The Sport Stripe is the Sweets Kendamas design built for tracking the tama by eye: two thin stripes of different widths and colours on a white background, with a hint of sports kit about it. It belongs to the Prime series, the brand’s entry-level range; this is the Home Team version.

• BrandSweets Kendamas
• SeriesPrime, Sport Stripe Home Team
• ShapeBOOST, designed by Christian Fraser
• TamaWhite with two stripes and a natural base, Sticky Clear lacquer
• IncludesMatching spare string and Prime stickers

Design

A kendama has three parts: the ken (the handle with the spike), the sarado (the crosspiece with the side cups) and the tama (the ball). The two stripes mark the tama’s centre line; the upper one is thicker and a different colour, so as the ball turns you can tell which side is facing up. The base is left unpainted (natty, natural wood) and contrasts with the white, helping you locate the hole and land the spike, sticking the ball onto the point. The tama is finished in Sticky Clear, Sweets’ clear, glossy lacquer: slightly tacky, it gives grip for balance tricks while still leaving room to adjust the ball’s position.

Shape and level

The ken is the BOOST shape, created by long-time Sweets player Christian Fraser as an evolution of the old Prime: slightly larger cups, more pronounced ledges for stalls (the ball resting still on the ken) and a balance bevel on the base cup that makes the lunar (the ken balanced on the ball) easier. It belongs to Sweets’ entry-level range, although experienced players use the BOOST too. The string matches one of the stripes, and the box includes a spare one plus Prime series stickers.