salming sticks

[jimmy 194]

Otherwise, they will feel cheated when the product didn't measure up to their expectations.

I think the G1 might well be the most durable stick on the market, but I had an experience this year that taught me a lesson. A buddy of mine in Atlanta bought a stick for his teammate. It broke during the first period, so I sent a replacement. That broke on the first shot. I had only had four sticks break throughout America and this guy had two of them! You can only imagine what his opinion of Salming was, but I sent him a third stick and it's lasted close to a year now.

It taught me to qualify when I tell people that we may have the most durable stick. I'll say we've only had a little over 2% break during the 30 day warranty, but that means that 2% will break, and it's possible that you'll be among the 2%. We'll replace the stick -- but not for breaking it over the boards.... ;) -- but I want you to be aware that it WILL break one day, and even possibly within the first 30 days.

I know customers who have broken 6 SL's in a row and who keep on buying Eastons. I also know others who after one stick breaks, will never buy that brand again. I have to say, that none of the G1's I've sold have broken either during the warantee or after. :) It's a solid stick. Doesn't mean the next one I sell won't break first time used, but based on the odds, prob won't.

After several "confrontations" with idiot customers who want ME to replace their sticks after they have broke (outside the warrantee period) I had to place signs all over the store describing the warrantee period and a notice that that WE do not honor warrantees, that's they have to go to the manufacturer. We also have to give them the "speech" when they purchase a stick. Some customers just don't get it when it comes to sticks, performance vs. durability. One guy even got all mad when I wouldn't replace his kid's wooden goal stick.

[Cheechoo 0]

Second feedback: Still incomplete, most likely due to my fault.

I knew I would play tonight and I wanted to get the Ergo Grip into the Evolution, but the nearest rink is around 17 miles away, so I popped over to Home Depot to buy a heat gun. I had put a blade in once before, and wasn't that good at it, but I figured it can't be brain surgery.

Everything was fine for most of the warm-ups. A couple of us used the stick but by the end the grip started coming loose, so I had to switch back to the G1. I can see why the Austrian distributor said the Evolution has more performance yet less durability than the G1. The common observation was the stick was whippy. This is an 85 flex, whereas my G1 is an 80 flex, yet the Evolution seemed whippier. It seemed shots were harder, but it seems intuitive that it would be easier to break sticks with whip, although I recall seeing a recent thread that said otherwise.

I really like its grip, although I think some might not. It's very smooth, which I like because my gloves have grip. I didn't have enough opportunity to concentrate on the feel of the stick, but I didn't have problems the first time.

Of course, the the most important question is how do I properly reattach the Ergo Grip? I'm assuming I need to put a piece of tape on it before reinserting it, but should I melt away the remaining glue, so the tape has better adherence to the grip? Then put new glue on? Or do I just put on the tape, then more glue on top of it?

Jason - Have you had a chance yet to give the Evo a proper test run with your Ergo Grip installed?

Also, any chance we might see the G1 with a #44 (Hoglund/Drury) blade in the future?

[Jason Harris 31]

Cheechoo, I have used the Evolution a couple of times now. It took me a while to get used to the different lie, but I really like the stick. I never thought of the G1 as heavy, but the Evolution is noticeably lighter. It also seems whippier than the G1, so the shots might be even harder. I haven't noticed passes bouncing off the stick, but I have to be honest that I don't pay a lot of attention to my puckhandling -- I tend to pass more.

Regarding the curves, let me explain it this way: At the end of 2005, we had three sticks, the TF1, G1 and TF Evolution. I thought they were just being renamed to TF Armour, TF Precision and TF Evolution, but it turns out that the TF Precision is essentially a new stick with purer graphite, and only the shape of the shaft is similar to the G1. It will become our lightest stick at 435g, the TF Evolution will be 465g and the TF Armour will increase slightly to 515g, because an internal slash guard has been added to increase durability.

Here's what's interesting thing about sticks weight. Jonas Hoglund has been using the Evolution and loves it, and he's willing to try the Precision, but he complained that the blades weigh the same; consequently, he said the blade on the Precision feels heavier because the shaft is lighter. Kinda interesting logic, huh? So it's possible the balance point will have to moved slightly. Nonetheless, the Precision and Evolution will be the performance sticks, while the Armour should be quite durable. All will have at least the Modano, Sakic, Drury and Lidstrom clones.

I sent a link to the interim 0607 catalogue to JR and he said he'd upload it when he returns from vacation.

[Cheechoo 0]

Thanks for the update on the Evolution. Can't wait to see the new catalogue.