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They last longer than my attention span before wanting a new stick

Where to begin... QRL were a great idea but the foams were way too soft/weak for protection and the finger pieces weren't sewn tight enough together so massive gaps appeared and sticks could easily get between them. QX glove was basically the exact same as above. QRE fixed a bunch of the foam protection issues but went down to 3 piece backhand padding. Which isn't the end of the world but annoying. DX fixed most of what was wrong with QX, it was a solid glove. QRE 10 put 1 GIANT piece of foam/plastic in the backhand which conflicts with how hands actually move. Flex cuff was more open which I think is a step backwards but is fine. FR Pro & LX Pro... killed off the solid DX to make a cheaper in everything FR Pro. Which is pretty disappointing all around, meh foams, 2 piece fingers, restrictive cuff. LX Pro is the glove no one really asked for, with good foams and overall design but a way too restrictive cuff. I think the QR5 Pro glove is probably solid, but I haven't seen it yet. The problem with Warrior now is there is just more competition for them as well. CCM still makes solid stuff, Bauer makes okay stuff, True makes excellent gloves, Sherwood even makes really good gloves. So they have to do something actually good and decent to warrant anyone going to them.

I was going to suggest the "skip the second form the top" eyelet xstartxtodayx mentions above. Both my son and I do this. Feels like the best of both worlds for stability vs. forward flex.

There is also a rink in Sunbury but it is closed in the summer. Those 4 rinks are it for the area unless you want to drive to Harrisburg or Reading. Good luck

This is the WB Pens practice rink. Start here, hopefully a rink or league manager can help you. There are probably rinks closer to Danville, ask them if they have list of local rinks to the area. Good luck. https://toyotasportsplex.com/

You could look at the nittany hockey league in state college or at revolution ice center in pittston. I think coal street rink in Wilkes barre also had a beer league.

Catalyst is worth a look. It’s out in a month. True boot that’s supposed to rival Hyperlight and JS4 in weight with softer facing, flex tendon guard, and reduced volume toecap. What size Makos do you wear and how light are they, out of curiosity?

That I don’t know unfortunately. But if I had to base it on the release cycle I’d say a year’ish & some is what I’d put my money on.

85 flex is the safest flex for someone with the weight and shooting style to properly use an 85 flex. Saying it’s a safe fit for everyone is like saying “just buy a medium t-shirt, it will fit you” while not knowing anything about the person buying a shirt.

About 10 hours on usage weekly, so roughly 160 hours of actual usage. I do think they test this, but thats more for durability and not the stick "losing pop."

I do the same. It works extremely well.

I lace to the top but skip the second eyelet from the top. I started this a while ago after skates started becoming much stiffer than they were in the 90's and I felt like I couldn't get enough flex (and skipping the top felt too loose), this method seemed to be the perfect option for me. There was a similar thread on here years ago where it was discussed, many pros use this method as well (Crosby is the one I can remember but I know I've seen others as well).

For me, like 3-4 months playing 3-4 times a week, adult leagues and pick ups. It’s usually not so much the pop, it’s that the blade gets soft and I can flex it with my hand. (maybe that also means my form sucks and the blade it getting more torque than the shaft is flexing, so the blade goes quicker)

Do you mean the retail Team sticks that are like the 3rd or 4th model down, or the prostock Team sticks that are sold to juniors level teams, like CCM Jetspeed Team sticks that are rebranded ribcores/triggers.

I just find that after a few months the pop isn't the same. I'm not a heavy shooter or anything and it seems odd. Using pro stock True sbp 6.0 sticks.

I've been using the FT3 Team stick and see no reason to spend more on a stick. Performance, balance and durability have all been excellent. Got it on sale for <$100 CAD.

I usually purchase pro stocks, 95-100 flex. I'm 6'4 230 lbs and have a decent shot for a 44 year old men's league player. I play D and clappers / one timers from the point are my go to, followed by snap shots, then wristers. I play twice a week usually and I'd say about 6-7 months in and I can tell difference in the pop. By a year ( if the stick hasn't snapped or been chopped to death during play ) its usually done in my opinion.

I'd argue it's not the curve doing the everything...

Not to throw a monkey wrench in your design, but how a flex feels can change based on kick point The first thing I'd do is figure out exactly what you feel your stick does well and what it doesn't. What do you like about your shots (of all types), passes (both giving and receiveng of all kinds), handles, etc. and what don't you like? What do you think you want to improve and what don't you want to lose? You'll be able to get a sense of how each part of the stick affects your game. Then I'd think hard about how you play. What position do you play? What is your best stick attribute? Where do you take most shots from, how far from the net? What type of shot do you take most? Do you make a lot of saucer passes? Do you take a lot of faceoffs? What is the most important and least important stick skill in your game? This will let you figure out what you need most in a stick. Be honest and reasonable with these. Don't expect to get a new stick/curve and all of a sudden have a 100 mph slapshot or Patrick Kane dangles. Also understand that retail sticks and curves have strengths and weaknesses and you'll probably have tradeoffs. You're not going to be able to all of a sudden be able to do everything well. It's best to focus on what you do most and get a stick that will help with those attributes, ie don't get an amped midkick stick because you want the one slapshot a game you take to be harder. And if all else fails, get a Jetspeed Team stick in your flex with a P90TM curve. That would be about as middle of the road as you can get. It's a hybrid (dual) kick point shaft with a blade that is a mix of just about every retail curve. You can find them on Sideline swap for pretty cheap, and it performs pretty well for the price. This way you can fine tune from there.

Just sharing what I know, nothing more nothing less. Bauer is already out of these. They'll be printing money with each re-release now, if they weren't sure before.

I get good lift on my back hand with a w10 and a w28. Just got to know when you’re doing

I think you need to work on your shooting mechanics. I cant see how this is an issue with the curve, lie, or stick.

I don’t see Graf as a ‘major’ brand anymore.

As many of you know I had some significant heart issues this year. Three procedures leading to 5 stents. It took a bit but I’ve been really doing well now and am back on the ice and feeling great. Now today got more good news. Sonogram showed the blockages of my carotid artery dropped from 20% to 10%. Can apply that same 50% drop to the arteries feeding my heart. So happy the dietary changes and meds have worked. I feel like I’ve got my life back!!