For the current version of the yo-yo produced by Duncan Toys, see Duncan ProYo.
The ProYo was developed and patented in 1974, and was the first yo-yo sold by Playmaxx. It had first entered production in 1976. Today, the current iteration of this yo-yo is still being produced by Duncan.
The original ProYo (known nowadays as the ProYo I) was produced in brick red plastic and featured a replaceable wooden axle sleeve, which slides onto the steel screw that fastened the two yo-yo halves together. The axle sleeve had a hexagonal shape that fits into hexagonal recesses in the inner surfaces of the yo-yo halves. This fixed-axle design eliminated any chance of axle rotation and the large spool ends meant that the inner surfaces of the yo-yo were partially wood instead of all plastic, thus giving the ProYo a feel and response similar to a classic wooden yo-yo. A brass axle sleeve was included with the "ProYo Ultimate" for longer spinning, allowing for string tricks. Produced until October 1996, the ProYo I was replaced by the ProYo II, which has a simple rounded axle sleeve.
With the introduction of the ProYo II, Playmaxx yo-yos rapidly became one of the best selling yo-yos around the world, with success in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan (as the Hyper Loop and Hyper Loop Glow in the Hyper Yo-Yo range), United Kingdom, Poland, Greece, Norway, Sweden, Italy, Finland, Canada, Denmark and many other countries.
The ProYo II take-apart axle design (wooden, one-piece between the plastic halves) was patented as well as several other features like the ability to display removable pogs in one side. The ProYo II came in 36 different combinations of translucent colors and six combinations of solid colors, as well as six combinations of glow-in-the-dark colors.
It was also distributed by TCL overseas as the ProYo III, which had a more consistent production quality.
The removable pogs made it a very customizable yo-yo great for advertising and logo promotions.
While the wooden axle sleeve isn't too good for sleeping tricks, its responsiveness made it popular for looping and 2A play.
Official Description[]
Proyo II[]
Hyper Loop (1998)[]
Type C - Looping Type
The use of a wood bearing, which has a good response, makes it suitable for looping play. 57mm. Weight about 49 grams.
Hyper Loop Glow (1998)[]
Type C - Looping Type
Uses a wood bearing which makes it suitable for looping play. Glow-in-the-dark version. 57mm. Weight about 49 grams.
Infinite Illusions 1999 Spring/Summer Catalog[]
Plastic take-apart yo-yo that uses three-point injection molding for perfect balance. This is great for all tricks. Uses a replaceable wooden axle.
Gallery[]
World Records[]
Three of the acknowledged world records for yo-yos with fixed axles as listed by the AYYA were held by the ProYo:
- Longest sleeper: 51 seconds
- Fastest spinner: 11,400 RPM
- Around the Worlds: 26
External Links[]
- ProYo I at the Museum of Yo-Yo History
- ProYo II Hyper Loop at the Museum of Yo-Yo History
- Duracraft ProYo Ultimate at the Museum of Yo-Yo History
- ProYo I take-apart (semi-translucent purple) at the Museum of Yo-Yo History
- 1989 ProYo I at the Museum of Yo-Yo History
- 1989 ProYo I (semi-translucent red, purchased from the ProYo store), at the Museum of Yo-Yo History
- ProYo AdYo for the Stockton Asparagus Festival at the Museum of Yo-Yo History
- ProYo AdYo at the Museum of Yo-Yo History
- ProYo II MoodYo at the Museum of Yo-Yo History
- ProYo II at the Museum of Yo-Yo History
- ProYo II Glow at the Museum of Yo-Yo History
- Koosh-branded ProYo at the Museum of Yo-Yo History
- TCL ProYo III at the Museum of Yo-Yo History
- ProYo Desert Yo-Yo Classic '96 edition at the Museum of Yo-Yo History
- Koosh ProYo Ultimate at the Museum of Yo-Yo History
- Ultimate ProYo II at the Museum of Yo-Yo History
- Ultimate ProYo I at the Museum of Yo-Yo History
- ProYo MoodYo at the Museum of Yo-Yo History
- ProYo II Hyper Loop Special Edition at the Museum of Yo-Yo History
- ProYo II prototype @ yoyobrothers' Online Instagram page