by Crazy Ivan
It's pretty weird trying to get to know 24 new sacks all at once and while I feel like I'm still learning a lot about the 5.1s, I've also now had a chance to jam with all 12 of the new sacks. I know that I'll have a lot more input on them in the coming weeks, once I've had a chance to break a few of them in, but I felt like it was high time to give everyone a brief synopsis of my first thoughts on these new sacks.
It's late and I have an early morning, so I'm going to tackle a few of them with a couple of quick sentences. Here goes:
Blue Horizon:
So far this one is my favorite from the 5.1x series. It's a classic horizontal corduroy that evokes sacks like the Dreamcoat and the Gang Green. I have a sneaking suspicion that even after breaking them all in, this simple sack will be the best jammer in the bunch.
BoneYard Blue:
No real difference in jammability compared to the BoneYard Red, but this one definitely has a little more punch with the visuals. It looks great mid-jam and the skull images really pop off the blue. Definitely a great collector's sack but also a pretty descent jammer.
BoneYard Gray:
I've kind of taken to this one as my favorite BoneYard, but that may be because it's paired with the Blue Horizon. I haven't jammed with enough of them to say if there's a general difference, but this one seems like a pretty equal jammer to it's sisters.
Cupcake:
The Cupcake impressed me a lot. I've thrown down with quite a few of these already and it's a spectacular jammer right away. No word on how they break in yet, but I'll keep you posted.
Fishbone Gray:
Thus far I haven't really noticed a difference between this and the Fishbone Orange in terms of jammability, but I definitely prefer the look of this one. As I suspected, in action it looks way cool, though in my opinion it still plays second fiddle to the Fishbone Red.
Fishbone Red:
I'm willing to offer the opinion that this is the best of the Fishbones. There might not be a big difference, but it seems like the Reds I've played with are a bit more wide-boarded, have a little more grip and look the best mid jam. This is a close runner up for my "favorite of the series" award.
Lumber Jack Black:
This plays exactly how you want a corduroy to play. No word on why we went with "Lumber Jack Black" on a sack that is definitely gray, but it's a great jammer despite the name. No question that so far the twin pack with this and the Lumber Jack Gray are the top sellers.
Lumber Jack Red:
Okay, so you see this one and you think "Isn't that a Highlander Red?" You jam with it and think the same thing. It's a very subtly different fabric and the ability to tell this one from the others would be like trying to differentiate between a Bubble Gum and a Bubbalicious it it weren't for the tag numbers. That being said, if you know the Highlander Red, you know it's a crazy good jammer, so this one comes highly recommended.
Missile Command Blue:
I was a bit iffy on this fabric when I first saw it because it seemed like it might be a bit stiff for a corduroy, but man was I wrong. These things look like they'll break in like traditional cords, but they have way more grip fresh from the package. This is a great jammer for a first timer but I'd also recommend it for a veteran of the game.
Missile Command Red:
I haven't really noticed a difference between this one and the Missile Command Blue, but I will say that the Red looks a bit cooler when you're jamming.
Shadow Boxes:
In many series, this would be a strong contender for my favorite and even in this gang of blockbusters I'd rank it third (though my opinion on that may change as I break 5.1x sacks in). It's a cool design to be sure, but this is a jammer's sack. It breaks in quick, it looks good dirty and it jams like an Aztec Red. Definitely a must have.
Wonderland:
The Wonderland reminds me a lot of the Phat Kat Green in jammability. It's a little tight at first and probably won't break in the same as most corduroys. The designs are unique and not by a little bit. Some have awesome patterns and others are mad random. It's definitely a cool sack, but I think I'd rank it as the lowest in jammability for this series.
Overall:
I'm still getting use to this whole double pack idea and I'm loving it. In a lot of ways the series seems repetitive compared to previous series, but it's probably just a byproduct of making the double packs. Some interesting mixes in fabric here, but not as adventurous as the 5.1 was. It a great series with nothing but good jammers and has a few obvious future classics when it comes to design.
My first impression gives this series a B+, but again, I reserve the right to swing that in a range from B- to A once I've gotten all the sacks broken in and really learned what they're all about.
Showing posts with label reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reviews. Show all posts
Friday, July 29, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
The Pros and Cons of Common Myachi Materials
by Crazy Ivan
Myachis have been made in dozens of different fabric types. We like to keep experimenting and we always try new things in our unending search for the perfect Myachi fabric. What we've discovered along the way is that the idea of a "perfect" fabric varies wildly from person to person. The type of tricks you do, the ways you jam, your personal style and your preferred Myachi games will all be factors in determining which fabric is best for you.
I can't write a blog that lists fabrics from best to worst, but I can break down some of the most common fabrics and tell you which jammers they tend to compliment. Ultimately the only way to find the perfect sack for you is to try a lot and settle on what you personally prefer, but not many people have an opportunity to jam with every Myachi that comes down the pipe.
Since I do have that advantage, I figured it would only be fair to break things down for everyone (all ranges are on a 10 point scale where 1 is the worst and 10 is the best):
Corduroy:
Initial Jammability: 7-8
Broken In Jammability: 8-9
Break in Time: 6-8
Style: 7
Durability: 6
The Corduroy is one of the two most popular fabrics in the game. Since it is the more widely available of the two it is favored by the majority of Myachi players. All factors will vary from sack to sack. There's a big difference between an Argyle Black and a Static Cling even if they are both corduroy. That being said, almost all corduroys are superior jammers and they break in quickly.
Corduroy is also available in a wide variety or designs and colors so it scores high on style but it loses points because eventually the designs on most corduroy sacks fade away and you're left with a single dull color. By then the Myachi will be so incredibly jammable you won't care, but this does lower the style value for collectors.
Finally, the corduroy loses points in the durability category. All Myachis stand up to a heck of a beating, but if you play a kick heavy game and do a lot of power strikes you may want to steer clear of the corduroys, especially if you play outdoors.
Conclusion: The corduroys are great for indoor play and freestyle jams. Not as good for outdoor stuff and the some of the more athletic Myachi games.
Denim:
Initial Jammability: 3-5
Broken in Jammability: 6-9
Break in Time: 5
Style: 6
Durability: 8-10
Since the 3.0/3.1 rerelease of the Calvin and Diesel there haven't been many denim sacks in circulation. The Zoot Suits were notoriously hard to break in and the Chili Peppers were notoriously tough to jam with new. Denim has fallen out of favor with many Myachi fans but old school jammers very often gravitate toward denim sacks.
The weakness of denim in general as a Myachi fabric is that it's notoriously tough to break in. Even if you augment things by wetting it, folding it, etc. it will still take some time before you have a really yummy denim. Like any fabric, there are a wide array of denims and they all very in jam potential and break in time, but generally speaking they are great jammers after a lot of work.
One of the highest marks for the denim sacks is their durability. It's one of the toughest fabrics that's still soft enough to make a Myachi out of so a good denim sack can be your go to jammer for a decade. The same really can't be said for any other Myachi fabric if you jam every day.
Conclusion: The denim sacks are not for beginners and casual players. They are great for people who take their Myachis everywhere as they stand up to plenty of puddles, kicks, washes and abuse.
Micro-Fiber:
Initial Jammability: 6-7
Broken in Jammability: 7-8
Break in Time: 7
Style: 6-10
Durability: 7-8
Micro-fiber (often called microsuede) sacks were the most popular in the game before corduroy and Pakisacks came into the game. Legendary sacks like the Black Butter, the Slater and the Dawg Diggity were all giants of their time. Modern day micro-fiber sacks live on in many of our promotional sacks like most of the NBAs and many of the old school FAO sacks (as well as promos like the MTI, the Six-Flags, the Dodge, the Dunkin Donuts, etc.) but are far less common as series sacks these days.
The micro-fiber sacks score high in jammability though they are clearly tougher to break in than corduroys. Some of them can even be as hard to break in as a relatively easy denim like a Denim N Dymonds or a Calvin, but most break in within a day or two of play (or an hour or two if you're a complete maniac for the game).
Style also varies widely in these sacks. Sacks like the Red Rider and Raw Hide are pretty plain and unadorned but the NBA sacks and many of the promos are loaded with style. Durability is an advantage these sacks have on corduroys, though cords still definitely have the jammability edge.
Conclusion: Micro-fibers are an old school favorite and if you are both jammer and collector they're great. They hold their shape and designs well and break in like your favorite pair of shoes.
Pakistan Soft-Suede
Initial Jammability: 6-8
Broken in Jammability: 8-10
Break in Time: 7-8
Style: 5-7
Durability: 5
While the corduroy is the most common Myachi fabric, the Pakistan soft-suede is the most sought after. Like every fabric there are variations from sack to sack and despite the rumors you may have heard, not all Myachis made in Pakistan are great jammers. The material I'm referring to here is the one that is shared by some of the most legendary jammers in the game: The Coreyster, TJP 13, Eco-Kids (all except the blue), the Charles Milk, the Fundamental Advisors, the Belts, the Members Solutions, the Suffolk Downs... the list goes on and on.
These are pretty much universally agreed to be the best jammers in the game of Myachi but there are downsides to all the awesome yumminess. Pakisacks do not hold their shape and while many of them wideboard and become easier and easier to jam with, some also longboard and become harder to catch and manipulate.
There's a bit of a gamble with a Pakisack but an experienced jammer can steer you toward a good one. Even the best of them, though, still suffer from problems in style and durability. A collector can jam pretty heavily with their Red Beard, their Calvin or their Yellow Jacket before it really starts to lose it's looks. As pakisacks expand they often lose their designs and round off. They will also start to lose secret sauce after enough jamming.
This puts many collectors in an awkward position, desperately wanting to jam with their awesome new Pakisack but also wanting to keep it in their collection.
Conclusion: Pakisacks are valuable to jammers far more than they are to collectors. Heavy MYACH players and people who tend to stick to freestyle jamming games will love these ones as will anybody who plays a lot of long distance games.
There are a lot of other fabrics that I could list here, but this covers the majority of fabrics available on the Myachi market. As usual, if you have any specific questions you can email them to me at crazyivan@myachi.com or leave them in the comments section of this entry.
Myachis have been made in dozens of different fabric types. We like to keep experimenting and we always try new things in our unending search for the perfect Myachi fabric. What we've discovered along the way is that the idea of a "perfect" fabric varies wildly from person to person. The type of tricks you do, the ways you jam, your personal style and your preferred Myachi games will all be factors in determining which fabric is best for you.
I can't write a blog that lists fabrics from best to worst, but I can break down some of the most common fabrics and tell you which jammers they tend to compliment. Ultimately the only way to find the perfect sack for you is to try a lot and settle on what you personally prefer, but not many people have an opportunity to jam with every Myachi that comes down the pipe.
Since I do have that advantage, I figured it would only be fair to break things down for everyone (all ranges are on a 10 point scale where 1 is the worst and 10 is the best):
Corduroy:
Initial Jammability: 7-8
Broken In Jammability: 8-9
Break in Time: 6-8
Style: 7
Durability: 6
The Corduroy is one of the two most popular fabrics in the game. Since it is the more widely available of the two it is favored by the majority of Myachi players. All factors will vary from sack to sack. There's a big difference between an Argyle Black and a Static Cling even if they are both corduroy. That being said, almost all corduroys are superior jammers and they break in quickly.
Corduroy is also available in a wide variety or designs and colors so it scores high on style but it loses points because eventually the designs on most corduroy sacks fade away and you're left with a single dull color. By then the Myachi will be so incredibly jammable you won't care, but this does lower the style value for collectors.
Finally, the corduroy loses points in the durability category. All Myachis stand up to a heck of a beating, but if you play a kick heavy game and do a lot of power strikes you may want to steer clear of the corduroys, especially if you play outdoors.
Conclusion: The corduroys are great for indoor play and freestyle jams. Not as good for outdoor stuff and the some of the more athletic Myachi games.
Denim:
Initial Jammability: 3-5
Broken in Jammability: 6-9
Break in Time: 5
Style: 6
Durability: 8-10
Since the 3.0/3.1 rerelease of the Calvin and Diesel there haven't been many denim sacks in circulation. The Zoot Suits were notoriously hard to break in and the Chili Peppers were notoriously tough to jam with new. Denim has fallen out of favor with many Myachi fans but old school jammers very often gravitate toward denim sacks.
The weakness of denim in general as a Myachi fabric is that it's notoriously tough to break in. Even if you augment things by wetting it, folding it, etc. it will still take some time before you have a really yummy denim. Like any fabric, there are a wide array of denims and they all very in jam potential and break in time, but generally speaking they are great jammers after a lot of work.
One of the highest marks for the denim sacks is their durability. It's one of the toughest fabrics that's still soft enough to make a Myachi out of so a good denim sack can be your go to jammer for a decade. The same really can't be said for any other Myachi fabric if you jam every day.
Conclusion: The denim sacks are not for beginners and casual players. They are great for people who take their Myachis everywhere as they stand up to plenty of puddles, kicks, washes and abuse.
Micro-Fiber:
Initial Jammability: 6-7
Broken in Jammability: 7-8
Break in Time: 7
Style: 6-10
Durability: 7-8
Micro-fiber (often called microsuede) sacks were the most popular in the game before corduroy and Pakisacks came into the game. Legendary sacks like the Black Butter, the Slater and the Dawg Diggity were all giants of their time. Modern day micro-fiber sacks live on in many of our promotional sacks like most of the NBAs and many of the old school FAO sacks (as well as promos like the MTI, the Six-Flags, the Dodge, the Dunkin Donuts, etc.) but are far less common as series sacks these days.
The micro-fiber sacks score high in jammability though they are clearly tougher to break in than corduroys. Some of them can even be as hard to break in as a relatively easy denim like a Denim N Dymonds or a Calvin, but most break in within a day or two of play (or an hour or two if you're a complete maniac for the game).
Style also varies widely in these sacks. Sacks like the Red Rider and Raw Hide are pretty plain and unadorned but the NBA sacks and many of the promos are loaded with style. Durability is an advantage these sacks have on corduroys, though cords still definitely have the jammability edge.
Conclusion: Micro-fibers are an old school favorite and if you are both jammer and collector they're great. They hold their shape and designs well and break in like your favorite pair of shoes.
Pakistan Soft-Suede
Initial Jammability: 6-8
Broken in Jammability: 8-10
Break in Time: 7-8
Style: 5-7
Durability: 5
While the corduroy is the most common Myachi fabric, the Pakistan soft-suede is the most sought after. Like every fabric there are variations from sack to sack and despite the rumors you may have heard, not all Myachis made in Pakistan are great jammers. The material I'm referring to here is the one that is shared by some of the most legendary jammers in the game: The Coreyster, TJP 13, Eco-Kids (all except the blue), the Charles Milk, the Fundamental Advisors, the Belts, the Members Solutions, the Suffolk Downs... the list goes on and on.
These are pretty much universally agreed to be the best jammers in the game of Myachi but there are downsides to all the awesome yumminess. Pakisacks do not hold their shape and while many of them wideboard and become easier and easier to jam with, some also longboard and become harder to catch and manipulate.
There's a bit of a gamble with a Pakisack but an experienced jammer can steer you toward a good one. Even the best of them, though, still suffer from problems in style and durability. A collector can jam pretty heavily with their Red Beard, their Calvin or their Yellow Jacket before it really starts to lose it's looks. As pakisacks expand they often lose their designs and round off. They will also start to lose secret sauce after enough jamming.
This puts many collectors in an awkward position, desperately wanting to jam with their awesome new Pakisack but also wanting to keep it in their collection.
Conclusion: Pakisacks are valuable to jammers far more than they are to collectors. Heavy MYACH players and people who tend to stick to freestyle jamming games will love these ones as will anybody who plays a lot of long distance games.
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