Triple Zero 2024 - D Bearing & Life Updates

It has been a year an a half living in Osaka, crazy how time flies. I remember releasing the Plastic Fulvia just before leaving Toronto, a product that I could argue changed the trajectory of everything. At that moment, Luftverk grew exponentially, with the support of retailers around the world. At that moment, I developed so many behind the scenes processes for management that it became much more of a corporate job then a creative one. Huge projects like Cheatcode, and the CLYW collaboration definitely had its creative sides dont get me wrong, but the addition of moving to a foreign city, learning a new language, pursuing motorsports and delegating tasks behind the scenes with razor sharp margins meant for a lot of it I was on the brink of burnout. I questioned if I even still liked doing yoyo stuff at all, or if it was just to keep food on the table.

I have some shame to admit that there were times when I didn't even want to touch a yoyo especially when attending larger events as I started to associate it with work. I felt bad when I couldn't bring my 100% when people came up to me in person, when I felt like all I wanted a break. And in the past - I did exactly that. I turned off the computer and just stopped releasing anything for months. I remember back in 2018 I had a box of Ultima BTM titaniums sitting for over 6 months at my parents place. I had the option of sitting back and just ignoring it and being a bum. But with the network I have in place now, and the scale of operations definitely means I have a lot more weight on my shoulders, and a lot of people, factories and retailers that depend on me to make this work. I mention all this now, because luckily I do feel like I am at the tail end of it. Thanks to everyone, a lot of the projects I committed to financially for the past two years have slowly worked out. This I am grateful for.

Crazy to think in 2025 it will be 10 years of running Luftverk. For those who have stuck around this long, we can all agree how much this community has changed. Largely, the excitement of niche brands has pivoted aggressively, with more of a focus on catering to the beginner market. I know many would feel this change has been tough to accept, with the excitement of new brands dying off faster than ever. But I have always had the stance that this has been a good thing - as you or I was likely introduced to this hobby as a kid as well. After working on the Cheatcode project, It was this ideology of catering to the beginner shook me to my core - suddenly I was no longer designing a product for a collector or enthusiast but a product that represented a door into the yoyo world as a whole. This kind of philosophy changed the way I thought about my products, where suddenly Luftverk products felt selfish in that I designed objects for no one other than myself. Even something as simple as a color way choice has an effect on a large scale commercial project. This was something that I never had to consider just a few years prior.

6 years ago I sat down and designed the Triple Zero in titanium. It was a representation of a new start, something different. Keep in mind, for those who don't remember this was at a time when titanium yoyos were slim to none, let alone something organic. It only felt right that I re-released it going into the 10th year of Luftverk - but I had a desire to re-release it along side a new variant.

One incredible thing about this project is how manufacturing quality has exponentially increased since the last time a titanium Triple Zero was produced. This exclusive run may look similar but Id like to point out that the quality of these are miles better than back in 2018. They are glass smooth, with no worries of unscrewing them apart. The finish has been improved substancially to a fine satin brush, and there are no noticeable issues of unusual tool marks. This meant I was confident on producing something a bit more experimental along side the original - a D bearing mini Triple Zero dubbed the "000D".

A Powerful Mini - The ultimate EDC Titanium

The Triple Zero "D" sits somewhere between an undersized and a mini. I specifically designed this in mind for the ones who want to carry a yoyo in your mini sling. In Japan I tend to transit and walk a lot more so then in Toronto where driving is the main mode of transportation. This meant I needed to fit something in my small sling bag, where a traditional 56mm yoyo would take up 30% of the space inside, squeezing my wallet, keys and phone. I wondered if I could design something that could slip inside much easier, which is why I decided to design something with such a small diameter. This project originally was designed with a C bearing specification but as things progressed the values showed that a D bearing would provide a much better kickback feel and throwing experience. As the design matured, and prototypes were created the final form of this yoyo presents itself slightly differently then the full version. Although the size is smaller in every dimension, I did not want to sacrifice the performance of the full size. With it visually smaller while sharing the same performance this smaller variation is much more powerful feeling, and less of the floaty experience you would get with the original. This contrast was jarring at first, but as I continued to test it, I decided to keep this version for production as it was exactly what I wanted - a pocket yoyo that could out perform a fullsized 56mm.

On the design side, both the Triple Zero and the Triple Zero "D" have unique design qualities. The original Triple Zero had two problems that likely would not hold up in 2024. The first change was a slightly more round edge - probably the most complained about thing back in 2018. I was much more stubborn back then wanting to keep to a very specific brutalist aesthetic. This time around, I added a slightly more aggressive radius on the edge to make the hand feel a lot more comfortable. I was able to draw a balance out that kept the brutalist design. To the untrained eye the models will look the same but having the 2024 version right next to the original makes the design change very obvious. The second change was for stability - in 2018 there was a severe lack of "fun" feeling yoyos. As time progressed and tricks got more complex customers reached out explaining they loved their older model but wished for a more stable feel. This meant I experimented with a few prototypes landing on the current production model that adds an additional 1.3 grams of weight. It adds stability without loosing the incredible luxurious floaty feeling of the original.

Shown above is an example of where carrying a full sized titanium yoyo became annoying. The sling I normally carry bulges out aggressively when a 56mm yoyo is placed inside. This of course also applies to pant pockets, but my purpose of even getting a bag like this was to keep my pockets empty. Of course your situation maybe a bit different than mine.

I scaled down the engraving for the Triple Zero "D" to match the aesthetics of the full sized. This is the same engraving file used on the 2018 model, as well as the Plastic Triple Zero so it shares the same DNA across the board. I debated if I should change the design, but I felt like it was such a staple product in the lineup. I accepted that this would be another iteration, also acknowledging that the current customer group likely didn't have a chance to buy the original one due to the influx of new players in the past years.

In a way, it was a product that allows many who are now familiar with the plastics I release to experience where this iconic design originally came from. It was interesting because since this project is rooted in a flagship design it helped me build off of the legacy Luftverk has created in the past 10 years. In a way it reminded me of this insanely dedicated journey in catering to the niche yoyo market. It allowed me to enjoy aspects of design again that for the past year and a half felt like a corporate job. It allowed me to be a bit selfish again and indulge in a product for myself, and understanding a bit more about why I do the things I do.

Perhaps a bit too much personal brain dumping. I felt a fear of judgement from the ones who have so much passion for these designs but I feel morally obligated to share to those who have supported me through the past 10 years.  I have a few projects that are brewing in the back burner for 2025 that align with my new found vision of catering to the beginner yoyo market. But fundamentally this project helped me realize that Luftverk can remain a very personal expression of myself, products that I like to see in the world and that is something I can accept - selfish or not. 000 - a new beginning.