Bassalope by Caribou Lodge YoYo Works

By Brett Grimes

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Introduction:

The fourth entry to the CLYW line up is the Bassalope, This yoyo was designed for CLYW team member Sebastian Brock. Unlike all the Caribou’s before it, this one has a slight twist besides the new shape, It is the first in the family to feature a small bearing. Knowing my extreme dislike of small bearings, would i think the Bassalope plays awesome or would I throw it back in the pond.

CIMG8722

Specs:

  • Weight 64.60mm
  • Width 41.26mm
  • Diameter 52.50
  • Gap 3.71
  • Bearing Size 5x10x4
  • Response one Silicone Sticker

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Construction:

Right out of the box I loved the look of this yoyo, its totally different then any CLYW. It features some simple yet elegant CNC work. The anodization was a stunning royal blue with a very minimalistic laser engraving featuring Sebastian’s name and a line that runs the perimeter of one side. There was no visible ano flaws anywhere and the laser engraving was crisp and clean. The weight feels good in the hand as does the shape. Elegance keeps coming to mind.

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Weight:

The weight of the Bassalope is 64.60 grams. I am known to like heavier yo-yos but this yoyo is an exception. It just feels right, adding any more weight to this would make it feel like a stone on a string. This yoyo is perfect just the way it is. It moves fast but still lets you know its there.

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Response and Bearing:

Some of you may know I have a certain dislike for small bearing yo-yos and I was skeptical on this one as well. It features a  5x10x4 bearing which was clean and unresponsive right out of the box. This may be the one occasion where I did not deshield the bearing. I just went right to playing it. The response on this Bassalope was a red silicone sticker. Newer variations of the Bassalope feature a new sticker type. I will be reviewing this one which had the older pad and has been replaced.

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Playability:

Ok I know your all waiting for the part where I say I hate another small bearing yoyo. This is not the case at all, when I told Chris Mikulin (Owner of CLYW) that I despised small bearings he laughed and said you wont with this one, it was designed from the ground up as a small bearing not just a rehashed design modded to fit a small bearing. It moves around the string fast but never losing authority, it handled any trick I threw at it, including tricks with multiple wraps in the gap, which I was hoping would choke it up. It didn’t. Could this be true? Could I actually like a small bearing yoyo? You Betcha. I fell in love with this yoyo and it became one of my go to throws. Its fun, Its fast, its got an entirely different feel. Grinds were fantastic. The only negatives I can find with this yoyo is the stock pad and lack of IRG. I didn’t like the stock pad at all so I ripped it out and replaced it. This is probably why the new versions ship with a different pad. Doing thumb grinds, this yoyo just wants to fall off. There is nothing to catch on to it.

 

Final Thoughts:

I think the Bassalope is a fun yoyo, its fast, its smooth, it handles anything you can throw at it. It has a unique feel, and it is a wonderful departure from the CLYW I am used to. A big “Well Done” goes to CLYW and Sebastian Brock for coming up with a wonderful design to the newest member of the CLYW Family. Well Done indeed.

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