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.
#1 by Reid Riley on September 27, 2013 - 8:23 am
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I really want to get this yoyo but im debating on wether I should get the cascade first. Almost everyone on the onedrop team uses the cascade and it semms like a great yoyo but this one just looks like a better choice. I hope I will be getting both but which one should I get first?
#2 by Chris on September 29, 2013 - 12:37 pm
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Both are great choices but if I had to pick one to purchase first I would go with the Format:C. It just fits my preferences better.
#3 by Phil on September 29, 2013 - 4:11 pm
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Can you tell me about the color green? I know it’s hard to get an idea of real life vs. computer screen, but I’d like to try. I’m typically on Macs and I wonder if when you hold this throw to the screen, does the color look to be about what is shown in the review? (This is probably a stupid question and I should go about this in a different way…)
Maybe this is a simpler way to address the question. Do you like/love this color?
#4 by Chris on October 13, 2013 - 1:38 pm
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It is extremely close to British Racing Green, and the raw lines on the outer walls give it a hot rod look. I absolutely love the color… but I am a huge car nut who has a fondness for older Brit. machines.
#5 by Phil on October 18, 2013 - 1:47 pm
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Thanks Chris,
I had to take my chances before the shelves were empty… so I bought one prior to your response. I couldn’t be more happy with this racing green color and it is clearly the pinnacle of my throw collection. It actually may prevent me from entering a 12 step program as I’m not sure any more purchases will be needed. (Who are we kidding!)
If I can actually develop skills enough to show this thing off, I might actually die happy. Thanks for the review(s).
#6 by Brendan on October 20, 2013 - 4:23 pm
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The Cascade and the F:C are two radically different yoyos. I prefer the F:C over it because the Cascade isn’t very competition oriented but it’s simply all about preference. They are two completely different yoyos that offer two completely different styles of play.
#7 by Sean Ng on August 31, 2014 - 1:33 pm
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What do you like better, the Format:C or the Code 2 Nautilus?
#8 by Chris on September 1, 2014 - 2:58 pm
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Format:C
#9 by Mathias on February 4, 2015 - 8:58 pm
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I’m trying to decide wether to get the format c or the summit
#10 by Mathias on February 4, 2015 - 8:59 pm
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Which one should I get
#11 by Chris on February 6, 2015 - 7:10 am
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The differences between the Format:C and the Summit are too numerous to give an honest answer on which one you should get. The Format:C is a quick yo-yo designed for competition play while the Summit is a better general use yo-yo that can be used for many different play levels. Sorry I couldn’t be more specific.
#12 by Mathias on February 16, 2015 - 9:30 pm
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Thank you so much i have decided with the Format c
#13 by Mathias on February 16, 2015 - 9:30 pm
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is there a difference with the double sight lines and none double sight lines
#14 by Mathias on February 23, 2015 - 10:56 pm
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i got the yoyo the format c i love it. it is way better than the summit
#15 by Chris on February 24, 2015 - 9:49 pm
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Just the lines. The play is identical.