I have only reviewed the 'main' makes of yoyos that I own. I have not included specific sleep times for all of the yoyos as I feel this will vary from person to person. These are just my personal opinions of the yoyos. If you are thinking about buying one of them, try to have a little play with it before you spend any money.
I will continue to update this section as my collection grows.
Ball-bearing.
A ball-bearing butterfly shaped yoyo which can also be converted to a wooden axle. Internally added weight rings help to achieve sleep times well over a minute (the TigerShark should be able to sleep for 30secs by just dropping it down without any extra throw power!!). An excellent yoyo for string tricks, planet hops and shoot the moon (mind your head with this one!!). The TigerShark plays best with Slick 6 strings, and use vaseline to improve responsiveness.
However, certain TigerSharks have been known to slow down considerably on certain string tricks. This might be due to the fact that a batch of TigerSharks that were shipped out with the wrong sized spacers in them, but the yoyo can be a little 'picky' depending on what string you use. The TigerShark is also a fairly heavy yoyo, so go with the Cherry Bomb if you want a lighter, good performing butterfly yoyo. If you want to add even more weight to the TigerShark, you can add extra inner weight rings, by removing the side caps. These weight rings can be made using solder wire (see Ken's World on a String for instructions). The TigerShark also plays fantastically with a Cherry Bomb wooden sleeve, and excells in 'Shoot for the Moon' and 'Planet Hop'. All in all a very good yoyo.
Ball-bearing.
Modified Shape. The Tornado is a top quality yoyo which is aesthetically very pleasing to the eye. The body comes in a small range of colours and has lovelly gold side caps. However, as far as it's playing ability on string tricks goes, I don't rate this yoyo very highly at all. Infact, I've ended up putting in a Spintastics' wooden sleeve, and now use it for looping. If you're after a good looper, get the Spintastic Technic yoyo as it already comes with the wooden sleeve, and is about £5's cheaper than the Tornado. The Tornado is however a reasonable 'sleeper' and is also good for the basics. Unfortunately, it's not so good for string tricks..not one of the easiest yoyos to use.
Ball-bearing.
Modified shape and uses Playmaxx's patented Brake Pad Technology (BPT).
A fantastic yoyo which is considered by many as the ultimate looping transaxle yoyo on the market, although its looping capabilities do depend on the condition of your brake pads. Excellent sleep times coupled with ultra smooth string trick performance, this yoyo will satisfy your needs. Perhaps the only flaw with this yoyo is the fact that you will need to change the brake pads every now and again, depending on the amount of play, but it's worth it (you also have to pretty accurate in landing it on the string due to it's slender body design). The TBB also comes with extra brake pads and 3 extra black/yellow mixed strings- This yoyo is a must buy!Ball-bearing.
the butterfly version of the TBB. This yoyo Rocks!! Long sleep times and the smoothest performance on string tricks out there. The only drawback is that some people find the yo a little bulky for their liking, but I feel the whole shape of the yoyo is perfect for comfort (no sharp edges). If you want a top class butterfly yoyo, with great responsiveness and with hardly any slow down on tricks, get this one, it won't dissapoint! A great tip to add weight to the TBB GT is to add the Team Losi internal weight rings to it. This helps to increase sleep times and balances the yo further. The TBB GT is a reasonably priced plastic yoyo which in my opinion plays better than a lot of expensive aluminium yoyos out on the market today. So, if you don't want to spend a fortune on a metal yoyo which you hope will perform great, take some advice and give this yoyo a try, I'm sure you'll love it. Also comes with extra brake pads and strings, (Previously also shipped with the yo were 3 different axle systems; a fixed metal and 2 wooden sleeves..still available, depending on where you buy from).- Highly Recommended.
A beautiful aluminium butterfly, rim weighted yoyo. This yoyo is not too heavy whilst still, but due to it's design, it does feel heavier whilst in motion.
Fixed Wooden axle/modified shape.
An excellent looping yoyo, and one of the best for 2 handed play. Great sleep times considering it's a fixed wooden axle. The take apart design also makes it easier for beginners and indeed everyone to get out any knots. Great for basic tricks. The downside?..well, it's a little fragile, so be careful when using it, and the axles have been known to break every so often. However, the pros do outweigh the cons so it is worth the money- great for beginners.
Fixed Wooden axle/modified shape.
This is exactly the same as the ProYo II, but comes in a presentation box and the halves of the yoyo come in solid colours. The side pogs are also different to that of the Proyo II. Also provided in the presentation box are an extra wooden sleeve, spare strings and extra side pogs, which are different to those it has on it when purchased.
Brass sleeve transaxle/standard shape.
Roller-bearing/Imperial shape.
An excellent all-rounder from Yomega. A great 'sleeper', looper and string trick yoyo. Next to the HyperWarp, this is the best plastic yoyo Yomega has out at the moment. Used by Team High Performance in Hawaii and also by James Applebly, UK Champion. The Raider is favoured by those who prefer a little more weight in their yoyos. Apparently, the current record for the longest sleeper with a Raider is over 6mins!! This however is unofficial so it can't really be taken too seriously. If you slap in a Spintastic wooden sleeve you have an excellent looping yoyo! Use either Brain Lube, vaseline or teflon fortified grease on the bearing to improve responsiveness- Highly Recommended.
Roller-bearing.
Butterfly version of the Raider. However, this yoyo is very much lighter in weight. Great for string tricks and for Shoot the Moon with fairly long sleep times for such a light yoyo. Also good for regeneration of spin. If you prefer a bit of weight in your yoyos, stay away from this one. Probably the best looper out of the butterfly range. It's just a shame that Yomega let the yoyo down with such little weight, otherwise this yoyo would be up there with the Cherry Bomb.
Roller-bearing/Imperial shape.
Roller-bearing.
Similar to the Raider but without the side caps, resulting in a lighter yoyo with a shorter sleep time. Used by Jeniffer Baybrook in the 1998 World Championships to earn her 1st place. Great for 1 handed play and not too bad for 2 handed play also. This was the first roller bearing yoyo I bought. It really helped me to learn tricks like Brain Twister and Splitting the Atom because of it's 'light weight' and long sleep time properties- recommended. Use Brain Lube on the bearing to increase responsiveness. Plays brilliantly with a new string.
Brushed nylon bearing.
Comes in the same body shape as the Raider, but with a nylon bearing. A very much reduced sleep time than the Raider and RBII, but still long enough for Splitting the Atom and even Buddha's Revenge. Can also be upgraded to a Raider. Good for beginners/intermediate players. Use vaseline to improve responsiveness.
Brushed nylon bearing.
Butterfly version of the Fireball. Easier to land on the string. Good for shooting the moon and regeneration. Again, this yoyo suffers from being too light, however, the SaberWing Fireball can be upgraded to a Saber Raider. Use vaseline to improve responsiveness. A nice yoyo to learn the basics with.
The same body as the RBII, but with a nylon bearing. Not bad for looping and handles most tricks reasonably well. Can be upgraded to RBII. Use vaseline on the bearing and axle to improve responsiveness.
Roller-bearing/standard shape.