What is the future of standard (non-tapered) shafts?

[djosbun 0]

I'm wondering if the current hockey stick manufacturers will, in the near-future, no longer manufacturer standard hockey shafts. As a user of these types of shafts (because I have custom-made TPS blades), I am hoping that my future choices do not start to dwindle.

The last Hockey News had the hockey stick issue, and most of the companies that were represented say that one pieces are obviously the future, but I still hate to drop over $150 on a one-piece that may break quickly. Plus, personally, I love the feel of wood blades.

Dave

[Spreedizzle 1]

I don't think that the standard shafts will go the way of the dodo bird. I still feel that standard shafts offer close to the performance as a majority of the tapered shafts, while also typically offering higher levels of durability.

[Hooah4 12]

The market will decide where manufacturers go with it. Sales of OPS are up and shafts are down. I'm in the same boat as you as I love the feel of a wood blade but I realize the inevitability of the situation. I for one hope that the standard shaft will be here for a long time.

[Engine37 0]

I could not agree more. I think that the market is probably strong enough to keep standard shafts around for some time, although it is possible that in 10 years they will be much harder to come by. Hopefully, there are enough of us who love the higher performance/durability of composite shafts along with the feel of standard wood blades.

[Chadd 916]

Mission tried to phase them out, Bauer tried to phase them out but there are some people who don't adopt new technology. Every manufacturer would have to agree to stop making standard shafts and that isn't going to happen any time soon.

I could not agree more. I think that the market is probably strong enough to keep standard shafts around for some time, although it is possible that in 10 years they will be much harder to come by. Hopefully, there are enough of us who love the higher performance/durability of composite shafts along with the feel of standard wood blades.

Tapered shaft and wood blade combos work just as well as, if not better than, standard shaft and blade combos. I have had fewer tapered shafts break then standard shafts so I'm not really buying the "durability" thing either.

[mack 44]

I don't see how tapered can make standard shafts obsolete. Sure the technology may be there but I still find the selection for tapered blades pretty slim. I've got a lot of Dolos sitting around because I can't find decent blades to go with them.

[stick9 896]

Could/would companies just push tapered shafts harder in order to do away with standard shafts?

[Chadd 916]

I don't see how tapered can make standard shafts obsolete. Sure the technology may be there but I still find the selection for tapered blades pretty slim. I've got a lot of Dolos sitting around because I can't find decent blades to go with them.

Blade selection is an issue but offering the same OPS in a two piece version has to be more cost effective than designing a new (standard) shaft. Of course, that only goes for sticks that use the more traditional style fused shaft and blade.

I think NBH is on the right page with being able to order stock pro patterns, but not with how few shops are able to offer the program. If they offered those blade options for tapered blades, it would help.

Could/would companies just push tapered shafts harder in order to do away with standard shafts?

I converted a ton of people at retail by talking about the benefits. Most shops just wait for you to pick something out so they can ring you up.

[TBLfan 25]

a surprising amount of hockey players dont even know what a tapered shaft is.

[Patrick67 1]

Around here half of the players know there are some shaft models with "thin blades".

Tapered is awesome, I think the selection is ok for composties but very lacking for wood and espeacially abs blades. Know abs blades defy the idea with tapered shafts, but still a necessity for people playing outdoors.

I just think it's bullshit the exact same blade in standard and composite doesn't cost the same, some companies price them equal, but alot of companies inflate the price of the tapered blades for no reason but profit.

[Jarick 5]

It would be nice to just go to tapered shafts. If manufacturers didn't have to make two full sets of gear, availability would be much better and prices (well at least costs) would be lower.

Even if the major manufacturers phase out shafts and blades, which I doubt they would since it still provides a return, smaller companies like Christian would pop up and fill that niche.

[Stampede#11 0]

You also have to argue how much difference tapered/OPS make to performance. There is no doubt they offer some increase, or all the pro's wouldn't use them. But how do you really quantify how much? Certainly not enought to make us all vastly better players. You are either good or you're not.

Can anyone on this forum catagorically state they scored a goal becuase of the stick performance. Sure we all probably think that way and think it helped maybe, but with Sid the Kid and Joe T using std shft/blade combo's ... it can't be that much of a difference. Certainly not to the vast majority of us who play at a rec level.

Based on supply/demand and cost of production ... I think all manuafactures probably make a better % profit margin out of a standard shaft due to ease of production and less variations in the production process. But have higher revenues & frequency of sale from OPS due to higher breakage.

[kovalchuk71 212]

I don't see how tapered can make standard shafts obsolete. Sure the technology may be there but I still find the selection for tapered blades pretty slim.

But the selection of tapered blades would obviously increase if standard shafts were phased out correct?

[Patrick67 1]

I've scored some goals 5'hole that I can attest to the release on tapershafts contra standard.

But 95% of my goals would have gone in with either a tapered or standard shaft.

[Stampede#11 0]

And then give that extra 5% in goals a value ... is that value more or less than the $$$$ we all spend on OPS on this site. Is it worth it for the level of play most of us play at? Pro's sure .. a 5 goal differnece in a season can mean £500k in the NHL. But at our level?

Personally, my goal production has gone down since using OPS, of course I don't blame them, just the fact I am getting worse or everyone else gets better.

My best seasons I played with the first Z-Bubble (the green one) so I've gone back to Z-Bubble's once again, as it just seems to work better for me. Could be as I'm an ultralite/ Zbubble generation guy I don't know?

[B-Nads 0]

It is little surprise that the OPS is outselling the Tapered blade combo. Take the Sherwood RM9 - RM19 for instance. A RM9 OPS sells at $125 CAD locally. A RM19 Tapered shaft is $100 locally, plus $59 for a tapered RM9 blade. The OPS has saved you $35 before taxes.

I also agree, however, that life would be a little easier if it was one way or the other. I live near Montreal, and there is a sports store on every corner, as well as a few large shops specialized in hockey. In spite of this, the selection in tapered blades is slim - I lucked out last week and found a small shop close to my house that sells Sherwood tapered composite blades and Bauer One-40 tapered woodies, so life is now good - why the hell can't a store the size of Rousseau's do that?

[aarondevera 0]

after many months of being an Easton Synergy ST kinda guy (which imo, to this day stands as the best ops on the market), the Warrior AK27 combo has become my primary twig. a lot of the guys i work with have switched (from either ops or wood) to STANDARD two-piece (rather than tapered). i could give many reason as to why, but i'm sure we're all educated enough to know the reasons for it.

i prefer the performance of a standard two-piece to the tapered, as i'm just used to having my stick flex a little higher in the shaft... although i'm sure there are many who would disagree, i'm sticking to my guns. lol

[Chadd 916]

It is little surprise that the OPS is outselling the Tapered blade combo. Take the Sherwood RM9 - RM19 for instance. A RM9 OPS sells at $125 CAD locally. A RM19 Tapered shaft is $100 locally, plus $59 for a tapered RM9 blade. The OPS has saved you $35 before taxes.

I also agree, however, that life would be a little easier if it was one way or the other. I live near Montreal, and there is a sports store on every corner, as well as a few large shops specialized in hockey. In spite of this, the selection in tapered blades is slim - I lucked out last week and found a small shop close to my house that sells Sherwood tapered composite blades and Bauer One-40 tapered woodies, so life is now good - why the hell can't a store the size of Rousseau's do that?

Break two blades over the lifetime of the shaft and where does the equation stand?

I've also found that the more traditional the market, the less likely people are to buy tapered shafts. If you aren't going to move up to an OPS, you probably aren't going to get a tapered shaft.

[B-Nads 0]

It is little surprise that the OPS is outselling the Tapered blade combo. Take the Sherwood RM9 - RM19 for instance. A RM9 OPS sells at $125 CAD locally. A RM19 Tapered shaft is $100 locally, plus $59 for a tapered RM9 blade. The OPS has saved you $35 before taxes.

I also agree, however, that life would be a little easier if it was one way or the other. I live near Montreal, and there is a sports store on every corner, as well as a few large shops specialized in hockey. In spite of this, the selection in tapered blades is slim - I lucked out last week and found a small shop close to my house that sells Sherwood tapered composite blades and Bauer One-40 tapered woodies, so life is now good - why the hell can't a store the size of Rousseau's do that?

Break two blades over the lifetime of the shaft and where does the equation stand?

I've also found that the more traditional the market, the less likely people are to buy tapered shafts. If you aren't going to move up to an OPS, you probably aren't going to get a tapered shaft.

Good point - especially in my case, as I tend to break more blades than shafts (I'm one of those "in-front-of-the-net forwards, which tends to be hard on blades). Then again, if you take the tenon out you can still put a blade back in and save the initial $35. Personally, I prefer the tapered shafts. I've never clocked it, but the feel and sound of my shots suggest more speed than I got out of the standards - that could be just wishful thinking on my part, but I'd have a hard time going back now.