ILYY – Liopleurodon:

Introductions:

ILoveYoYo makes some fantastic yo-yos. The team typically co-designs the yo-yos they release, but this new yoyo, the Liopleurdon (or Lio for short) is the complete design of ILYY founder, Frank “Raytsh” Orben. Frank contacted me after my review of the ILYY Rocket and told me he had a new yo-yo in the works, something that was unlike any of the other yo-yo ILYY had released before. The new design would be bigger then the EN1S, Mary, and Wasabi, but not as big as a Josy-Ann, and it would have a unique name. Later when I found out that Franks new yo-yo was called the Liopleurodon, I could not help but chuckle. The Liopleurodon is the big bad sea monster from the middle to late Jurassic period. The Liopleurodon is also the magic guide to Candy Mountain, so there is that…… ON TO THE REVIEW CHARLIE!

Diameter: 54.85mm
Width: 41.5mm
Weight: 68g
Response: Hot Red SILYYcone
Bearing: ILYY KMK 6×13×5mm
Coating: ILYY Candy Blast (Purple/Titanium)
Material: 6082 AlMgSi1 Aluminum

First Impressions:

I need to start wearing bibs…. When I opened the package from Frank, I basically went into drool mode. The Lio has the awesome Candy Blast finish (perhaps from Candy Mountain Charlie?….. okay last one I promise) that ILYY is so well known for. ILYY packages the Lio in a burnt red velvet bag with an ILYY button and a small slip of paper that encompasses ILYY’s miranda rights for yoyoers: Info about the Candy Blast, Advice for cleaning the bearing, and warnings about your Grandmothers China. The purple and dark brown (almost black) halves complement each other very nicely. With a white string, the Lio looks like a serving of Neapolitan ice cream. The presentation that ILYY puts together is fantastic. The Lio is one of a few handful of yo-yos that can pull off the jewelers bag look. The unbranded light scattering look of the Lio is undeniable. A jewelers bag puts out a lot of expectations. There is no in-between, either the yo-yo is worthy, or its not, and the Lio, is defiantly worthy.

Comfort and Tech:

The Lio is hand heroin. With specs near the uber popular Peak, and a continuous curve shape unlike any yo-yo I can conjure up from my collection, the size is familiar, and the shape is Tempur-Pedic comfortable. The Lio was obviously designed with your hand in mind. The curve comes from the recess wall and continues past the maximum diameter, then turns back on itself into the IRG area. Speaking of IRG, the Lio has so much room in the cup for thumb grinds, you could bake a loaf of bread in there. The shape fits nicely in a number of different hand sizes; both my mammoth banana hands, and my wife’s small and nimble knitting machines.
Some of the real magic in the Lio comes when you open it up. I love the well that surrounds the bearing seat. This is one of the best unknown features of the ILYY line. The well ensures the dirt or grime that might collect around the bearing won’t result in a bearing fused (galled) to a yo-yo half.  (NOTE: This is really only a problem with raw yo-yo’s, so it is a bit moot here on the Lio.  Thanks Mo and David for clearing that up.) The well also helps keep the center weight down.  Wrap up this with a C-Size bearing, deep silicone recess, and an optimal weight (68 grams of goodness), the Lio has all the physical aspects that make a yoyo become an instant classic.

On a Throw:

The Lio is incredible. It glides on a nice hard throw better then a hockey puck on freshly cleaned ice. On a soft throw, something not all yo-yos can do without wobble, the Lio is free from any unwanted movement. The only time the Lio wobbled was after I forced it to with a regen, and even then it smoothed out almost right away after the first string transfer.
Grinding is no different. Like all yo-yos by ILYY, the Lio’s Candy Blasted finish is made to grind. The shape of the Lio just flat out makes grinds even better. The curve fits your skin just right. This not only provides you stability, it gives you a grind that is smoother David Cassidy in his heyday (think “The Zac Efron” of your Parents generation).
At 68 Grams, the Lio matches what is expected from a balanced yo-yo. It is quick and nimble on the string, transfers with stability thanks to the curve, and plays like a kid with his first Hot Wheels track. (I.E. It just never wants to stop). I would not call it floaty. It has more of a “Charging Elephant” feel to it. Not to say it vibes, just that you can feel the power at your fingertips. It moves very gracefully in the air and does not force the yoyo player to compromise their throw. This may just my personal preference, but I have always thought that 68 grams was the perfect weight for this style of unresponsive play. The gap is a huge win also. The Lio delivers the ability to perform multiple string wraps without compromising tight binds. I did not feel any kickback from the Lio, only pure joy and the results I wanted with quickness.
5a was just as good. Some yo-yos that are great at 1a but not so much at 5a, and vise versa. The week that I had the Lio, for a few days I tossed on Duncan bouncy for a while and did what I dared (The Lio has to go back to Frank after the review). I was pleasantly surprised. The Lio in freehand configuration was just as fantastic as it was in 1a configuration.

Final Thoughts:

Frank at ILYY has outdone himself. The Lio is a fantastic player and if it wasn’t for the fact that this yo-yo was a loaner from Frank, I would be rotating it into my normal play. The colors are vibrant, the play is fantastic, and the grinds are cosmically smooth. Do not hesitate if you get a chance to get one of these from a yo-yo store. Jump on it like rain puddle full of win. If you like the size of a Peak, and the feel of other ILYY products, this is a must buy for you. That, and once you get it you’ll know how to get to Candy Mountain….

The Lio already dropped at the German store Yo-Shop.de, but a little birdie told me to expect the Lio to drop soon at the YoYoNation store pretty soon. If I hear it scheduled to pop up anywhere else, I will add to this list.

YoYoNation.com

Written by Chris “ Dr. Yo-Yo” Allen who just woke up missing his kidney.