the villagers ate Oranges; how many Apple trees would you plant?
…even if ‘you’ lived to throw 2 handed loops; if you started your own ‘for profit’ Yoyo Company; how much time would you spend building 2A Yoyos that would most likely comprise less than 10 percent in overall sales?
Reasons for many things are ‘market driven’.
Sad. It true. It has little to do with how much fun 2A actually is.
Recognize that the Owners of Yoyofactory, go waaaay back in 2 handed looping. When I met Hans and Ben about 16 years ago; they were already accomplished 2 hand demonstrators. And had thrown in about 19 different Countries; before I ever even knew their names.
YYF drive to develop 2A yoyos was more to accomplish that feat; than profit driven. Nobody else was really pushing the envelope(functional adjustable gap, etc.). They stayed motivated for truly simple reasons: they knew they could do it… They knew somebody had to do it… They knew variety is the Spice of life… And 20 other reasons.
To Hans and Ben; everything isn’t about ‘the money’.
Just go back to their ‘Roots’. They just wanted to come up with a better way to peel an apple.
They also knew that a more functional product, might stimulate more interest in 2A. Everything they knew, was true.
The 1080 The reward for the effort.
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back in '96 - 2001 PLENTY of looper yoyos came out. They were just all kinda crummy.
Proyo had bumble-bees/profires, (Duncan later had the Speed Beetles & now Hornets)
YYJ had a gazillion loop/modified shape models
Spintastics had a few loopers
Team Losi had their Da-Bombs/Grim Sleepers
Tom Kuhn/BC arguably were in that same market
Almost everything else Yomega did was a new looper of some sort - they were all terrible though
Henry’s had the Lizard/Cobra
Mondial had the uhh… Mondial
and just about every other company that was on the market back then was looking to do a looper of some kind… they just all stank to high-heaven. ;D
Of all yoyoers, only a few actually do basic 2a, and only a very few who can do it well.
Of those good 2a players, not everyone knows his way in designing yoyos.
Of those who can do 2a AND know how to design yoyos, not many owns a company.
I had a design I haven’t made yet (aluminum 2a yoyo) because prototyping cost too much for me and I know that I need at least maybe three prototypes to perfect it. And even if I do, I can’t sell it enough to make even small profit… because it’s very unlikely for someone who started doing 2a would want to use metal loopers. That means it will only attract people who already do 2a and interested enough to buy another pair twice the price of the plastic ones they are using… who will buy? pretty much nobody.
That’s a shame though, I believe I’m not the only one who face the same problem.
*btw if anyone interested to make the design PM me…
Another problem is that, at least in here, people easily spend so much on a single 1a yoyo, but still think twice before buying a pair of loopers which are a lot cheaper, and you get two.
That’s a very interesting observation. So true.
It’s all profit. 1a, 3a & 5a all use the same equipment. There is far less risk on the production end because of the ability to have smaller runs. Producing molds which if you get a flop haven’t paid for themselves. There are plenty of reasons I can see. Lastly the variation of any 2a yoyo from the next is not as noticeable until thrown (and cash is spent).
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