On March 2, CLYW (Caribou Lodge) and One Drop posted a joint tease on Instagram. No product shot. No specs. Just enough to confirm that the two most respected boutique yo-yo manufacturers in the world are working on something together.
The YoYoExpert forums lit up within hours. The leading theory is a Summit 2. A sequel to the 2013 collaboration that merged design DNA from both companies and became one of the most iconic yo-yos of the modern era.
If the community is right, this is a big deal. Not Topps-acquiring-Fanatics big. But for the yo-yo collecting world, this is an event.
The Original Summit
The first Summit shipped in April 2013. It was born from a design sprint at One Drop's shop in Eugene, Oregon. The timeline was absurd.
Day 1: Design the shape. Day 2: Cut the prototype and finalize artwork. Day 3: Full manufacturing run, with overnight anodizing done by Evan from Toxic Strings. Day 4: Laser engraving, assembly, packaging.
Four days. Concept to finished product. A small run debuted at California State Yo-Yo Championships that weekend.
The design itself was a genuine hybrid. The profile (the silhouette from the side) came from CLYW's Arctic Circle. The side face (the curved cup visible from the front) came from One Drop's Cascade. It used One Drop's proprietary Side Effects axle system, One Drop's 10-ball stainless steel bearing, and CLYW's Snow Tires response pads.
It weighed 64.2 grams. 55.64mm diameter. 46mm width. 6061 aluminum with a Pyramatte finish. Retailed at $115.
The Summit wasn't just another collaboration with both logos slapped on one yo-yo. It was a genuine design merger. Two distinct philosophies fused into a single throw that played differently from anything either company made on their own.
The Seven Summits
The original run was popular enough to spawn a limited collector series. Between November 2014 and October 2015, One Drop produced Seven Summits. Seven runs of 50 units each, machined from 7075 aluminum instead of 6061. Lighter at 60.85 grams despite the denser material. Each run was named after one of Earth's seven summits: Kilimanjaro, McKinley, Aconcagua, Elbrus, Vinson, Kosciuszko, Everest.
350 total units across the entire series. These are genuine collector pieces in the yo-yo world.
What Are Side Effects
For anyone not deep in yo-yo hardware, One Drop's Side Effects system is worth understanding. Introduced in 2010, Side Effects are small two-piece metal hubs that contain the axle and sit in the center of the yo-yo. They're held in place by rubber rings and can be swapped out across any Side Effect-compatible One Drop model.
They come in aluminum (2.5g to 7.2g), brass (5.2g to 9.5g), titanium (3.4g to 5.25g), and nickel (7.4g). Different shapes. Spike, Dome, Flat Cap, Mini Spike, Disk, and others. Swapping Side Effects changes weight, weight distribution, and feel. One yo-yo becomes five depending on what you put in the hubs.
It's the modular customization layer that no other manufacturer has replicated. And it's a core reason why a CLYW x One Drop collaboration is more interesting than either company working solo.
Where Both Companies Are Now
CLYW rebranded from "Caribou Lodge Yo-Yo Works" to just "Caribou Lodge" in February 2024. Founded in 2006 by Chris Mikulin (a retired mechanical engineer), now co-run with Creative Director Steve Brown. Their most iconic model is the Chief (2011), which introduced the double-rim design that became a signature feature. Recent releases include the Bear Trap (an inverted successor to the Chief) and the BOY (Ayumu Harada's first signature model, evolved from the Arctic Circle family).
One Drop still operates out of their 2,500 square foot shop in Eugene, Oregon. Founded by David Metz and Shawn Nelson, who started as a design business in 2001 and pivoted to yo-yos in 2007. They produce around 8,000 yo-yos per year. Recent releases include The Crucible (February 2026), Deepest State, edITION, and the Laguna. Every product is still machined in-house in Oregon.
Both companies are actively designing, shipping, and competing at the highest level.
What the Community Is Saying
The YoYoExpert thread has enthusiasts and skeptics. One user claimed with certainty that it's "100% a Summit 2." Another referenced a previous comment from David Metz about "plans for another Summit run" with potential updates. A third suggested it could be a Peak with Side Effects, merging CLYW's very first design with One Drop's modular system.
Some users posted photos that may be early product shots. Details are unclear.
At least one user called the collaboration "extremely unlikely," which others quickly disputed by pointing at the Instagram post.
Why It Matters
CLYW and One Drop are not mass-market brands. They're boutique manufacturers. But within the competitive and collecting yo-yo community, they carry weight that's hard to overstate. The original Summit is one of the most fondly remembered collaboration products in modern yo-yo history. The Seven Summits series (350 total units) trades as genuine collector pieces.
A sequel, 13 years later, would carry real significance. Not just nostalgia. Both companies have evolved their designs significantly since 2013. A Summit 2 built with current machining capabilities, modern design knowledge, and a decade of Side Effects refinement could be something special.
No confirmed specs, pricing, or release date yet. Just a tease and a community buzzing. We'll update when the veil drops.
