Jekyll & Hyde: SPINS Lunar Wind
Reviewed by Chris Rhoads
June 10, 2013

Introduction

This review is of a prototype; please keep in mind that while most of the specs have been finalized some can change before the actual release. The yo-yo industry is rife with startups. It seems like every time you turn around some player has decided that they can do it better. This is not a bad thing by any means; it gives us a diverse amount of products that fit a multitude of needs. Without these start ups we wouldn’t have companies like G-Squared or even General Yo. Today’s start up is Jekyll & Hyde: SPINS started by teenage players Wilson and Sean, two well known forum members from YoYo Expert. I have to applaud these two for actually starting a yo-yo company at that age 16 and 17 respectively. At that age I was just working on high school, hanging with friends, and geeking on my computer. I never would have dreamed of starting up a business. The first yo-yo design from this new company is the Lunar Wind, a rather crazy looking design. As with every other review of a freshman effort from an start up company we have to ask the important question, “does it have a place in the industry?” Time to find out.

Specs

• Diameter: 56mm
• Width: 42.5mm
• Weight: 66 grams
• Bearing: Large KonKave Bearing
• Response: Silicone Pads

Construction

The profile of the Lunar Wind is a bonkers four-step H-Shape design that starts at the sharp rims and moves down to the gap. The rims are large with an extra little step out near the edge to give it some additional rim weight. Moving to the cup you can see a massive push of weight to the rims. There is a slightly angled IGR cut under the rims The floor of the cup has a hub spike recessed slightly in a pond ripple like cut that gives an interesting visual. The spike is sufficiently pointy so I do not see an issue with rip starts or matador play if that is your thing. While this is a raw prototype there is a surface finish that allows for grinding. It feels etched like a vinyl record only with finer grooves. For the most part the design is comfortable in the hand with my middle finger resting comfortably in the catch zone. The sharp rims dig a bit into my pointer and ring fingers on my throw hand. Catching the Lunar Wind off axis can cause some minor pain, especially if you catch a knuckle-duster. Over all the design visuals are great but I would like to see a slight radius on the rims to lesson the discomfort and pain.

Weight

The Lunar Wind tips the scales at 66 grams putting it square in the middleweight category. The shifted weight to the edges allows it to act like a speed demon on the string and spin for extended periods of time. This was a yo-yo designed to go fast and it seems to play best when you are pushing it to the limits. Being a prototype it does have a slight vibe to it but the company is aware of this and they are working to correct the issue.

Response and Bearing

There is not much to say about the response and bearing at this time. The Lunar Wind will ship with a KonKave bearing and silicone pads. The prototype that I am reviewing came with flowable silicone that played quite well and a flat bearing. I did try the Lunar Wind with a Center Track bearing and found it bunched the string in weird ways, similar to how a KK bearing bunches the string. I hope the boys in charge change their minds and stick with a cheaper, flat bearing. The play was spot on with the flat bearing installed.

Playability

As I stated above, this is a swift yo-yo. It plays fast and with purpose. I would not call this yo-yo floaty in the least it is more “deceptively light”. I have played some of the lightest yo-yos on the market and this one is as zippy on the string as the Werrd Pacquio. I put it through a battery of 1a tricks and it played great. Wide catch zone made for easily hitting whips, slacks and hops. I decided to focus on an area I am not as comfortable with so I broke out the counterweight and tried some 5A. This yo-yo is light so you need to adjust for that but I found it to be just fine for bee stings and nunchuks. The only issue I had was when I threw a 360 and put a little too much force behind the yo-yo. It caused the die to whip quicker than expected and I took it to the temple. Grinds were decent thanks to the etched finish on the Lunar Wind. Arm, finger, and palm grinds could be slightly sticky when it is humid but that will sort itself out with the blasted finish production run. Thumb grinds are a breeze; the cup is deep enough allowing for easy catching during a pop-up thumb grind. The spikes are sharp, as I stated earlier. I did a couple of ripcord starts with the Lunar Wind and the spikes held quite well without being too harsh on the tips of my finger or thumb. Overall the play is great, I would probably stick to 1A with the Lunar Wind but if 5A is your thing you should at least give it a look.

Final Thoughts

Credit where it is due, the guys at J&H have come up with a solid design. That is nothing to sneeze at, especially considering that the brains of the operation are not much older than the students I teach… or my own daughter for that matter. This is a prototype so there are rough edges but I can definitely see this being a popular yo-yo once those are addressed. With the Lunar Wind, Sean and Wilson have shown they can design a competent product. I look forward to seeing, and hopefully trying, the retail release of the Lunar Wind.