Motmot Beginner's Yoyo Buying Guide.
Giving the gift of yo! Where to begin? There are so many options, where should I start?
Have no fear, I am here to give you some sage advice so you’ll know exactly which yo-yo to start with.
First a few basic terms, today’s yoyos are largely divided into two categories: responsive and unresponsive.
A responsive yo-yo will return to your hand by gently tugging on the string, an unresponsive yoyo will spin free, and a trick called a “bind” is needed to make the yo-yo to return to your hand. Nearly all of the yo-yos in use today use a ball-bearing for longer spin times.
The advantage all of the following yo-yos have is that they are all “hybrid” yo-yos that can play in both responsive and unresponsive play styles, in addition to being great beginner’s yoyos, these are all great all-around yo-yos for all skill levels.
I generally recommend a few things; beginners should start with a responsive yo-yo, and should generally start with a plastic yo-yo, although this is not always the case.
Recess First Base, special Motmot edition, available in many different colors.
First up is the Recess First Base, this yo-yo is a modern classic, and everyone should have a First Base in their collection! The First Base is really designed for both responsive and unresponsive play. Designed by world yoyo champion Tyler Severance, and industrial designer Jeffrey Pang, these are two people who really understand yo-yos.
The First Base excels as a responsive yo-yo, the design is really well out. The First Base also includes an unresponsive ball bearing, and can be converted to an unresponsive yo-yo, and it’s just a ton of fun. A lot of people will start with a First Base, and learn the basics, then after learing some advanced tricks go back to using the First Base and think “What a great yo-yo!”
The iYoyo Shooting Star, great for DNA’s and finger grinds.
Next up is the Shooting Star by iYoyo! The Shooting Star is quickly becoming the go to beginner yo-yo and its easy to understand why! The Shooting Star has a modern “competition” style shape, so it makes learning a lot of “string tricks” a lot easier. The Shooting Star comes with both responsive and unresponsive bearings, so it’s great for learning the basics. The Shooting Star has few finishing touches that make it a fantastic yo-yo. First of all, it’s machined, and not injection molded, which means that it’s precision made, the Shooting Star is dead smooth, and often has little to no vibration on the string. Secondly the Shooting Star has a matte finish, which means it’s great for “grind” style tricks, and the third major advantage is that it has a blasted aluminum fingerspin hub, which makes learning the “DNA” trick much easier.
The AoE or the Area of Effect, the first beginner focused yoyo from Yoyo Friends!
The AoE or Area of Effect is the first beginner focused yoyo from Yoyo Friends. Yoyo Friends has primarily focused on high performance “competition” focused yoyo designs, so it was a bit of a surprise when they released a budget friendly beginner yoyo. Coming with both responsive and unresponsive bearings, the AoE’s shape makes learning string tricks a cinch, and the finger spin dimple makes learning DNA’s a snap. If you’re looking for something to replace that old SKYVA, the AoE would be a great option. The AoE doesn’t compromise quality for price, and the performance is amazing.
The Yonami Code from Rain City Skills, for that someone who needs a metal yo-yo!
Of course, some people want to start out with a metal yoyo; maybe you’re getting back into yo-yo and want to try a metal yoyo, or you have a plastic yo-yo, and are ready to make the jump. The Yonami Code was designed to help beginners and intermediate players get started yoyoing. The Yonami Code, is designed to be light, and easy to play, the wide “H” shape makes learning string tricks easy, and each Yonami Code comes with both responsive and unresponsive bearings, so it’s great for all levels. Available in some very cool “gaming” related color ways, the Yonami Code is a great yoyo to start with.