Who has gone from composite back to wood?
- Thread starter bosshogg18
- Start date
Joe Cole
Registered User
I agree on the pain of forking out $150 a stick, but th truth is that wood sticks cost around $40, and I know I used to break one every 3-4 games.
My Easton ST's last me 25+ games. so, cost vs cost, I think you are saving with a composite. Seriously.
Then there is the fact that they are lighter and that makes your stick checking more effective. They have more snap, and your shot will prove that.
Plus the consistancy of the stick through it's life time... well, composite wins again.
I remember shying away from one timers for fear of breaking my stick... now, any chance I get, I torque that sucker up and let it fly.
For me there is no question, in both cost of ownership and performance, composites just win.
My advice, get a stick with a curve you like. Make sure it is one that they use it's durability to promote it. My choice, Easton Synergy ST.
My Easton ST's last me 25+ games. so, cost vs cost, I think you are saving with a composite. Seriously.
Then there is the fact that they are lighter and that makes your stick checking more effective. They have more snap, and your shot will prove that.
Plus the consistancy of the stick through it's life time... well, composite wins again.
I remember shying away from one timers for fear of breaking my stick... now, any chance I get, I torque that sucker up and let it fly.
For me there is no question, in both cost of ownership and performance, composites just win.
My advice, get a stick with a curve you like. Make sure it is one that they use it's durability to promote it. My choice, Easton Synergy ST.
bosshogg18
Registered User
Joe, I agree with you on everything as far as performance goes. As far as only lasting 3 or 4 games, I know they would last me longer than that, especially since I am just playing in a beer league.
Jarick
Doing Nothing
nullterm
Registered User
Try an Easton Classic Intermediate. Had one last summer and worked great.
I use a woodie occasionally, but for the most part comp shaft with a wood blade. Nice mix of both worlds.
LTNINGFan
Registered User
I probably should go from wood to composite, I just don't have the cash for it right now. I am saving up for my first ice season since my eye injury in '08.
Jarick
Doing Nothing
Nope, too stiff. And the blade goes to hell after a few games.
Still on my Harrow 2-piece...blade is 1 year old and shaft is six months old.
Razzmatazz
Registered User
- Feb 2, 2010
- 391
- 0
Originally played my first 3 seasons with the Sherwood PMPX 9050, which was tough to get a hard shot with, but definitely made the transition to lighter flexes much easier. I spent all summer taking shots at a wall in the park with that stick, and after returning from a two year hiatus, I switched to a more primitive composite my brother didn't want, and played with it for 5 games last season, until I was forced to play defense for scoring too many goals. That's when I switched to the heralded Sherwood 5030 because I didn't want to break the Vector stickchecking. I got about 20+ games out of the first 5030, but still keep the composite as a backup. The sticks are both comparable in flex and weight, but there is a noticeable difference in the release, something I don't want to be handicapped by. Still playing with the 5030, and have no plans on changing to anything else until I win the lottery.
BigBadBread
Shi Shi Shawww
- Dec 4, 2006
- 871
- 10
Funny story. All up through minor hockey/AAA/ and Jr.B. I played with composite sticks and would not think about using a wood stick. Until last year when I moved into a new apt and some guy had left a old beat up Sher-Wood with a chunk gone out of the blade on the top down in the basement.
I didn't use it until one time I snapped one of my good ones and had no other stick to use, so I said screw it and I used the Sher-Wood. Keep in mind that I play defence and this stick was about inches shorter than I always used.
Fell in love with the stick immediately and have stuck with the same stick ever since. I just love the feel of the puck on your blade and the softness of your passes. I only play rec hockey now but I can't see myself paying $100+ for a stick in the near future.
I didn't use it until one time I snapped one of my good ones and had no other stick to use, so I said screw it and I used the Sher-Wood. Keep in mind that I play defence and this stick was about inches shorter than I always used.
Fell in love with the stick immediately and have stuck with the same stick ever since. I just love the feel of the puck on your blade and the softness of your passes. I only play rec hockey now but I can't see myself paying $100+ for a stick in the near future.
Last edited:
adaptation
Registered User
- Jan 3, 2011
- 153
- 0
The only time i see where going wood is better is after a long pause of hockey(1-2year+).
First because the weight will help you build muscle and second usually after a layoff of hockey you don't want to bust out 100$ for a stick when your not even sure you will get back fully in hockey.
First because the weight will help you build muscle and second usually after a layoff of hockey you don't want to bust out 100$ for a stick when your not even sure you will get back fully in hockey.
Whiplash27
Quattro!!
One can buy a very good composite for $70. We aren't pros, most of us don't need top of the line sticks.
I know someone who did but only cuz he is a centreman and got tired of having sticks broken in face offs against jerks who move in with a hard hack (in a beer league cmon dumbass).
Thats what I use too with an occasional use of a 5030. Plus the benefit of using a 2 piece is being able to go custom with the curve you use.
Pog Form
Registered User
I use a really long stick with a really low (whippy) flex, so unfortunately there's not really a wood stick out there that can meet my needs.
I don't want to open up a can of worms here, but the thing that people (i.e. wood stick fans) seem to forget is that wood sticks become useless just as quickly as composites. They just don't explode "spectacularly" the way that composites do. Nothing worse than using a wood stick or blade that's dead.
I don't want to open up a can of worms here, but the thing that people (i.e. wood stick fans) seem to forget is that wood sticks become useless just as quickly as composites. They just don't explode "spectacularly" the way that composites do. Nothing worse than using a wood stick or blade that's dead.
AIREAYE
Registered User
- Jun 7, 2009
- 4,885
- 70
Retail? no way. Second part is absolutely true however, but we like good stuff anyway
Joe Cole
Registered User
well... I can only talk from my experience. Wood sticks lose their "snap" and once the fiberglass is split, water creeps in, they get soggy and the break.The wood sticks are great for 2 games, then blah. And if they survive past 5 games, they are rarely ever crisp feeling.
Just my opinion. I save money with a composite stick.
edog37
Registered User
The wood sticks are great for 2 games, then blah. And if they survive past 5 games, they are rarely ever crisp feeling.
Just my opinion. I save money with a composite stick.
I still have & use a Koho Revolution from the early 90s.....
nullterm
Registered User
Exactly. I found a shaft I liked, then tried out different curves until I settled on a Getzlaf.
I'm only kicking myself that I didn't stock up on more of the shafts when they were on sale for only $20.
WeWillWinTonight
Registered User
kilowatt
the vibes are not immaculate
- Jan 1, 2009
- 18,432
- 21,090
Depends, things like the Bauer X:20 or Easton S5 are pretty solid sticks if you don't absolutely need the top of the line stuff. Look around at different online stores and compare prices, surely you can find a deal on one of those.
AIREAYE
Registered User
- Jun 7, 2009
- 4,885
- 70
It's all relative. If a person goes from using a woodie that has the wrong lie/curve and flex for them to a low-end OPS with all of the correct features mentioned above, then of course they're going to notice that the cheap (price-wise) OPS is much much better. However if their skills improves in the future and they upgrade to a high-end OPS with again, the same features, than I'll bet that they'll comment on how bad their old OPS was.
When I was in Peewee my dad gave me my first two-piece stick, an Easton T-Flex with a Sakic blade which I thought was the best thing ever. Up to that point I had only used wood sticks. That lasted me for two years before I upgraded to an Eastern Synergy Si-core, then a Mission Z-1 and a Reebok 4K. I never paid more than $80 for any of the composites (thank you summer clearance sales!), and all of those sticks lasted multiple seasons, in fact I still have all of them. The Reebok was used for 3 years including two midget and a year of junior. The Mission was just too bulky and I didn't like the feel of it, the Synergy was amazing but the blade chipped away at the end, it can still be used but I wouldn't rely on it. Anyway, point is that I love the composite sticks BUT...
I took them to university with me, so when I went home at Christmas I couldn't bring them on the bus. I picked up a $15 Sherwood at Canadian Tire and it was impressive, I can't see ever buying another composite. They're nice but since I'm pretty much done with competitive hockey I don't see myself spending $80 on sticks.
I took them to university with me, so when I went home at Christmas I couldn't bring them on the bus. I picked up a $15 Sherwood at Canadian Tire and it was impressive, I can't see ever buying another composite. They're nice but since I'm pretty much done with competitive hockey I don't see myself spending $80 on sticks.
I've always used a wood stick. I like the feel of a really heavy stick, and haven't found any composites that are heavy enough. I really haven't looked for composites, though. If I find a heavy one with a good feel, I might just switch over, but I'm happy being a relic.
WingsFan95
Registered User
I never used anything but wood.
Granted I play in a league maybe once every two years or so, but I'm not the only one.
There's better quality wooden sticks just like anything else.
CCM is usually the brand I buy, I'd usually go through 2-3 sticks a season. That's not because of breaking, just wear.
Now granted I don't use the stick much for checking purposes, etc.
Granted I play in a league maybe once every two years or so, but I'm not the only one.
There's better quality wooden sticks just like anything else.
CCM is usually the brand I buy, I'd usually go through 2-3 sticks a season. That's not because of breaking, just wear.
Now granted I don't use the stick much for checking purposes, etc.
