Correct Stick Flex...FINALLY

[Jarick]

On Monday I had sold a bunch of spare gear and shopped for a new stick as my 60 flex was whipped out but I could barely flex my 75 flex chopped down. I spent a few more bucks and tried out a 75 flex intermediate Bauer X:60, which is stiffer than an intermediate but shorter than a senior. Kept it a bit longer than normal (a bit above the nose).

I really feel like for the first time I've got a flex I can use. The intermediates always feel a little soft and while I can load them up a lot, I get some lag in the shot, especially if they aren't very high end sticks and/or get break in too much. And the senior sticks even in whip flex just don't flex much on anything other than slappers.

Shots are just flying off this thing. Snappers especially, have great velocity and quick release. My shots are coming off quick and landing heavy without as much flutter. I can actually consistently hit high/low when I'm aiming because I don't have to account for excessive whip. Really a lot of fun to shoot now (well it's always fun to shoot).

I can't stress enough just how much difference it makes getting the right flex. The only shame is that Bauer is the only big company to have 75 flex intermediates at retail.

Click to read more...

 

[thedonger]

On Monday I had sold a bunch of spare gear and shopped for a new stick as my 60 flex was whipped out but I could barely flex my 75 flex chopped down. I spent a few more bucks and tried out a 75 flex intermediate Bauer X:60, which is stiffer than an intermediate but shorter than a senior. Kept it a bit longer than normal (a bit above the nose).

I really feel like for the first time I've got a flex I can use. The intermediates always feel a little soft and while I can load them up a lot, I get some lag in the shot, especially if they aren't very high end sticks and/or get break in too much. And the senior sticks even in whip flex just don't flex much on anything other than slappers.

Shots are just flying off this thing. Snappers especially, have great velocity and quick release. My shots are coming off quick and landing heavy without as much flutter. I can actually consistently hit high/low when I'm aiming because I don't have to account for excessive whip. Really a lot of fun to shoot now (well it's always fun to shoot).

I can't stress enough just how much difference it makes getting the right flex. The only shame is that Bauer is the only big company to have 75 flex intermediates at retail.

actually ccm used to call their 75 flex intermediate in the original U+ and original CL, but they played a bit stiff to flex imo. i've been looking at the exact same setup as you but i hate grip, and that's all the 75 x60's seem to come in.

 

[Jarick]

I'm not sure about those buy I do know that Reebok had 75 flex sticks that were shorter than senior sticks but longer than intermediates, and those were all too stiff. I had an 8k and a 10k and neither were usable for me.

The X:60 75 flex though is just sweet though. With 65 flex sticks you feel them load up a ton, but don't usually feel them kick back as much. And 75 flex seniors don't really load up much at all. But this, you feel it load up a bit, then kick back hard.

 

[The Tikkanen]

I'm 6ft 190 lbs and I'm using the X60 in a 77 flex and love it. Just the right snap on wristers, dont have a problem receiving hard passes and it's been very durable so far.

 

[NomadFan]

I'm not sure about those buy I do know that Reebok had 75 flex sticks that were shorter than senior sticks but longer than intermediates, and those were all too stiff. I had an 8k and a 10k and neither were usable for me.

The X:60 75 flex though is just sweet though. With 65 flex sticks you feel them load up a ton, but don't usually feel them kick back as much. And 75 flex seniors don't really load up much at all. But this, you feel it load up a bit, then kick back hard.

As you continue to use it, can you keep posting updates about the X:60? I'm curious about how much the performance increase you're experiencing has to do with finding the right flex that works for you versus the "intelli-sense" aspect of the Vapor line.

Basically, I want to know if the supposed "dual flex points" actually work or if its just another gimmick

 

[adaminnj]

I bought two RBK 7K 77 flex sticks and have not been able to accept a decent pass with it. I load it and it is Laggy as hell. I had been using a 110 flex rebellion stick and I could shoot and accept passes but it hurt my elbows loading that oak branch. I picked up some cheep fury shafts 90 flex and decided to pickup some cheep crappy tire blades and it see if I liked them. The 90 flex and wood blades have made a huge diff for me.

I'm thinking about candy caneing the RBK sticks to see if that will help.

 

[Jarick]

Yeah sure.

It's fairly light, but the puckhandling isn't as good as say a One95, because the blade is kind of pingy. And while that shouldn't make a difference when not catching passes in theory, I was losing the puck a lot more on overspeed drills.

Part of the reason I went with the X:60, aside from the price/availability, was the tenon and taper shape. I have a problem with missing shots to the side even when I'm aiming straight ahead, so I wondered if the stick was torquing (not uncommon with whippy sticks). The X:60 tapers down but then flares out perpendicular to the shooting direction, a lot like the Warrior Widow dagger taper. In theory, this would allow the stick to flex more as you dig in to the ice but resist twisting. My slappers are a LOT more accurate than before, and it may play a part, but so does the stiffer flex.

As for the dual kick, I have no idea if that's working, but all my shots have more power to them. I was testing an Oggie grip that flexes at the top hand, and the X:60 is not as pronounced, but it also doesn't feel as stiff up top as another stick that uses a wood plug. Either way, on all shots, it loads up a bit and then kicks back hard, just like a good stick should, but it feels better than the One95 in that aspect. With that stick, I just recall that it felt like the stick was working against me rather than with me.

Like I said, I'm taking more snappers/mini-slappers with this thing than before, because it can load up and unleash the energy so quickly, while my older/other sticks would just push the puck forward or chip the thing off target.

 

[thedonger]

Yeah sure.

It's fairly light, but the puckhandling isn't as good as say a One95, because the blade is kind of pingy. And while that shouldn't make a difference when not catching passes in theory, I was losing the puck a lot more on overspeed drills.

Part of the reason I went with the X:60, aside from the price/availability, was the tenon and taper shape. I have a problem with missing shots to the side even when I'm aiming straight ahead, so I wondered if the stick was torquing (not uncommon with whippy sticks). The X:60 tapers down but then flares out perpendicular to the shooting direction, a lot like the Warrior Widow dagger taper. In theory, this would allow the stick to flex more as you dig in to the ice but resist twisting. My slappers are a LOT more accurate than before, and it may play a part, but so does the stiffer flex.

As for the dual kick, I have no idea if that's working, but all my shots have more power to them. I was testing an Oggie grip that flexes at the top hand, and the X:60 is not as pronounced, but it also doesn't feel as stiff up top as another stick that uses a wood plug. Either way, on all shots, it loads up a bit and then kicks back hard, just like a good stick should, but it feels better than the One95 in that aspect. With that stick, I just recall that it felt like the stick was working against me rather than with me.

Like I said, I'm taking more snappers/mini-slappers with this thing than before, because it can load up and unleash the energy so quickly, while my older/other sticks would just push the puck forward or chip the thing off target.

So what curve you end up wit, p91a or p92?