custom OPS

[dietzie27 0]

Sorry, didn't have time to read all five pages. But how many did you have to order total? Also, what was the final price?

but you had time to post 8 other times in 20 minutes?

[Patrick67 1]

Sorry to bring up an old topic.

Tyco: Do you have any update on the durability and playability of the RB?

[stick9 892]

He is asking if you can buy replacement blades separately (w/o the shaft). It doesn't make much sense for us non-ops guys to have to buy a shaft with every blade.

oh i see...

yes you can buy just replacement blades (again, based on my personal experience, not sure if this is company policy). As mentioned previously, your custom mold is of the blade only, and you can do what you want with it. I chose to match it with their shafts and try their OPS, but i can also only buy the blades and use 3rd party stuff.

So you could order just blades and use whatever tapered shaft you want. Wonder if the price would be cheaper if you did just a blade...

Great looking stick. Can't wait to read your review.

Did they let you design the graphics, or just pick the colors? Sorry wasn't really clear on that.

[tyco 0]

I wish I had somebody else try out an MIA stick so there wouldn't be so much pressure on me to post a review...! I dunno if i'm the right person since there are a lot of board members here who seem a lot more particular and demanding than me....

I sprained my ankle pretty badly and have haven't played much since i got my pattern molded; but just started ice hockey again last month. Here is what I have to say about it:

FLEX

The custom flex didn't work out for me (read previous posts) so the OPS just sits in a corner. I did buy a short hosel blade and i'm using it with the R2Xn10 (whip flex) and a warrior dolomite grip flex 75. I really like the combo, but i feel this more to do with the shafts than anything else.

FEEL

I really think this is a personal issue. what feels good to one may not be the same for another. I also play with a xxxlite jokinen and to be honest i don't think there is much of a difference between the two. but that's just me....(maybe someone else who really feels the N2 touch of Bauer would say the MIA feels like crap or vice versa). I think i remember hearing/reading somewhere that MIA uses the same factory as reebok for their blades. I've never used a reebok stick, but maybe that's what MIA feels like (for those wanting a comparison of feel)

Durability

This seems to be asked often...i'm definitely not the right person to assess this since I just started playing once a week in pick up games with no contact. My sticks tend to last long anyway. To date, no issues.

Overall

Here is what it comes down to: I like this blade the way i like my Scotty Cameron Putter: When i look down the curve looks good to me and i like stickhandling with it. The other factor is that it weighs about the same as other high end carbon blades, so it matches well with any shaft out there. I don't know if i would randomly buy a MIA stick over Easton, Reebok, Bauer etc...but for someone who wanted a particular pattern that was not offered in retail, MIA filled a need and i'm satisfied.

Lastly, to answer Stick9's question, you get to choose your colours, not graphics.