Sticks - Shaft + Blade Combo?

[Ruski 0]

Hey all,

I have got some great advice from here so far, so here is my next question:

I am getting a Vapor V2 - Lindos P88 onepiece. But that wont come for a while because i gotta have it shipped to a friend in the US, then to me.

In the meantime, i want to buy a shaft and maybe one or two blades and try out some different curves. Could someone please recommend me some relatively cheap options?? I would prefer to stay away from Bauer and Easton, as those companies wont let retailers ship outside the USA.....this way any other brand i can get shipped directly to me in 1-2 days.

[srv2miker 0]

Hey all,

I have got some great advice from here so far, so here is my next question:

I am getting a Vapor V2 - Lindos P88 onepiece. But that wont come for a while because i gotta have it shipped to a friend in the US, then to me.

In the meantime, i want to buy a shaft and maybe one or two blades and try out some different curves. Could someone please recommend me some relatively cheap options?? I would prefer to stay away from Bauer and Easton, as those companies wont let retailers ship outside the USA.....this way any other brand i can get shipped directly to me in 1-2 days.

Well you've got other options, like CCM or RBK obviously, but I've been told RBK doesn't stand up, and CCM is sort of hard to find. Your best bet is to find an old standard shaft for sale on a site and pick it up. Are you in Canada? If so The Hockey Shop has Koho shafts on sales for 39.99 with a blade.

As for the blade, I'd recommend a mid-level wood blade like a CCM v40 or a TPS X-lite. If you want to try a pattern that close to the Lindros, you'll have to go with a TPS Nash, as thats the closest I can think of. If you want to try something different, I'd say give a TPS Morrow is a good heel curve, and the CCM Lecavalier is a slightly different heel curve (I prefer the Lecavalier). I think I said in your last post that a PM9 or an Easton Modano/Forsberg curve would be your best bet as a beginner, but I think you weren't impressed by those.

[Roach 0]

I am also an advocate of the CCM V40 blade although I use a Recchi.

Now I'm on a TPS Red Lite shaft with an Easton ST Heatley blade and my shots have gotten so much faster and stronger on this combo. My back-up stick (which I don't like as much) is an Warrior AK27 shaft with an Easton ST Heatley blade.

[odp 0]

Roach, any reason why the AK27 doesn't work as well as the Red Lite for you?

[sc37 0]

Idk if I'm reading correctly...but wouldn't it take the same amount of time for another retailer to ship you a stick as it takes your friend to get the V2 and sent to you?

[Chadd 916]

USe a couple of wood sticks. It's cheaper and easier than getting shafts and blades.

[Ruski 0]

Since its around chrismas time...and i still need to get my credit card company to approve a secondary billing address in the US, then ship to my friend, and then get sent to me.

Meanwhile, if i find a good stick/blade combo....i can buy the stick today or tommorow, get it to me in 3-4days and be playing ;)

srv2miker: I appreciate all your advice and I took a few shots with the PM9 and it didnt feel great, but that could just be cause i aint that good yet and cause it was a bit different. From what i understood the P88 was similar to the PM9 and just allows for a bit more lift on your shots, which sounded good.

*Correct Me if i am wrong*

I want to check out this: TPS Red Lite shaft too. Havent seen it anywhere yet though.

Anyway, Please keep giving me your comments so i can make a good decision :)

Thanks, cheers.

P.S. ANyone else think that i should just buy a few wood sticks to try? I do love the lighter sticks though :P, thats why i am a bit biased hehe.

[srv2miker 0]

Since its around chrismas time...and i still need to get my credit card company to approve a secondary billing address in the US, then ship to my friend, and then get sent to me.

Meanwhile, if i find a good stick/blade combo....i can buy the stick today or tommorow, get it to me in 3-4days and be playing ;)

srv2miker: I appreciate all your advice and I took a few shots with the PM9 and it didnt feel great, but that could just be cause i aint that good yet and cause it was a bit different. From what i understood the P88 was similar to the PM9 and just allows for a bit more lift on your shots, which sounded good.

*Correct Me if i am wrong*

I want to check out this: TPS Red Lite shaft too. Havent seen it anywhere yet though.

Anyway, Please keep giving me your comments so i can make a good decision :)

Thanks, cheers.

P.S. ANyone else think that i should just buy a few wood sticks to try? I do love the lighter sticks though :P, thats why i am a bit biased hehe.

Well, if you are looking to experiment with patterns, then i'd get shaft. If you looking to get a stick just to shoot around with, then a woodie isn't bad.

As for the PM9, I would say its in the neighborhood of a P88. Although most pattern DBs call the P88 a 6 lie, its lower than that and therefore closer to the PM9. But, I'd say they will handle pretty differently. The PM9 takes better technique to shoot properly, but I find it takes and recieves passes beautifully, and it stick handles great. You of course might find it is totally different, but I'd say pick the one that suits your game: shifty passer or deadly shooter. Getting shots away in traffic is much harder with the P88. My advice: just pick up a variety of blades and try them out.

[TBLfan 25]

find something in the for sale section on here. You can't beat the prices and I've seen very few issues with people not getting what they thought they were getting(I think I've seen 2 since I've joined). Check out the trade section for a couple shafts I have ;) heh

[shotblock 0]

Yeah Roach I would like to know as well.. I just recently purchased a warrior AK 27 shaft with a sherwood momentum blade...it is the best shaft I have tried.

[Ruski 0]

LOL, i just noticed the Buy/Sell/Trade section now!

Unfortunately i am bit overwhelmed with a choice of shafts and blades. Could someone please recommend a good shaft + maybe 2-3 blades so that i can experiment with a few??? I am willing to spend $~50-60 on shaft.

For blades i would like 3 pretty different ones to experiment. So like:

1 - Similar to P88/PM9

2 - Similar to P91

3 - ....????

Basically if someone can point me to things available @ buy/sell/trade that would be great.

[Chadd 916]

LOL, i just noticed the Buy/Sell/Trade section now!

Unfortunately i am bit overwhelmed with a choice of shafts and blades. Could someone please recommend a good shaft + maybe 2-3 blades so that i can experiment with a few??? I am willing to spend $~50-60 on shaft.

For blades i would like 3 pretty different ones to experiment. So like:

1 - Similar to P88/PM9

2 - Similar to P91

3 - ....????

Basically if someone can point me to things available @ buy/sell/trade that would be great.

P88 and PM9 are very different blades.

[Ruski 0]

Chadd: Well see this is why i am confused...some say they are similar, more control, low shot type blades......others disagree lol.

Like i said, i am just looking for a decent shaft + 2 or 3 blades to experiment with. I am pretty flexible, would just like to get something not too heavy with a spectrum of blades (low shooter, riser, passer, etc...) Anyway, I shall await some suggestions :)

[Chadd 916]

Chadd: Well see this is why i am confused...some say they are similar, more control, low shot type blades......others disagree lol.

Like i said, i am just looking for a decent shaft + 2 or 3 blades to experiment with. I am pretty flexible, would just like to get something not too heavy with a spectrum of blades (low shooter, riser, passer, etc...) Anyway, I shall await some suggestions :)

I'm pretty technical, some would say anal) when it comes to comparing blades and I notice a huge difference when using the two.

The PM9 is a lower lie and has a much flatter rocker on the bottom of the blade, not to mention it is a much more shallow curve. The P88 is a 6 lie (or very close to it) and there is much less blade on the ice due to the larger rocker. The differences in curve also work better with different shooting techniques. The PM9 is a good "half-way" option between the P88 and P91.

[srv2miker 0]

If you want my opinion, try:

1. Easton Lidstrom/TPS Morrow

2. Easton Drury/CCM Ovechkin/NBH P91

3. Easton Sakic/NBH P92 (or Naslund)

4. Easton Forsberg/NBH PM9 (St. Louis)

That covers a few major types of curves, and we can go from there.

[Roach 0]

Roach, any reason why the AK27 doesn't work as well as the Red Lite for you?

I can't get very technical with you, but the AK27 feels off in my hands. Maybe it's because I have small hands (I'm 5'9", 170 lbs, and wear 13" gloves). The Red Lite is a smaller and lightervshaft and my shots rip with it. Over-all I have better results with my Red Lite than the AK27.

[odp 0]

Roach, any reason why the AK27 doesn't work as well as the Red Lite for you?

I can't get very technical with you, but the AK27 feels off in my hands. Maybe it's because I have small hands (I'm 5'9", 170 lbs, and wear 13" gloves). The Red Lite is a smaller and lightervshaft and my shots rip with it. Over-all I have better results with my Red Lite than the AK27.

Hmm, are they both the same flex and length? I've been considering getting a Warrior stick or shaft, but from all reports they seem to be Easton + 10 for flexes.

[Roach 0]

Roach, any reason why the AK27 doesn't work as well as the Red Lite for you?

I can't get very technical with you, but the AK27 feels off in my hands. Maybe it's because I have small hands (I'm 5'9", 170 lbs, and wear 13" gloves). The Red Lite is a smaller and lightervshaft and my shots rip with it. Over-all I have better results with my Red Lite than the AK27.

Hmm, are they both the same flex and length? I've been considering getting a Warrior stick or shaft, but from all reports they seem to be Easton + 10 for flexes.

Yes, they are both an 85 flex (unless the AK27 comes in an 80). I cut both down to the same length and both have the same length of composite plug in them. Both were on CCM V40 blades heat gunned to my own curve then switched at the same time to the Easton ST Heatley that they're on now.

Incidentally, I just came back from an Inline tourney here in Asia and played against a UK team that had 2 brothers on it. The elder was using a TPS Red Lite, the younger was using a Warrior AK27. Both swore that they were the best shafts that they ever played with and both swore that they didn't like the others shaft. The bottomline is that you have to go with what works for you. I was able to purchase both shafts and have had far more success with the Red Lite than with the AK27.

And please don't get or not get a Warrior stick or shaft because of me. It may just work for you. Sad to say (considering what I had to pay to purchase it and to ship it in), I still haven't gotten it to work for me.

[sabre09923 0]

If you want my opinion, try:

1. Easton Lidstrom/TPS Morrow

2. Easton Drury/CCM Ovechkin/NBH P91

3. Easton Sakic/NBH P92 (or Naslund)

4. Easton Forsberg/NBH PM9 (St. Louis)

That covers a few major types of curves, and we can go from there.

That is very good advice, but the problem with wood blades is the inconsistency between one woodie and the next (or the comp blade). Even though the whole point is to explore the different niches of curves, he may end up liking a curve so much that when he breaks the woodie, he goes and gets a comp blade of the same pattern #... Only to find out that his wood blade was a bit different than his comp blade and the transition hurts his shooting.

An extreme example, but nevertheless, it could still happen. Another thing, there are basically 5 different types of curves:

1) Heel Wedges, round toe- Easton Drury, Bauer P91, CCM Ovechkin

2) Heel Wedge, square toe- Easton Lidstrom, TPS Morrow

3) Modo (small mid-heel)- Easton Forsberg, RBK Modano, CCM Steen?, TPS Tkachuk, Bauer PM9

4) Big Hook- Easton Gaborik?, Sherwood Coffey

5) Toe Curve- Easton Sakic, Bauer P92

[jon93 0]

my AK27 shaft is great just a chipping problem. it seems real whippy compared to my Easton st.

[jon93 0]

since when was the Sakic a toe curve, looks pretty mid to me

[Ruski 0]

Great advice everyone...i am still regurgutating everything that you guys said. At this point, i think i am going to start looking for 2-3 blades in these 5 sub-categories so to speak.

Now i need to find a shaft and what kind of confuses me is the difference between a tapered shaft vs. standard shaft?? Also, i am guessing blades only fit one type of shaft so i need to get matching ones. Can someone clarify this for me?

[Chadd 916]

since when was the Sakic a toe curve, looks pretty mid to me

It is a mid

[Knuckles 0]

I was checking out some shafts while waiting for my skates to get sharpened. I came across the Easton Synergy II shafts and blades. anybody can give me info on those? good or bad? I can imagine those shafts' performance can be compared to the Z bubble?

http://www.eastonhockey.com/stickssynergyii.aspx

[DamnLocust 0]

i am guessing blades only fit one type of shaft so i need to get matching ones

Bingo. I'd say go with standard at this point, as you have a lot more choices with blades, especially wood blades.

I came across the Easton Synergy II shafts and blades. anybody can give me info on those? good or bad? I can imagine those shafts' performance can be compared to the Z bubble?

Synergy II is a tapered shaft, and is made basically the same as a Synergy SL, but in 2 piece form. Performance Should be better than a Z bubble, as tapered shafts are generally more efficient when it comes to generating a low kickpoint. If you buy the Synergy II, you will need to purchase a tapered blade for it. Standard blades (like the ones for a z bubble) won't fit.