Blade Base: Storm Grip Base

AKA: SGB (abbreviation), Storm Grip

Weight: 4.4g

• One of the shortest Blade Bases in plastics - designed to allow low hits and getting under opponents.

• Flat rubber tip with relatively small diameter.

• There are two materials for the tip - the one used by Takara is a harder rubber which still has some grip (slightly more than Fantom Grip Base), the Hasbro and SonoKong versions use a softer rubber more similar to Defense Grip Base,

Standard Tip Mode:

• Rather slow compared to most flat-tipped bases because of the grip and small tip size (not much more than a Semi-Flat Tip), though it can move at a decent pace for a near-decent amount of time with a strong launch. However, inverting the tip (see below) produces a much more impressive performance.

• The Takara version moves a little faster but doesn't pattern as well, both properties being a result of the harder rubber.

• Storm Grip Base was the preferred base for Traditional Upper Attack due to low height and ability to hold a Heavy Metal Core, however many competitive types (eg Circle Survivor Defense, Compacts, Weight Based Defense) are resistant to the type, which had left the type languishing until Inversion of the tip was legalised.

• Directly outclassed by Grip Base in Right Spin and generally too slow and with too limited an aggression window to be on par with even SG Metal Flat Base (Gaia Dragoon V Version), and taller bases are still more effective overall, especially with the presence of Circle Survivor Defense in the meta.

• In Left Spin, the lack of another rubber-tipped Attack base in its height range means it is a fair choice and can be quite effective with something like Square Edge, for example, but again taller bases tend to be more effective, leaving it outclassed.

• Wears down fairly quickly.

• Can be used to some degree as a Grip Defense part using a low recoil Attack Ring and Wide Defense, taking advantage of its low height to avoid heavy hits, though its stamina is perhaps even more of a concern than even that of Defense Grip Base, making the latter generally a better choice.

Tip Inversion:

• Inversion of the tip of Storm Grip Base is possible primarily with Takara Blade Bases and SonoKong or Takara Tips. Hasbro tips do not work as they are narrower with a side cutaway, and Hasbro and SonoKong Blade Bases have a wider hole for the tip thus do not retain the tip.

• Fitment can vary somewhat due to tolerances, however this has long been a very common configuration, and was even featured in Spin Up Book Vol 1. Some Takara setups can be looser, however slightly compressing the tip, while of questionable legality, tends to make them a little tighter.

• The softer rubber of SonoKong tips generally allows more recoil control, and as such is preferable - though it could separate more often in looser Blade Bases due to this extra grip.

• Overall, it is analogous to a slightly less consistent Defense Grip Base inversion.

• It is a ridiculously fast and challenging tip to use, but has incredible power as a result while still being able to be flower patterned. If controlled, it is comfortably one of the most powerful Attack tips in any format.

• This makes for an incredibly high-speed, low height Attack Base - a true alternative to Defense Grip Base for attack, with more reliability against low opponents in exchange for somewhat worse performance against Circle Survivor Defense as well as poorer controllability.

• However, just as critical if not moreso - Storm Grip Tip Flip allows Traditional Upper Attack the speed it needs to be a competitive force once more, as well as being a solid option for low-height Smash Attack.

• While setups using it can still struggle slightly with Circle Survivor Defense, Left Spin setups fare slightly better.

• It is important to note that such setups perform markedly worse in shrouded stadiums as opponents can deflect off the shroud, as well as having no way to throw opponents over walls. As such, shrouded stadiums are best avoided for Plastics.

Beyblades including this part

• Dragoon S

• Dragoon S (Anime Ver.)

Gallery

Inverted Tip