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There are also companies that claim to have incorporated wood into their more modern stick designs (e.g., the old Louisville Tricore or the Verbero Cypress). My sense is that those experiments met with little success. The reason I had asked in the first place was that I don't care about a gimmicky paint job but worry if there's a gimmicky addition to the stick structurally. And, there's precedent for such gimmicky additions.

That's what I guessed, but many thanks for the confirmation

Has anyone tried one of the "Wood Grain" or "Wood Line" sticks? https://prostockhockeysticks.com/collections/pro-stock-sticks/products/limited-edition-wood-grain-pro-stock-hockey-stick-right?variant=42235366146294 I'm wondering if they're the same as the usual models but with different graphics or if there's any non-cosmetic difference.

Agree w/boo10 completely. Different curves definitely make different objectives easier or are better suited to different techniques. But the big open heel curve or the closed toe curve and everything in between can be great shooter's curve. The challenge (or fun part) is figuring out what you like to do and which curve makes that easier. One of the big things I miss about the days of wooden sticks or 2-piece combos was that experimenting with different patters was such an easy thing to do and was such a low-cost proposition. To the OP's question, I think that cost makes us all more reliant on that gobbledygook - it's harder and more expensive to try out new patterns, kickpoints, etc., so we lean on descriptions. (One reason that this site and all of the thoughtful or knowledgeable folks who post here are such a boon!) On the p88 v. p28 question, I don't love either of them but prefer the P28 for shooting because I find that a more open curve works better for my shooting style and makes picking the top corners easier.

By way of clarification, I think that a reference to "black sticks" in this context could mean one of a few things: 1) A stick from prohockeystickes.com, as suggested by krisdrum. Check out the recent thread - the reviews seem to be pretty strong and my sense is that the big selling point is access to hard-to-find curves. 2) A "blacked out" or otherwise graphics-free stick from hockeystickman, prostockhockey, or some other retailer. My sense is that these can be a bit of a crapshoot in terms of quality. I've never purchased one of the sticks, but I have purchased "blacked out" shafts and blades in the past and found them to be relatively disappointing, even at a lower price point. 3) A stick from "Allblackhockeysticks." These are budget-friendly (~$90) sticks that have no graphics or branding and are marketed towards beer league consumers. I tried a teammate's at some point in the past and found it serviceable, but not anywhere near as good as a pro stock or older model high-end stick. In other words, it played like a budget-friendly stick. My sense is that you're talking about #2, but I hope that these descriptions help w/the confusion

Unfortunately, heel curves have gotten much harder to find over the years. I've had better luck finding these patterns (Drury, Lidstrom, etc.) among the pro stock offerings on SLS or ebay. Also, the recent thread on prostockhockeysticks.com might be worth checking out - I haven't tried their sticks yet, but the prospect of easier access to a range of unusual or hard-to-find curves is a big draw.

Yes. Like xstartxtodayx, I have pretty consistently for many years

1) Bauer Supreme 8090 - I wish I had stockpiled these when there were still pairs available online. +1 to everyone who has put these as their all-time favorites 2) Bauer Supreme 5000 (the 2000 version) - the year that Bauer returned to the white Tuuk holders and introduced the 7000 as the top of the line. I just remember these being the perfect combination of stiffness and comfort at the time. 3) Bauer Vapor 10 - I remember getting these on the day they came into my LHS. Chock-full of gimmicks (the perforated steel, etc.), but I still loved them. 4) Graf 703 - Fit like nothing else. Also, I had them in the days when they came with the Tuuks and yellow laces and they remain some of my favorite looking skates other than the Mega Air 90s (weird taste, I guess?) 5) Graf 705 - These were tanks. I haven't worn Grafs for many years, but still miss the tongues.

I definitely see the resemblance to the CXN. I appreciate how much easier it is than it used to be to change steel in new holders of all brands, but I'm curious how often folks actually swap out steel. I understand, of course, if a blade breaks. And maybe once or twice if you want to try to find the right steel for you. But, I'm curious if changing steel mid-game "to maintain performance" is actually a thing that happens, or it's just marketing lingo.

Am I missing something, or does the customer pay for shipping costs for traditional returns as well as the 14-day guarantee? The site mentions a "full refund," but STX doesn't seem to provide a shipping label. Thanks!

These sound great. Do you know how the shoulder caps are connected to the rest of the pad. On my "classic-style" Bauers, the caps are connected to the main torso pads, but not to the bicep pads - i.e., the shoulders "float." I recently tried the STX Surgeons where the shoulder caps were connected to both torso and bicep, which I found much more restrictive of movement. Just curious what the setup is w/the Tacks.

My 50% order arrived yesterday. I had tried a pair of the Surgeon RX3 elbows, the RX3 shins, and the RX3 shoulder pads. Initial thoughts: Shipping was very fast, build quality on all the product seems quite good on first inspection, and sizing strikes me as consistent with the charts on the site (and also fairly consistent w/other manufacturers, which is huge given that there gear can't be tried on in stores). That said, I have mixed feelings about the pads themselves. Elbows: my favorite of the bunch. Quite flexible and more comfortable than anything I've tried on other than Warriors. And, unless I'm mistaken, they're a bit shorter than the Warriors, which is a plus for anyone worried about potential issues w/glove mobility. I particularly liked the 360 strap on the forearm, although I do have some worries about how the sleeve will hold up. Shoulders: These were the big disappointment for me. I was hoping for something a bit more protective than 5030s or one of the "classic" pads, but that still was light, comfortable, and flexible. They were light and relatively low-profile, but I didn't find them particularly comfortable or flexible. Something about the way the shoulder caps were attached made it uncomfortable for me to raise my arms. Shins: Unfortunately, these are going to be a return for me. They're light, relatively low-profile, and seem quite protective. Fit was solid, but to OldCY's post, the calf pads are massive. I have skinny calves, but the calf pads are huge and quite inflexible, so I only would recommend for folks w/larger calves or who would be untroubled by a pad that sticks out substantially in back.

Many thanks! I had assumed based on the review that you had gone w/the medium, but thanks for clarifying. And, many thanks for all of the extremely helpful feedback on the STX gear overall

Very helpful - thanks!

About to do the same. One question: Curious if anyone has thoughts on shoulder sizing (for the Surgeon RX3) for folks between sizes. I'm in the large in terms of height, but on the skinny size. Tempted to go with medium so I can take better advantage of the lower profile/form fitting features of the pads. I know this question came up earlier in the thread, so just checking back it.

Any chance you've tried the STX surgeon shins? There's a big sale on their site, and I'm tempted to try them out.

I'm trying to decide between Vapor and Supreme shins. I like the Supremes, but I haven't been able to try on the Vapors in the right size. I'd go with the Supremes, except that I wear my tongues out, and I get the sense based on reviews and product descriptions that the Vapors might be a lower profile, making it more comfortable to wear them under, rather than over tongues. Does anyone have experience with both lines? Any advice would be appreciated greatly.

After a lot of agonizing, I wound up ordering the JAMM girdle. It just arrived today, so I haven't skated in it yet. But on first examination and after trying it on, it seems almost exactly like my old Tackla. The only difference (other than branding) is the butt pad (not the technical term, I realize), which feels more like the pads on more modern girdles than like the old-school Tacklas - i.e., multiple pads, rather than a single one. I obviously can't speak to the quality yet or on-ice performance, but I will say that I'm very pleased with the fit and prefer the feel and profile to the True, Bauer, and CCMs that I've tried on. Here's hoping that it holds up. And, regardless, I'll share my impressions once I skate in it.

Update on the girdle: I tried Eagle, but told me that they hadn't made girdles in eight years but couldn't help me out. I'm currently thinking I might go with the True or try the JAMM. I worry about the JAMM because it's an unknown brand, but if it really is the same as the Tackla, that's something I know and like. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to try on the True. But, based on some posts on here and the photos, I get the sense that it's similar to the Warrior, but a bit more adjustable and has a bit more protection. I liked the Warrior, but I didn't love the thigh pads, which struck me as a bit too wide (i.e., they felt like they could/should have been more curved to get the girdle, rather than pant, feel). I wonder if the adjustability in the Warriors would solve this issue.

They definitely are longer than my Jofas! It's hard to believe that I used to wear wrist slash guards because there was so much space between most elbows and the short-cuff gloves that I liked. Times have changed. Fortunately, my Eagle PPFs have a very short cuff. Even with that, it's close. I wish the Warrior elbows were about a half inch shorter, particularly because I don't play in the chippiest league. That said, I think the mobility should be ok for me. And, the off chance of a bit of cuff brushing on pad seems worth the general advantage in flexibility that the Warriors seem to have over every other elbow pad I tried. If there were a comfortable and flexible pad that exposed a bit of forearm, I'd gladly go with that. But all of the smaller pads I tried also weren't very comfortable and actually felt more restrictive than the Warriors. Maybe the STX Surgeons that folks have recommended would do the trick?

How have you found the sizing on the True XC9? I've seen some folks note that it runs long, but I was curious if you'd found that to be the case

+1. I used to skate on Grafs and loved them, but I've read all the accounts of declining quality and, sadly, it's become pretty hard to find them in a lot of shops. So, insight from someone with recent hands-on experience would be great.

Great idea. Which girdle of theirs have you been wearing?

Is anyone familiar with the JAMM girdles? I found a couple online (e.g. https://www.hockeydogs.com/j5000g.html). They look a lot like the Tackla, which is tempting...

I've worn Eagle gloves for years, and am always pleased to come across other Eagle fans. The shoulder pads look great - thanks for the suggestion! Based on photos, the Eagle girdle looks spot on - exactly like the Tacklas of the past. Sadly, I can't find them for sale anywhere, other than a stray pair on Sideline Swap.