Hello residents of the YoYoExpert Forums! I had some questions on yoyo string that couldn’t be answered with a quick look through the forums, and I wanted to hear you guys’ opinions on these matters as well. Questions are as follows:
What type/brand of string is best for a specific type of play? For example, what string do you like to use for slacks, for string tricks, etc. Is a specific brand, such as Kitty or Toxic String, better?
What colors of string look good with colors of the yoyo? Do you guys like to match the colors even if there are ore than one, or do you like to contrast the string color with yoyo color?
How thick?
Anything else you may want to add to the string discussion.
They all have differences, but honestly, the more pricey stuff has a very minimal increase in performance for the price. Some might hold tension better, be softer, etc, but they’re all string.
I’d just go for either kitty, buddha, or blueprint string.
I usually either match string colors with the yoyo or the splash if possible. Otherwise, yellow generally looks good on everything for me.
I usually go for slightly thicker string, but dislike fat because it snags. Some people like fat for slack though.
Short answer: The best string is the string you like most, but for starters Kitty is a good choice.
Longer answer:
What type/brand of string is best for a specific type of play?
There’s no string that’s best for a specific type of play. They’ll all have attributes that will either work for you or be the bane of your yoyoing life. That said, stiffer/thicker strings in general will handle slack and whip tricks better since they hold their shape more beautifully (imagine waving a cotton thread in a circle vs. a rope - the rope is gonna form a more distinct shape). Strings that are popular for this are Toxic strings, Kitty (normal/fat/nylon), YoYoStringLab (Type X/Ammo). Notice how many I’ve listed. To each his own! For starters though, I’d recommend Kitty because they’re way cheap but good to use. Grab a 10-pack or several in various thicknesses/materials and see what you like. As you get better, go ahead and spend on the more premium strings.
What colors of string look good with colors of the yoyo? Do you guys like to match the colors even if there are ore than one, or do you like to contrast the string color with yoyo color?
PREFERENCE. Whatever matches or contrasts with your yoyo nicely will be string that looks good. Yellow neon string is a popular choice because a)it matches well with a wide range of yoyo colours and b)it’s reallly visible, which makes it good for competitions or just so you can see where you’re landing your yoyo. Personally, I use yellow on my dark aqua/gold splash Shutter, but prefer hot pink on my other yoyos (which are black) because I find it prettier to look at.
How thick?
Thickness will most directly affect response - the thicker the string, the better it’ll grab your response pads. In addition, thicker string tends to be more gentle on the fingers. Quite a few of us here prefer fatter string, but plenty of us use regular thickness too. Again, preference! Get some Kitty normal and Kitty fat, see what works best for you.
*Final point: Kitty doesn’t hold colour as well as, say, YYSL strings which are known for keeping their brilliant colour. I wouldn’t be too bothered by that at a beginner’s stage because it really isn’t a huge thing. As you play more and experiment with the various string brands and types, you’ll develop your own personal preference.
p.s. The brands I listed are not exhaustive, they’re just the main few that come to mind.
Mostly yellow neon works well because more the color darker more stiffer and harder the string that will give more string burns but if you’re not considered with string burns you can choose any color…
Kitty string is good for it price you should choose fat or xl if you’re into slacks but if not into slack you can go with normal.
Ammo string is my fav. Just cause it is soft on my finger and doesn’t synch down on me. But like it was said before. The best string is the string you like most. no doubt whatever you perform best with use it. Doesn’t matter what others think!
Some of the problems you listed are solved by the expensive string that you said has a minimal impact on performance. Drakens are thin, but whip with the best of them. Point being, boutique strings are worth trying out if you can, and you are at a point where you know your preferences. It isn’t just marked up bulk string.
Thick strings are generally the best type of string for whips, slacks, etc. Their binds are more prone to snags but are more consistent in bring the yoyo back. I personally prefer thin string over thick string because the yoyo almost never comes back to your hand accidentally and if you’re careful enough will come back to your hand every time.
String hits do not matter whatsoever when it comes to string.
Most people prefer yellow regardless of the color of the yoyo. I’m starting to be interested in orange because it’s slightly more flashy.
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I prefer regular 100% poly because, in my opinion, it’s about the cheapest advanced (by that I mean not cotton) string there is, and it has consistent binds and almost has a mix of all the best elements of all strings.
