Picador Balero
Picador Balero
Description
Description
Picador Balero
Picador is Aroundsquare’s take on the classic Latin American cup-and-spike toy, rooted in the traditions of the balero and its close cousin, the capirucho. These toys are tools, enjoyed by kids and adults alike. They're both a fun challenge and a powerful tool for building hand-eye coordination, much like the Japanese kendama.
The goal is deceptively simple: catch the cup on the spike. But the journey is anything but - it demands focus, patience, and practice. Picador invites you to fail, persevere, and grow, revealing new tricks as your skills and precision improve.
Picador takes the classic balero and gives it a modern twist. Designed to be both practical and portable, it features a slimmed-down cup, a stronger spike with a generous bevel for reliable landings, and an enlarged handle with twin concave channels that unlock new possibilities for stalls, catches, and combos. More than just a redesign, Picador represents an entirely new product category for Aroundsquare—an open canvas for fresh tricks, new styles of play, and an accessible introduction to kendama-inspired skill toys.
Picador embodies Aroundsquare’s signature minimalist geometry and clean lines, while offering endless room for creativity and progression - looking forward while respecting the roots.
Details:
- Beech: a light, fine-grained wood known for its strength and durability. Weight ~71g (weight varies within a few grams)
- Zebrano: a striking wood with bold, dark stripes contrasting against a golden-yellow background. Weight ~78g (weight varies within a few grams)
- Ebony: this wood is prized for its deep color, smooth texture, and luxurious, elegant appearance. Weight ~99g (weight varies within a few grams)
Check out our new Picadors in our August 2025 drop video!
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I recently picked up the Zebrano Picador and it is beautiful. The wood and craft quality are amazing. The included bag and packaging were top notch. I am not very good at this skill toy yet, but I'm having a lot of fun learning.
The most fun I've had with two pieces of wood besides a Kendama. It was a little smaller than I expected at first. But I like the pocket-ability.
Only thing I would change is making the handle bellow the spike longer, maybe the same length as the "Cup". It would make the spike hang more upright, and give a little more room to grab the handle with all your fingers.
I was wanting a Kendama to up my skill toy game and of course I must be vibing with Matt because shortly after deciding this the Picador Balero was announced 😅 I couldn't be happier with the timing, although I accidentally slept in on the drop day and totally missed the lighter versions 🥺 I think the heavier ones are harder to practice with but I don't give up easily 😏 keep up the great work, 10/10 I cant wait to buy the other wood variants 💜 or an Ultem version 😇
Everything aroundsquare does take my breath away and this new addition to my collection, does not disappoint. It will take some time to learn and master, and that’s part of the process. So simple and yet truly stunning.