Easton Z-Carbon

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

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[Guest Stax7]

Product: Easton Z-Carbon/Drury Pattern/95 Pro Flex.RH/ H-5-7/W-135

Blade/I have tried many different wood blades in shafts and on numerous wood sticks. This blade was unbelievable shot after shot after shot this thing just would not break. I took it out the first day for 4 hours and the second day for 3 hours. On the second day I finally noticed a tiny spider crack right where the top of the blade and the shaft intersect. It eventually spread into a big crack then it finally broke.

Initially I was never a fan of the Drury Curve I thought it was the ugliest thing I had ever seen. But once I tried it I loved it. I will never buy a different pattern.

Overall 9.5/10

Flex It was a 95 Pro-Stiff and I have to say it felt more like an 80 or maybe even a 75. Although I could get good velocity on my shots it felt like it was going to snap every shot. I think I would be better off with a 105. A bit too flexy for a 95.

Overall 8/10

Receiving Passes/Stick handling Ever since I tried my first OPS I never was a fan of the blade like a lot of people I’m sure. This blade was great for receiving passes and stick handling didn’t find one downfall.

Overall 9/10

Shooting This is where the Z-Carbon really shines for me. My slap shot had just as much velocity as I can get with my M-1 and Synergy. Once I adjusted to the curve my accuracy was fine. On snapshots it was quick but not as quick as my synergy.

Overall

Slap shot 9.5/10

Snap Shot 8/10

Weight Nothing special a normal weight for a wood stick.

Overall 8/10

Durability Like I said earlier I shot non-stop for like 7 hours in total and this stick held up very well for a woody I found.

Overall 9.5/10

Conclusion This stick was well worth the 40 bucks Cnd. I paid for it and I would definatly without hesitation buy it again well worth my money!

Final Ranking 52.5/60

= 88%

[Guest LEAFS12]

Product- Easton Z-Carbon/Shanahan Curve/95 flex

Blade- This blade is probably one of the best blades that i have ever used! It is so durable. I used mine for for 5 hours staight at the outdoor rink and it was still the way it was when i bought it. But when it starts to get weak, you can really tell, cause your shots get really crapy. My blade lasted me almost 2 and a half months which is good see the way I go through blades.

Overall - 9.5/10

Flex- 95 flex is just perfect for me. I think that if it was any stiffer, I wouldnt like this stick. I think the 95 flex is actually about an 90 or an 85, because i have used 85's that have been more stiff then that stick.

Overall - 8.5/10

Passing/Receiving Passes- This stick is great for receiving passes. I used it in one game without tapeing it, that was a bad mistake. The puck just slide everywhere went u tried to shoot. Passing with this stick is alright, the same as any other wood stick.

Overall - 8/10

Shooting- My shot got atleast 50% better when I started using it. I don't know if it is the balde of the stick, but what ever it was, it helped. My wrist shot stayed about the same in power, but it seems that all my wristers are low and hard instead of high, like they were with any other of my sticks. But it really improved my slapper!

Overall - 9.5/10

Durability- This is the most durable wood stick i have ever used. Like i said before it lasted me 2 and a half months with is good for me. The shaft is very durable. I also like how they re-ebforced the part where the balde and the shaft join on the 2003 models.

Overall - 10/10

My conclusion to this is that if you want a stick that is durable, and isnt hard on your wallet, you should buy a Z-carbon. They are the most durable wood sticks around and have the best blade on them.

Overall I rate this stick: 45.5/50 = 91%

This stick is my favorite, it is the only thing i us. :) It is well worth the $40 CDN.. as stax7 said.

Edited May 21, 2004 by LEAFS12

[mickz 107]

Product: Easton Z-Carbon 95 Yzerman. 5-8, 125lbs.

Blade: Best feel out of any wood stick I've used. All these other wood sticks with wood blades are simply too bulky for my liking. The blade is very thin and I can feel the puck really well. Yzerman curve, the way I like it. Definately my favorite blade as of today. I used to like ABS blades on wood sticks the most but after buying this stick, no other wood stick can really change my mind... not even the Sherwood 9950. I really liked this blade because of its performance and how thin it was. 10/10

Flex: As it says on the stick, 95 flex. However this stick feels more like a 75 flex stick after being used for a while. The flex is rather consistent. The flex on this stick feels better than some shafts I've tried. The flex changed since I first bought it so it was kind of weird ajusting to it at first. 8/10 for that

Receiving Passes/Stick handling: Again, I'm being repetitive... I like the thin blade. Very good control with it. 9/10

Shooting: Very good for a wood stick. I'm not expecting Synergy quality out of this stick since I didn't pay a Synergy price. The stick snaps back into position very nicely for a good shot on goal. Not the best stick for slapshots in my opinion, but if you only take wrist shots... this is a good stick 8.5/10

Weight: Lighter than most wood sticks on the market. Obviously it won't be as light as a composite. One of the lightest wood sticks out there so 9.5/10

Durability: Alot of people on this board have said how much this stick really lacks durability. Maybe this would be the ideal stick for a grinder, but I haven't had problems with this stick myself. The blade is definately more durable than a wood blade. The blade doesn't chip, crack, or split like wood. This blade is not wood, and won't have the feel of a broom stick after using it for multiple times. Due to the slight cracking at the blade I'd have to give this a 8/10

Conclusion: Why don't people like this stick? I think it's because wood sticks are underrated. Everyone wants to have the shiny and expensive shafts or OPS. I'm still a believer in wood sticks even though I only use one as my backup. The only person that can really change my mind is if they can beat Al MacInnis and his wood Sherwood in a slapshot competition. When buying sticks, keep one thing in mind. Spend $40 on an excellent wood stick or $40 on a crappy shaft? Not sure about you, but I'd take the wood stick. Another plus is that I got this wood stick on sale for $16.99 canadian last year. Anyone out there still searching for a wood stick? You can't go wrong with the Z-Carbon. FINAL SCORE 8.83/10

[cupcrazy16 0]

Easton Z-Carbon 70 Yzerman, 5'6", 125lbs

Blade: I've only used wood sticks all my life and this is one of the best blades I've ever used, unlike conventional wood sticks, the Z-Carbon is much less prone to splinters and splitting. The blade is certainly lighter and there is a good solid feel to the blade.

9.5/10

Flex - Yes, I know, 70 Flex, however, I don't think I've ever taken a slap shot unless the coach has forced me to in practice, I live and die by my wrist shot. I didn't notice anything considerably different with my shot compared with my prior stick, however, that was a pro-stock Naslund which is a wood stick which I have to consider as the best wood stick I've ever used. I guess it depends on the playing style, but for me, the whippier the better.

10/10

Recieving Passes/Stickhandling - The stick has good feel and the blade is solid so you get nice crisp passes off, I didn't notice anything different recieving passes, it has good feel. Maybe the puck bounces around more than it should though and I've been prone to having the puck roll off the blade more often while stick handling.

8/10

Weight - One of the lightest wood sticks on the market, well-balanced as well.

10/10

Durability - Like I said, the biggest problem I have with wood sticks is the blade and how fast I can go through them, the Z-Carbon has a very durable blade, I expect the stick to last longer than the usual wood sticks.

Conclusion - If you are in the market for a wood stick I would pick the Z-Carbon, I feel this stick is head and shoulders above all available wood sticks. I usually go through at least 5 sticks a year and a constantly try different wood sticks, I've never been a fan of Easton wood sticks, but this stick has changed my mind. It is lightweight and more durable, yet it maintains the wood feel. I feel this is a great alternative to OPS and shafts at a very reasonable price.

[JSchultz 25]

Easton Z Carbon/ 95 flex/Yzerman/ 5'8" 145 lbs

Blade: Probably one of the longest lasting stiffest wood blades I've used on a woody. I even used it a couple times on an outdoor rink, and it doesn't splinter at all. So solid, you think it was almost a full carbon.

9/10

Flex: Like some have said, this 95 flex is nowhere near the same 100 flex of a composite. I suppose I've gotten used to the noodly feel it sometimes has. I used an 80 flex one time in composite, and this feels much closer to that, maybe even less. I suppose if you like a really flexy shaft to whip around wrist shots, then this is your stick. I prefer a nice stiff shaft/stick for crisp snap shots, but that's just me.

8/10

Receiving passes/stickhandling: This is where the stick shines, in my opinion. This stick has such an organic feel to it, you forget you're using the original one piece stick (all wood, haha). I always know where the puck sits on my blade, and I never miss a beat stickhandling. I think all young players should start out playing with a wood stick, as essentials such as fluidity and puck feel are accentuated in a solid wood stick.

10/10

Weight: Everyone says it's surprisingly light for a wood stick. I think it feels heavier than most composites (duh!) so I cannot say whether or not it is light for it's type. Feels average to me, but then again, there are times I feel like I am skating with a big piece of lumber in my hands.

9/10

Durability: I can't believe it hasn't broken yet. After numerous slap shots, outdoor use on smooth concrete, and taking some mighty un-forgving hacks from the crazy old guys in the league, this thing still marches on after about 20-30 games so far. It's scuffed like you wouldn't believe, and only starting to noodle out on me. That says alot about a stick that's made out of natrual resources.

10/10

Conclusion: Overall, you can't go wrong. I have this stick, and the same exact thing also in 100 flex, and you can buy two for the price of 59 bucks. That's a deal if you ask me. I only meant for this thing to be a cheap piece to tide me over because I broke my Z-bubble, but it's been around WAY longer than that. Try one if you can, it'll be worth your time and money!

Edited November 1, 2005 by JSchultz

[Reaper 0]

Easton Z Carbon / 95 Flex / Drury / 6'3" 285 lbs

Blade: While the blade is very stiff it has softened up a touch over the past couple months it is still may stiffer (and more intact) than any wood blade would be over that much use. I also baby my blades quite a bit and take at least an hour in my taping/blade prep before using them.

8.5/10

Flex: I like the 95 Flex as I'm more of a snap shot and wrist shot type of shooter. On occaision I'll take half slap shots in game situations. For durability's sake I sprayed the entire stick with diamond cote polyurethane before using it to seal it up. I think this has helped maintain the flex and kept the stick from getting mushy too fast. However, I have found that it has softened down to about a 90 flex with the few months of usage.

9/10

Receiving passes/stickhandling: I found the stiffness of the blade made the puck bounce quite a bit on pass reception until I taped the face and backhand with duct tape before I taped with hockey tape. This solved the problem for me and helped calm the puck down on hard passes

7/10

Weight: I found the stick well balanced and of average weight for a wood stick. Not too blade heavy but not OPS light, either. Personally, I don't mind the weight of a wood stick as I think it helps me a bit with my poke checking.

10/10

Durability: This stick is very durable. While the shaft has its share of of dings and scuffs I don't have any reliability issues with it. The blades are in really good shape because I take so much effort in the taping and waxing process. The clear coat of polyurethane has undoubtedly helped the durability and I would recommend it to anyone using wood sticks. My only gripe would be that when I've retaped the handle I've found that the tape will pull slpinters off the shaft and force me to tape further down with each tape job.

9.5/10

Conclusion: I like this stick and wish that the Drury pattern was still offered in the 95 Flex but I guess I will just have to adapt to the 100 Flex model the next time I have to pick up another Z-Carbon.

Overall Score: 8.8/10