Sticks and blades and what is best

[cad10047 0]

Hi All,

I am looking for a little help from all of those who get to use sticks and blades and one piece blades. I will start by apologizing for the long write, but I am trying to find a solution.

In short, I am trying to find a stick that can help replace what I am currently using.

Currently I just a composite shaft and blade combo. The reason I have steered away from the 1 piece is primarily cost. I usually replace blades, as this is what usually breaks for me. Shafts, not so much. Blades are much cheaper than a one piece stick.... $50 vs wayyyy more for a 1 piece. I use to buy the Easton Focus Flex (bubble technology) Drury blade (now Hall ) but this technology has seem to be discontinued. The blades are about $55 each and the shaft is around $100-110 each. So replace 1-2 blades / year is again cheaper than a one piece. Also, the shaft I use is a Easton S15 85 flex and S19 100 shaft bubble shaft. The reason for the 2 flex's is a mistake on my part. I have been playing for about 18 years now and when I started I was young and dumb and thought.... I am strong and better than I thought so I got a 100 flex. A few years ago I picked up the 85 flex and seems lighter and much easier to get added speed and strength to my slap shot and wrist shot. Obviously with the added flex instead of swinging a pipe. When I combine the "bubble " technology, which truly added more speed to my shots, and combined with the extra flex i probably picked up more mph per shot and added power.

So here is my dilema.... I am trying to find a stick that provides the extra power, like the bubble technology, and the flex of the easton S15 85 flex. My stick is many years old and just like most sports, technology tends to not have the same "kick" as newer products. Also, now Easton has backed away from the bubble technology, which truly helped my shots, and really hasn't replaced the technology with anything similar. So I am looking for shafts that can be similar or added speed on shots. In a perfect word something that is light and a flex that truly adds speed and power just by simply picking up the stick.

Now, if i can find a 1 piece that is around $150 and is light and gives extra kick, I will try. If not, a $100 shaft and $50 blade give me more cost savings than a $225+ stick. But if the only way to get this added power is to jump wayyy up in price, which i can't believe is accurate, than I will have to reconsider.

I have heard and read that the Reebok Ribcore does just this, but at $280 per stick it is very hard to stomach.

Thanks for the help

[sickwilly 37]

I'd try to find a high end, tapered shaft/blade setup. I don't think that this year's "latest and greatest" stick/shaft is a necessity for the vast majority of players. Another option is getting a high end, older model or pro stock one piece after the company's newer models have been released.

[Vet88 673]

Another approach is to buy a high end ops (1 piece stick) and then plan to convert it when the blade breaks (or buy one with a cracked / broken blade). Are the blades you are using tapered? High end sticks that are tapered and I have recently converted are Rbk 11k, 20k, Bauer TotalOne and TotalOne NXG, Easton ST, EQ50, Mako. Easton SE16's are still good to convert if you can find them. Personally I find Eastons and Rbks the easiest to convert. Stay away from Warrior with a dagger taper shaft (Widow, DT) and Easton with an elliptical shaft (S19, RS).

If you are using straight blades then you can flip any ops and put the blade in the end but this screws with the flex zones and performance of the stick. Also you can take any tapered ops and if you cut it far enough up the shaft you can fit a straight blade but again this messes with the flex zones of the stick.

There is a whole thread in the ice hockey forum about converting ops to a shaft / blade combo.

http://www.modsquadhockey.com/forums/index.php/topic/7494-cutting-ops-at-fuse-point/?hl=converting

Or hunt on eBay, there aren't many but every now and then I see a really good shaft up for sale.

If you stay the 2 piece route I'd suggest you stock up on blades. Many retail outlets have stopped stocking them and, so I am lead to believe, manufacturers are ceasing production of them. There is more money in a ops than a blade.

[cad10047 0]

Well, i have been looking online for the blades and shafts i like and no luck.

There is a local hockey company that sells shafts and blades, but nothing like I have--- that's the focus-flex/bubble technology. I believe this technology definitely lets me hit the puck harder. I have 2 buddies that play college hockey and 1 team is ranked in the top 10 and he said he easily hits the puck harder and has also looked like me, but can't find. Even from his team.

The blades are not tapered, but my question is does tapered give you the extra "umph" and let you hit harder shots with that technology?

As for flipping a shaft, yes you can do this, but again back into my original dilemma. Why pay $225+ for a shaft to only go back to the 2 piece later.

An expensive 2 piece is usually around $160 for the blade and shaft and its good product. To get the same in 1 piece it is $265+ and i have to add blades later. So why not stick to the former.

Again, i am looking for something that gives you extra power with the technology. I hit the puck hard , but anytime technology helps you why not use. Like with the bubble shaft as soon as I grabbed a bubble shaft and dropped in the flex blade+ BINGO... harder shot and heavier shot. Than i got an 85 flex and helped more.

I would say in a hypothetical setting for MPH for shots... Lets say the pros hit the puck 95 MPH and the best hit the puck about 100-105 MPH and good players hit the puck lets say 85- 90 MPH.. my slapper is around 80-85 MPH and with out the bubble/flex technology it will drop it 5-10 mph. Again, not sure if this is accurate MPH, but gives you and idea of what I am talking about.

With Easton they came out with the Mako... not even close to the flex technology.

I hope that helps.

Thank you-