What type of yo-yo is right for me?

_Elsa_

Elsa continues looking for types of yo-yo toys. She comes across an interesting article and begins to read it. 

‘Yo-Yoing has been around since 440 B.C. as a toy and now as a sport thanks to the advancement of design. Like any sport to be successful, you must have the proper equipment, learn how to use it, and understand how the sport works. 

To get started, you will need to find the perfect yo-yo for your level. Are you a beginner or do you already know how to make the yo-yo sleep? If you are just starting out, we recommend a beginner yo-yo with a winged wide body shape like the Duncan Butterfly XT™ because of its versatility. Having a wing-shaped body allows “string tricks” to be done with ease. These yo-yo’s also sleep easier than a non-wing-shaped yo-yo.

However, if you are under 8 years old, we recommend a more traditional rounded shape. These yo-yos are usually much more responsive and will help a young child feel successful with the simple up and down tricks. You can make these yo-yo’s sleep and complete basic tricks like walk the dog and rock the baby. They are also the primary shape for looping tricks and two-handed yo-yo play. 

Now that you know what shape to choose, let us break down why some are listed as beginner and others advanced. Why do they look similar but are different in cost from $5 vs $20? The answer to that is, it is the design. To complete intermediate to advance level play you will need a yo-yo that has long “spin time” and provides a “smooth” feel as you transition through trick movements. Think about it like a car. A beginner or basic yo-yo is like driving an economy car vs a sports car. The ride is either very bumpy and loud or exceptionally smooth and quiet. The engine power is minimal or is powerful.

A yo-yo that will deliver this is one with rim weight (heavier around the outside than the inside) as well as an overall weight difference. In addition, the bearing or "guts" play a big part in how long it will spin and how smoothly you can transition from one trick to the next. There are a few additional design factors that matter to advance players, but we can talk about those another time. 

What about the size? Most beginner to intermediate yo-yos has a size that works for a child of any age. However, as you really get into the sport, we encourage you to try various yo-yo is and find the one that feels best to you. Being that we all have different hand sizes and styles of yo-yo play, our needs are different.’ (Source) 

“Wow! Things have certainly changed since I was a child,” thinks Elsa. “I remember just having a wood yo-yo and now they have so many variations of what I remember. I have to contact Tiffi and we need to all take a day to play with this toy.”

Before she calls Tiffi, she decides to see what else she can find online.

Let’s continue - How to Do 5 Awesome Yo-Yo Tricks

Start at the beginning – Let’s learn how to use a yo-yo