are wood sticks under-rated?

[hockey22 0]

do u think wood sticks are under-rated?

i love wood sticks esp. muskoka. i don't know about you but, they are a lot cheaper and just as good.

[#1STUD 0]

I think that the stick you use depends upon presonal preference. I have used many sticks. Ive used various wood sticks, a couple one pieces like a tps and a montreal, and then ive used different shafts like a pro-kennex and a cyclone.

[Fedorov91 0]

I think that I could use a wood stick and score just as many goals as I do with a composite stick but the problem is once you start using all these nice 1-piece sticks you get spoiled and you don't want to switch back to wood. (thats the case with me anyway) As far as slapshots go I can shoot just as hard with a wood stick as I can with a composite. But I think maybe the composites give you some extra zip on wrist/snap shots because of the shaft flexing.

[Kirsch 1]

I think the sheer weight and stiffness of a wood stick makes it inferior to a composite stick. I used wood sticks for 8 years and just this year picked up a composite stick and can honestly say my game has improved. I won't be switching back.

[thejackal 46]

Three big advantages for composite. First the flex is better/more customizable. Second its lighter and third you can choose any blade you want and graphite ones are much stiffer and more durable.

[steve66 45]

When ever myself or guys i know swith back to wood for whatever reason, there is always a bit of surprise when we remember the performance and feel. Composites just offer more consistency and better snap in general. Like before we do get spoilt with composites.

[MDE3 0]

When ever myself or guys i know swith back to wood for whatever reason, there is always a bit of surprise when we remember the performance and feel. Composites just offer more consistency and better snap in general. Like before we do get spoilt with composites.

I think at an elite level that they are prefered at least by the manufacturers, because it's easier to duplicate a specific flex and feel than with a wood stick on a mass production basis...and let's face it..at the breakage rates..they need to be mass produced .

The confidence level of being able to pick up a stick that duplicates the one you just broke, is in my mind offset by wondering when the one in your hands will let go... I am sure it plays on every players mind that has to actually pay for the sticks.

The number of broken sticks which occured in the NHL recently, and so often while shooting at a critical point, would make me dispute the durability claims of these new OPS sticks.....besides the additional cost of these OPS sticks, ...at least 3 times that of wood... I know the number of sticks/blades we go through in a season has probably doubled or even tripled. Not sure who is really benefitting here..let's see...If I as a retailer make 40% on a sale of $30.00, or 40% on a sale of $150.00...which stick would I market the most?????? and if the players are using twice as many sticks.....hmmmm.

I know this may sound like heresy in todays modern world, but one of the problems that the sport has at every level is the rising costs to play. I think the costs of the composites will eventually come down as some manufacturer starts to produce inexpensive, durable, but equally effective sticks..and gets them in the hands of some notables.

In the "old days" if you knew your stick feel well enough, you would plane the handle of your wood sticks a bit to get the exact flex you liked..I am sure this has become a bit of a lost art in the composite world we play in.

[jay 1]

Your point is well taken MDE however I have a bone to pick regarding the rising costs of composites. For me (and probably many others who don't break a lot of sticks) there's been quite a savings in using composites. In fact the only thing I've ever broken in my life is wood blades. Not once have I broken a composite shaft or blade and have only had composite blades develop cracks after a few months of use. Granted I'm only playing in recreational leagues so I'm not taking the kind of hacks and chops that pros do but when I was using wood I went through a stick every 4-5 sessions. At $30 a pop for a quality woodie that's at least $60 a month and probably closer to $150 every 2. I've used my $100 ebayed XN10 for more then 50 sessions on ice and painted cement and it's still as strong as the day I got it.

[dgaronzik 1]

I really couldnt agree more with Jay, one of the reasons I switched to OPS is for the savings. When I was using wood sticks, I was going through at least 2 a month which adds up quickly. Likewise, Ive had 3 Xn10's this year and while the first two have already broken, Im on the 3rd and its looking good so far. Plus, Ive turned the other two into shafts. And while I have broken blades before, I have not once broken a shaft.

Also, another big problem I have with wood sticks is that they lose their stiffness. I have custom wood blades that I use in any shaft I have and after about 4 games the blade feels dead and has too much give. You go through wood stuff a lot faster then anything composite.

[mojo122 535]

Having had custom wood sticks through SherWood for years the part that I'm most happy with the composites is the consistency with the weight. I found the curves and flexes faily consistent in a dozen of wood sticks that I'd get, but the weight would vary stick to stick.

[MDE3 0]

In fairness to other composites, I judge their durability from my son's "consumption" of Easton Synergies, and their blades, as well as what I see during NHL games in general.

I would have to guess we have used 10 OPS sticks and at least 10 blades... in cut down OPS sticks. The blades were a combination of Z Carbon's, and Ultra Graphites only. This was since August of 2003 and only in roller hockey. Probably about $1800.00 in sticks/blades during a 9 - 10 month period. I never saw wood sticks dissapear at that rate..playing about the same number of games/practices/open hockey sessions on ice. Although he is older and stronger now.

Including tournaments, league games, practices and "open hockey"..that's about 160 "usages" so a stick or blade about every 8 usages over that period. as I do not have a detailed list of my "consumed inventory" even if my estimate was "high" by 4 sticks and blades, that would still be one every 10 usages.

Of the original ops failures, no more than three were in the shaft..the rest were all from the blades cracking or snapping.

[jay 1]

If your son had averaged 4 uses per wood stick for 160 total uses at $30 a stick it would have cost you around $1200 total. I would also go out on a limb and suggest that if you're only getting 8 uses on average from a Synergy that 4 for a wood is likely a liberal estimate. Add to that that the Synergy is known to be one of the most fragile of all current OPS. $600 isn't chump change but over the course of a very busy season for an elite level player it seems worth it for the added consistancy and performance benefits plus I think you could do a ton better durability wise with a stick from Inno or TPS making the $$ much closer or possibly even better then wood. Of course if you don't liek those sticks... but that's ultimately what it comes down to.

[MDE3 0]

If your son had averaged 4 uses per wood stick for 160 total uses at $30 a stick it would have cost you around $1200 total.  I would also go out on a limb and suggest that if you're only getting 8 uses on average from a Synergy that 4 for a wood is likely a liberal estimate.  Add to that that the Synergy is known to be one of the most fragile of all current OPS.  $600 isn't chump change but over the course of a very busy season for an elite level player it seems worth it for the added consistancy and performance benefits plus I think you could do a ton better durability wise with a stick from Inno or TPS making the $$ much closer or possibly even better then wood.  Of course if you don't liek those sticks...  but that's ultimately what it comes down to.

Not sure you read what I said accureately....it was $1800.00 for 9 months, and I never said how many usages we got from wood..except that I felt that the composites broke 2 -3 time faster. Realistically 5 - 7 wood sticks for as many usages. Also he was using intermediates at the time mostly.

He has tried the Louisvilles, and didn't like the feel as much....personal taste, but we have no ready supply of Inno's locally, nor by sponsors, so he has never had the chance to test one for feel.

[Chadd 916]

He's getting older, bigger and stronger while playing in a more competitive league. That may have something to do with it. That said, he seems to be going through the Easton stuff at a fairly high rate.

[kovalchuk71 212]

with composites u save the trees!!!! :D

[asdfa 0]

with composites u save the trees!!!! :D

with wood, you save toxic resins, time and energy. it takes alot of effort to lay the carbon fiber, coat it with resin and bake it in an oven.

[asdfa 0]

When ever myself or guys i know swith back to wood for whatever reason,

I think at an elite level that they are prefered at least by the manufacturers, because it's easier to duplicate a specific flex and feel than with a wood stick on a mass production basis...and let's face it..at the breakage rates..they need to be mass produced .

a part of the reason you see so many composites in the NHL breaking is the fact that the sticks are so consistent and durable in terms of feel and sitffness. the reason wooden sticks aren't broken as much is that the loss in stiffness is much more perceptible, and thus the players using them tend to switch more often and that way, there is a much smaller chance of using a stick with poor integrity. i think i heard somewhere that sheldon souray tends to go through 4-5 sticks a game

[MDE3 0]

He's getting older, bigger and stronger while playing in a more competitive league. That may have something to do with it. That said, he seems to be going through the Easton stuff at a fairly high rate.

No sh*t......hence my rants about the Easton stuff(sticks) on other boards, as well as earlier this year on CB....He is only about 160 lbs but seems to just destroy the blades...do not even think about practicing one timers anymore..way too expensive...a guaranteed breakage.

I guess it's time to "wean" him off the Synergy's..time for him to buy his own ... :P . I have been trying to convice him to try the Inno's but he won't try anything he cannot "touch" so without finding anything locally..it's a tough pick.

[Chadd 916]

I just sold a buddy of mine on the Posse/Typoon one of my old Innos and he likes it. Now he's pissed I didn't sell it to him before. One-timers always seemed to kill my sticks but they're a lot of fun to practice. I just got two boxes of blades so I'm going to spend some time on them again.

[hockey22 0]

haha :lol: , thats the best answer i have heard so far

[dgaronzik 1]

I just sold a buddy of mine on the Posse/Typoon one of my old Innos and he likes it. Now he's pissed I didn't sell it to him before. One-timers always seemed to kill my sticks but they're a lot of fun to practice. I just got two boxes of blades so I'm going to spend some time on them again.

Amen to that, one-timers are rough but this season I apparently had them down cold. I problably had the goal of the season in my league, one of my teammates fed me a pass from the right circle as I was backpedaling between the bottom of the left circle and the goal line. I one timed it into the top right corner of the goal and it came out so fast I was hoping the refs even saw it. People were coming up to me for days after that saying what a nice goal it was.

Ive broken a few sticks/blades over the years picking up that skill, I think its one of the hardest on a stick definetly.

[hunter4oz 0]

i used a response for a while and i liked it, but then i switched back to a wood stick, everyone says its a tank, wich it might be, but its not really that bad, and i can get better shots off with it and it has a better feel for the puck than any one peice or 2 peice. thats my opinion.

[thunderhockey19 0]

the stick weighs a ton that hunter uses i might agree with him if he would have got a half way decent wood stick. that weighs less than 10 lbs?lol :lol: i would just have to say the sticks between composite and wood its just personal pref.

[Chez 0]

Well with the synergy you get a much lighter and durable stick, but it cost a shit load, but I beleive that the synergies its worth it to pay the little extra, to get a superbe stick. but its probably best to get one on sale.(i got a vector 50% off)

[dietzie27 0]

the only wood sticks i could use were titans, the red white and blue selanne ones. then once i got to pee wee when we are allowed to slapshot, i went through a stick every 3 sessions, so i switched to nike shafts and never looked back