If you’re impatient, not a fan of the group buy model, are wary of the secondhand market, or have issues with some aspect of the Splits, there are other options:Īlpaca linears, another JWK-made switch, are often compared to Banana Splits as they’re both made by JWK, have 62-gram springs, and come pre-lubed. Can’t find banana split switches? Here’s the next best thing Originally priced at $0.65 per switch, aftermarket listings frequently ask around $1 per switch, a price nearing something closer to the retail price of ZealPC’s Tealio v2 or some frankenswitches.Īt the moment, the best way to get a set of Banana Splits is for resale online: eBay vendors and users on Reddit’s r/mechmarket frequently sell them, but they will likely cost around double the original price.īesides that, the only option is to wait for TKC to open up another group buy or start stocking the switches normally again. The real issue is getting your hands on these - TKC has had a direct sale and a group buy for Banana Splits, and they haven’t been available since. Often compared to other JWK-made switches like Alpacas, Banana Splits have the same smoothness and lack of key wobble that the manufacturer is known for. Overall, the switches (and their factory lubing) seem to be well-received. Of course, springs are the easiest (and cheapest) part of a switch to replace, so actuation force isn’t something to stress about, relatively speaking. The spring is a typical 62-gram spring, much like those found inside of other JWK switches, with a middle-class weight that’s on-par with quite a few other popular switches. Because of this custom tooling, the switches have a deeper sound profile than most other linear switches, and the factory lubing creates a smoother stock experience. These switches are made from proprietary tooling and are lubed in-factory by JWK. Since then, the following group buy has sold through and many have been left unable to find the switches outside of the aftermarket. As a fairly well-known site that appeals to mechanical keyboard enthusiasts, TKC has gained a reputation online primarily for creating keycaps and desk mats, but has also offered keyboard kits and, more recently, unique switches from time to time.īecause of TKC’s popularity as a brand, with their limited-run switches often selling out almost immediately, and demonstrations/reviews from YouTubers like Filled Types, Brandon Taylor and Too Much Tech showing off their smooth feel and deeper sound, the switches gained a good bit of notoriety after their initial release in late 2020 and became a favorite in the community. Why are they so popular?īanana Splits are a switch produced by JWK, the manufacturers behind Durocks, Everglides, and EV-series switches, and designed by C☾qualz in collaboration with TheKey.Company. The housings, which C☾qualz and TKC said are made using new, proprietary molds, are made from a blend of nylon and polycarbonate, with the stems made from POM (a higher quality plastic called Polyoxymethylene). Of these four, Banana Splits and Tangerines have proven to be the most popular, having sold out, gone through a group buy, and are now fetching high prices in the aftermarket.Īs the first entry in their “Snack Time Switch Line” series, Banana Splits are a 62-gram linear switch produced by JWK, with lavender and purple housings and a yellow stem. If there’s one constant when it comes to mechanical keyboards, it’s always feeling late to the hottest new drop or group buy.Ĭ☾qualz and TheKey.Company’ - two names well known to the discerning enthusiast - have collaborated recently on the kinds of switches everyone seems to always be hunting down: Banana Splits, Tangerines, Kiwis, and Dragon Fruits.
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