Canopy PC Design Notes

By Reuben Ng
23.10.24
The Canopy PC is designed for dynamic and rhythmic control, and is an everyday favorite that is larger than life.

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.

If you missed our earlier editorial on the design process that started with the Canopy AL, you can check it out here.

We’ve designed, manufactured, tested, assembled and played with a ton of yoyos over the years – but there’s just something special about a plastic yoyo. It’s not just about nostalgia – no shortage of rabbit holes there, if you wanted to go down one. The truth is, plastic yoyos are just more fun. It’s just science. They make you play differently, and even if you did the same tricks on them that you just performed on your newest, shiniest competition bimetal a minute ago, it makes you feel different. Plastic yoyos are the ones you throw in a backpack or keep around the house and don’t think much about, but they feel right for every spontaneous session when inspiration strikes – and they’re always a satisfying throw.

Specs:
weight
68.2 g
diameter
58.7 mm
width
49.1 mm
Material:
Polycarbonate

Shortly after the Canopy AL and Ti were put into production, we set on a path to develop a couple more designs to round out our first iteration of the Collection. Following the material study we had begun, we eventually settled on making a plastic Canopy – an intriguing proposition for multiple reasons. For one, using plastic as the chosen material meant that we would deviate from certain aspects of the Canopy form factor quite significantly – given the vast difference in material densities and characteristics, we knew right off the bat that an undersized profile, or the dipped angle rim feature, were unlikely to feature in a similar way.

A plastic Canopy would look very different, which was an exciting thought. It also gave us permission to be more liberal with our imagination in terms of the design concept – the AL was built with an everydayness in mind; the Ti is technical and more performant. A plastic Canopy would be built for very different purposes and outcomes.

And so we got into the usual rhythm of late evenings on our CAD programs and a hundred Telegram messages across time zones. The kicker in all of this was – we had just spent the last half year working on the Arctica, Atmos’ first ever polycarbonate model.

The Arctica was an exercise in precision – as a model consisting of 12 independent precision-machined pieces, we learned a ton about material tolerances, designing for fit, and how to apportion mass with a material so light. So much of what we learnt was ready to be exported and mapped over to this new design that was taking form.

We eventually settled on polycarbonate, a material we’ve grown to really love. It’s light and soft to the touch, but structurally rigid enough – it generally lends to much smoother play than other types of plastic, and also produces a wonderfully frosted look after it’s been machined. The one challenge using polycarbonate is that it can sometimes be too light – more on that later.

The prototype we sketched up was 58.7mm in diameter and 49.1mm in width, and about 68.2g in mass. These numbers may look absurd at first glance, but rest assured they’re not as extreme as they seem. The Canopy PC sits fully in the hand at 58.7mm, but it doesn’t feel overly large. The softness of the polycarbonate makes it a full and gentle catch; just like holding a softball in a glove. The 49.1mm in width also feels natural by proportion– it’s hard to miss a trick landing with something that wide. The weight is where some of our learnings from the Arctica came in handy – we knew we needed a disproportionate mass, paired with a large diameter, to compensate for the low material density of polycarbonate. Leaning towards a lighter overall weight – say, in the “normal” ballpark of 64g to 66g – would lead to a thin and hollow playfeel. To that end, we drew up massive beefy rims that take inspiration from previous Canopy iterations – they’re about 12mm thick, and pack a solid punch.

The resultant mass of 68.2g makes the Canopy PC feel full, incredibly stable, and surprisingly nimble. Perhaps the most impressive trait of the Canopy PC is how precise and nimble its handling and control is, particularly for its size – it responds to dynamic and rhythmic manipulations very, very well.

We also integrated the iconic Otter hub into the aluminum spacer assembly. This was a design feature we were unwilling to do without – it gives the yoyo a distinctly Caribou Lodge look. Where there usually is just a simple nub, or a dimple for finger spins, the Otter’s half-spike is carved into a 6061 AL fitment and is embedded into the polycarbonate body, concealing the remainder of the spacer assembly. Beyond its mechanical and symbolic functions, we were also just in love with how the aluminum half-spike looked paired with the frosted polycarbonate hub.

We machined a first run of prototypes and got them just in time for WYYC 2024. These prototypes were quickly sent out to the Canopy team for testing – individually, but also at the largest annual event of the year in the yoyo world, where some of the best players globally were gathered for a few days. Harrison and Coleman were split between organizing the Stargazing Night event (a Herculean task in itself) and getting the Canopy PC in the hands of players we wanted feedback from. Harrison compiled a list of feedback and insight on the Canopy PC that ran 18-lines long – most of them converging around the balance, optimum weight distribution, and solid playfeel. In contrast to the Canopy Ti, which went through four rounds of prototyping, the Canopy PC prototype got pretty close to where we hoped it would be on the first try – something we were incredibly grateful about.

The production version of the Canopy PC has a couple of quality-of-life adjustments that optimize for smoothness and feel; it otherwise remains faithful to the prototype we first made.

For many reasons, the Canopy PC might just be my personal favorite of the lineup so far. It’s sat in my rotation ever since I got my hands on it. It’s the big, bouncing, bubbly younger brother of the family who’s naturally hilarious and just knows how to have fun, and everybody wants to be around. It whips, whizzes and weaves effortlessly, and is everything you need it to be.

It’s accessible, and it’s for everyone.

Come enjoy the Canopy PC.

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