Hills

Easton RS 87 Flex Parise P6 Stick History: Sherwood 9950 Wood Coffey, Bauer Supreme (Sport Chek SMU) Kane, Sherwood T70 Stastny, Winwell GX8, Easton RS Parise, Warrior AK27 , Warrior DT1LT Pavelski, Warrior DT1ST Grandlund Usage: 1 year Personal Details: Male, 6'3", 210lbs, 24 years old. Adult B-level. About me: I played hockey my life as a goalie and about 4 years ago I decided I wanted more ice time and that I wanted to skate out as a player. I had no idea what kind of stick I liked as well as what curve I liked and what flex, this was all new to me and my shot was terrible to begin with as expected. Since then I have obviously gotten better and stronger but I am still figuring out what curve/length/flex that I prefer. Preface: As you can see through my stick history this was the first high end stick I ever used, and it really opened my eyes and showed me how much of a difference a quality stick makes verses a low end budget product. I got this stick on super clearance and thus took the only stick that was my hand and ended up with an 87 flex Easton RS with a Parise curve. I play defense and had to transition from using a taller stick (I added an extension) to a normal size stick that feels slightly too small for me as I am 6'4". That said my stick handling greatly improved with this stick and that was partially because of the height, but more so because of the blade feel, balance and weight of the stick. I do not have great hands and would never consider myself a good stick handler, but my puck control has immensely improved with the RS and I am able to more easily chip the puck through and around players in the corner as my maneuverability with the stick improved so much. Grip: This particular stick is not the grip model, but the paint on it is more of a matte finish than a clear coat. I enjoy using this stick very much and the paint feels much nicer on the gloves than the clear coat of the Bauer, Sherwood, and Winwell sticks I have used as well. Perhaps that is the material it is made of but as it stands it is my second favourite stick to hold that I own (favourite is the Velvet grip on the Warrior AK27). Aesthetics: The aesthetics of the Easton RS sticks are very pleasing to me, I like the minimal use of colours and the black base with blacked out graphics. The yellow accents really gave this stick a distinct look that really caught my eye all while looking understand and not trashy. Blade/Curve: I really enjoy the blade on the Easton RS, the curve is something I experimented with and don't mind it but I do not believe it is my favourite. I learned to saucer pass and learned more advanced puck control when using this stick. This wasn't because I practiced doing so (I tried multiple times on the sticks I had before) but the blade really allow to more easily lift the puck and doing so with the Sherwood, Bauer, and Winwell is much more difficult. I find it slightly harder to receive hard passes off this stick compared to my Warriors and I believe that is do to the blade. The pucks seem to bounce slightly when receiving passes yet the feel is extremely soft and cushioned. Shooting: My shots vastly improved with this stick compared to my previous ones and that can be attributed to the quality of the Easton RS, everything from the blade to the flex allowed me to raise the puck easier and to shoot much harder. With this stick I could take quick snap shots from behind the net and rim it off the glass (something that took much effort and was hard to do with the Winwell, Sherwood, and Bauer). My wrist shots improved in accuracy but I found the biggest change was my snap shots. With the Easton I was really able to use my height to my advantage and load up the stick on a shot, which created the hardest and highest shots I've ever achieved at the time. Before this stick I had a hard time shooting over the net or up high. My slap shots also improved with the Easton RS but since I am so inconsistent with them and my slap shot is considerably better with the new Warriors I wont mention it much. Passing: Being a defenseman I have the need to make long and hard stretch passes and with the RS I gained confidence and skills to do so. The curve is good for turning wrist shots into passes and I felt extremely comfortable making hard passes. Durability: Since using this stick for over a year now the flex has obviously gotten softer. While I found the RS to be more flexible compared to my similarly rated Bauer and Sherwood I found the evidently stiffer Warriors to feel similar to the RS to the point of adjusting between the 3 takes little to no time. In comparison the Winwell is considerably more stiff than anything else I own. I preferred this stick when it was slightly stiffer as puck feel was better and my shots felt harder. But now with the softer flex wrist shots are easier to take and my shots come off the stick sooner and thus I adjust my game to include quick release shots vs more powerful shots. Also since the break down of stiffness I find stopping passes close to my feet more difficult as when the puck hits the blade I can feel the stick flex and create an sling shot like affect. Because I play defense this stick takes a bit of abuse, I get hacked often, block shots and dig along the boards. But most of the damage comes from other players as I am generally really good to my equipment and sticks and take care of them. That said there are obvious chips and scrapes all over the Easton RS and the blade has softened up a bit. But the most worrying part is the toe of the blade where it is cracked and chipped quite a lot. This comes down to normal wear and tear and I do not fault the stick at all as it has stopped slap shots, been stepped on, and jammed into the boards and I still feel comfortable using it. Feel: One thing I noticed about the Easton RS compared to my other sticks is how it feels so light it feels like I am not holding my stick. I found I always know where my blade is with my other sticks and because of the weight I end up holding the other sticks lower down when skating with 2 hands on the sticks and their blades are usually on the ice. I don't consider this a negative for the Easton RS, but rather feel it is so well balanced and the blade feels so light it feels like the stick is just a shaft. This feeling never hindered performance at all. Other: The Easton RS has a tapered shaft and my Warrior DT1LT and DT1ST both do as well. I can definitely feel a difference between the sticks that have it vs the sticks that don't. But since my only sticks with a taper are top of the line vs cheaper alternatives I don't feel I can make a good comparison or really comment on this feature any more. Closing: Since I am still unsure exactly what sticks I like I grabbed the Warriors when they were too good of a deal to pass up. When I received them I was pleasantly surprised that they are longer than the Easton RS, and being relatively tall and a defenseman I enjoy this added height. I bring this up because I have since relegated the Easton RS to 3rd/4th stick in my rotation. I like the added length of the Warriors but I have a soft spot for this Easton RS since it was my first real good (and high end) stick I ever purchased. I really really like this stick and almost want to retire it instead of using it until it breaks, which is pretty stupid of me but I am also overly sentimental. Like I said the Easton RS has a special place in my sentimental heart, that said I really enjoy using it and would recommend it to anybody (especially for the price I paid). If Easton's newest models are anything like the RS that I used I would love to use another one. Overall I'd recommend the Easton RS and enjoy using it whenever I bring it out onto the ice. I love the look of this stick, pretty understated and the grey on black is a very nice look. The yellow accents are a great touch and make it instantly recognizable. Blade is in pretty good shape minus the toe area. The look of this is fantastic as well with carbon weaves going in multiple directions. I feel this stick is pretty hard to receive passes with and believe the blade is to blame. Now when I put pressure on the blade and bend it slightly you can hear the material snapping/cracking (same noise when touching the broken part at the toe of the blade) so I am pretty sure this is what is going to go first on this stick. Basic yet attractive back of the blade. The damage done to the toe of the blade, this damage happened within the first month of use and hasn't really gotten much worse. When it happened I didn't tape the stick all the way to the toe so I am unsure if that is why this damage happened. Heel and bottom of the blade are in great shape with no damage noticeable. A player skated over my stick and left a small scratch through the blade, but no issues were caused. Damage to the shaft, just paint chipping. Another view of the shaft damage.

If you film yourself dropping down from the front I can tell you what you are doing and what needs to be changed to get the results you want. Taking pictures can help as well. I should clarify with I can point you in the right direction.

Where is the puck when you are getting beat? I find I am rarely standing when against the post and I am either in the VH position or reverse VH position. VH Position Reverse VH Position

So my teammate broke his ankle tonight in a playoff game. He got hit by 3 guys after they checked one of the girls on our team. She retaliated with a 2 hand to one of the players that did it. They then chirped him afterwards and told him to get up and said it wasn't broken. I got crossed checked multiple times that game and slashed, I slashed a guy in retaliation and they all of a sudden want to fight and say "We don't slash!" My girl friend got body checked into the boards, the refs don't care and just want to go home and never call penalties. The same team has had players kicked out multiple times over the seasons they have played. One of their players last summer sucker punched one of our girl players in the head after a whistle, I have video of that... I hate this, I didn't play the final part of the game because I didn't feel safe and didn't feel it was worth it. I couldn't tell my girl friend no so I sat on the bench in case anything happened to her. This is supposed to be fun recreational hockey and these guys cross checked and pull this crap all the time. I get frustrated easily, but I usually just rant and complain... it really takes a lot to make me retaliate and do something and tonight I actually slashed someone... Worst part is my friend now can't work with a broken ankle. He has kids and has to pay for hospital bills and rehabilitation for it not to mention the countless hours of waiting at the fracture clinic. All because people take this shit too seriously... Here is the clip just because I am a whiny ass... http://youtu.be/t9uwUYy0Jbk?t=3m53s

Just an adult rec league in the lowest division. It is full guys that have ridiculous tempers and still pretend hockey means something. The higher up you go division wise the less chippy and stupid it becomes, but we don't have the team to move up higher. I played in a lower skilled league in the area and the higher you went in that (I was in the top 2 divisions) the dirtier it got. Every time I skated by their defence I'd get a 2 hand to the hands or ribs. The refs all just want the games to end asap so never call enough penalties.

I found out the hard way that buying the correct fitting shoulder pads should be your number 1 priority as opposed to price. Well that or get out of the way of shots, while this isn't THAT THAT bad it still hurts. I also can't stand people who take adult hockey so seriously. Last night I had 4 attempted slew foots, 6 pretty vicious cross checks, a guy who missed my head with his shoulder by a inch. On top of that I took a knee directly to the front of my knee after I tapped the puck off of somebody and yesterday I couldn't put weight on it and today I walk with a limp... So what we were competing against you and you were the number 1 team... we aren't out there to injure people or attack people why are you?

Weird photo of my legs but only one I got of these... I wanted to try a tighter fitting glove so I got these when they were on sale for about $30. They are the most comfortable glove I have ever worn and the protection seems top notch with either plastic or very hard foams all throughout the backhand and finger protection of the glove. Very impressed. A few weird design choices but I am very happy with the purchase nonetheless. Sherwood N10, I believe they are the same as the Rekker EK9.

We just lost to 5 players. We had a full bench. 2 of the players tonight play Junior B hockey (level 1 lower than OHL). That team normally has 3 Junior B players (one of which has Ice Dogs stuff as I am pretty sure he has been a call up) in Division 4 out of 4. We have players that played house league their whole lives or started a few years ago. Our best is a guy who player AAA 10 years ago. Every shift they want to score they do. But they then don't try and just pass the puck around for entire time they are on the ice. But a bunch of my teammates are okay with it because "it was close" but they fail to understand that if we get within 1 or 2 goals they are just going to score another the next shift they decide to put effort in. It is ridiculous, I never care about winning and would rather lose every game and have a good battle than win every one by 5. Evidently it takes nothing to piss me off as I am furious and pissed. No one will bitch and complain because that takes effort in writing an email. They serious take the fun out of adult hockey. One of the players also took a shot from the blue line that I caught 3 feet over my head. I am 6'5 on skates... the game was already over at that point and his shot broke 2 players stick that game already and left a welt on another players leg after he took a snap shot right at him.

Except when the other team runs 3 lines and you lose all your energy. But I do agree with you. I let in 13 (or 14 can't remember) goals against tonight! 6 in the top division (Div 1) and 7 in the bottom division (Div 4)... big difference in quality of play there!

I know the feeling. I played on a bunch of individual's teams and they were basically like this. The team I am on now is the bottom division but they seem semi competent when it comes to figuring out lines (at least I think as I am defence and don't have to deal with that).

Man, how can people be so incompetent. Sounds like someone else has to step up and say "who gives a shit, random lines at the beginning and have fun"

Why do Ex-OHLers and current OHLers decide that they should play in Division 4 summer hockey? Shouldn't they be in the top division with the University players and other pros/semi-pros? Does scoring 4 goals and having 7 points in a 7 goal game on a bunch of guys who never played anywhere of merit make you feel like you accomplished something? The goalie you scored on was 5'2 and a female (no offence but it does matter). Not only that, but it was 5-1... why did you need to score again 2 more times?

Well looks like a bunch of posts were lost here... and I got new gloves again so I figured I'd post them! Got these Simmons gloves a few weeks ago. I always hear people say amazing things about Simmons equipment so I figured I'd try them out and see if they are worth the hype. First thing I noticed, considering the blocker is basically a clone of the Vaughn blocker, the quality and protection of the Simmons blocker is no where close to the Vaughn glove. Just received these Vaughn gloves and figured I'd get a picture of my new CCM Extreme Flex Pro glove as well.

I know the Reactor is a softer boot than the Supreme line. The Supreme is more like the Bauer Pro model and the Reactors are similar to the old One100 model.