Spartanik Rage of Achill v2
Reviewed by Chris Rhoads
January 27, 2013

Introduction

When Spartanik released the first version of the Achill I thought it was a blast and was a little bummed that it would never be released in that form due to a structural design flaw. Spartanik vowed to release a corrected design but after a second failed attempt they all but disappeared. That was over 8 months ago and honestly I had almost completely forgotten about them… until the Achill v2 design surfaced on the forums over at One Drop. Spartanik explained that the second failed attempt almost did them in but a last minute partnering with fellow German designers ILYY saved the day. The team-up delivered an almost completely revamped design with just the catch zone remaining from the original. ILYY brought their machining, ano, and response to the mix, giving Spartanik the tools needed to complete the Achill. Lets see if this newer version retains the charm of the original, even with such a radical update to the design.

Specs

• Diameter: 54.5 mm
• Width: 41mm
• Weight: 64.3 g
• Response: ILYY Red Hot SILYYcone
• Bearing: 6x13x5 ILYY KMK B1ST V-Cave

Construction

Removing it from the tin reveals a rather intimidating yo-yo. Almost every rounded angle, with the exception of the edge near the gap, has been removed from version 2. My first thought while holding it was that it was going to break my hand, or my face. To be honest, it is not the most comfortable to hold, but that being said it wasn’t bad during play. It felt similar to the Noctu in that it will bite you if you catch it wrong but you won’t feel the harsh edges much during normal play. The profile shows off an extremely aggressive H-Shape with fat rims and a deep recessed catch zone. Spartanik cut the walls at enough of an angle to negate the instability issues that come with such a design. The string effortlessly transitions to the gap without causing the yo-yo to go off plane. The cup is a two-step design leading down to a flat floor. Spartanik did omit one feature from the original Achill; there is no IGR on the Achill v2. The hub spike in the center is the most intimidating part of the entire yo-yo. It is, without a doubt, the sharpest spike I have ever witnessed on a yo-yo and is almost syringe sharp at the point. The current finish is the ILYY Candodized finish in titanium black. I would love to see this in more of a candy apple red but this is just the preproduction so I can’t complain too much. The final runs are set to have an ILYY Candy Blast finish. I feel that while the overall design, while aggressive and a99% changed, still retains the essence of the original Achill.

Weight

This yo-yo flies at 64 grams moving from string to string as if it were nothing. The large rims house most of the weight and give the Achill v2 its extra level of stability. Those rims also give it an incredible amount of spin during play allowing for extended combo times.

Response and Bearing

There really isn’t much to talk about with the response or bearing. Spartanik used ILYY’s stock SILYYcone and modified KMK bearing giving it the same strengths that all ILYY releases have enjoyed for years. Spartanik is using a B!ST v-caved KMK bearing in the retail release and honestly I could not tell the difference from the flat KMK. If it adds an extra cost I would recommend ditching it. At this point it neither adds or detracts from the play.

Playability

I feel that a repeat from the original Achill review is warranted here. “You have no idea what to make of it when you first pull it out of the box but after a few throws you will be grinning from ear to ear.” I stand by that 100% for this release. I talked earlier about how aggressive and intimidating this yo-yo is but honestly, it is just fun to play. Is it going to be the go to yo-yo for the contest crowd, honestly I don’t know. The unorthodox feel may turn some people off but the wide open catch zone and extended spin offer quite a bit for those brave enough to go up on stage. As for tricks it will handle anything you can think of and then some with the exception of thumb grinds. Palm and finger grinds are not a problem but what I experienced will be nothing compared to what the retail release will be able to pull off thanks to the Candy Blast finish. Matador play is easy to perform but I warn you, the spikes are super sharp. There were a couple of times where I though the yo-yo was going to drill into my thumb while spinning it balanced on one of those spikes. Overall, I am just as impressed with the play of the version 2 as I was with the original.

Final Thoughts

The partnering with ILYY was probably the best thing Spartanik could have done. Their expertise, coupled with Spartanik’s fresh design has finally brought this yo-yo to the public. I stated in the original review that I could not wait to see what came next, and I have been pleasantly surprised with the latest results. I look forward to seeing this company grow and hopefully continue their partnership with the ILYY crew.