Hey, this review is going to be pretty brief and to the point since I don’t really want to write a super long review. So here goes.
Intro
The Stealth Ogre, for those who do not know, is the debut yoyo of the Japanese company “Sturm Panzer.” It stands out in part to it’s unique design of 7075 aluminum and large, brass rims. The creators wanted to create a “background” for the yoyo and created a story around it which can be seen in the included “story book.”
Looks/Tech
Included with the yoyo is: 1 Story book, 1 pair of Irpads, 1 pair of hub stickers, 1 polishing cloth (for the brass rims), and one Sturm Panzer logo sticker. The yoyo is somewhat large at 57mm in diameter and 42mm in width. It weighs in at 68.7g. The anodized finish on the aluminum appears very smooth and well-done. The brass rims give it a powerful look. The bearing is a non-brand 10ball concave bearing (size C), and the axle is titanium. The response pads that are stock on the yoyo are clear and original to the yoyo and are NOT Irpads. Be very careful with the aluminum threads! Yoyos like this are quite fragile and you must treat them with care. Screw the yoyo together gently when putting the halves back together.
Play
When I first used the yoyo, it felt strange. People have said that the yoyo feels very different according to what bearing is in it. I decided the swap out the non-brand bearing and put in an authentic Konkave bearing by Dif-E-Yo and so I will be reviewing the yoyo with this bearing rather than the stock bearing. The difference in play was pretty great. This thing is amazing with a real Konkave in it. It is incredibly well balanced and plays like a tank while still being a featherweight (maybe that’s why it’s called the Stealth Ogre - an oxymoron if you ask me). It feels incredibly solid and can play at any speed and can accommodate any style of play. It breezes through many tricks due to its wide width but still manages to handle the intricate, more complex tricks. The stock response pads, in my opinion, are a little too unresponsive. I have not tried it with the Irpads, but I bet they make it even more of a joy to play. All in all, this thing is not just for show, but an all-star player.
Final Thoughts
As I just stated, this yoyo doubles as a fancy, collectors item and a true player. It fits right in there with other high-end Japanese yoyos from companies such as Yoyorecreation and Turning Point. I can’t really compare it to any single Japanese yoyo, but the makers of the Stealth Ogre share a passion for quality and aesthetics and not to mention a well-playing machine. With a price tag of $200 dollars, this should be a very worthy buy for Yoyorecreation and other high-end Japanese yoyo fans. For those who have not tried such a yoyo, I recommend trying a yoyo such as the Sleipnir before you rush out and buy this one. If you’re looking for something interesting and cool to show off, this is the yoyo. This is an excellent first release from Sturm Panzer and I really look forward to what they put out next.
Thanks for reading! I hope this helped anyone (especially you Yonut). If there are any other questions, feel free to comment.
Here it is in comparison to the Irony JP (relatively the same diameter and width)