The YYJ Hitman PRO:
http://img852.imageshack.us/img852/3458/028ss.jpg
Introduction/First Impressions:
This is a review for the YoYoJam Hitman Professional. This yoyo was designed by the 2003 regional/national/world champion Johnnie Delvalle (JD). YoYoJam decided to redesign the legendary classic Hitman and produce something even better. This yoyo is a great player. It has wide aluminum weight rings, and a small size, and of course YoYoJam’s “solid spin axle system” for better stability and smoother play. It also fits very nicely in your hand. When I opened the package, it was a lot smaller than I expected. So if you like full sized yoyos, this isn’t for you. Overall, this yoyo is great player and certainly is worth the title of being the sequel to the classic Hitman.
Specs:
Shape: Wing
Manufacturer: YoYoJam
Weight: 66 grams
Diameter: 2.00 Inches
Width: 1.63 Inches
Gap: Fixed
Response: YYJ silicone O-Ring
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/8426/027tk.jpg
Play:
The big question: Does this yoyo deserve the honor to be the sequel to the Hitman classic? MY answer to that question is: “Yes.” This yoyo plays very nice. It has a small diameter, so it is very easy to move this yoyo through those tight string gaps. It’s designed for more of an intricate style of play. It also feels very nice in your hand. You can get a very comfortable grip for your throws. The YoYoJam vibe: It’s weird. Sometimes it has it and sometimes it is dead smooth. I have no idea why it changes like that, or if it’s just me. But don’t worry. When it is in its “vibey” state, it is very minor and barely affects play. Grinds are decent I guess. I wish YoYoJam put some kind of finish on it. It would make grinds much better. It does grind better than a Dark Magic or New Breed, but raw aluminum is not my favorite finish for grinds. For its spin time, I was a little disappointed. With those wide weight rings, I expected it to be able to sleep for 2-3 minutes. Perhaps I over estimated that, but rest assured is definitely spins long enough to get your tricks done. But overall, this yoyo plays very solid.
http://img862.imageshack.us/img862/7189/013ll.jpg
Pros and Cons:
Pros:
- Good Spin times.
- VERY comfortable in your hand.
- Comes with 2 bearings (1 is narrow, and 1 is the speed bearing).
- Great price ($42.50)
- Great pocket yoyo (small diameter).
- Light weight on paper, but in comparison to the size, it seems heavy.
Cons:
- Grinds could be better. (they ARE NOT bad, but there is room for improvement)
- Sometimes has a little bit of vibe.
- Loud sometimes.
- Small diameter (This can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your preferences).
- “Light” weight (again, I put this in both because it depends on preference).
http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/6803/025vec.jpg
Maintenance:
- Silicone replacement: You have two options: Buy flowable silicone and apply it youself, or buy the pre-made YYJ Silicone O-Rings.
- Bearing(s): Just normal lubing and cleaning. I guess this applies to any modern ball bearing yoyo.For some pointers on cleaning a bearing look here.
- Cap removal: I don’t know if this is just me, but I tried using a suction cup to get caps off, and it doesn’t work. I eventually did get a cap off, but I half-destroyed it in the process (a shame, because the caps on this yoyo are AWESOME). What I did was poke a hole in it then use leverage to yank it out.
http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/6859/026lx.jpg
Conclusion:
Overall, this is a great yoyo. I would highly recommend getting one if you haven’t. It feels very nice in your hand, grinds are decent, spin times are good, and it plays smoothly on the string. It adapts to your play speed well to. It can also be a fast yoyo and a slow yoyo. It also has a very “shiny” look to it. It looks great in person and is an all-around great yoyo. Well done YoYoJam.
now i’ll think about getting this yoyo.