Review of Djubi

Introduction

The game of catch was first invented by Cro-Magnon man about 13 million years ago. Every morning before the daily mastodon huddle (Cro-Magnon leaders were big on team building exercises), Nok would throw stones at Bog. Naturally, this put Bog's fur panties in a twist, but what was he supposed to do? And then one morning, it hit him like a rock (the irony being lost on poor Bog) - grab the stone before it hit him, and throw it back at Nok! And thus, the game of catch was born.

Okay, I may have my details off slightly, but you get the idea. People have been throwing stuff at each other for ever, and for almost as long they've been throwing it back. You'd think that by this time there'd be no new twist you could put on it...but the makers of Djubi have found a way. In fact, they've found a unique enough way that they got it patented.

It's called 'djubi'. You pronounce it without the 'd' - joobee. I bet the first thing you think of when you hear the name is Berry B. Benson, but he has nothing to do with it. It's the ball that's the actual djubi, while the nets are...well, nets.

The folks that make the djubi sent a set along to me to check out, and I enlisted the aid of my eight year old twins in testing the product. However, if you think you're going to get a video of me flailing about the back yard trying to catch wildly flying djubi's, you'll be sadly disappointed. You'll just have to get your cheap laughs someplace else, mister.

The djubi website has some cool videos though, as well as tips, game ideas, and the opportunity to order the game.

Packaging - ***
The basic package includes two nets and one djubi. You can buy additional three packs of djubi's as well, for when the dog chews them up.

You'll need a knife to get into this package, no doubt about it, but the presentation is good, and there's very little waste.

Play Feature - ***
The basic idea is simple enough. A djubi is a hard foam like ball with a tough elastic band attached. Each of the nets has a hook molded into the frame up near the front edge. Loop the elastic band on that hook, pull the ball back, and let 'er rip! Their site claims you can shoot the ball in this manner hundreds of feet, but that seems like a stretch to me. I was able to launch it an easy 80 feet or so though, with no sore shoulder at the end of the day.

Obviously, you catch said projectile in the net when it comes your way. That's pretty much it, and what the special hook and djubi do are give you a greater range and potentially more accurate throw, once you get the hang of it.

It worked great for me, and I was able to both catch and launch the djubi with relative ease. It was a bit tougher for my kids, not because it was difficult to pull the elastic back, but because it was hard for them to hold the racket by the handle at the same time. By moving their grip up on to the rim of the net, they were far more successful. In the end though, they had the most fun when dad launched the djubi's up into the air, and they scrambled to catch them on the way down.

Quality - ****
Both the balls and the nets are extremely high quality, and capable of enduring some seriously rough play. I was particularly impressed with the frames for the nets and the rubber no-slip handle, which were tough yet light weight.

They recommend picking up that extra three pack of djubis, because as the ball gets worn it tends to start doing some odd things. It's also a natural attraction for dogs, and the softer nature of the ball won't withstand a whole lot of chewing.

The frame net also has a unique design to allow you to scoop up a djubi off the ground quite easily. That's important if you play a fast action team version, where getting the ball into your net first is key.

Fun Factor - ***1/2
Beyond the basic concept of catch, I think there's a lot of additional play potential. The site mentions the idea of team play, and I think you could really expand on that. Get a couple teams of 5 together, and play it like a form of football without the tackling and all the passing. When you have the djubi you can't run. When you don't have the djubi, you have to keep moving.  You shoot the djubi to another player on your team, and when they catch it (or scoop it up), they have to stop. Obviously, the other team attempts to intercept. It could certainly be interesting...

Value - **
I do think the $30 price tag is a little high for a lot of folks, but not a lot. Around $25 is probably ideal, and if these make it to mass retail, that's more in line with what I'd expect.

Things to Watch Out For -
I'd try to avoid being on the receiving end of any djubi's fired at you from under 20 feet or so. They're not THAT soft, and they zip along at a mighty high rate of speed.

Overall - ***
At first glance, the concept might seem simple enough, but I think combining the shooting aspect with a game of catch is quite appealing. I know my kids and I had quite a bit of fun with them last month, and when it starts warming up again (damn Michigan winters), we'll crack them out and see what games we can come up with.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***
Play Feature - ***
Quality - ****
Fun Factor - ***1/2
Value - **
Overall - ***

Where to Buy 
You can pick it up direct from the company at their website store for $30.

Related Links -
Check out the djubi website for some cool videos of the game in action.

You can also follow the company on twitter, and you can follow me on twitter as well, for that matter.

You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.

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