The best diabolo for tricks and performance

The best diabolo for tricks is the one built for the tricks you want to do. A fixed axle grips the string: it is the home of the classic tricks and the only way into two or three diabolos. A bearing axle keeps spinning while the string slides: it is what long combos, vertical play and grinds are built on. Decide that first, then choose the model.

Choose a diabolo for the way you want to play, not for a minimum experience level. The EVO G2 is the one we recommend at every level, from the first session to the stage, and for bearing play the Magforce NX is the one we would buy ourselves.

Which tricks need which axle

• Fixed axle: the string climb, suicides, wraps, slacks and knots, and multi-diabolo play such as the two diabolo shuffle. Every pull accelerates the diabolo, and every touch of the string tells your hands what it is doing.
• Bearing axle: vertical play, long combos, body moves and stick grinds, which only work on a bearing. One pull carries a whole combo, but the string no longer grips the axle, so the string climb and two-diabolo play are out.

The full comparison is in fixed axle or bearing axle.

The candidates, side by side

Sundia figures and this shop’s prices on 18 October 2026.

Model	Axle	Weight	Built for	Price
EVO G2	Fixed	240 g	Classic tricks, two diabolos, stage	45 €
Magforce Fixed	Fixed	235 g	The EVO’s twin with a sharper edge	45 €
EVO Ultra Light	Fixed	189 g	Three and four diabolos indoors	45 €
Magforce NX	Magnetic triple bearing	265 g	Long spins, vertical play, grinds	74 €
Falcon	Triple bearing	258 g	Bearing play outdoors	60 €
EVO G3 5-B	Five bearing	250 g	One-minute competition routines	66 €
EVO UL LED	Fixed or bearing	Light cups	Night shows	from 90 €

What separates these from a cheaper diabolo is the edge the string meets. The EVO’s stability ring and the sharp angle near the centre of the Magforce mean that when you correct a lean, the string touches one point instead of dragging along the cup. That is why a wobble is fixed with one touch, and it is the thing you notice most when a trick goes wrong in front of people.

Multi-diabolo

Two diabolos on one string need friction to be steered, so multi-diabolo is fixed-axle play. The EVO G2 handles two diabolos well, and narrow hubs for the EVO (5 €) are the part for it. For three and four diabolos indoors, the 189 g EVO Ultra Light reduces the effort of running several at once; its lower inertia also makes it more responsive to every hand movement, so it is a specialist choice rather than a step up. Diabolo size and weight explains the trade.

Vertical play, long combos and competition

Triple bearing (3-B) is the standard we recommend for training at every level. The Magforce NX adds magnetic rings that hold the axle clear of the hubs, so it spins smoother, quieter and keeps its speed longer, on the same three bearings. The Falcon has weather-tolerant cups for playing outdoors.

For competition, five bearings accelerate faster: a short sharp pull puts in speed that a 3-B needs two pulls to reach, which is what a one-minute routine is won on. The EVO G3 5-B uses the EVO’s own, sturdier 5-B axle, so it is the 5-B we are happy to recommend for ordinary practice too. 3-B, 5-B or Magforce compares all four bearings.

Shows and performance

For night shows, the EVO UL LED has the light built into cups that weigh no more than a standard EVO, with a fixed or a bearing axle. If you already own an EVO, Magforce or Fly, LED kits (45 €) fit its cups and recharge over USB. Complete the set with LED sticks and see the best diabolo sticks for the rest.

Bottom line

• Classic tricks, two diabolos and stage work: EVO G2, 45 €.
• Long combos, vertical play and grinds: Magforce NX, 74 €.
• Three and four diabolos indoors: EVO Ultra Light, 45 €.
• Competition routines: EVO G3 5-B, 66 €.
• Night shows: EVO UL LED, from 90 €.