Hydras Begleri - Titanium And Aluminum Editions

Hydras Begleri - Titanium And Aluminum Editions

Aroundsquare's Hydra Begleri are a fun yet highly capable modern adaptation of the traditional Greek multi-bead begleri. While the full Hydra begleri line includes different sizes, colours, and materials, and allows for mixing and matching of beads, these are the originals, and probably our best-selling begleri design of all time. The Hydras have been praised and prized for the minimalist design, comfort, and performance. The two-bead design softens the impact of the beads, making them slightly more forgiving on the knuckles for beginning players, as well as somewhat quieter than solid single-bead designs. The multiple beads also add a nice "fiddle factor" to each set. The rounding of all edges on the beads adds to the comfort and overall feel. 

These "original" Hydra beads are sized at 16mm in diameter, and 8mm tall, making a 16x16 stack at either end. The 2022 edition is drilled with a 4mm bore, optimized for 550 paracord or our 4mm kevlar, with an exposed knot.  

The Titanium Edition

The colours on our Hydra beads are created through a process known as physical vapour deposition (PVD) coating. PVD coating creates a much more robust colouring than anodizing or heat treating. The colours wear quite well due to their durability and the scratch resistance of the titanium material itself. However, all sets will wear over time and will show scratches if dropped or banged repeatedly (as is normal use).

Aroundsquare works to identify and use the best available materials and processes, but all colours are prone to wear after extended use and drops. Players literally beat these beads against each other for hours each day. The colourings are not painted on, and do not "chip", but they are very thin, and will show scratches and nicks over time, especially if dropped on rough surfaces like concrete. 

Colours may not be exactly as shown, and look different in different lighting. There may be slight blemishes, and some are lighter or darker than others.. We've manually pulled out any significant flaws in our quality control process, but we haven't concerned ourselves with minor discolourations, because once they are out of the box you're going to be hammering them and dropping them. Right?

Please note that items included in the package (strings, stickers, patches, bags etc.) vary in colour and quantity depending on availability. 

• Approximately 7g per bead, for a total weight of 28g per set or 14g per end
• 16mm diameter, with a thickness of 8mm per bead
• Precision machined from grade 5 titanium (Ti 6Al-4V)
• Available in multiple options of PVD and anodized finishes:
• Machine finish (natty): natural machine finish, for a clean look
• PVD coated: sunset (colourful); blue-green (peacock); black (shinobi); gold (business class); and abyss (blue)
• See photos for available colour combinations

The Aluminum Edition

The Hydra AL Sports are precision machined from aircraft grade (7075) aluminum, and anodized in brilliant colours. This version comes with four beads, weighing in at around 4g per bead, for a total of around 17g per 4 bead setup (with cord). The beads themselves are 16mm in diameter and 8mm thick, making 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.  

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 soft metal, the surface of these will get dinged and scratched, and over time, the anodized colours will wear away, and the raw aluminum will begin to show through. This aging process gives them a great texture which helps with grip and bead control.

Our Hydra AL Sport (2022 editions) feature the same stacked-bead design as the original release, but with an updated 4mm bore, optimized for 550 paracord. 

• Weights:
• Around 4g per bead, or 17g per set (with cord) 
• Finishes:
• Natty/ Black
• Orange/ Blue (anodized)
• Includes extra strings, intro card, and stickers (varying with availability)

New to begleri? Check out Aroundsquare's AO2 Crew demonstrating what this toy's all about, via the talented guys at Kuma Films (below). You may also want to visit our general information page on begleri, or do a deep dive on the history, configurations, or manipulation of this remarkable little toy.