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For our new inventory and a better vibe, head over to our new site at www.ao2worldwide.com While we transition, you’ll find some deals below. Thanks for your patience as we migrate.
Please note that all prices below are in USD. Aroundsquare is based in Victoria, Canada, and items ship worldwide. Standard shipping time is around two weeks to Canada and the United States, but can take longer (depending mostly on US Customs clearance). Normal shipping times to other countries are around three weeks. Please, and very kindly, understand that if you enter a wrong or incomplete address, the item you're purchasing probably won't get to you. Remember your apartment number, and correct zip code/ postal code!
For wholesale inquiries or other questions, please contact Aroundsquare. We encourage you to shop local, so please visit our growing list of retail partners to find one in your area, and if they aren't carrying the specific products you're interested in, ask them! Please feel welcome to leave a comment on our blog, review our products on amazon or email us: info@aroundsquare.com
Hydra AL Sport (Aluminum) Old Stock
Hydra AL Sport (Aluminum) Old Stock
*Note: No box included
The Hydra AL Sport begleri from Aroundsquare are precision machined from aluminum, and anodized in brilliant colours. They feature the same bead size and reconfigurable multi-bead design as their titanium brothers, but with a substantially lighter bead weight. This set includes two blue beads, two red beads, one green bead, and one purple bead.
Aroundsquare's Hydra Begleri are a fun yet highly adept modern adaptation of the traditional Greek multi-bead begleri. All of the Hydra sets have multiple interchangeable beads, allowing for interesting colour combinations, and some customization of weight.
The aluminum version comes with six beads, weighing in at around 4g per bead, for a total of around 25g per six bead set, or 17g per 4 bead set. The beads themselves are 16mm in diameter and 8mm thick, making for 3-bead stacks of 24x16mm, and 2-bead stacks of 16x16mm.
The four-bead configuration plays very fast and light, and is extremely nimble. The small profile makes this configuration suitable for all tricks, including gap transfers. However, the limited mass at each end means relatively little momentum and tactile feedback.
The six-bead configuration plays much slower, and feels substantial in the hand. They elongaged shape generates lots of momentum, which is great for rolls, transfers, aerials, and two handed play, but can jam up a bit in gap transfers and similar technical tricks.
The Hydra AL Sport beads much quieter than heavier single-bead designs, and the multiple beads add a nice "fiddle factor" to each set. The slight rounding of all edges on the beads adds the overall feel.
Because aluminum is a much softer metal than Ti, the surface of these will get dinged and scratched, and over time, the anodized colours will wear away, and the raw aluminum will show through. This aging process gives them a great texture which helps with grip and bead control. The Hydra AL Sport series come with a couple of extra strings, a couple of stickers, a canvas carry bag, and an info card to introduce new players to begleri. Stickers, bag, and cord colours may not be as shown, since these change with availability.