Offstring yoyos bring a new level of complexity to the art of yoyoing and they are representative for 4A style. These yoyos are dramatically different than other toys of their kind due to their increased width. You may ask yourself: why these yoyos are so large? The definitive answer is just because the yoyos are not tied to the string as in other styles and you need to catch them easier on the string. In this case, you can’t have so many errors.
Before starting playing offstring you need to buy a yoyo that is especially suited for those kinds of tricks.
Let me show you the best picks!
YoyoFactory Flight
This yoyo is the best beginner yoyo that a player can choose. For only 25 bucks you can get your hands on an extreme toy that allows you to do any fancy trick you’ve dreamed of. This yoyo is not necessarily only for beginners, it is also used by pro players like Ben Conde who also competes in Nationals and World yoyo contests.
Flight Specifications
Material: Polycarbonate
Diameter: 75.95 mm
Width: 57.25 mm
Gap width: 2.5 mm
Weight: 81.2 g
Bearing size: Size C flat bearing
Response: CBC 19 mm Slim Pads
Most important characteristics
Notice the width of this yoyo. It is far larger than any other yoyo width, even wider than the YoyoFactory Atlas(55mm). As the yoyo is made of polycarbonate, it can resist any kind of hits. This proves especially useful for beginner players as they will miss the string so many times while trying to land a yoyo in a specific mount or configuration, that the durability is a must!
The YYF Flight also presents an inner ring that helps you with the off-axis thumb grinds. This takes yoyo play to a new level and you can fascinate your audience on stage or at home if you’re showing off to your family.
When it comes to the gap width I can say that it is perfect in the sense that you can land this yoyo on more strings if the mount requires that, and you can also have tight binds easily.
The organic shape fits comfortably on your hand and you can play with it for ages without being bored!
If you want to see the whole spectrum of features from the complete review just go here.
Duncan Skyhawk
This yoyo is another great throw for players who want to enter the 4A yoyo world. If you want to become one of the most skilled people doing 4A tricks you should definitely check out the!
Just have a look at the specs and you’ll be impressed by its features:
Skyhawk Specifications
Diameter:75.76mm
Width 57.64 cm
Weight 79.1 grams
Gap width: 2.5 mm
Bearing:C bearing. You can flip the spacers and switch the C bearing with an A bearing for optimum performance. (A bearing not included in the package)
Response:19 mm slim pads
Shape: step straight(similar to V-Shape)
Main characteristics
This Duncan yoyo presents an interesting feature for a 4A yoyo: the aluminium rim integrated into the yoyo body that helps you have a more powerful throw and improves the yoyo’s spin time It also has a positive impact on stability; the yoyo won’t deviate easily from its plane of rotation.
As a matter of fact, it is the first Duncan offstring yoyo that implemented the metal inner ring.Before aluminium rings, there were used rubber rims which had more of an aesthetic role.
Duncan made a great decision when it comes to adding the inner rims towards the centre, as it allows for faster play. This aspect is crucial in competitions where more tricks mean more clicks (pushing of a button) and more points ultimately.
An interesting aspect about the metal rims is that if you remove them carefully by using a glove you can practically get rid of 10 grams of weight. This will give a completely different feel to the yoyo that will make you want to try new things!
As for the design of the yoyo, it can be said that it fits players of all styles with no exception.
The bearing is smooth and silent so you’ll have a joyful experience trying out new tricks.
The surface of the yoyo is not blasted like the YoyoFactory Flight and sometimes may feel uncomfortable and might reduce spin time when you happen to do grinds with such a toy.
Concerning string, it seems that using a regular string tends to lead to slippy binds that you may not want to happen. If you use Fat Kitty String or High-End String it is possible for you to obtain tighter binds. The advantage of such thick strings is that they resist better when playing outdoors and they are also significantly better at whips and slacks.
Overall these unique features offer the Duncan Skyhawk a competitive advantage in the offstring yoyo realm. For around 25 dollars you get top-notch features that offer you that competitive edge to succeed in championships and world yoyo contests.
iYoYo AirDiVE
This yoyo produced by the German company iYoYo is one of the best yoyos related to price-quality ratio. For 45 bucks you get all you need for competitive play in championships and this yoyo has three unique features that set it apart from the rest of the offstring yoyos.
Before I will dive into this topic I will present you the main characteristics that are somehow different than most of the previous models presented:
Diameter: 70.3 mm(somewhat smaller than the Flight and the Skyhawk by 5 mm)
Width: 59.85 mm (roughly the same width as the above-mentioned yoyos)
Weight:77 grams(about average)
Bearing system -C-size bearing(pixel bearing-concave)
Response: I ring Response Pad(19 mm Slim pad size)
The three unique features that set this yoyo apart
1. This yoyo is slightly smaller in diameter and has the same width as other 4A yoyos. That shouldn’t be a problem.
2. In this case, the surface of the yoyo is extremely smooth as for any iYoYo toy (cause why not have German quality).As a result, you can perform finger grinds horizontally or vertically and still have some spin left.
3. The outer rims of the yoyo improve the toy’s stability and prolong its pin. The main effect of the solid rim is that the yoyo doesn’t bounce when the yoyo is dropped to the ground accidentally. The YoyoFactory Flight and other similar yoyos have more flexible walls and they can bounce if it is the case.
The absence of bounce may sound good, but we need to take in account that the yoyo axle that holds the two halves together is pretty small(smaller than an axle attached to other yoyo models). The drop of the yoyo puts additional strain on the axle.
With time, the axle may happen to break and unfortunately, you can’t replace it. You can’t get to it because there is a hub that prevents exactly that. To prevent such tragic things to happen to your yoyo. I suggest you play on a carpet or hardwood in order to put less strain on the axle and to have the yoyo still functional.
Playability
The 3 main features of the yoyo make it play smooth and stable. The absence of bounce is both great and bad depending on how you look at it.
The low wall of the yoyo makes for tight binds for powerful throws to get most from your yoyo. The AirDiVE is also great for grinding as I mentioned before. It is also dead smooth, something which is highly uncommon for offstring yoyos.
All in all, you get an outstanding yoyo for a fantastic price: only around 45 bucks. Totally worth it!
Duncan Pandamonium
This Duncan model is far different from injection plastics and rubber wings, as previous models in the 4A division were made. The Pandamonium is the new signature model of Philipino offstring player Sean Perez. The yoyo is made out of POM plastics(Celcon/Duraco or simply Delrin).
Consequently, the yoyo keeps its durability when dropped to the ground, something that every player should take into consideration.
Specifications of Duncan Pandamonium
Diameter:78.2mm
Width 60.1mm
Weight:81.2 g
Shape: H-profile
Response:OD 19 mm(slim pads)
Bearing: C-size
Gap width:2.1mm-3.35 mm(through spacers)
The yoyo represents a tribute to the first offstring yoyo produced by Duncan called Flying Panda.The material used in the yoyo is far stronger and more resilient than the usual polycarbonate that is integrated into the injection moulding process. The bearing system and response are nearly identical to the Duncan Skyhawk, which represents a great plus.
The low edge and special shape give this yoyo balance at low speeds offering the potential of crazy long combos integrated into wild freestyle.
Playability
The Pandamonium still remains a competitive fun yoyo able to perform finger spins, sideways regens and other fantastic tricks you throw at it.
When you perform regens and Shoot The Moon yoyo tricks you can clearly see that the Pandamonium stays on plane and keeps spinning incredibly fast.
iYoYo Skylight
Most 4A yoyo-players thought that the iYoYo ICEBREAKER was the best offstring yoyo and it was considered already perfect but iYoYo took perfection to another level. How?Let me present you more about the unicity of the yoyo.
Specifications for Skylight
Diameter:74.74mm
Width:60.24mm
Shape: H-Profile
Bearing: Size C large
Axle:12mm(medium)
Response:19mm slim pads
The Skylight is based on the iYoYo Airdive but with some significant difference, such as the increase in diameter by 4mm improving the catchability of the toy.
The side faces have changed in the sense that the rims seem thicker, but the weight is centred towards the middle by an internal plastic rim.
As a result, when you throw the yoyo, you can definitely feel it light yet powerful and stable.,
The most impressive thing about the yoyo is the spacer management for gap adjustment as you can modify the response of the yoyo to be tighter or looser.
The response is easily changed from tight to normal to lose by just switching the spacer.
Playability and feel
The improvements brought by suggestions of famous yoyo players like Naoto Okada and Quentin Godet made the yo-yo Skylight even better. It is extremely powerful and stable and the best feature is the bouncing effect of the yoyo when it falls to the ground.
The toy doesn’t have those large rims that prevented the yoyo from bouncing, instead, the thin rims take a part of the shock and the axle has less strain as for the AirDive.
Another aspect to take into consideration is the finger spin cup and the special bead blasted dimple that allows for easy finger grinds onto that spot.
Additionally, the yoyo fingerspins for about 1 minute if not more if you catch the toy directly onto the special dimple.
Duncan Hayabusa
I would say that this is the best offstring yoyo for the price. For only about 10 dollars you can’t go wrong with this! Even though you won’t have so many benefits as for the yoyos presented before, the Hayabusa is still a great throw to buy!
Hayabusa Specifications
Diameter: 65.32 mm
Width: 46.7 mm(this yoyo is unusually tiny and narrow for an offstring yoyo, this width would be only on the wide side of 1A yoyos )
Weight:71.1 grams
Bearing: Size A bearing(Duncan)
Response: Friction Stickers(not that good, unfortunately)
Hayabusa means Falcon in Japanese reflecting the soaring of the yoyo with ease. The yoyo was developed by the Duncan Team in Japan and the results are represented by the yoyo design that incorporates innovative design for the period it was released.
The yoyo is perfect for beginners and it can also suit more advanced players who want to take advantage of the reduced width to do more tech tricks.
The polycarbonate body is complemented by rubber rims to bounce after the toy was dropped onto the ground accidentally, a thing that competitive players will appreciate.
The yoyo can have 3 different response systems for intermediate to advanced: friction stickers which wear out quickly, silicone sticker which is just ok and the 3 hole Trial response.
The latter consists of 3 recessed holes that function like reverse starburst system.
An interesting feature of a related model, Hayabusa SL is represented by the rubber rims of the yoyo which allow for soft landings on the ground so the yoyo won’t be as much affected by it.
Playability and feel
The Hayabusa is fun to play with and can take a lot of hard hits. You can start by using friction pads to have a serious response and to have an extreme grip for tight binds. You may need to buy additional strings and response pads for it. The strings can break very quickly, the glue on the pads melt all over the yoyo and the response pads just slides.
All in all, the yoyo is OK for its mediocre price and you should get your hands on it!
Conclusion
I would say that the best cheap option is the YYF Flight(25 bucks). Then, the Hayabusa steps in for 20 dollars. Want extreme quality? Go for the iYoYo Skyline for around 50 bucks! AirDive is also a good option! The Duncan Pandamonium and Skyhawk are also great throws to add in your collection!
I can’t wait to see if you have any questions or new ideas! Type them in the comments section!
