[Review] Valk 3

[dskids]

Welp, I get it now.

The Valk 3 became my instant main last night. I ordered the mint colored LE version and my recognition sucks on it, so I didn't really do a lot of solves on it at first. Last night I decided I really wanted to evaluate it / test my recognition and did about 30 solves. The puzzle mech compliments my turning style so perfectly it made up for my horrible recognition and I was averaging close to PB even with horrible pauses during F2L.

I agree that the Valk doesn't corner cut quite as good as the Yuexiao for example, but I think what makes it remarkable is it never catches or locks up like some of my other good puzzles. So the lack of raw corner cutting ability isn't missed at all, and I actually solve much more fluidly on it. The genius of the design is the dense and stable mech with tracked pieces. It allows for maximum stability and controllability while minimizing contact surface area to facilitate high turning speed. I think this is one of the best balanced puzzles I have used.

On another note, this puzzle has the best out of the box setup I have ever seen aside from the Yuexiao, but even better because there is zero spring noise. Tensions are slightly on the tight side, but very even, and the cube is lightly lubed but a tad on the dry side. My turns are fluid and snapping right into place on these settings so I'm not even going to set it up.

I just ordered a black version of the puzzle so I can put the LE version on the shelf and get back to shattering my PB's.

One thing though. The new QiYi half bright shades are beautiful from an aesthetic standpoint and amazing in bright natural light. On the other hand when I'm solving at night in soft yellowish artificial light the red and orange can be hard to distinguish. Anybody else have this problem?

 

[Dom]

the Valk doesn't corner cut quite as good as the Yuexiao

At the correct tensions, the corner cutting on the Valk is as good or better than the Yuexiao.

I have the stickerless version and it's absolutely incredible! Very stable, but fast. Smooth turning and nice sharp edges make this cube's feel very satisfying. For a long time, my beloved Yuexiao was my main. However, after a lot of thought (and a lot of comparing), I decided that it's time for the Yuexiao to pass the crown to the Valk 3.

Stickerless shades on the Valk 3 are the best I've seen on any stickerless puzzle. Color recognition is very easy.

If you like the Yuexiao, you'll LOVE the Valk 3.

I ordered the mint colored LE version and my recognition sucks on it

They come out with Limited Editions of cubes in different colors so that you'll buy the regular cube, then they'll make money again when you buy the Limited Edition versions.
I recommend the stickerless Valk 3. I also recommend the stickerless Yuexiao. They're my top two favorite 3x3's, but the Valk is my main.

 

[pipkiksass]

At the correct tensions, the corner cutting on the Valk is as good or better than the Yuexiao.

I have the stickerless version and it's absolutely incredible! Very stable, but fast. Smooth turning and nice sharp edges make this cube's feel very satisfying. For a long time, my beloved Yuexiao was my main. However, after a lot of thought (and a lot of comparing), I decided that it's time for the Yuexiao to pass the crown to the Valk 3.

Stickerless shades on the Valk 3 are the best I've seen on any stickerless puzzle. Color recognition is very easy.

If you like the Yuexiao, you'll LOVE the Valk 3.



They come out with Limited Editions of cubes in different colors so that you'll buy the regular cube, then they'll make money again when you buy the Limited Edition versions.
I recommend the stickerless Valk 3. I also recommend the stickerless Yuexiao. They're my top two favorite 3x3's, but the Valk is my main.

Seconded. Loved my white Valk 3, stickerless one is even better,and unquestionably my main.

Just picked up a stickerless WuShuang 5x5, which has the same great stickerless shades.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CornerCutter]

Welp, I get it now.

The Valk 3 became my instant main last night. I ordered the mint colored LE version and my recognition sucks on it, so I didn't really do a lot of solves on it at first. Last night I decided I really wanted to evaluate it / test my recognition and did about 30 solves. The puzzle mech compliments my turning style so perfectly it made up for my horrible recognition and I was averaging close to PB even with horrible pauses during F2L.

I agree that the Valk doesn't corner cut quite as good as the Yuexiao for example, but I think what makes it remarkable is it never catches or locks up like some of my other good puzzles. So the lack of raw corner cutting ability isn't missed at all, and I actually solve much more fluidly on it. The genius of the design is the dense and stable mech with tracked pieces. It allows for maximum stability and controllability while minimizing contact surface area to facilitate high turning speed. I think this is one of the best balanced puzzles I have used.

On another note, this puzzle has the best out of the box setup I have ever seen aside from the Yuexiao, but even better because there is zero spring noise. Tensions are slightly on the tight side, but very even, and the cube is lightly lubed but a tad on the dry side. My turns are fluid and snapping right into place on these settings so I'm not even going to set it up.

I just ordered a black version of the puzzle so I can put the LE version on the shelf and get back to shattering my PB's.

One thing though. The new QiYi half bright shades are beautiful from an aesthetic standpoint and amazing in bright natural light. On the other hand when I'm solving at night in soft yellowish artificial light the red and orange can be hard to distinguish. Anybody else have this problem?

Very jealous. I'll be writing a review for the Valk 3 after I open it on Christmas.

 

[Dash Lambda]

It's okay I guess.
The performance is certainly there, I just don't like it.

Out of the box, it was too dry and slow. I cleaned out the lube and set it up with medium/loose tensions, Lubicle Speedy, Silk, and Maru, and it got fast enough for me to be comfortable with. I've practiced with it for a couple days now, so I think I'm sufficiently familiar with it.

Its corner cutting is great and it doesn't lock up or catch with any meaningful frequency, but it just feels too dense and blocky, with a texture that I can't get on board with, like the plastic is just too hard and rigid. I wouldn't describe it as fluid.

The hole in the corners makes it very loud, and so it's less than ideal for using in public places.

I'm not convinced by the size, either. It's not like you even really notice the size of it while you're solving, but there are some things that just get harder the smaller the cube is (for me, that's specifically A-perms).

I really like the stock sticker shades, I wish I could find the exact ones used (the colors listed by the Cubicle seem more dull).

Overall, I'd say it's one of the best on the market, but I don't like the way it feels. I prefer the GTS over it, and the Air above both of them.

 

[pglewis]

The Valk has made a strong case for being my main with the stability, however... both mine (black Cubicle Premium, "stock" stickerless) have become more sluggish after a few weeks of use. The Cubicle premium so much so that I think the only recourse at this point is to disassemble and clean all the lube out. The irony is the speed of the Valk made my Thunderclap V1s feel sluggish and led me to loosen them... now that situation has reversed.

I'm curious if others have experienced this phenomenon.

 

[Dom]

Purchased 1 November from the Cubicle.

I have the stickerless version and it's absolutely incredible! Very stable, but fast. Smooth turning and nice sharp outer edges make this cube's feel very satisfying. For a long time, my beloved Yuexiao was my main. However, after a lot of thought (and a lot of comparing), I decided that it's time for the Yuexiao to pass the crown to the Valk 3.

Stickerless shades on the Valk 3 are the best I've seen on any stickerless puzzle. Color recognition is very easy.

If you like the Yuexiao, you'll LOVE the Valk 3.

 

[Forcefulness]

I really like the stock sticker shades, I wish I could find the exact ones used (the colors listed by the Cubicle seem more dull).

Fluoro Yellow
White
Fluoro Green
Deep Blue
Red
Fluoro Bright Orange
This was actually my main color scheme, dank af, here's a link

 

[dskids]

I just ordered a black version of the puzzle so I can put the LE version on the shelf and get back to shattering my PB's.

Now that I have the black version and have had a chance to break it in, I wanted to share some interesting info.

In my prior review above, which was based on the mint LE version of the puzzle, I stated the puzzle
a) was my instant main,
b) was set up perfectly out of the box,
c) doesn't corner cut quite as well as other puzzles

Well the black Valk 3 is without a doubt still my main, with none of my other puzzles even coming close to it. I have also set all new PBs (single/ao5/ao12) on the black Valk since writing my last review.

Here's where it gets a little interesting. The black version was not even close to as well-set up OOTB as the LE was. It was even dryer, kinda catchy, too loose, a little unstable, too fast, and had a ton of spring noise. The LE by comparison had a much more stable feel for some reason. The LE also gained a distinct hard yet buttery feel after breaking in, whereas the black puzzle has retained a hard and sandy feel. It has smoothed out with breaking in and lubing, but still doesn't feel at all buttery like the mint one.

It really bothered me that I couldn't duplicate the feel of the LE in the black puzzle so I spent a long time setting it up and finally got it really good. The stock lube was almost nonexistent so I didn't bother wiping it out of the puzzle. I ended up adding some Wt 5 to the interface between the screw and the spring on each side, and also added a dot of Wt 5 in 2 or 3 places around the cube on the "wings" where the pieces mesh together. That smoothed things out, improved stability, and dropped the speed a tad. (Sidenote: it's great that you can lube the centers on this puzzle without tearing down the core, makes it so much easier to service). Then I tensioned the puzzle as tight as I could get it until the corner cutting started feeling locky. With it actually lubed and tensioned to my preference it corner cuts just as good as any other puzzle on the market (including Yuexiao).

It's still on the fast side for my ability, and I have a tough time controlling it until I get warmed up. I am thinking about swapping the springs with the LE and putting a little more Wt 5 in the centers where the springs meet the plastic. I'm theorizing that would improve the stability and slow it down just a tad more. That said, I'm still extremely happy with this puzzle, and can't wait to keep practicing with it as my skill improves.

 

[EntireTV]

 

[Tanay B.]

Hey guys! It's Tanay B, and my YouTube Channel is CACubed (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMzdFJV21-DSYvpSa1bQmAA). I have a review of the Valk 3, and overall, it's a great cube. Here are my first impressions of the cube:

Let's start with corner cutting. Corner cutting is up to par with the top speedcubes today, so it isn't very surprising as it is endorsed by Mats Valk. It is necessary, though, and should not be overlooked.

Next we have shades. The stickers are just fine, and in my opinion, anything that looks standard is fine.

Next up is the turning. It has a very smooth and a controllable, not too fast out of the box. I haven't lubed it yet, but have done about 50-75 solves on it, and it feels buttery and overall very smooth. I will lube it soon, and will see how it does, though. My Valk came a bit tightly tensioned for my taste, so I loosened it a good bit, and now it turns a lot better.

As far as the mech goes, I haven't looked inside yet, but from what I've seen online, there is a very good anti-popping system in place, because it has never popped once.

The final thing I want to say, is it worth the $20 (I bought it for 18 on the New Years' Sale at the Cubicle.us)? I would say it really depends on who you are. I bought it as a cube that I can use for a long time, because I average around 30secs on 3x3. For me, a MF3RS or a similar cube would have worked, but it all is up to who you are. I personally love this speedcube, and would highly reccomend it to anyone.

 

[Vilknir]

Can anyone that owns the stickerless version comment on how good the shades are in less than optimal light?

 

[pipkiksass]

Can anyone that owns the stickerless version comment on how good the shades are in less than optimal light?

Funnily enough, there was a thread about this recently. For me personally, they're good in low light. I have two stickerless Valk 3s (old main and current main), which I use every day in fairly poor light, and for me they're better than Moyu and Dayan stickerless, which I also used to solve daily in low light. I find the white/yellow contrast much better. As a white cross CFOP solver, that's a massive thing for me, I used to mis-insert F2L pairs at night, or end up with a yellow corner inserted.

BUT, someone else on the same thread had had the opposite experience. I think, at least to an extent, it comes down to personal preference and also possibly the "warmth" of your lighting - mine is quite yellow, so the better opposite colour contrast with QiYi shades works well for me.


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[Abare Killer]

New main, this cube pretty much doesn't need setup, out of the box main, it feels very overlubed out of the box which I didn't even apply my own lube for a few weeks. I stickerless shades are brilliant since I have been using the Thunderclap v1 stickerless. Highly recommended cube, get it now!

 

[phreaker]

Can anyone that owns the stickerless version comment on how good the shades are in less than optimal light?

I'll second that they are pretty good in low light.

 

[pratik khanna]

The Valk 3 is a cube designed with the help of Mats Valk. I got the chance to test it!

Summary:
It's a fast cube, but like with all cubes it depends on your turning style to determine if this is the right cube for you. It took a few days for me to get used to, which is probably normal for a cubing-grandpa like me ;-)

[Edit: should go to review sections. I lost overview of all the sub-forums...]

so what should i buy valk 3 or gans air master edition

 

[phreaker]

so what should i buy valk 3 or gans air master edition

IMHO: Valk 3. Only when you get up to the Gans AIR UM do I really like the Gans AIR. (And there I really do like it... but I don't like the stock air. It is just too locky for my tastes.) The Valk 3 is a more "honest" cube. If you make a mistake, you make a mistake.. but you won't feel like the cube is "randomly locking up" on you.

 

[CornerCutter]

IMHO: Valk 3. Only when you get up to the Gans AIR UM do I really like the Gans AIR. (And there I really do like it... but I don't like the stock air. It is just too locky for my tastes.) The Valk 3 is a more "honest" cube. If you make a mistake, you make a mistake.. but you won't feel like the cube is "randomly locking up" on you.

I would say the same thing.

Get the Valk 3.

 

[Dash Lambda]

So what should I buy Valk 3 or Gans Air Master edition.

I'll add to this:
Both cubes are top-of-the-line, and which one is better only depends on your preference. You can try them both out at a comp and choose one, choose the one the most people like, choose the one that looks like the closest to your tastes, or just get both of them and figure out which one you like more.

One easy way to choose between these two cubes specifically is whether you want to set it up. The Valk is usually pretty good out of the box, but the Air requires somewhat involved setup to make it good, which makes it seem worse than it ideally is to most people. That factor is kind'a negated by Cubicle Premium cubes, though, so it depends on what you're looking at.

 

[RyeMAC3]

I'm 41 and new to speed cubing. I've only been at it for about 4 months and I'm just starting to get times under 1 minute. I've been using the Gan 356 Air as my first speed cube and I love it.

I heard some buzz about the Valk 3 so I picked one up 2 days ago to see if it was any better than the 356 Air. I've only done a few dozen solves on it so far. I thought it was pretty scratchy at first, but it's starting to break in. I do have to say that the corner cutting on the Gan 356 Air is way better. Maybe that'll change as it breaks in. It's also a millimeter or two smaller, but it's hardly noticeable. Hey, I'm new at this so I might not know what I'm talking about, but my first impression is that the Valk 3 is not as smooth and fast as the 356 Air.