tcraig

@sbisson91 those look phenomenal. Are they a custom order? Also, in your pic it looks like the steel isn't quite fully into the holder - is that just from not having it tightened back in all the way? Holder definitely looks interesting.

First and foremost, a huge thanks to JR and the folks over at TRUE for setting me up with a review stick – it’s deeply appreciated! Second – apologies for this review taking longer than anticipated to get started. Health, family, holidays, and an issue with the initial review stick I’d received have all come together and resulted in me only just getting to get two skates in with it this past week (one stick/puck and one game). Things should normalize a bit now though, so looking forward to getting more time in with it. Stick Specs: - 85 flex - TC4 pattern (P28 equivalent) - Grip My Specs: - 27 years old - 5’11” - 215 lbs - Shoots left - Defenseman – jumps into the rush occasionally, loves dropping clappers from the point. Wrist and snapshots also acceptable, but not as fun ;) - Plays twice a week on average year round, A/B league. Recent sticks used: ­- 2016 True A6.0 SBP - True XC9 ACF - CCM SuperTacks 2.0 - Warrior QRL - Warrior Alpha QX First Impressions: Taking this stick out of its packaging, I was struck by how similar it immediately felt to the 2016 version of the A6.0 SBP, which is one of my favorite sticks to date. That’s not a bad thing at all, and shouldn’t really be notable – but without using the stick, I wouldn’t have doubted it if you told me the only thing that had changed between the two versions was the graphic package. The great balance from the 2016 model definitely carries over here, and it feel phenomenal in the hand. The “stickiness” of the grip is slightly different – not quite as sticky feeling but still pleasantly tacky. Back to the graphics for a second – they’re a nice update to the classic True design. Clean, understated, and classy. The hits of silver on the black carbon on the faces, with a blue accent bar running down the underside of the shaft all look fantastic. Well done yet again. As is par for the course with True, the stick arrives slightly longer than the Warrior/Bauer standard retail length. I usually use those sticks at full length, so I trimmed the extra ~1.5” off of the SBP to keep things consistent. The stick that’s been getting the most attention from me as of late is the Warrior QRL, so I untapped that fully to do a weight/feel comparison. On the scale, when cut to equal lengths my QRL is slightly lighter, coming in at 406 grams. The 2018 SBP tips the scales at 414 grams – nothing noticeable at all, but slightly heavier. However, holding one after another, the phenomenal balance of the A6.0 SBP is immediately noticeable – the slightly lighter QRL feels blade-heavy in comparison. That QRL is the same specs (85 flex, grip, w28), which made for an interesting discovery – the TC4 pattern true offers is not a direct p28 clone. It’s very close, but the TC4 blade is slightly longer, begins to open up more a little more towards the heel, and has a slightly deeper initial heel curve than the w28. It’s not a huge change, but it is definitely noticeable…and I like it better! The p/w28 has always seemed to me to be similar to a p91a/Drury curve at the heel, which transitions to a toe curve. In comparison, the TC4 almost seems more like a p02/Lidstrom at the heel, plus toe. True TC4 on left, Warrior w28 on right - you can see the curve in the TC4 heel is a bit deeper: Top down blade comparison - True TC4 on the left, Warrior w28 on the right. You can see the TC4 is a touch longer, as well as how it starts to open up a bit closer to the heel than the w28: That deeper heel pocket makes it a little more versatile for the way I like to play, and it’s a blast to shoot with. Toe pull snapshots are still great, slapshots come off the heel well, and “older” style full motion wrist shots are easier for me to do with this than a p28. The only downside is I need to make a little more of a conscious effort to keep slapshots low with the TC4 compared to the p28, but since I’m not my forwards standing in front of the net, it’s something I’m fine with ;) The other thing I’m having to adjust to is the stick’s flex rating. Remember in the beginning I’d said that when taking it out of the package and holding it, I’d believe you if you told me it was just a new graphic package on the 2016 A6.0 SBP? Well, I immediately know the difference when shooting with it. I’ve always felt that line played whippier than rated by around 5 flex points, similar to the QRL. That’s not the case here – the 2018 version plays as stiff as rated…I’d actually peg it as slightly stiffer. It’s definitely an 85+ in terms of flex – if you used to go up a flex tier with the 2016 line from what you usually used, I’d recommend going with your normal flex this time around. This 85 flex feels like a true 85 flex, not a 77-80 flex. It caught me off guard the first time I used it since everything else felt so familiar to the 2016 line, but isn’t an issue. The flex profile seems to be the same as the 2016 SBP line, just a little stiffer. That actually came in handy with slapshots – I’d noticed that the one weakness with the 2016 line for me was I’d sometimes feel the shaft torque open a bit on heavy slapshots, which hasn’t been an issue at all here – that extra lower shaft stiffness seems to be helping keep it nice and tight. More thoughts to follow as I get more playing time in, but so far it’s seeming like this year’s entry into the SBP lineup is off to a great start!

They're...fine? One of my holders cracked after a few weeks blocking a shot, and I ended up switching to Tuuks. Keep in mind they're pretty forward pitched. I believe the holder is +2 and the steel is +1, but I could be off on that.

Nice! I'm eagerly awaiting that...my first production estimate got pushed back in the latest delay to Jul-Sept, which probably puts it far enough back that I'll be tempted to wait to see if dual motor configs open up for me early enough for the full credit. Fingers crossed they somehow don't hit 200k US deliveries until July 1st or later!

@Buddy Step Black is love, Step Black is life.

Are you using the same stick in each scenario? If so it could just be the height difference between being on skates and not while using the same stick length. That would also change the lie of the blade on the ice compared to off skates, since the added few inches of height would change that angle if the stick length remains the same.

Sucks that you had that issue. For what it's worth, my blacksteel fits in my LS Edge holders tighter than the set of LS3 that I have, in terms of getting it in/out.

Not sure on the sizing vs an IMS9.0 but the cage will work fine (I'm running a 710 with re-akt cage).

Womp womp

Just curious, any word on the Ovi pro pattern making an appearance? I've wanted to mess around with it for awhile, but as a lefty I can't exactly grab one of his prostock sticks and give it a go ;)

That's my bet as well - this pic from the Warrior twitter account a bit back points to that as well. https://imgur.com/sfkHg3T

T8 is the pro equivalent to the retail AlphaQX. Other codes for build construction in warrior are T3 (true one-piece, low kick i.e. dagger taper), T4 (true1, higher kickpoint than T3 and no dagger taper), F4 (fused stick, mid-kick -- think Dynasty), and G3 (cannot remember what the rep said). There are also sometimes blade construction letters -- L being lightened, X being stiffened, etc. QR designates newer materials that are supposed to be more durable. So, for example a T3QRL stick would be a True1 construction, with the new blade materials, and lighter blade foams (probably the closest to a retail Covert QRL in terms of pro construction). If someone here knows more details (or sees that I misunderstood something I was told), please correct me!

Huh, that hasn't been my experience with my QX. I don't feel it's the hottest blade I've used since I'm all about pingy blades, but it doesn't feel dead at all when shooting.

Not sure how I missed the catalog post going up. The Alpha sticks look great in my opinion, and I've been really happy with the QX's performance after adapting to a different curve. I do have a question regarding the QX gloves - if you go custom, what elements of each glove tier are found in the Alpha QX Pro option? I'd assume elements of the retail of the QX and QX Pro since the gloves are no longer a custom retail spec, but was hoping you might be able to spell out the differences so I'd know what I'm getting into if I ordered a pair. Apologies if I missed that in the QX glove thread awhile ago.

I also love my HDO Pro Clip visor, but would welcome improved scratch resistance - hoping these new lenses are compatible.

I also picked up a 710 this past week, will get my first skate with it in on Sunday but I've been wearing it around the house some to make sure there aren't any pressure points, etc. So far I'm loving it, the way that the foam sort of molds to your head makes it super comfy.

My favorite stick of all time, in that flex and curve...if you decide you just can't stand looking at any of them anymore, shoot me a message and I'll happily take the burden of them off your hands ;)

Wishing you guys the best JR - I'm glad to hear they caught it early on. And congratulations on getting hitched - an 11 day turnaround on that is pretty damn impressive!

Totally agree for the most part. Tried on the super tacks and they fit me very well, and I have the opportunity to pick up a pair for a ridiculously low price. So just thought I'd check and see if they hold up a bit better in the protection department.

For you guys that are skating in SuperTacks now, how are you finding the protection? I love my Makos, but they seem to offer exactly no protection for my feet against shots. Shots to the quarter that I never would have felt in my One95's are borderline debilitating in the Makos...

Thanks for pointing this out, just noticed one of my holders is totally shattered back by the heel. If you only need the holders and not steel, they seem to have a lot of sizes left of the holder only, which are currently 9.99 each. I'm going to order an extra pair so I've got one on reserve, since I much prefer the aggressive stance of the CXN holders over Tuuks...

About Me Height: 5’11” Weight: 215 lbs Skate size: 9.5D Foot type: Normal forefoot, narrow heel Level: Currently adult A/B league, on the ice at least twice each week. Use period: 5 months After a many year hiatus from hockey, I finally got myself back on the ice this past summer and decided that I should treat myself to some new skates. Growing up, Easton skates always fit me the best, and I used older Synergy skates (can’t remember the model) and then my first year playing Junior hockey (just C and B), I went into the Stealth S12’s. Those were the second-tier skate the year Easton released the S15’s, which I was advised to stay away from by my LHS due to my size and powerful stride (I’m about the same size as I was back then in high school, now with a much less powerful stride…). Well…the S12’s didn’t fare much better for me, and after a season they were pretty much destroyed. In search of a stiffer, more durable boot, I moved into Bauer Supreme One95’s. They were great skates, and what I used in my intermittent time on the ice from then until this year, when I grabbed the Mako M8’s on closeout. One thing that I could never get used to with the One95’s was the pitch – I missed the aggressive forward pitch of the S12’s, and wanted to get back to that. Enter the M8. Fit – 10/10 If you don’t know the deal with Mako, they were what came from the acquisition of MLX by Easton. This resulted in the unique fitting properties of this line of skates, which are typically very uncomfortable (or borderline unable to be squeezed into) for most people until the skates are baked. Upon baking, these skates become more pliable than any other skate that I’ve encountered - some people described them as being like Play-doh in consistency after baking, and I’d agree with that assessment. Before the bake, I could barely squeeze my foot into the boot, but once it was inside it was actually surprisingly comfortable, which I took as a great sign. After baking the skates and sitting with them on and laced for about half an hour (I baked them at a total hockey that had the NHL network going on TV, so I wasn’t in any rush to stand up), these skates were by far the best fitting skates I’ve ever worn. There is basically no negative space inside the boot, and that even extends into the toecap, where there is foam that comes down from the top and fills some space. That was new for me, but I like it -- I used to have a bad tendency of curling my toes when skating, and these made that go away quickly due to the fact that as soon as I started to curl them, I’d feel them touch the top of the toe cap and I remembered to flatten them out. Now they don’t start to curl, and I feel like I transfer some more power into the boot and therefore the ice when skating hard. My One95’s fit me really well, but these are on another level. Blade/Holder -- 9/10 8/10 After skating on my One95’s it was great to get back into the Easton way of doing holders. These have a pretty aggressive forward pitch, which I could never seem to match with profiling on my One95’s. Even though I play defense, I really prefer being up on my toes as opposed to neutral, as I always felt a bit like I was back on my heels throughout my time on the One95’s. While I’d gotten used to the more neutral position on those skates, it felt like “coming home” as soon as I stepped on the ice in these, and I never looked back. The holder has two screws, and the skates include the correct tools to loosen or tighten them to swap out the steel if needed. These tend to loosen up a bit and produce a “clicking” sound when walking around off the ice, but don’t seem to have any negative effects when skating. I tighten them once every few sessions when I remember, but since it hasn’t caused any issues I doubt they loosen themselves up enough to be an actual problem when playing. In terms of the blade itself, these don’t seem to hold onto an edge quite as long as the LS2 steel from my One95’s. I’m also skating at a different rink than I was with the One95’s, so the ice could play a factor here. I do notice that the edges seem to get slight burrs or little nicks more frequently than my LS2 steel did, and I don’t think that’s due to the ice conditions being different. I suppose there could be more debris embedded into the mats at this rink, but I’m not sure. I’m knocking a point off here for the reduced edge longevity compared to the LS2 steel. Structurally, the holder and steel seem sound, and I’m a huge fan of that aggressive holder pitch. UPDATE: Just went through my gear and saw that the holder on the left skate has cracked through at the front of the rear tower. I honestly don't remember ever blocking a shot/pass with the my left foot while I've had the skates, and looking at the crack I can't see a clear point of impact (no spiderwebbing or anything from any one spot), so I'm hoping this is just a fluke. I've initiated a warranty claim on the holder, and am interested to hear back on what they say. In the mean time I've ordered another pair of holders, since they're getting hard to find. Knocking another point off of this section for the bizarre breakage (I've never broken a holder before, and I've blocked plenty of shots throughout my hockey "career"). UPDATE 2: Wanted to touch base and update based on the holder replacement situation. Apparently, there's no getting another CXN holder in my future. Stock is apparently pretty depleted, especially in common sizes - at least that's the message I got. I ended up swapping the holders out with some Tuuk LS2's...grudgingly. My LHS did a small heel lift and profiled the steel to mimic the forward lean of the CXN holders/steel, and they did a great job, and I adjusted quickly. I'm not changing my final score here, as it does not change my opinion on the skate. Weight/Protection -- 7/10 In terms of weight, these probably aren’t the lightest skates on the market, but do not feel noticeably heavier in any way than my One95’s. Therefore, I’d put them firmly in the acceptable category for a high-end skate, and they’re especially impressive if you’re grabbing them now while they’re being closed out -- you can find them for around $220 out the door at several places if you look for them and grab them with a coupon code. At that price, I’d imagine that they’re lighter than most of the entry/mid level quality skates on the market. If this category was just based on weight, I’d rate them a solid 9. Protection is the only area that I’m really disappointed with these skates. I’ve always been pretty fearless when it comes to blocking shots, which I don’t do nearly as often because, well, beer league. However, sometimes you still take a shot off of the ankle, or in my case, a decent saucer pass. I took a pass off of my ankle bone that seriously turned half of my foot purple...this was the kind of thing that I wouldn’t have even felt in my One95’s, and it dropped me in the M8’s. I’m pretty sure that it would have felt the same if I’d taken that puck on my ankle just under jeans with no protection. Seriously, if you block shots frequently at anywhere near a high level, look into skate fenders. If this section was only based on protection, it’d be a 5. Maybe. Durability -- 10/10 I’ve been playing at least two or three times a week since I got these, and other than the laces they look brand new. There are no stitches pulling, no scuffs from pucks or skates, and no evidence of the holder rivets rusting out or pulling. I’m thoroughly delighted with the durability of the skates so far, especially with my weight. They’re as stiff as they were on day 1, and I have full confidence that they’ll last several years before breaking down at all. Even the tongue looks brand new; there is no evidence of any damage, and I haven’t had any lace bite a single time I’ve skated. Color me impressed. Intangibles -- N/A The look on these could be polarizing I guess, as it has a kind of “webbed” look of the black over the grey. I like the look, but I could see people not liking it. Also, it definitely looks a bit different compared to a traditional skate boot - some of that speedskating MLX inspiration is evident if you look for it. Again, I like that it’s a bit different, but for the traditionalist it might not be their cup of tea. Also, as a Syracuse University alum, I really like the orange accents! Conclusion -- 9/10 (36/40) 8.75/10 (35/40) Overall, these are my favorite skates that I’ve ever worn. The perform well, are durable, and fit better than I’d imagined was possible for skates. The protection is...lacking...but I’m not playing in the NHL, I’m playing with a bunch of guys that get together a few times a week to have some fun, play some hockey, and drink some beer. I’d recommend that anyone in the market for new skates give the Mako line a look, especially the M8 as the price/performance ratio at the current price-point is pretty incredible. While I don’t believe that any one skate will be the perfect fit for everyone, I think that the extremely moldable nature of the boot makes it able to accommodate a wider variation of foot types from the original mold than a traditionally constructed skate could. For me, these are almost the perfect skate, and I think they’re one of the best hockey-related equipment investments I’ve ever made. UPDATE: I'm no longer skating in the Mako M8s for serious play. The combination of the lack of shot protection and a buddy of mine looking to sell a pair of SuperTacks (which I fit well into) at a steal brought an end to the Mako M8 era for my feet. I still wear them once in awhile at stick/puck and open skate, but this is likely the last update I'll be giving here on their performance. I plan on writing up a review of the SuperTacks once I have had more time in them, and will draw some comparisons there to these.

Speaking of the Lidstrom (retail) curve, anybody know of a clone with a round toe? The Drury/p91a curves are all wegdes as opposed to an actual heel curve in my opinion. The closest I found was the Bauer p106, but it isn't the same...I'm tempted to sand one of my old Lidstrom sticks down at the toe just to round it out and send it in to see if they could do a mold if enough people were interested. I'd love to get my hands on that...

I'd be interested, especially in LH. I've been wanting to pick up something crazy like this to mess around with for awhile.

About Me Height: 5’11” Weight: 215 lbs Shoots: Left While I played at a relatively competitive level growing up (Junior C and B were as high as I got), once I went off to college in my hockey career pretty much stalled. Now that I'm finishing up graduate school, have a real job, and FINALLY have my priorities straight (beer league above all else...duh!), I'm back to being on the ice at a minimum of twice each week and am back to my hockey equipment-nerd ways. I was always an Easton guy growing up as far as sticks go, but the new stuff they had put out just didn't get me fired up like their old stuff did (Stealth CNT master-race!). Wandering through the local Total Hockey, I found the new-to-me True sticks. When I picked up the A6.0, it was like magic - it was the closest thing I've felt in awhile to having that more concave-shaft with raised corners and fantastic balance that I remember from the old CNT's. I knew I was going home with one, so I didn't fight it -- I picked up a left-handed, 85 flex, HCR pattern A6.0 and high-tailed it to the rink for stick and puck. Blade - 7/10 Back when I played a lot, the Lidstrom/Getzlaf/P02 pattern was my weapon of choice. However, they didn't have any of the HCS pattern in stock, so I figured I'd go with the Drury-esq HCR and give rounded toes a try. It took a little bit of an adjustment to get used to the more wedge-like pattern as opposed to the more curve-like nature of a legitimate Lidstrom pattern, but I got used to the differences pretty quickly. In terms of the blade itself, I LOVED it. I've always been a fan of the livelier, "pingy" blades, as opposed to ones that are deadened. This had that lively feel when shooting, but seemed to be very forgiving (at least for me) in terms of stickhandling and catching passes. It's a great balance, and I love it! If it was based strictly on performance, I’d rate this blade a 10/10, however there is a definite issue with blade durability, which brings the score down. Shaft/Flex – 9/10 From the moment I picked it up, I was a fan of the shaft of this stick. I’ve always gravitate towards the grip variants of sticks, and am absolutely in love with the “matte grip” that True uses. It’s not an overly thick rubbery grip like what used to be on the original Synergy and Stealth grip variants, but it’s tacky enough to let me really bear into shots but “smooth” enough that I have no problems with my palms sticking when stickhandling or adjusting my bottom hand position for a one-timer. The shaft shape is perfect for me – it has a nice double-concave shape that feels great in my hands. My favorite shaft of all time is that of the Stealth CNT, with the over-the-top “dog-bone” shape of the massively raised corners and concave walls. This doesn’t get nearly that aggressive in terms of shape, but it’s the closest thing I’ve found when compared to most of the other sticks I’ve messed around with lately that tend to either be smaller and very rounded on the corners (i.e. Vapor 1x) or very squared off with no concavity (i.e. Supreme 1s). In terms of flex, this is right in my wheelhouse. It loads exceptionally easily, but still has a great amount of kick on shots. It loads more easily than the other stick that I’m mainly using at the moment, which is a pro-stock CCM stick with an “SV” build in 80 flex, but kicks harder on shots than that stick – I consistently shoot better with the A6.0 in all shot types. Originally I was worried that it would whip out too quickly, since it felt perfect on day 1, but that hasn’t been an issue and it still seems to kick as well as it did when I got it. I’d rate the shaft a 10/10 if it was my perfect shape, but I think a 9/10 is as good as a shaft will get for me now! Stickhandling/Receiving Passes – 10/10 In terms of stickhandling, no stick is going to make me have moves that are better than your average toddler. However, I will say that I did not notice any stickhandling woes when using this stick, so it isn’t any worse than I normally am! In terms of receiving passes, pucks just stick to the blade when I receive them. It’s really great! I was originally thinking I’d need to make sure I had very soft hands when receiving a pass, as the blade is so lively when shooting. I was pleasantly surprised – I don’t need to be nearly as gentle as I expected, which makes receiving a hard pass in traffic and holding onto it a very painless process. Shooting – 10/10 Ooooooh my. Shooting is where this thing shines for me. I’ve always had an above-average shot, especially slapshots. They absolutely FLY off of the blade of this stick. The amount of kick I feel when taking a slapshot is terrific – and it’s incredibly consistent. I also find wrist shots to be a breeze with it, as the shaft is so easy to load it takes a lot of the work out of it and lets me focus more on shot placement. I’m confident that the shot will come off hard every time, so focusing on accuracy has definitely improved my game a bit. I play defense and love raining bombs in from the point, and I’ve noticed that I get more shots through traffic to the net when using this stick – I have to believe that comes from the increased confidence I have when shooting that it will be hard enough that I can focus on picking a spot to get the puck through to the net. The release seems nice and quick as well, especially on snap shots. Again, that lively blade makes the puck just jump off with a minimal amount of force, and really lets me get shots downrange quickly. I absolutely love ripping shots with this thing. Weight and Balance – 10/10 This is the lightest, most well balanced stick I’ve ever used. Period. Original Stealth (still have one I mess around with!) – nope. CNT – nope. Vapor XXX-lite? Nope. This feels like witchcraft in my hands…I haven’t plopped those other sticks I mentioned on a scale, but fully taped up mine weighs in at 411 grams. I didn’t weigh it without tape, but I do a full heel to toe (covering the toe and cutting the excess) tape job, so it isn’t the lightest…it’s also tape, so it’s not like it’s crazy heavy. But the balance of this thing is absurd. It’s the most blade-light stick I’ve ever used, which I love…others may feel it’s too light when stickhandling, but that’s all personal preference. All I know is it feels like it shouldn’t be possible for it to feel as light as it does. Durability – 5/10 And here we come to the Achilles heel of this stick – durability. I’ve always been one to go for performance over durability, so I was never surprised when a stick didn’t last as long as a lower-tier model. But the blade on this is incredibly fragile…after only 11 sessions (5 games and 6 stick and pucks), there is a crack running vertically up the blade from the bottom up, about half way down on the front face. This is now my backup stick, as it is now only reliable for wrist shots. I can feel the blade torque open on anything heavier, and a lot of power gets lost. I really hope to get my hands on the SBP model of this stick soon, as I hear that the blade durability has improved greatly, but it was pretty terrible on the normal A6.0, which makes me sad as it’s one of my favorite sticks of all time. That said, the shaft has held up well, and if I do take a clapper it seems to kick as hard as ever…but the blade torqueing open ruins it for me. Intangibles – N/A The only realistic complaint that I have about this stick is blade durability, as the blade fell apart pretty quickly. Other than that, the only thing I can complain about is that the shaft shape isn’t available in that super aggressive raised corner layout of the Stealth CNT…but I’m not going to find that anywhere, so I can’t hold it against the stick! Also, I really like the way this stick looks – it’s understated, with the branding being mostly a charcoal grey on top of the black primary coloring, and I dig it. Using this has made me hopeful that the SBP model of the A6.0 will offer the same great performance, with a blade that holds up much better. I can’t bring myself to spend $270 on one right now to find out, but will be keeping an eye on any sales that pop up, as I feel like that could get pretty close to perfect for me! Conclusion – 8.5/10 I feel like overall, True did a great job on this stick. If they can tighten up blade durability, that would alleviate all of my realistic negative points on this stick and would have brought the score up to a 9.9/10. At the original MSRP, the blade durability issues would not let me recommend this stick to someone that has anything less than an unlimited amount of hockey funds, however at the current sale pricing of around $100/stick, I’m considering picking another one up. I’d much rather try to get into an A6.0 SBP though in order to see if the durability issues have been addressed. Overall, I did love this stick, and it has some of the best performance that I’ve found!