Salming G10 Shaft

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

Open

[Hipster 5]

Salming G10 Shaft, 80 flex

Reviewer: 5'6 160 Men’s league ice hockey

Blade Used: Salming R9 composite blade

Other: No Plug

First Impression

I read some of the reviews for Salming equipment on E-pinions and because I saw that the rep was a frequent contributor to MSH, I decided to give one a try. I have used several shaft/blade combos that didn’t quite feel right, so I have been reluctantly going back to my trusty (but heavy) old Sherwood woodies. When I got the Salming shaft and blade in the mail, I was excited to go play it and see if it was an improvement over my other sticks. Rating 8/10

Flex

I have a TPS tri-core 75 flex that is too whippy for me and a Graf 7000KR medium flex that feels too stiff. I read that the Salming shafts run a little stiffer, so I decided to go with the 80 flex rather than 90 because I tend to shelve a stick if its too stiff. The 80 is just the right amount for me. I can wind up pretty well for my size and I felt like I got a great pop from the shaft. I was able to get some flex on my wrist shot too which I just couldn’t do with the Graf, and that made some of my shots wobble due to lack of spin. My shots flew hard and flat with the Salming. No wobblers. Rating 9/10

Feel

The Salming shaft has a nice feel to it. The balance feels similar to a Synergy and the weight is about 480 grams, Plenty light. The blade has some vibration dampening properties to it and the feedback to the hands from passes was excellent for a composite stick. This helps my stickhandling without having to look down. No composite has the same soft feel as a top quality woodie in my opinion, but the feel is good compared to other similar sticks. Rating 8/10

Grip

The blaze orange paint job has a nice tacky feel to it. My hands did not slip. The diameter of the shaft is noticeably smaller than my Easton Synergy. The feel in my hands was tremendous. Before I even got on the ice, I noticed the difference and kept picking up the stick and rolling my wrists. Rating 10/10

Shooting

I found my shooting improved a lot in terms of feel and accuracy comared to my other composites and the velocity is certainly improved from my woodies. The 80 flex works great for me. The R9 blade is a short hosel blade, so the lower flex point on the shaft combined with the short hosel blade probably changed the feel for the better too. Slapshots had some zip to them and the shaft was very consistent from shot to shot. Wristshots felt better with the right amount of flex, so I was able to work the puck around the net without giving up velocity. Big improvement over my rock hard Graf shaft. The R9 blade is similar to a sakic curve and I liked the slightly open face for getting the puck upstairs when close to the net or picking the corners from the slot. Rating 9/10

Stickhandling

The best part about this shaft, in my opinion is the slightly smaller diameter. Its not a huge difference, but "Wow" I just love rolling my wrists and working the puck with this stick! I was able to make some good moves in traffic with a lot less effort so I could focus on the move and not the stick. My wrists are now a bigger part of my stickhandling and I have better maneuverability. My wrist moves are quicker with less effort. I’m certainly not a top level wizard with the puck, but I’m already better than I was. This stick is just more sensitive to quick wrist manipulations than either my Easton Synergy or my Sherwood 7000. My Graf is just a harsh graphite plank compared to this Salming. The only thing missing is that buttery soft wood feeling and transmission of information from the blade to the hands. If anyone had a wood stick with this diameter and lightness, it'd be perfect. Rating 9.5/10

Passing

Passing was fine, I didn’t notice any harsh, clanky feel. I did notice an improvement over the Tri-Core, due to the better flex properties for me, and I definitely noticed a difference from My Graf. The blade of the Salming is just as rigid as the blade on the Graf, but the internal structure of the blade makes the feel softer and far more tolerable. I practiced a lot of cross ice saucer passes before the game and I was able to get the feel and spin necessary to drop the puck flat at several different distances. Receiving passes was not as soft as a wood stick, but certainly not as harsh as my other composites. The trade off between lightness and feel is better with this stick than my other shafts. 8/10

Durability

I've had this stick for a couple of months. I've played 8 men's leagues games and another 8 sessions of drop-in hockey and the stick has held up very nicely. During a game, I got the stick caught between the boards and another player and it got torqued hard enough to knock the wind out of me, but it didn't break. Its also been stepped on, skated over and had the toe caught in the door and the blade shows no signs of stress other than a cosmetic scratch that took off some of the graphics. I'm usually not hard on my sticks, so this one may last awhile. Rating 9/10 at this time.

Conclusion

IMO this stick was a bargain for what I paid. The biggest benefit to me was the better maneuverability of the shaft due to the thinner diameter. I love working the puck with the Salming stick. It has brought my wrists into my stickhandling a lot more. Longer slapshots shots have a nice pop and my in close shots are finding their target (For the most part) without giving up power. The 80 flex is just right for me. I would recommend that if you play an 85 flex Easton, you choose the 80 Salming flex rather than the 90. The same would apply for other flexes, just try the closest corresponding Salming flex that is not over your current one. I would recommend this Salming G10 shaft/ R9 blade combo to anyone looking for a high performance light shaft/blade combo. And if you have smaller hands or you are a wristy stickhandler, then I would highly recommend it. Overall Rating 9/10

Edited July 17, 2005 by Hipster