2 Sick YoYos Gambit
Reviewed by Chris Rhoads
January 26, 2014
Introduction
2 Sick YoYos and the Gambit are a story of what makes this hobby great. Community member Joey Serrano started the 2 Sick YoYos brand as a response to the positive feedback he received from the prototype that has become the Gambit. Serrano has played many different brands and has even been a sponsored player. Not content to play other peoples designs he decided to finance and make a yo-yo that fits his preferences perfectly. Stories like this are why I like this hobby, with a small amount of capital and some basic design knowledge you can create your own design. Now the question needs to be asked, is this a design that should just stay a one off or is it fit for prime time?
SPECIAL NOTE:
Two Gambits were sent for review, one made with 6061 alloy and the other made with 7075 alloy. I will compare both.
Specs
• Diameter: 56 mm
• Width: 42.46 mm
• Weight (6061 Alloy): 65.5 grams
• Weight (7075 Alloy): 67.8 grams
• Gap: 4.35 mm
• Response: Silicone Pads
• Bearing: 10 ball flat Buddha Bearing
Construction
Like so many companies these days, 2 Sick YoYos has decided to release two nearly identical versions of the same design using the two most popular aluminum alloys in the industry 6061 and 7075. The design of each version is the same meaning that the only visual difference between the two versions will be the finish.
The Gambit is an aggressive H-Shape design with large rims and a wide, curved catch zone that stops at a step out before reaching the guts. The gap has zero walls to snag the string during play. The cup has a crazy, recessed two step design that looks like a series of thick concentric circles when looking at it straight on terminating at a flat floor. Between the first and second step is a deep cut IGR that looks to handle all your thumb grind needs. The finish on the 6061 alloy is blasted with a multicolor splash while the 7075 alloy sticks with a classic polished look and a single color on each half. Over all the design works quite well for a performance focused design. It is can be a tad bit uncomfortable during play due to the slightly harsh angles at the rim but in the hand it rests comfortable on my middle finger.
Weight
There is a little over 2 gram weight difference between the 6061 and 7075 Gambits. Both are quite stable on the string with generous spin times. The 6061 Gambit is quite a bit faster on the string with quick transitions from string to string. The 7075 Gambit sacrifices speed for a more chilled out feel and a healthy boost in spin time.
Response and Bearing
The response is a clear silicone response pad that gives decent binds and did not need a great deal of breaking in.
The 10-Ball Buddha bearings did the job but needed a little bit of cleaning. Both Gambits had bearings that felt gritty during play and were quite loud. After a good cleaning and an application of lube they quieted down and felt smoother on the string.
Playability
No matter what Gambit you choose the feel on the string is smooth. Open loop tricks like suicides benefit from that zero wall design, allowing the loops to stay open an easy to catch. The Gambit feels at home during both horizontal and vertical play, keeping quite stable no matter the orientation. The weight placement allows for easy plane changes during Gyro Flops, I never felt like I had to force it to turn. During the grind tests I stuck with the 6061 Gambit. The finish on the 7075 Gambit is not the best for grinds, I found it wanting to grab ahold of skin and shoot off during attempts. With the 6061 Gambit I found grinds to work quite well. I had a good amount of control while it spun on my arm and only a slight reduction in spin time after dropping it off my hand during a palm grind. Over all the play is spot on with the two Gambit variants meeting the demands of multiple styles of play.
Final Thoughts
While this may be designed for one player’s personal style I find the Gambit to be a very well rounded yo-yo. The release of two variants was a wise choice for 2 Sick YoYos as it gives speedy, tech style players and chilled out, relaxed players a yo-yo that will fit their needs without having to augment their own style to meet the speed of the yo-yo. About the only thing I would change is to add a better grinding finish to the 7075 variant. Other than that, this is a solid beginning for 2 Sick YoYos.
#1 by Greg on January 28, 2014 - 10:36 am
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I’d like to add to this already positive review. I was playing my 6061 Gambit (in a beautiful Purple/Pink splash colourway called “Kinetic Energy”) the other day, and said to my wife: “This is seriously one of the best yoyos I’ve ever played. Top-3 for sure.” I’ve owned and played a decent number of the world’s best yoyos, so I like to think that’s not light praise.
As with many yoyos, it might take some people a while to really recognize what makes it special. It’s not “quirky” the way I like some of my yoyos to be (except the cool cup, mind you!), but it is incredibly high-performing and now I just find it fun. But it took a few days to discover the charm that goes along with the performance.
The sharp angles don’t hurt nearly as much as the format:C or Prestige (another all-time favourite) do, so I can forgive the aggressive shape. ;)
Regarding the bearing, I popped in a KK. I know you don’t like profiled bearings, but I found it a perfect fit, especially when taking advantage of the Gambit’s absolutely amazing horizontal abilities.
For the price Joey is selling these for, anybody remotely interested in the look and specs should pick one up and have no regrets.
#2 by Chris on January 28, 2014 - 12:00 pm
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I agree, one of the biggest strengths of this yo-yo is the price point, it sells for $80 (6061) and $90 (7075).
As for the bearing, I have always said it is my personal preference. If the KK works great for you then by all means use it. Never take a reviewers word as gospel, we are just players like you. :)
#3 by Dave K. on February 27, 2014 - 7:56 pm
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The Gambit looks like a great throw, and I love an H shape. I’m Googling but not finding a retailer. Where can we get it?
#4 by Chris on March 25, 2014 - 6:50 pm
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You can get them at this site: http://2sickyoyos.tictail.com
#5 by Niko on April 15, 2014 - 9:08 pm
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Hey Chris were can I get one of these. Awesome review by the way.
#6 by Chris on April 18, 2014 - 12:23 pm
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In my comment above there is a link to the company site. they sell them there.
#7 by Ze'ev on May 6, 2014 - 9:01 am
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I’m thinking of getting a Twelfth Man 6061 of these, but it looks extremely similar to my Supernova. Does the decreased weight make it feel any different form Supernovas?
#8 by Chris on May 18, 2014 - 3:20 pm
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I am not sure, I have never played a Supernova.