MKUltras - Picos Titanium Editions
MKUltras - Picos Titanium Editions
Our titanium Pico beads are a long, thin bead design, reminiscent of a longer and slimmed down Nano bead, but designed to run on our 1.2mm kevlar cord. The beads are very thin and light, with a unique look and feel. They're distinctive on the wrist, with an almost industrial aesthetic, and in the hand they feel like nothing else we sell. They are nicely rounded and don’t feel sharp or hot in the hand, but the long, thin design really accentuates the angles when manipulating them. This gives them a real presence in the hand during bead counting, despite the light weight. The shape also works well for raindrops and a side by side, two at a time style of bead counting that feels very intuitive with this design. Flippping the Picos is light and casual. The length of the beads means that if the beads move on the cord during play and the shift between packets, you’re likely to notice they asymmetry more than you would with shorter beads. This can make them a bit clumsier during play until you get accustomed to keeping the packets even.
These long form sets feature 23 of our Picos, along with a small Droplet boss bead to cinch the cord together . These beads are friction fit for our 1.2mm kevlar cord, and do hold in place reasonably well, but the fit is less snug than on the boss beads of our larger sets, so if you're wearing these on your wrist, be prepared to occasionally slide the Droplet back up in place to keep them snug.
Details
- 23 x Picos + 1x small Droplet bead (~30.8g all in)
- Pico dimensions: 5mm x 15mm, with a 2mm bore
- Gr5 Titanium
- Surface
- Polished
- Sandblasted
- Strung on AO2's new custom 12-strand, high density, 1.2mm Kevlar cord
If you already own MKUltras on our thicker cords, be aware that the experience of flipping beads on a thinner cord can be quite different, as the cord itself disappears between the fingers. This can take some getting used to, but it ultimately foregrounds the experience of handling the beads themselves.
More general information can be found below, and for anyone interested in the full narrative and some moving visuals of these beauties, have a look at the August 2024 drop preview video, time stamped below.
General Information on the MKUltras
The MKUltras are a hybrid design, combining elements of traditional Mala and Komboloi beads. The MKUltra name gives a nod to this lineage, as well as their expedience as tools to help us focus our minds and still our thoughts. They can be used in a variety of ways, ranging from quiet bead counting, through to raucous flipping.
The unique setup of the MKUltras allows them to be worn like mala beads, or carried discretely in the pocket. They adjust by means of a simple friction fit through the larger "Micro Boss" bead closure. Although the design is exceedingly simple, we're fairly confident you won't find anything quite like them around. This is a knotless system, and does not require any special lock bead. The cord is simply compressed when threaded through the Micro Boss bead, providing a reliable, secure fastener, that is easy to adjust when needed.
In this way, the Ultras can be worn on the wrist, or loosened and slid up above the elbow to keep them out of the way when needed. Excess cordage can be knotted loosely around the Micro Boss bead when they are worn on the wrist, or left dangling. This modifiable arrangement allows them to be used very quietly, for simple bead counting used in breath work and meditation, to "raindrop" methods marked by the satisfying, rhythmic clacking of the beads, as well as much more physical methods of manipulation which resemble short game begleri play. While they aren't intended as a highly technical skill toy, there are still a solid range of moves you can link together, and lots of ways of working with them.
New to the Ultras? You can wear em on your wrist, or check out the video below for some other examples of what these beads are capable of.
