What Is the Best Yo-Yo for Godspeed? A 2× World Champion’s Guide

Godspeed has exploded across social media as players push their fastest tricks and speed combos to the limit. But what is the secret to making a yo-yo move that fast? 

No yo-yo can replace practice and skill, but the right yo-yo design can give you a major advantage when it comes to pushing your speed. A yo-yo’s width, shape, weight, and weight distribution can help it feel quicker on the string, easier to control, and more accurate during fast string hits.

As a 2× World Yo-Yo Champion and 4× U.S. National Champion, I’ve spent years pushing my speed and developing combos like Razor Sharp, the speed combo I performed in my 2014 World Championship-winning routine. Along the way, I’ve learned which techniques help unlock more speed and how a yo-yo’s design can either help or hold you back.

In this guide, I’ll explain what makes a yo-yo feel fast, what to look for when choosing one, and why I designed the G Speed specifically for going Godspeed.

Quick Summary: What Is the Best Yo-Yo for Godspeed?

For players who want to go Godspeed and perform speed combos as fast as possible, the G Speed is my top recommendation. I designed it for speed without sacrificing the stability, spin time, and control needed to land tricks cleanly.

Its compact 52 mm diameter gives it a fast and nimble feeling, while its 50 mm width provides a forgiving target for rapid string hits. Its 65-gram weight balances speed with enough stability and control for longer combinations.

What Makes a Yo-Yo Good for Godspeed?

For Godspeed, a yo-yo needs to move easily when you change direction, remain steady through rapid movements, and provide enough room to land fast string hits. No single measurement determines how a yo-yo performs. Every part of the design has to work together.

When most players describe a yo-yo as fast, they are not talking only about how quickly it spins. They mean how easily it moves through tricks and how little effort it takes to maneuver. Here is how each part of the design affects that performance.

A Compact Diameter for Faster Movement

Diameter measures the yo-yo from one outer edge to the other. A slightly smaller diameter can give a yo-yo a more compact, agile feeling as it moves through tight string formations and changes direction during a speed combo.

Diameter is only one part of the equation. It has to be balanced with the rest of the design so the yo-yo feels fast without slowing down or tilting too easily during longer combinations.

Enough Width for Fast String Hits

Width affects the size of the target available when landing the yo-yo on the string. A wider catch area can be especially helpful during Godspeed because the player has less time to line up each string hit.

Extremely wide yo-yos can be useful for horizontal tricks, body tricks, whips, and other difficult catches. For speed combos, however, maximum width is not necessarily the goal. You want enough width to make fast string hits forgiving while keeping the yo-yo quick and easy to control.

The Right Weight Distribution

A lighter yo-yo is not automatically faster, and a heavier yo-yo is not automatically more powerful. Total weight tells you how much the yo-yo weighs, while weight distribution describes where that weight is placed.

A yo-yo’s weight distribution depends on where its material is concentrated. Placing more weight toward the outer rims generally improves spin performance and helps the yo-yo resist tilting. Keeping more weight closer to the center can make it easier to accelerate and redirect, but may reduce some spin power and stability.

For Godspeed, the goal is to balance both. The yo-yo needs enough outer weight to remain steady through longer combinations without feeling difficult to move at high speed.

Stability and Spin Time

Speed means very little if the yo-yo begins tilting, slowing down, or losing control halfway through the combo. A good Godspeed yo-yo needs enough stability to remain controlled through rapid movements and enough spin time to complete longer combinations.

This is why the best yo-yo for Godspeed is not simply the smallest, lightest, or widest option. Its design needs to balance speed with the performance required to keep the combo clean and consistent.

Why I Designed the G Speed for Going Godspeed

Modern competition yo-yos have become wider, more powerful, and increasingly specialized. Many high-end models use bimetal, hybrid, or tri-material construction to increase spin power and stability, while extreme widths give players a larger target for challenging tricks like horizontal, behind-the-back, and slack tricks.

Those features can provide major advantages in high-level competition, but every design serves a different purpose. With the G Speed. I focused specifically on what would help players move through speed combos as quickly as possible without losing control.

After studying some of the fastest players in yo-yo history and spending years pushing my own speed, I knew what I wanted from the G Speed: a compact, agile yo-yo that could move quickly without giving up the stability, spin time, and control needed for longer combos.

That led to a 52 mm diameter and 50 mm width, giving the G Speed a large catch area relative to its compact size. Its 65-gram weight and weight distribution were balanced to support longer combinations without making the yo-yo feel heavy or difficult to control during fast play.

But the specifications only tell part of the story. When the G Speed starts moving, it feels quick and alive on the string. It changes direction without feeling like you have to fight it, allowing you to settle into the rhythm of the combo and focus on your next string hit.

When every movement begins to connect and the yo-yo keeps up with exactly what your hands are trying to do, you feel completely locked in. The combo feels fast, smooth, and controlled all at once. That is the feeling I wanted players to experience with the G Speed.

Although Godspeed inspired its design, the G Speed is not limited to speed combos. Its balanced performance also makes it a versatile option for players choosing their first metal unresponsive yo-yo.

For a behind the scenes look at the G Speed, watch Laser Engraving YoYoChampion G Speed Yo-Yos + Q&A, where I engrave the yo-yos live and answer questions about them.

Watch the G Speed Go Godspeed

I designed the G Speed to feel fast, but I wanted to put it to a real test. In Can I Go Godspeed Faster Than When I Was World Yo-Yo Champion?, I challenged myself to see if I could go faster than I did when I won my first World Title.

G Speed Reviews: What Other Players Say

That is what I wanted the G Speed to deliver, and other players have experienced those same qualities. Here is what independent yo-yo reviewers have said after playing with it:

“If you are thinking about picking up your first metal yo-yo, this is the absolute best choice.” — @SkillToyTactics on YouTube

“It’s very zippy, very fast. It’s very maneuverable as well. It’s very stable for being so small.” — @NomadThrower on YouTube

Learn How to Go Godspeed

Choosing the right yo-yo is only one part of going Godspeed. My complete guide to the Godspeed yo-yo trick explains what Godspeed means, where it came from, and how to begin building your speed step by step.

One of the most important lessons is learning to make your movements smaller and more efficient. Watch The Godspeed Yo-Yo Secret Nobody Talks About to see how this can help you move faster without losing control.

Once you begin developing your speed, it can be fun to challenge other players. Watch my Godspeed battles with Brandon Vu and Angel2Up to see how different players bring their own tricks and strengths to the challenge.

Godspeed has also inspired players to push their speed in increasingly difficult and creative ways. These six viral Godspeed yo-yo challenges feature players going blindfolded, using mini or multiple yo-yos, facing off in battles, and performing extreme variations of their hardest tricks at full speed.

The Right Yo-Yo Helps You Push Your Speed

Going Godspeed starts with the player. As you practice, your movements become smaller and more precise. Eventually, the combo starts to flow: each string hit connects, the yo-yo responds the way you expect, and you can push your speed without losing control.

That is what I built the G Speed to support. Its compact shape helps it move quickly, its width gives you room to land fast catches, and its stability helps it keep up through longer combos. The speed comes from you; the right yo-yo helps you see just how far you can take it.

Explore More Viral Yo-Yo Tricks and Styles

Godspeed is only one part of modern yo-yoing. Like the G Speed, the models below are unresponsive yo-yos, but they are designed to help you explore completely different tricks and styles, from the DNA to tricks made possible by free-spinning shell technology.

Yo-Yos for Learning DNA and Fingerspin Tricks

The DNA and DNA King can both help players learn and master fingerspin tricks, but they offer different features and price points:

The DNA: An affordable unresponsive yo-yo made for learning the DNA. Its specialized fingerspin caps help guide the yo-yo toward the center of your finger, making smooth and consistent DNA tricks easier to learn.

DNA King: Designed to master every DNA variation and beyond. Its Auto Orientation Technology guides your finger toward the center for longer, more stable fingerspins, while its dedicated thumb-grind area makes thumb grinds easier to perform. Its design also takes inspiration from my World Championship-winning Shutter series, giving it the all-around performance needed for far more than fingerspin tricks.

Not sure which model is right for you? My guide to the best DNA yo-yos compares the options for different skill levels and goals.

Yo-Yos for Free-Spinning Shell Tricks

The Nine Dragons broke the rules of traditional yo-yoing by introducing free-spinning outer shells. Now players can grab, catch, and interact with a yo-yo while it continues spinning, creating an entirely new style of play.

Nine Dragons: The original free-spinning-shell yo-yo. Its unique design opens the door to tricks and interactions that are not possible with a traditional yo-yo.

99 Dragons: The high-performance evolution of the Nine Dragons. Its upgraded bimetal construction provides greater power, stability, and spin time while preserving the free-spinning-shell experience that made the original so unique.

Learn how to use the free-spinning shells in my How to Use the Nine Dragons Yo-Yo guide, or compare both models in my Nine Dragons vs. 99 Dragons guide.

If you are not sure which design matches your next goal, my complete beginner to pro guide to choosing the best yo-yo provides a more detailed comparison of the complete YoYoChampion lineup.

Frequently Asked Questions About The Godspeed Trick and Godspeed Yo-Yos

What is Godspeed in yo-yoing?

Godspeed began as a competitive yo-yo technique built around performing long, connected speed combos as fast as possible while maintaining accuracy and control. As the style spread across social media, players began pushing it through increasingly difficult tricks, variations, and challenges.

Today, “going Godspeed” still refers to performing traditional speed combos at extreme speed, but the phrase is also sometimes used more broadly to describe attempting almost any yo-yo trick or combination as fast as possible while keeping it clean and controlled.

Can you go Godspeed with any yo-yo?

Yes. You can go Godspeed with most professional unresponsive yo-yos because the speed ultimately comes from the player’s skill, timing, and ability to connect movements smoothly. I performed my signature Razor Sharp speed combo with the original Shutter in my 2014 World Championship-winning routine, then performed it again with the G Force Hybrid at the 2025 World Yo-Yo Contest.

However, the right yo-yo can give you a major advantage. I designed the G Speed with two goals: to make it an approachable first metal unresponsive yo-yo and to create a design specifically optimized for going Godspeed. Its compact diameter helps it move quickly through rapid transitions, while its width, stability, and spin time provide the control needed for longer combinations. With the G Speed, I was able to perform those same tricks faster than I had with either of the earlier designs.

How do you get faster at Godspeed?

One of the easiest ways to begin is by learning another player’s speed combo. Practice it slowly until you understand every movement and can land each string hit consistently. As the combo becomes more natural and your confidence grows, gradually increase the speed without sacrificing control.

Once you have that foundation, focus on making your movements smaller instead of simply trying to move your hands faster. Think about Boingy-Boing: the top hand barely moves, yet those small motions send the yo-yo rapidly between the strings. Removing unnecessary movement allows the yo-yo to travel less distance and move through each transition faster.

Is a lighter yo-yo always faster?

Not necessarily. When the same amount of force is applied, a lighter yo-yo can accelerate and change direction more easily. Ultralight yo-yos can feel quick, floaty, and fun, making them a great choice for players who enjoy that style of play.

For going Godspeed, lightness is only one part of the equation. The yo-yo also needs enough stability, spin performance, and control to remain consistent at extreme speed. Diameter, shape, and weight distribution all affect that balance. The G Speed weighs 65 grams because it was designed to move quickly while maintaining the stability and control needed for longer tricks and combinations.

Is a wider yo-yo better for speed combos?

Not always. A wider yo-yo provides a larger catch area, making rapid string hits more forgiving. Extra width can also be helpful for horizontal tricks, behind-the-back tricks, whips, slack, and other challenging catches.

However, maximum width is not necessarily ideal for Godspeed. An extremely wide yo-yo can feel bulky when moving through tight string formations, depending on its shape, weight distribution, and the player’s hand size. The goal is to provide enough width for confident catches without sacrificing the compact, controlled movement needed for speed.

The G Speed combines a 50 mm width with a compact 52 mm diameter, giving it a generous catch area relative to its size while remaining easy to guide through fast combinations.

Is the G Speed a good yo-yo for beginners?

Yes. The G Speed is an unresponsive yo-yo designed for every stage of a player’s development, from learning your first bind to going Godspeed. Its compact size feels comfortable and manageable, while its generous width makes landing new string tricks more forgiving.

Because it is unresponsive, the G Speed does not return with a simple tug and requires a bind. This makes it a great first metal yo-yo for beginners ready to learn unresponsive play, with the performance they will need as their tricks become faster and more advanced.

Can the G Speed do tricks other than Godspeed?

Yes. I designed the G Speed to be a great first metal unresponsive yo-yo and my top choice for going Godspeed, but it is not limited to either purpose. It is a versatile design capable of virtually any unresponsive 1A trick, including technical tricks, whips, slack, grinds, horizontal play, and longer combinations.

Whether you are learning your first unresponsive tricks or developing an advanced freestyle, the G Speed is designed to grow with you.