One Drop Format:C
Reviewed by Chris Rhoads
September 8, 2013

Introduction

The great alloy debate has been raging on for quite some time in the yo-yo community. There are people on both sides of the aisle evangelizing the benefits of their alloy of choice whether it is 6061 or 7075. Then there are people take the middle ground basically stating that it doesn’t matter what alloy is used, it is the designer that makes the biggest difference in the play of the yo-yo. One Drop has mostly worked with 6061 due to it being an easier alloy to machine and more importantly a less expensive alloy to work with which allowed them to pass the savings on to their customers. That being said, they have been working with 7075 for quite some time. All Side Effects are machined from 7075. They also released the GZR line of yo-yos, which used the exact designs and machine files to make a 7075 version of their existing 6061 alloy yo-yos. Now they have decided to make a new design from the ground up taking the higher density attributes of 7075 aluminum alloy into account. The result is the Format:C, with the C standing for Competition. I have been looking forward to this review since the Format:C was announced, just to see what One Drop can do when they start from the beginning designing around 7075 alloy.

Quick side note, this review is not going to be me trying to settle the alloy debate. Yes, I will be pointing out some strengths and weaknesses of 7075 but honestly I don’t care what the yo-yo is made of. As long as it plays well and doesn’t break my wallet it could be made of cardboard.

Specs

• Diameter: 57 mm
• Width: 43 mm
• Gap: 4.45 mm
• Weight: 65.15 grams
• Bearing: One Drop 10-Ball
• Response: Flow Groove.

Construction

This is a stunning looking yo-yo, there is no other way to start of this section but to state that right up front. The stepped V-Shape profile with its large rims is accentuated with an extra cut after anodizing that exposes some of the raw aluminum. This extra cut is located where the rims meet the catch zone giving a unique flourish to the transition. The cup is deep with a rounded inner wall that curves up under the rim forming the Format:C’s easy to hit IGR. The floor of the cup is flat with a rounded center hub. One area where competition yo-yos sometimes fall short is comfort, I am happy to say that the Format:C bucks the trend. The rims are nicely rounded allowing for extended play sessions with little to no harsh hits to the hand. One thing I would like to touch on is the laser etch. There has been a little bit of a brouhaha about how it detracts from the looks of the yo-yo. In my opinion there is more being made of it than there really needs to be. In person it is very faint and tends to disappear entirely while spinning. Now with that out of the way I can hit on an area where 7075 alloy really shines… literally in this instance. Even though each Format:C is Pyramatte finished the alloy still shines through almost as if it had been polished, giving the Format:C a vibrant finish with rich and deep coloring. These rich colors coupled with the racing stripe like cuts on the profile and the over all design give the Format:C a simple elegance that as I said before is just stunning. I may be in the minority here but I hope One Drop does not do splash or acid wash versions of this yo-yo. Honestly I think they would muddy up graceful lines they have achieved with the solid colors.

Weight

The Format:C is a speedy player, but not “oh my god I gotta rush” speedy. It can handle quick string changes with ease and has no problems flying around at a break neck pace. You can play it slow and it will do fine but you can just feel that this yo-yo was designed for the high-octane tech style of play used by most competition players. Funny thing is, I am far from being one of those players and even I enjoyed the kicked up speed of this yo-yo.

Response and Bearing

One Drop is still going strong with the Flow Groove pads that give high levels of grip when needed and play dead unresponsive the rest of the time.

The 10-Ball is still the bearing to beat in my opinion. It has the killer combination of smooth spins and quiet movement that I have not been able to find on any other stainless steel bearing.

Playability

The Format:C is deceptive in play. The rims are not overly chunky so it does not look like the weight is pushed to the rims but this thing gives incredible spin times while also being rock solid stable on the string. My stability trick of choice is Guy Wright’s Rabbit picture trick. It requires a lot of contorting and fiddling about with the string while doing your best to keep the yo-yo upright. I have had quite a few yo-yos spin out or go off axis while attempting this trick, the Format:C stayed put and still had enough spin left over to do a couple more tricks before the bind. Regens are a breeze, also thanks to the stability. One area of concern is grinds. Thumb grinds are great, the problematic area is in finger, hand or arm grinds. In a climate controlled house they are decent but outside in humid weather they are almost impossible and that is due to the 7075 alloy and One Drop’s finish of choice. It requires a stronger blast to give it a good grind finish. One Drop’s Pyramatte and soda blast finishes are just not abrasive enough to give 7075 a good all weather grind surface. If you are looking to grind with the Format:C you will want to do it indoors or during cooler days. Overall I will deal with the trade off just because the Format:C looks so darn good. Other than the small grind issue, the Format:C’s play is spot on.

Final Thoughts

The Format:C is a phenomenal yo-yo, there is no doubt to it and I will say it, yes it is a testament to what you can do when 7075 aluminum alloy is factored in from the start. I can see this being on the short list for competition players as well as anyone looking for a classy looking throw.