<p>I was doing the mental math on my outbound flight. This was my 11th World Yo-Yo Contest - which is pretty crazy when I put it into perspective. Equally crazy to realize I’ve been playing yo-yo for 15 years.</p>

Designed in collaboration with Kazuki Morii, founder of Aufheben, the Komorebi is the third model in the Canopy Regional Series. Named after the Japanese word describing the way sunlight filters through the leaves of trees, Komorebi is inspired by the moments of light that appear between the canopy.

I first pitched the concept of Canopy 3D to Harrison in a train car leaving the Atlanta airport on our way to the Faye Webster Invitational in 2025. With the Canopy line featuring dedicated aluminum, stainless steel, and polycarbonate yo-yos, I felt like there was an opportunity for a 3D printed design to join the lineup. Harrison was immediately on board with the idea, and I started work on the project as soon as I got back to the Bay Area.

Our first regional edition is the Fora — an iteration of the Canopy designed by one of Europe's foremost designers, Martin Koprna of Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The Fora comes with tri-material construction, modern dimensions, and a "battle yoyo" design approach, reflecting the cultural backdrop of one of yoyo's most exciting and inspiring scenes.

We weren't sure if we'd host Stargazing Night again after last year. Canopy was always meant to be a one-year project - a creative collaboration between Caribou Lodge, Atmos Projects, and Spinkult. But over time, it started to take on a life of its own.

In mid-2024, we filmed a special video project in Jakarta, bringing together some of Indonesia’s most inspiring players. Coordinated by Ahmad Kharisma and filmed by Tata Hadi, the shoot spanned parks, the old city, and the sea - capturing not just tricks, but the spirit of the Indonesian yo-yo community. What made it special wasn’t just the locations or the combos - it was the people.

When I got the message from Coleman, I felt so honoured. First canopy wanted to use some music I had that was already made, but it progressed to me making custom music to help showcase players styles and tricks and to accent how the videos had been filmed.

The Canopy SS rounds out the Collection’s introductory design lineup. Taking even stronger reference from the Otter than previous Canopy instalments, primarily in its profile design, the Canopy SS is an undersized performer crafted out of stainless steel for added durability and torque.

After EZONE in Sapporo, Japan, Harrison sat down with Ahmad Kharisma, a multi-time Indonesian National and Asia-Pacific Champion, to discuss his journey into yo-yoing, the Indonesian yo-yo community, and his aspirations for the future.

The Canopy PC takes on fun in a big way. Drawing inspiration from Atmos Projects’ recent plastic release in the Arctica, this third entry in the Canopy Collection is constructed with precision-machined polycarbonate, and takes a step into the oversized category — all while offering precise, nimble handling.

Whenever I talk to my friends about yo-yo, beyond the tricks and competitions, my conversations often center around the people and how unique the yo-yo community is. In the past, some words and phrases I’ve used to describe the community have been 'tight-knit,' 'like a family,' and 'supportive,' but I think even those fail to fully articulate how truly special the yo-yo community is.

Sporting a smaller diameter, but slightly heavier mass than its predecessor, the Canopy Ti is a nimble, compact addition to the Canopy design lineup. It’s technical, fun, and for every season.

When Reuben, Coleman, and I were brainstorming Canopy Collection, we knew we wanted to add an experiential element that moved beyond just yo-yos and lifestyle products, but focused on the community and our many cool, quirky, and multi-talented members. We dreamed of hosting a big event at Worlds, but we didn’t know what “big” would look or feel like.

We decided to sleep in for once, and had a slow start to the day, reflecting on how quickly the last week had flown by while going through rolls and rolls of footage. Coleman had to head home early because he had an event in LA, but the trip was far from over.

The morning after Arcata, we could really feel the toll of 17-hour days taking a beating on our bodies. Coleman started to feel the beginnings of a cold or fever.

Some time in October last year, Coleman and Harrison met up in Seattle to hang out and to work on the sixth chapter of We Got This – a video series that stories a friendship that has spanned 13 years.