The Yoyofficer Hatchet is a modification to their Brave, and is their newest flagship yoyo. I bought one not too long ago, and was very satisfied with how it came out. I wrote this review for Yoyofficer’s contest, and to share my opinion on this yoyo.
Specs/Shape:
Diameter: 56.00 mm
Width: 44.80 mm
Gap Width: 4.2 mm
Weight: 65.8 grams
Bearing Size: Size-C
Response: 19mm Slim Yoyofficer Black Pads
The Hatchet is a full size, slightly wider yoyo at a medium weight. Its weight and dimensions perfectly compliment its speedy playstyle, giving plenty of room for landing speed-combos without having to worry about missing a landing. Yoyofficer made it a no-nonsense-no-sidewall gap, giving the string plenty of room for maneuvering without contacting with the sidewalls. The Hatchet's shape has a very slight H-rim, that makes it just that more comfortable in the hand.
The Hatchet's cup comes with a special rims for palm grinding, and plenty of room for verticle finger grinds. It does not have an IGR, and I --personally preferring palm-grinds over thumb-grinds-- am very appreciative. The cup gives ample room around the nub for vertical finger grinds, and its blasted surface compliments that too.
Bearing/Response:
The Hatchet comes with an [i]amazingly smooth[/i] Size-C CenterTrak bearing installed, insuring long sleep times. Dead smooth and thinly lubed out of the box, this bearing comes ready to go. The Hatchet also comes with Yoyofficer's signature black response pads. These black pads work similarly to CBC Redpads, but last [i]much[/i] longer. If YoyoExpert had them for sale, I'd surely put them in my other yoyos as well.
Play Style:
This is a [i]very[/i] fast yoyo. The Hatchet's wide stance and its mid-range weight allows for [i]insanely[/i] fast speed combos. It has become my favorite yoyo for speeding, and maintains a straight profile even under the fastest tricks. If you're a speed demon, you had better pick this yoyo up.
Finish and Colorways
Yoyofficer is known for some amazing colorways on their yoyos, and the Hatchet is no exception. While the latest runs of Hatchets do not come with splashes, its previous runs came with beautifully anodized colorways and smooth beadblasting. The Hatchet has a very thin anodizer, giving it a speedy and light feel to it. While it makes it less resistant to scratches, it creates an entirely new experience. Unlike Bulldog blastings, the Hatchet is not a string-eater. Yoyofficer did a perfect job giving it just enough blasting to feel smooth, but not bumped.
Originality:
Many people claim that the Hatchet is a copy of the CLYW Avalanche, but they play entirely differently. They have subtle differences in their rims and profile, and I wouldn't call them copies. While Yoyofficer uses similar colorways to CLYW and other companies, these companies have no claim on them, and are free for open-enterprise. Additionally, the Hatchet is [i]barely[/i] considerable as a modification to the Brave. These yoyos play so fundamentally differently that I would have put them into separate categories. There are few yoyos that I have used that play like this one, and it is an experience.
Price-to-Play:
The Hatchet packs amazing playability into a cheaper pricetag than its competitors. My expectations were blown away when I first threw it, and I knew that this yoyo was something else. It competes against even some of my CLYWs for stability and speed. It plays like something well over 100$, and cuts no corners for its price. At only 60$, you have no reason not to get one.
Final Thoughts
The Hatchet is an amazing yoyo for people looking for an upgrade, without breaking the bank. It packs amazing speed, beautiful grinding, as well as some mouth-watering colorways in an affordable pricetag. I highly suggest picking this up.