CLYW Bear Vs. Man Round 2
Reviewed by Chris Rhoads
June 17, 2013

Introduction

My first encounter with CLYW, like many others, was with the CLYW’s sophomore release, the original Bear Vs. Man. Some loved it, others did not, I though it was this thin, chunky, bulbous hunk of green with blue splashed awesomeness spinning at the bottom of the string. Over time the BvM garnered a small following and had several runs before being retired. Today I am looking at a rarity for CLYW, a direct follow up to the original BvM, the Bear Vs. Man Round 2 (BvM2 for short). Sequels of anything tread a dangerous line. Once you announce a sequel the fans automatically bring a set of preconceived notions of the traits it should have. This can be a good thing at times but when the sequel deviates from the original in unexpected ways it has the potential of angering the crowd. On the flip side, if it doesn’t innovate enough when compared to the original then the crowd starts complaining that there was no point to the release. Turning our attentions to the BvM2 it needs to be asked, would it have been better to call this by a different name or does it live up to and exceed on the pedigree established by the original?

Specs

• Diameter: 56.5mm
• Width: 44.12mm
• Gap: 4.5mm
• Weight: 66.2 grams
• Bearing: Large Center Trac
• Response: CLYW Snow Tires

Construction

The BvM2 is not being called a sequel; instead it is being called a reimaging for modern yo-yoing. Think Batman Begins versus the original Adam West Batman Movie, a sequel in the absolute loosest sense of the term. In movies and comics it is called a reboot. Looking at the profile of the BvM2 you can see an ever so slight throw back to the original. It retains the large, rounded rims. Other than that it deviates considerably from the original. It has a large V-Shape catch zone. The outer wall curves down to the gap without any sort of step out from the response that we have seen in the Avalanche, Chief, and Arctic Circle. The Cup also shows slight throwbacks to the original with its flat floor and hub nub. Other than those, it is completely new from there. The IGR is gone and the rims now incorporate a stepped design that shifts the weight away from the rims. The finish is a Gruntbull blast that brings the feel we have grown accustom to when throwing CLYW products. This yo-yo excels in comfort. The rounded edges and soft finish feels great while holding it and gives a gentle feels during play. It is evident that extreme thought was put into the comfort and design of the BvM2. The original is ever so slightly in there aesthetically but this feels nothing like the original.

Weight

The 66.2 gram weight puts the BvM2 squarely in the middle weight category with the weight shift away from the rim giving it a stable feel on the string. The odd part about the BvM2 is that even though it is over a full gram lighter than the original I found it to play a little slower than the original. One thing the original was known for was the extended spin times and I am happy to say the BvM2 retains that feature and then some. I have had absolutely no problems with spinouts due to extended combos.

Response and Bearing

The BvM2 comes stock with CLYW’s Snow Tire response. The best thing I can say about them is that I honestly do miss the flowable silicone that Chris hand poured in all of his yo-yos. In my opinion he set the standard for poured silicone. These Snow Tires meet and exceed the feel of his previous response in every way possible.

The stock bearing is a Center Trac bearing. I will not beat a dead horse on this one. I will just say that I do not like specialty bearings and instead played the BvM2 with a standard flat bearing.

Playability

The play on the BvM2 is beastly… no pun intended. It has a powerful feel while moving on the string. I touched on how it has spin for days and that is a good thing, it makes it perfect for learning tricks. The BvM2 is not super speed demon on the string. The best way to describe it is “easily accessible”. It is extremely stable, moves at a speed perfect for chilling or learning, and has a catch zone that is super easy to hit. Grinds are a breeze as well. It spins quite well on the hand and on the arm. I was worried at first since the finish looked shiner than normal but if retained the same level of play that all of my other CLYW have. Thumb grinds actually are not that difficult either even though the IGR is missing. You will need to throw at a slight angle but that is a given on this type of design. Over all the BvM2 is a great playing yo-yo, especially if you are looking for something that is not a speed demon… this isn’t the Cheetah Vs. Man Round 2 after all.

Final Thoughts

This plays nothing like the original BvM. Honestly I think that CLYW should have given it a completely different name. As I said above, sequels bring preconceived notions. Anyone that comes in thinking that the Bear Vs. Man Round 2 will act like its older sibling will be sorely disappointed and that is a shame. This is a great yo-yo, an accessible yo-yo, and a yo-yo that will go a long way. I always felt that the original was sort of glossed over and undervalued in the community; I would hate to see that happen to this design. It deserves some serious praise and a long shelf life.