CLYW Gnarwhal 2
Reviewed by Chris Rhoads
December 15, 2013

Introduction

The original Gnarwhal was an amazing yo-yo and one that I praised quite a bit when I reviewed it back in 2010. It just had that perfect level of performance and comfort that I look for at the time. At the end of the original Gnarwhal review I said that it would find a place in my collection… and soon after sending the review unit back to its owner, I ended up purchasing a 28 Stories version of my very own. It stayed in my collection for quite a few years and was on my short list rotation of daily carries. Fast forward three years from that initial Gnarwhal review and CLYW does something that I was totally not expecting… they redesigned the Gnarwhal, a midsized yo-yo that I considered darn near perfect. To say I was apprehensive would be an understatement. Is this another case of a company messing with a good thing or will lightening strike twice for CLYW’s cetacean named series of yo-yos?

Specs

• Diameter: 53.2 mm
• Width: 43.4 mm
• Gap: 4.16 mm
• Weight: 65.4 grams
• Bearing: Central Bearing Co. CTX Center Track
• Response: White Snow Tires

Construction

I have a feeling many are going to call shenanigans with the release of the Gnarwhal 2. On first inspection, the Gnarwhal 2 looks almost identical to the original released three years prior; a far cry from the drastic reworking shown on the Puffin 2 and Arctic Circle 2nd Expedition. It isn’t until you really dig into it that you begin to see the differences. The profile is the same organic looking V-Shape that flows from the rim to the small step out from the gap. On the Gnarwhal 2 the outer walls have been flattened out a little bit, which opened up the catch zone. It is also almost a full 2.5mm wider than the original. Both of these make the Gnarwhal 2 easier to catch during play. The face of the yo-yo is where you can see the biggest visual change. It still has the slight step down from the rim but that inner rim is quite a bit larger and more angular than its predecessor. It is readily apparent that this updated model has more rim weight. What isn’t apparent is that the diameter is 1.5mm larger than the original Gnarwhal. All of the changes result in a yo-yo that has the same clean look as the original with some major tinkering under the hood. I am glad CLYW kept most of the changes behind the scenes; one of the biggest draws of the Gnarwhal for me has been its clean look and high level of comfort. The Gnarwhal 2 actually increased the comfort for me thanks to the slightly larger size; it doesn’t feel quite as cramped in my hand.

Gnarwhal (Left) vs. Gnarwhal 2 (Right) Photo courtesy of CLYW Facebook Page

Weight

The Gnarwhal 2 is wider, has a larger diameter, and more rim weight… but is half a gram lighter than the original. THIS is where players of the original will notice the biggest change. It is not as solid feeling and the chunky thunk the original gave when it hit the end of the string is not as prevalent. There is a slight bit of float now. The weight shift to the rims gives it better spin times than the original while reducing the slight “lead weight on a string” feel that the original had.

 

Response and Bearing

I think it is safe to say that the days of hand poured, expertly executed silicone responses are gone in the CLYW camp… and I don’t miss them at all. The CLYW Snow Tires are an excellent substitute that gives incredible grip without being snaggy.

The bearing is the updated Center Track CTX bearing. I am not a fan of the string centering bearings on the market. They tend to be louder, feel grittier, and bunch the string in odd ways. That being said, the CTX is the least offensive of the lot. It incorporates a 10-ball design that quiets it down and smooths it out. It still bunches the string in ways that I don’t like but it is by no means the deal breaker that makes me instantly switch to a flat bearing.

Playability

First thing I noticed was how much quicker the Gnarwhal 2 is on the string. It isn’t “Oh my God” quick but the speed has ramped up quite a bit from the original and I am a fan of the speed increase. The original was perfect for me at the time but in the three years that followed my confidence grew and my play sped up so I outgrew the slower paced Gnarwhal and started looking yo-yos that were more suitable for my current level of play. The Gnarwhal 2’s increase in speed and agility has it bouncing from string to string with ease. While the speed jump is nice, the increase in spin time is what I am most enjoying about the Gnarwhal 2. It is allowing me to tackle much more complex tricks, like Charles Haycock’s Spaceship trick with its many different elements including a crazy chopstick mount, a slack mount, and an isolation at the end. Without the increased spin I would spin out halfway through the trick. Grinds are your standard CLYW affair. The finish allows for long spins on your finger, arm, and palm. Thumb grinds are acceptable but do slip off due to the lack of an IGR. The lack of an IGR is the only negative that I can give the Gnarwhal 2 but even then I will not hold it against CLYW since it would have defeated the purpose of increasing the size of the inner rim in the first place.

Final Thoughts

This will come as no surprise to anyone but I am a huge fan of the Gnarwhal 2. It feels like a true evolution from the original to a much more competent player that will keep up with the modern styles of today’s players. I have a feeling that many will over look it due to the restraint CLYW used when updating its looks… and that is a mistake. In my opinion, the Gnarwhal 2 is one of the top midsized yo-yos on the market today and THE true sleeper hit of the 2014 CLYW line up. I highly recommend giving it a throw if you have a chance; I have a feeling you will be as surprised as I was.