The V3 Kraken in stock config is NOT very similar to the live balance. This can be fixed with the pictured Zippy inserts, but overall the V3 Kraken is much closer to the V2.5 trainer balance than anything else. It is still a good product and a great flipper, but it's disappointing that we STILL need to purchase additional third-party accessories to achieve the live Kraken balance. I wish I hadn't sold my Hourglass yet so I could prove this, but the V3 Kraken without any inserts weighs 4.21oz. My old Hourglass Kraken weighed 4.32oz, which is notably more. And AFAIK, the live Krakens weigh ~4.33oz while V2.5 Kraken trainers weigh ~4.19oz. So just going off of weights alone, the V3 is clearly much closer to the V2.5. Zippy's product page for his inserts also confirms this, pegging the V2.5 and V3 trainers at within ~0.02oz (or ~0.5g) of each other. Also, I haven't disassembled my Kraken yet to double-check this, but I am fairly certain handle weight was virtually unchang

Reddit Ultralight Update I have notably changed my mind on the Ultralight since writing the original review. I did end up selling it (to make room for some other entries to my collection), but over time I grew to like it a lot more than the original review would suggest. The Ultralight is delightfully balanced and flips very conventionally despite its ridiculously low weight. The aggressive rounding and slim handle geometry also remind me of the Tsunami, which is pretty impressive given that it punches in a much lower weight class w.r.t. price. It is truly a one-of-a-kind trainer, and I would recommend that every balisong enthusiast try it (if presented the opportunity). It does still have issues with grip, just due to being a channel aluminum balisong, but that's not really an issue specific to the Ultralight itself. Whatever I said before about "surface tension" doesn't really seem to apply; I think I was just not used to how light the Ultralight is at the

Reddit Before I get into it, note that this review is quite old. It was originally written in mid-December 2022, before I got my current favorite clone balisong (TheOne Tsunami). I have since sold both of these balis for various reasons: The Gale was just a bit too heavy for my preferences, and I found the texturing on the Squiggle to be uncomfortable. That said, both are still excellent flippers and great value, and the following impressions still stand. Armed Shark Gale I'll start with this and keep it relatively short, because it's already been talked about quite a lot. First off, it weighed in at 4.47oz on my scale which is just a hair heavier than a real Gale. This is also the heaviest bali in my collection (I know much heavier exist, of course) and honestly I think it's a bit too heavy for my liking. Also, interestingly, this is one of the smaller balis in my collection. I had to add the Zippy slim caps just because the higher weight combined with smaller size made it

As always, you can also read this review on Reddit! tl;dr AS is pretty much strictly better. Weight The AS Naut weighs a little bit less than the B+ version, surprisingly (3.42 vs 3.47 oz). These are both the CF variant as well. As far as the weight impacts the flipping, I do think the AS flips a bit better with its weight and/or weight distribution. I'm not sure which one weighs closer to a genuine CF Naut, but I would guess the AS is closer. Dimensions / Build / "Feel" I was worried that the AS Naut would be slippery, as I'd heard multiple reports that the G10 version is not textured/sanded. As far as the CF version goes, it feels very similar to the B+ CF in terms of grip. Both are quite nice and grippy, and I didn't have any issues with slipperiness. From what I can tell, it seems like CF is naturally just smoother and not quite as grippy as G10, but I vastly prefer how it feels against my skin compared to G10. Either way, it is worlds grippier than aluminum.

You can also read this review on Reddit! tl;dr I'm just gonna come right out and say it: TheOne's Tsunami is the new king of clones. This thing is so good it's already my second-favorite balisong in my entire collection, second only to my $650 Seigaiha. If you're looking to dip your toes into titanium balisongs without breaking the bank, this is definitely the clone to buy. PINSLESS?! First of all, I'm gonna address the pinsless design, because obviously it's the most controversial aspect of this clone. Here's my take: Pinsless is fine and at worst identical to tang pins if properly implemented, and TheOne's implementation here is very good. In most cases, pinsless designs lead to steel-on-Ti contact (assuming steel blade and Ti handles of course). This is the same as how tang pins work, so that's why I say pinsless is basically the same as tang pins. Just like tang pins, poorly implemented/engineered pinsless can and will lead to handle slap. We&#