Moongoose | |
---|---|
Manufacturer | Playmaxx |
Release date | 1999 |
Shape | Unique |
Color | Black Blue Red |
Weight | N/A |
Dimensions | Diameter: 1.75" Width: N/A |
Material | Aluminum with rubber rings |
Bearing size | Size A |
Response system | Brake Pads |
The Mongoose is a yo-yo that was marketed by Playmaxx and was the company's answer to the Henrys Viper. The Mongoose was a small yo-yo hub that utilized Brake Pads and it just happens to be compatible with the Viper's removable rubber shells. This was not advertised, and for a good reason, too. The Mongoose came with no shells of its own (save for a pair of rubber rings attached to the rims) and without shells, the Mongoose was basically non-functional. Playmaxx believed that the reverse starburst response system of Henrys' Coral Snake yo-yo infringed upon their own patent, and the fact that the addition of reverse starbursts was a home-brewed modification routinely done by Viper owners.
When Playmaxx and Henrys could not come to an agreement regarding the controversial response system, Playmaxx moved to tap into Henrys' customer base by offering the Mongoose, a yo-yo hub that features Brake Pad Technology, which they see as being superior to Henrys' own reverse starbursts. Because the method of attaching rubber yo-yo shells to a metal hub was already patented by Henrys, Playmaxx could not sell their own rubber shells. However, they did produce them and gave them away to their die-hard fans, friends, and beta-testers. The shells carried the name "String Pilot" and transformed the Mongoose into a rubber-rimmed metal yo-yo shaped like the Turbo Bumble Bee GT. It was named as a joke after the mongoose, the natural predator of the viper in the wild, a reference to how the Henrys Viper is the Mongoose's intended competitor. Another subtle hint is in the yo-yo's advertising slogan; "The snake killer with Brake Pad Technology."
Gallery[]
External Links[]
- ProYo Moongoose at the Museum of Yo-Yo History
- ProYo Moongoose in packaging at the Museum of Yo-Yo History
- ProYo Mongoose and Isotope prototypes @ cornellouis' Tumblr page
- Two-toned Mongoose with Viper shells @ cornellouis' Tumblr page
- A collection of Mongoose yo-yos including the prototype @ cornellouis' Tumblr page