YoYoFriends | Replicant

At the end of 2024, YoYoFriends decided to develop a signature yoyo for Matthew Wallsten, following his impressive performance at the ANTE Yoyo Contest. Matthew was thrilled and took the time to envision his ideal yoyo. In November, he discussed every detail of the design with team lead Philip over a Discord call

To ensure the yoyo perfectly matched Matthew’s preferences, YoYoFriends analyzed every specification in detail.
Profile: Matthew preferred a clean and simple design – a mix of a V-shape with a hint of O-shape, balancing performance with playability. After comparing existing models in the collection, the profiles of the Graviton and Gravitony closely matched his taste. By simplifying this design and keeping only the main contours, a profile was created that perfectly suited his preferences. (Special thanks to Tony Sung for designing the Graviton and Gravitony.)

Specifications:

• Diameter: 56 mm
• Width: 51 mm
• Gap width: 4.55 mm
• Weight: 66.3 gr
• Material: 7068 aluminium with stainless steel rings
• Response: Unresponsive
• Bearing: Concave

Design Details:
Matthew’s favourite yoyo at the time was the Netrunner Prototype 1, which influenced many aspects of the Replicant.

• Material: 7068 aluminium combined with stainless steel – a YoYoFriends speciality
• Construction: Features the signature hollow SS-ring technology from the Netrunner
• Dimensions: Diameter ~56 mm, width ~51 mm, axle 8 mm, gap width 4.55 mm
• Weight: Balanced power and stability similar to the Netrunne, but in a more compact form. SS-ring weight kept close to 20 g, total weight just over 66 gr
• Shape: Slight paraboloid in the middle for optimal weight distribution and sleek aesthetics

The YoYoFriends design team worked closely with Matthew, revising the design multiple times until he was delighted. The prototype was then produced

Prototype 1:
Upon receiving the prototype, it was immediately clear that the Replicant was a true competition beast: powerful, stable, and fun to play with. It handled all tricks effortlessly and showed minimal room for improvement. Matthew tested it in real competition at the PNWR, finishing 5th and qualifying for the US Nationals semifinals

The yoyo’s outstanding performance and positive feedback from players and testers convinced Matthew to move the Replicant into production without any changes. The result is a yoyo perfectly tailored to the player’s needs, thanks to close collaboration between Matthew and the YoYoFriends design team

Competition Achievements:

• June: 2nd place at the United Yoyo Contest
• Later that year: 13th in the 1A Finals

Name:
The Replicant is named after the films Blade Runner and Blade Runner 2049

The Replicant is among the top-performing bimetals of the new generation in the competition. With its hollow ring construction and design details carefully chosen by Matthew, it delivers ultimate performance with a touch of fun