YoYoFactory CZM8 production model - Review

INTRO:

This is the production run CZM8 by YoYoFactory. These are slightly different than the prototypes. It has a larger diameter and is a little heavier because of it. I’ve not played a prototype version so I am not able to comment on those. The final production run CZM8 however is a beast of a design that I believe will be grossly overlooked and shouldn’t be! I’m hear to spread the good word about one of the most amazing designs to come out in the past 2 years.

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CORRECT SPECS:

Taken from YoYoNews.com:

Diameter: 56.9mm
Width: 42.5mm
Gap Width: 4.6 mm
Weight: 68.2 grams
Bearing Size: Size C (.250 x .500 x .187)
Response: CBC 19mm Slim Pad

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CONSTRUCTION:

Pretty standard angular construction except for the undercut inner ring grind which probably added a little to the machining cost of these for YOYOFACTORY… but alas they have spared no expense! I’m assuming they used 6061 but who knows, this is made in China and you can never be so sure. Either way, it seems very durable, the anodizing is on strong and has a wonderful bead blast that you’d find on a blasted Shutter. The yoyo comes with a standard flat C bearing that spins for dayz! However, I use YYC Wraths so I popped that one in there as soon it arrived. The stock CBC pads are great, and provide pretty tight mid-air binds with Poly 6, Kitty Fat, Kitty Reg…

PLAYABILITY:

This is where I get to explode with joy… This yoyo is stupid good. I mean… I’m a huge fan of V shaped yoyos. I also love H shaped yoyos, and I have plenty of both in my collection. Let’s start with spin time, it’s massive. The weight distribution to the rims is enormous and once you throw it for the first time you can definitely feel the power. It kind of reminds me of a Werrd Tre 2k13 meets a C3 Movitation in shape, but it plays like neither of those two yoyos. This puppy spins way longer and faster than those two. This spins more along the lines of a One Drop Burnside which I still think is one of the most violent spinning yoyos designed. The gap width is great, it seems to work well with kitty normal or kitty fat, it doesn’t matter kid! Binds are the most important part about a yoyo for me. I believe this design is near perfect with it’s consistency on tight binds, and the lovely unravel with each new throw is to die for. When you feel it unravel, it’s like it’s telegraphing you precisely how much power you’ve put into it, and it’ll take as much as you can give it, and hit the bottom of the string spinning smooth and strong, you hardly ever get a wobbly release like you do with some other yoyos, which tells me they got the weight balance spot on, or at least on some magical sweet spot.

The play is slightly fast, but very controlled and direct. It does have some serious momentum which gives it a floaty feel as well. It’s that kind of floaty vigorous spin that you always hope for in new designs. The CZM8 delivers the best floaty spin you could ever want, and from a V shape no less. Sometimes I think, why does this feel so fluid for being so angular… I don’t know how they did it, but it just works. Hops are amazing, and string transfers are easy. The huge catch zone makes suicides and horizontal play a breeze. It also has a perfect shape for string rejections. Grinds are great everywhere, due more to the insane momentum rather than the finish. This yoyo screams COMPETITION all over it.

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BOTTOM LINE:

I’m a fan of certain YOYOFACTORY throws. I love the Supernova, Genesis, the Proton and a few others. I do like the Shutter, but sometimes I feel it’s a little too much on the solid side without any of the certain floaty feel I seek. The production run CZM8 to me is far superior to all of the previous YoYoFactory full sized throws from the past. Apparently they started with a Rockstar and modified it until they designed this. I must say… this utterly destroys the SHUTTER, CATALYST, SUPERNOVA, GENESIS, AVIATOR… all of them combined can’t touch this thing. Who knows how good the TOO HOT will be, but I get a sense that YoYoFactory means serious business these days and doesn’t give a crap about the competition and dismisses all cynics… They are doing what they do best, and are on a whole new level with the CZM8.

Thanks for reading!

Excellent review!

Nice review was on the fence about getting but now I think I’m pretty sure I’ll end up with on eventually. And FYI I’m pretty sure these are made in the USA.

The prototypes were and they’re like $80 compared to these, which are $45 because they’re made in china. (pretty sure)

Nice review. This throw is definitely on my list.

Great job! I was thinking about getting this yoyo, but I decided that I might want the Too Hot or just wait for the Detour to come out in April.

Does it have a Made in China stamp on it?

believe they’re made in china but assembled in the usa

hence no stamp but I could be wrong

I agree with this review. After getting a genesis+ in the mystery box and the shutter/czm8/proton deal at PNWR, I’ve had a fair bit of time to compare. Just in comparing the czm8 and shutter, I see why the shutter gets so much love. It’s unbelievably stable and plays well. In comparison to the czm8, the shutter feels heavier and slower. The czm8 feels almost as stable to me, though not quite as rock solid. However, it easily moves quickly or slowly, feels solid, and the description of the throw in this review is spot on. Though both are great full size options at this price, I’d choose the czm8.

I don’t know how they compare for horizontal, however, as I haven’t gotten there yet.

I had the czm8 proto, and well i hated it at first, but then it grew on me and became my favorite, it was super stable, nice and speedy and was just great, could pull off every grind easily.

Now the full run, idk, it’s heavier and i don’t think i’ll like that, but I will have to wait and see.

It feels pretty light compared to a shutter.

This yoyo good, but I definitely cannot beat any of the yoyos you mentioned in terms of spin time and performance I’d call it between the shutter and the rock star. And the TooHOT proto, to me it plays better then the shutter so to me, the order these yoyos would come in, from the best yoyo to the worst yoyo of the three

1.TooHOT prototype
2.Shutter
3.CZM8