G Squared Aftershock
Reviewed by Chris Rhoads
June 1, 2014

Introduction

G Squared is following a trend in yo-yo design that has been going on for quite some time… take an existing design and make it bigger. CLYW did it with the Gnarwhal and the Sasquatch then again with the Campfire and Bonfire, both larger sized versions garnered rave reviews. YYF did it with the 888 and the result was the DNA, another yo-yo that received good press. Today G Squared is taking the Quake, one of my personal favorite throws, and inflating the size to make the Aftershock. I always cringe a little when it is a design I already groove on quite a bit, as I do not want to see it messed up. Will the Aftershock be another success in this trend; lets dig in and find out.

Specs

• Diameter: 56.77 mm
• Width: 42.71 mm
• Gap: 4.34 mm
• Weight: 66.9 grams
• Bearing: C-Size BOSS Wrath and Rage
• Response: G-Grip Pads

Construction

Unless you are putting the Aftershock and the Quake side by side, it is hard to tell the difference between the two. The Aftershock truly is nothing more than an oversized Quake… and I am 100% fine with that. The profile has the same scalloped catch zone and H-Shape profile with a no-walled gap. The face shows off the stepped rim design that pulls weight in towards the center while still giving extended spin time. Heck, even the floor design is the same with the slightly raised hub that leaves the cup obstruction free so that you can use the slight IGR under the rim. The only change was in the size, which I found enhanced an already comfortable yo-yo. The midsized Quake felt good during play but the rim edges could sometimes hit wrong against the sides of my index and ring fingers that flank my middle finger due to my gigantic hands. The Aftershock just feels better during play. It hits in the middle of those same fingers where there is extra padding. This may sound minor but after extended play sessions it was a much-welcomed change. The blast has not changed one bit, still feeling silky smooth to the touch, which should make for some great grinds later on. Over all, the design works quite well for me. It is very much a case of “if it isn’t broke, only fix it a little.”

Weight

Even though the size increased by a little over three millimeters in diameter it only gained 0.7 grams of weight over its 6061 aluminum Quake counterpart. It is still almost 1.5 grams lighter than the AL7 Quake that has been a daily carry of mine for quite some time. Play wise, even though it is closer to the standard Quake in weight I found that it felt more like the AL7 during play. The Aftershock still has the Quake’s stability but it had long spin times and a slight bit of float to it.

Response and Bearing

The response is G Squared’s G Grip pads that give good amounts of grip during binds and on the initial throw while staying out of the way during play. They also have a quick break in period with very few knuckle-dusters after a fresh install.

The Aftershock comes with both the BOSS Rage and Wrath bearings. I only played it with the Wrath as I am not a fan of grooved V-Cut bearings. The Wrath is a good, flat bearing that gives extended play without getting too loud.

Playability

Play wise the Aftershock is a treat. As I said above it plays closer to a larger AL7 Quake than a larger standard Quake. All the tricks I could pull off with the Quake can be done with the Aftershock and are actually a tad easier due to having a larger target to hit. One area I am not as good at as others is horizontal play, I could easily say I down right suck at it. The Aftershock’s larger size helped me out quite a bit with my continued quest to try and learn more about this style of play, again thanks to it being easier to hit with the string. It has a modicum of float to it and gives long spin times for those learning complicated combos or wanting to see how long they can go on a single throw. Grinds are exactly like they were on the Quake; smooth as silk and easy to pull off.

Final Thoughts

Thank you G Squared for releasing the Quake first… and you suck, now I have to go find an Aftershock to add to my collection. All, joking aside, the Aftershock takes everything I liked about the Quake and improves on it, so much so in fact that I would dare say it does not even need an AL7 version. Unless you have your heart set on a midsized yo-yo, the Aftershock it THE G Squared to get.