El MiJo

El MiJo

This is a project we have had on the back burner for a long time and finally it is coming to life! El MiJo (pronounced ‘me’-‘ho') is our first under the slim line category.

The Project:

We love exploring new concepts to incorporate in our throws whilst maintaining the classic yoyo fundamentals. For this project, we wanted to bring out the shape and playability of a classic yoyo. A yoyo that could be easily tossed in your pocket but at the same time, a yoyo that is capable of being played in different ways.

Specs:

Diam: 56.1 mm

Width: 30 mm - 32 mm

Gap: 2.38 mm - 4.4 mm

Weight: ~ 58 gr

Material: 7075 aluminum

Includes:

• Flat D bearing - 5 mm width

• Concave D bearing - 5 mm width

• Flat D bearing - 3 mm width

• Zero Gravity blank d-bearing design.

• Bearing remover

The design of this throw required considerable customization and multiple rounds of prototyping to get the results we were looking for. Due to its specialized dimensions and structure, we needed to get its weight distribution and internal wall design just right. Having a narrow width and moving weight towards the outer diameter of the yoyo required meticulous calculation as well as designing and positioning the caps just right.

El MiJo has custom-made silicone pads with big side walls to ensure an effective response system. The dimensions of the response pad system also required several trials and testings before choosing the one that performed the best.

This yoyo can hold different D bearing sizes to play either unresponsive or responsive, and at the same time, el Mijo can be played as a ‘fixie’ by using our uniquely engineered accessory. El MiJo comes with two axles: an 8 mm axle and a 10 mm axle. Although the 8 mm axle can be used with all the configurations, we included a 10 mm axle to use it with the wider bearing in order to ensure a good connection between the two discs.

For extra fun, we designed el MiJo with a finger spin nub that is hard to resist experimenting with! This finger nub has become a challenge amongst the ZGRT team to see who can hook into it the way you would with a cup shaped wider yoyo. Along the way, we have found very creative ways to lock into it, and when you do, el MiJo spins beautifully!

El MiJo is smooth as silk and extremely fun to play with. Its shape is extremely comfortable in the hand due to its size and rounded edges. It also feels super nice to hold which makes it hard to put down! The weight of this throw is in the 58 gr range depending on the type of bearing you choose. Amongst the different weights we tried out with the prototypes, this weight was the one that allowed us to have a light yoyo but not so light that it compromised spin time.

The Name:

El MiJo tells the story of a person who had a secret code he used to use with his brother to play yo-yo. His brother decided to leave this physical world but before leaving, his brother inspired him to do more with yoyos. His brother believed one day this person could be more involved in the yoyo community and even get sponsored. His brother’s visions are slowly becoming a reality.

More than a name, MiJo is a code that brings inspiration to do as many things as you want, a code that reminds you that life has its own way of making things happen, a code that is capable to bring moments back to life and a reminder to believe in yourself and to never give up. A code that reminds you to let nothing hold you down!

(Dedicated to Mike and his brother Jonathan.)