ChiTownHawks
Registered User
CCM RBZ 80
Grip Finish
Senior 75, cut to probably low 80s
Hossa Curve comparable to Kane Bauer
About Me: 31 year old C/D leaguer, 5'9 185lbs
Appearance:
Same as the Stage 2 with a white bottom and a red/gray/black top. New gray contrast color on the top of shaft down to the blade to differentiate the stick from the ice better. Great looking stick IMO
Shaft Profile & Grip
Dual concave walls. Feels similar to most sticks I've been using lately. Grip is standard with no bumps or groves. Good grip but not overly sticky like my Mako 2 was. This grip is the same as my x60 and nexus 1000 had.
Weight & Balance
490 grams with good balance. No issues here. The weight is a little heavier than my Mako 2 and Nexus 1000 were, but you can't tell unless you are holding both at the same time and even then it is tough to tell.
Puck Feel
Different than any stick I've used. The first time I brought it on the ice the blade felt really strange. You can tell that there is no foam in the core. The RBZ 80 and the Stage 2 have the same zero foam blades with the speed channels. The "pingy" feel is noticeable at first but it fades after a few skates. I've had no issues stickhandling or receiving passes.
Flex & Kickpoint
Flex feels pretty much on point. Not too whippy or too stiff for me. Nothing special about the kickpoint as far as I can tell, which is probably a good thing.
Shooting
I know the stick is supposed to excel here, but so far nothing too special. I got off a one timer the first time I used it and I hurt the goalies chest. The blade has good pop, but no more than my Mako 2 did as far as I can tell.
Durability
This stick dings up pretty easily and does have a few chips, but after 10 skates or so it is holding up fine. As I did in my last review I will update down the road if I run into any issues.
Conclusions/Recommendations
After running into issues with sticks that were costing north of $200 US I decided to give something a little cheaper a try. If this stick holds up I would say it is worth every penny of the $130 I spent on it. The stick is plenty light and has good pop and balance.
Grip Finish
Senior 75, cut to probably low 80s
Hossa Curve comparable to Kane Bauer
About Me: 31 year old C/D leaguer, 5'9 185lbs
Appearance:
Same as the Stage 2 with a white bottom and a red/gray/black top. New gray contrast color on the top of shaft down to the blade to differentiate the stick from the ice better. Great looking stick IMO
Shaft Profile & Grip
Dual concave walls. Feels similar to most sticks I've been using lately. Grip is standard with no bumps or groves. Good grip but not overly sticky like my Mako 2 was. This grip is the same as my x60 and nexus 1000 had.
Weight & Balance
490 grams with good balance. No issues here. The weight is a little heavier than my Mako 2 and Nexus 1000 were, but you can't tell unless you are holding both at the same time and even then it is tough to tell.
Puck Feel
Different than any stick I've used. The first time I brought it on the ice the blade felt really strange. You can tell that there is no foam in the core. The RBZ 80 and the Stage 2 have the same zero foam blades with the speed channels. The "pingy" feel is noticeable at first but it fades after a few skates. I've had no issues stickhandling or receiving passes.
Flex & Kickpoint
Flex feels pretty much on point. Not too whippy or too stiff for me. Nothing special about the kickpoint as far as I can tell, which is probably a good thing.
Shooting
I know the stick is supposed to excel here, but so far nothing too special. I got off a one timer the first time I used it and I hurt the goalies chest. The blade has good pop, but no more than my Mako 2 did as far as I can tell.
Durability
This stick dings up pretty easily and does have a few chips, but after 10 skates or so it is holding up fine. As I did in my last review I will update down the road if I run into any issues.
Conclusions/Recommendations
After running into issues with sticks that were costing north of $200 US I decided to give something a little cheaper a try. If this stick holds up I would say it is worth every penny of the $130 I spent on it. The stick is plenty light and has good pop and balance.
