$200 sticks

[Heat McManus]

You do realize that the difference is less than half a pound right? How much tape do you put on your stick?

a lot of times it's not about total weight, but weight distribution. Stick 1 can be 420 grams and feel heavier than Stick 2 at 450 grams because all its weight is at the blade.

 

[bohlmeister]

a lot of times it's not about total weight, but weight distribution. Stick 1 can be 420 grams and feel heavier than Stick 2 at 450 grams because all its weight is at the blade.

That is the biggest difference I noticed with the one90's. Very even.

 

[cptjeff]

That is the biggest difference I noticed with the one90's. Very even.

Also one reason true one pieces are considered superior. It takes weight out right at the blade, making it feel a lot lighter then just the actual decrease in weight.

 

[Devil Dancer]

It's not about the absolute weight, it's about proportion.

That's possible too. Either way, my hand speed is up significantly, and I'm a better player for it.

 

[DarKarTs]

http://shop.ebay.com/items/__Easton...C72%3A1199&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_sop=15&_sc=1

 

[paulster2626]

Nope not important. Although lately I've had a tough time finding a stick with a nice stiff flex that I like. I like to have around 100 flex, and now I've found the Easton Stealth works well for me. At $135 though it's not as good as the Vapor V I got a few years ago for $75. But it is proving to be super-durable.

(Story time!) I was going for a puck against the boards, and was pushed from behind. The stick got stuck between my gut and the boards, and I watched as the shaft bent to an almost 90* curve, and the blade bent like crazy too. The stick then sprung back into shape and sort of pushed me back off of the boards. It was pretty neat. Stick has been 100% fine ever since.

 

[Jarick]

One thing I do to help the balance of 2-piece sticks (or fused 1-piece, either way lots of weight by the blade) is to cut the stick down to length, saw the tenon off from a wood end plug, and stick that in the other end. It helps restore the balance of the stick, even if it does raise the overall weight.

It would be a blast to try one of the super light one piece sticks, but they seem to be a lot less durable than some of the older design 2-pieces like Dolomites, and my Dolos seem like they'd last through the Armageddon!

 

[190Octane]

a lot of times it's not about total weight, but weight distribution. Stick 1 can be 420 grams and feel heavier than Stick 2 at 450 grams because all its weight is at the blade.

I wouldn't argue spending big money on skates. The difference between spending a big amount of money on skates versus sticks is that skates should last you a while. If you play a lot and have a stick last you a year it's a small miracle.. if your skates die in a year it's pretty disappointing.

I'm very familiar with balance and how the difference in balance changes feel. I myself would not use a price point one piece stick.

I've used expensive sticks before... I just don't notice much of a difference in my game between when I was using the synergy when it first came out vs. the z-bubble with a si-core focus flex blade that I got online in the past few weeks for about $50 total.

If people want to spend $200 on a stick, I say feel free. I remember a thread here though where someone was saying that they were buying a one95 but they didn't want to take slap shots because they were worried about breaking the stick.

If people want to believe the hype and waste money, fine by me. It's just silly when a tapered two piece stick will deliver the same performance as a fused two piece marketed as a one piece but people will spend the extra $50 for something not as practical because in their head they think it will help their game. When/if I have kids, there is no way in hell that they will be using the best one piece out there. If there is anything more stupid than spending $200 on a stick, it's spending $200 on a stick for a kid.

One fun fact before I end the post...

Gee, where did sticks used to flex? Right in the middle.

 

[londonkni14]

no i think its mostly the player not the equiptment. mike gartner holds the record for the fastest skater and that was way back in 1996. joe thorton still uses a two piece stick. i think alot of this stuff that companys say about their sticks it somewhat BS. like the " carbon infused injected whatever" or like " Re-AcT blade injected" like does anyone even know that that **** means

 

[dirtydevs9]

no i think its mostly the player not the equiptment. mike gartner holds the record for the fastest skater and that was way back in 1996. joe thorton still uses a two piece stick. i think alot of this stuff that companys say about their sticks it somewhat BS. like the " carbon infused injected whatever" or like " Re-AcT blade injected" like does anyone even know that that **** means

haha man i loved your post. whenever shopping for sticks online i see all this information to make the stick look high-tech, but WTF does it even mean? some people are so dumb.

 

[noobman]

Do most of you really think that a $200 stick will really make you that much better of a player than a $100 stick?

I used to buy the most expensive sticks back when the most expensive sticks were $150 and looking back I really don't think it made my game any better than now using a two piece stick.

I think the biggest advantage these sticks give the every day player is in the head.

The greatest stick in the world won't help a player who doesn't know how to use it properly.

A lighter stick will allow you to stickhandle faster, but that's useless if you keep your hands far apart and stickhandle with your elbow tucked into your body

A stick with good flex and a good kick point will increase the velocity on your shot, but that's useless if you don't understand the concept of weight transfer.


I use a $90 one piece now that my Easton S17 is broken. It's lightyears ahead of my old wooden sticks... it has a larger sweet spot for the flex, so it's much more forgiving with the shots. For stickhandling it's night and day... I can stickhandle pretty well with my wooden stick, but with my one piece i'm a lot faster. I can also windmill the stick over a defender's head w/ one hand... something I could never do w/ a wooden stick.

Long story short... I like my one piece b/c it's lighter, and it masks a lot of the imperfections in my shot.

 

[dirtydevs9]

The greatest stick in the world won't help a player who doesn't know how to use it properly.

A lighter stick will allow you to stickhandle faster, but that's useless if you keep your hands far apart and stickhandle with your elbow tucked into your body

A stick with good flex and a good kick point will increase the velocity on your shot, but that's useless if you don't understand the concept of weight transfer.


I use a $90 one piece now that my Easton S17 is broken. It's lightyears ahead of my old wooden sticks... it has a larger sweet spot for the flex, so it's much more forgiving with the shots. For stickhandling it's night and day... I can stickhandle pretty well with my wooden stick, but with my one piece i'm a lot faster. I can also windmill the stick over a defender's head w/ one hand... something I could never do w/ a wooden stick.

Long story short... I like my one piece b/c it's lighter, and it masks a lot of the imperfections in my shot.

That's one of the biggest things to these sticks. I used to use wooden, and could barely pokecheck with one hand because it was so heavy. When I first picked up my new Vapor XXXX, I couldn't believe how light this stick could be and still take a slapshot. I still check my stick up and down every time I take a slapper

 

[greyraven8]

I waste enough money on crap I don't need.
Be damned if I'm going to pay a couple hundred dollar for one, two or even three player's sticks. My goalie sticks are wood and those are expensive enough.

Used wood sticks up til a few years ago, have a pair of cheap CCM vector composites now - good enough for me.

Of course I'm not some fast young buck playing forward at top speed or caliber. I'm an older (40) stay at home defenceman who plays scrub hockey and had been playing beer league until my team folded. My stick gets more use hacking in the corners, poke checking, and golfing the puck out of the zone - not a lot of shots on net, and if it's a slap shot the only way the goalie will miss it is if it's a deflection or if he falls asleep waiting for it to come to him.

 

[BadHammy*]

A great stick won't turn a schmuck into Gretzky, but it will give a pretty good player an edge in certain areas to turn them into a really good player. If you're talking about tiny differences, like a $150 stick vs a $200 stick, there won't be much of an edge gained. However, coming from a woody or a POS, entry level composite, it will be really noticeable.

 

[pnewsom]

I think it is more about what $200 means to you. If you have the money, why not enjoy a stick that balances nicely and feels great in your hands.
On the other hand some people are more concerned about how good a deal they get rather than how nice the stick is.

Each to their own.

 

[noobman]

I think it is more about what $200 means to you. If you have the money, why not enjoy a stick that balances nicely and feels great in your hands.
On the other hand some people are more concerned about how good a deal they get rather than how nice the stick is.

Each to their own.

Agreed.

Even though I have the funds to afford a $200 stick, I probably wouldn't buy another one. My Easton S17 was pretty sweet, but it's a lot of money to spend on a stick that, tbh, isn't that much of an improvement over one that's half the price.

If you buy a $20 stick though, expect to have some problems. Some of those cheap wooden sticks are insanely heavy, stiff, and unreliable.

 

[Heat McManus]

haha man i loved your post. whenever shopping for sticks online i see all this information to make the stick look high-tech, but WTF does it even mean? some people are so dumb.

the information provided are specs from the company. The technology behind it is sometimes high-tech, sometimes it's nothing new. That's one of the reasons why going to a store is better than shopping online when you're looking at something new, IMO.

 

[Jarick]

Yep, my limit's $125, maybe $150 if I think I'll get a full season out of it (I never break sticks). Usually I get a two piece, and usually I try and get the shaft lightly used.

Keep an eye out for bargains...I've gotten the following:
- brand new Dolomite shafts for $50
- brand new Easton Synergy II shafts for $25
- brand new Easton Synergy II Blades for $25
- barely used Warrior and Bauer composite blades for $20

Find a lightly used shaft for $50-75 and pair it with your favorite blade for about $50, and you've got a killer rig for half the cost.

 

[RaoulDuke2k]

If you have some skill, or are developing some skill, better equipment can help for sure.

For instance, got back into playing after a long layoff about a year ago and was using Graf 703's - nice skate, but old school and all leather. Switched to RBK 9k's and saw immediate dividends in my skating. Faster footspeed, more precision with my edges, etc....

With sticks, I think you have to get past the $100 mark to really see some performance advantages. Some of the cheaper 'composites' have a lot of fiberglass in the construction and can feel a bit lifeless.

 

[bohlmeister]

Also one reason true one pieces are considered superior. It takes weight out right at the blade, making it feel a lot lighter then just the actual decrease in weight.

There is no such thing as a true one piece. All of them are attached just above the blade. Even top of the line sticks. Also the pro stocks have an extra layer of graphite compared to the store bought sticks.

 

[NomadFan]

Yep, my limit's $125, maybe $150 if I think I'll get a full season out of it (I never break sticks). Usually I get a two piece, and usually I try and get the shaft lightly used.

Keep an eye out for bargains...I've gotten the following:
- brand new Dolomite shafts for $50
- brand new Easton Synergy II shafts for $25
- brand new Easton Synergy II Blades for $25
- barely used Warrior and Bauer composite blades for $20

Find a lightly used shaft for $50-75 and pair it with your favorite blade for about $50, and you've got a killer rig for half the cost.

for the bolded part. I found me an S17 for $90

 

[Jarick]

There is no such thing as a true one piece. All of them are attached just above the blade. Even top of the line sticks. Also the pro stocks have an extra layer of graphite compared to the store bought sticks.

Who cares? They still are fused lower than two piece sticks, shaving a significant amount of weight off at the end of an effective lever, dramatically changing the balance of the stick. And not all pro stocks are the same.

 

[BadHammy*]

There is no such thing as a true one piece. All of them are attached just above the blade. Even top of the line sticks. Also the pro stocks have an extra layer of graphite compared to the store bought sticks.

Not true anymore.

 

[mikeylikey]

Recently I went to a drop in...and Pejorative Sluredly, FORGOT MY STICKS. I refuse to play with someone else's stick in fear of breaking it, so in need of something to play with and not a lot to spend, I picked up a $33 SherWood PMP5030 (I think thats the model). I played better with that stick than I have ever played with my $200 Easton SE16. Much better shots, passing, everything. I was shocked and amazed. It seriously had me considering selling my SE16 and stocking up on these babies.

 

[cptjeff]

There is no such thing as a true one piece. All of them are attached just above the blade. Even top of the line sticks. Also the pro stocks have an extra layer of graphite compared to the store bought sticks.

Flat out wrong these days. S17, One95, U+, Kronk and Mac Daddy are all true OPS. The dolo is the only top end OPS that's still a traditional fused stick, the rest are something in between, where it's still a join but much closer to a true one peice then sticks used to be.

And pro stocks vary. Some do have the extra layer for durability, some don't. I've heard about it most commonly on 10ks, but any company can do that on request.