Mission L-2 shaft

[Shorthanded67 0]

Mission L-2 shaft

Reviewer background: 5'10", 165 lbs. Roller hockey on SportCourt 5-7 games/week

Usage before review: 30-40 games

Test Blade: Mission L-2 Composite blade (Hull pattern)

Shaft shape/flex: I used a 100 flex which felt somewhere between an Inno 260 and an Easton 100. One of the strange things about this shaft is that the finish feels very "slick" to me, moreso than the M-2 shaft. My bottom hand seemed to slide quite a bit on slapshots but I just had to adjust by gripping it a bit tighter (which unfortunately changed the mechanics of my shot). Other teammates who have used this have mentioned the same characteristic.

Stickhandling/Passing: I can feel the puck extremely well through this shaft/blade combo and "felt" the puck better on toe drags although that may have been due to the curve. I didn't feel like the puck bounced any more or less off the blade compared to any other composite shaft/blade combo or OPS.

Weight/Balance: Very lightweight combo! Hard to pinpoint the shaft itself, but I would say it's comparable to an Easton Z-Bubble or an Inno Novius. I'd like to try another blade in there just to get a comparison of how light the L-2 blade is.

Shooting: The curve was a bit astray from my normal choice so it took some time getting used to. However when I did get ahold of shots, I felt like I could shoot more accurate with this shaft versus the Easton Synthesis. Part may be due to the less-boxy shape. I couldn't hit my slappers consistently but my wristshots seemed like they were being snapped off quicker. Again, this is more due to blade preference. I'd like to see what I could do with a TPS R2 Nash curve....

Durability: Tank so far. It has taken some nasty-ass slashes. Plenty of paint has chunked off on the lower half of the stick but other than exposing the greenish material under the red paint, it has held up. No actual deep cuts in it thus far.

Conclusion: While my favorite tapered combo may be an Inno Novius/Inno blade, I'd definitely say this is very close to it. I never had the opportunity to try a Mission Flyweight, but if it was similar I regret not doing so. While I do generally like Easton shafts/blades, I'd recommend this over a Synthesis in the tapered department but it's preferential due to my small hands. I had been using Easton for 8-9 years and starting using Inno in 2003 never once considering Mission as a stick choice. I also positively reviewed the Mission M-2 shaft a while back. I say "Great Job" to Mission for their re-entry into the shaft market since the M-1 OPS was released. My only hope for 2005 is a grip version of the M-2/L-2 shafts.

Final review score: 8 out of 10

[LickerLongTail 0]

Reviewer background- 5' 11", 200 lbs Roller on SportCourt, 3 games and practice a few times a week

Blade- TPS Nash pattern LH

Shaft shape/flex: The shaft feels just like an M-1 and has a nice feel to it. The flex is an 85 and it felt good in the hands and not to chunky or small. Most people who had never seen it before commented on how much they liked the red and white paint job but that is trivial.

Stickhandling/Passing: Felt great to me when I was stickhandling and the slickness of the shaft gave me no trouble and it felt just as good as the combo I have come from which was a TPS R-2 Blade/Tapered shaft.

Weight/Balance: Before I cut the stick and put the blade in I noticed that the shaft felt pretty light. Not XN-10 light but pretty light. after I cut about 2 inches from it and put the blade in it felt like a lighter M-1 and did not feel to blade heavy or unbalanced in any one area. Overall a great feeling and lightweight combo.

Durability: Not an issue yet. I have only used it for a couple of practices, but no real scuff marks or anything like that. Mission has been known from making pretty durable sticks so I imagine it will hold up to the rigors of our sport.

Shooting: The high point of this shaft for me. The shaft has great response and kick. If you have a hard slapshot you may want to consider this shaft. The 85 flex is great for quick snap shots and has enough whip for quick wristers, yet can absolutly let of hammers. I use lots of one-timers in practice and games and this stick seems to fit my shooting style well and I am sure that it will fit almost everyone's idea of a hard shooting shaft.

Conclusion: This is very quickly becoming my fav tapered combo. I have been big into tapered shafts like the TPS R-2 and Inno Novius and this one is right up there with them. I feel like it gives me the best of my two fav tapered shafts. The lightweight feel of the R-2 and the shooting of the Novius all in one nice looking, feeling and shooting shaft. If you're looking for the total package then look no further because Mission has a definite winner on there hands and mine.

Tomas

[Sniper#39 0]

Mission L-2 Shaft - 85 Flex

Reviewer background: 5'10", 185 lbs. ICE - Mens League 2-3 Times per Week

Usage before review: 15 games

Test Blade: TPS R2 Wood - Messier pattern RH

Generalities: Coming from 10-7 Flex Bio Flyweights I had high hopes that Mission had come to bear with a suitable replacement and was not dissapointed when I picked the L-2 up. I have preferred Mission's "Box" profile over other manufacturers for some time now and was happy to see it carried over to this shaft. Weight distribution and balance is on par with the Flyweight and the finish is exemplary. 9/10

Stickhandling/Passing: Being a staunch wood blade proponent as I truly believe I feel the puch better - I am happy to say that the feel is very good with this shaft and the TPS blade. Receiving hard passes is not an issue for me. 8.5/10

Weight/Balance: Without actually throwing it on a scale next to the Flyweight combo I would have to say that the differences are negligible. Balance with the wood blade is excellent. Overall a very well balanced combo that has a good sturdy feel to it. 8.5/10

Shooting: For some reason with this combo I seem to be able to get a bit more zip on my heavier shots (Slappers and Heavy Snappers) - perhaps the 85 flex may contribute to this. Accuracy is very good and I have found I can pretty much place my shots wherever I want them. 9/10

Durability: Time will tell but as of this writing the shaft has NO noticeable flaws or blemishes even after taking (and giving) a few pretty good hacks. If I can get even close to the longevity out of the L-2 that I have from my Flyweights I'll be very happy. 9/10

Intangibles: My only real issue with the shaft may be that it is a bit "slick" feeling in my hands. The finish is done so well that it's as if there's a layer of clearcoat on the thing making it feel a bit slippery. I can't honestly say it's had any effect on me during play, but I do tend to let it pop into my head from time to time. Perhaps after some more use the gloss will temper so that I don't notice it. I would recommend a grip version of this shaft if anyone from Mission happens to read this. 7.5/10 (PP due to the "Slick" finish)

Overall: I am quite happy with this shaft, again my expectations were high being a traditional Flyweight user (and those who use them understand) but can happily state that this combo will be in my toolbox for some time. And I am all of a sudden not so worried about the day (shudder) I no longer have any Flyweights left. I will have no trouble recommending this piece of equipment to anyone who solicits an opinion from me.

User rating - 8.5/10 (PP - Slick feel)

Edited December 3, 2004 by Sniper#39

[EBondo 232]

Reviewer background: 5 foot 2, 110 pounds, 14 years old Bantam A ice hockey

Usage before review: About 5-6 games

Test Blade: Nike Team USA Blade shaved down to fit Lemeuix Pattern

Shaft shape/flex: I am using a 75 flex shaft that I got from kovalchuk71. I really like the flex on it, doesn't really feel like an Easton 75 though...but I love the flex on this shaft. It's not too stiff, but not too flexy. 9/10

Stickhandling/Passing: As of now, I really like the way I am recieving/giving passes and stickhandling. This shaft has the perfect feel in my hands, but I may want to try and get a Gaborik pattern L-2 blade, or something close to it, to see how it responds with a tapered blade. 9.5/10

Weight/Balance: Weight is perfect for me. I definitely feel it is perfect fo me, and the balance is great. 10/10

Shooting: Amazing with the shaft. Has taken over #1 spot over the M-1. No goals with it yet, but I have been in quite a scoring drought lately. 10/10

Durability: Definitely a Tank. got a few hard slapshots that got up on the shaft, but no damage. Taken some nasty slashes to it, nothing but a very little paint chip. 9.5/10

Conclusion: Definitely an amazing stick. I would recommend this shaft to anyone that is looking for a stick, and who likes tapered shafts. But I still would like to try an L-2 blade, or an XV, to get the feel of a tapered stick, not just the shaft

Final review score: 9.5/10

[Compmn19 0]

Mission L-2 Shaft

Reviewer Background: 5' 10", 160 lbs. Ice, High School Varsity. 3 pratices, 1-3 games a week.

Usage before Review: 15-20 games + 8 weeks of practice.

Test Blade: L-2 comp blade, Elias pattern

Shaft shape/flex: Love the 85 flex for wrist and snap shots and lets me take slappers with ease. I love the shaft shape, and it fits my hands perfectly. The shaft is a little slick and tends to slip when I go for a nig shot or one timers. 9/10

Stickhandling/passing: I've never had problems with feel on composite blades, but there was no difference comming from a TPS R2 wood in an Inno 1100. Gives nice passes and dosen't tend to bounce off when receiving passes. 9/10

Weight/ Balance: This is the best part of the L-2, probably the lightest stick I have ever played with including OPS. With the L-2 blade no problems with balance. 10/10

Shooting: Another great part of this shaft, it launches shots. I use snap shots most often and this shaft required little effort to get off hard shots. Slappers do not suffer at all which is nice to have a balance of the two. 10/10

Durability: Great, I have taken, and given tons of hacks on this stick, and nothing but a few paint chips here and there. I have blocked shots with it and no problems, along with being stepped on, nothing but a few nics. 10/10

Conclusion: This shaft is a great deal, espically if you get the two blades along with it. The blades may help with feel, but this is a great shaft on all fronts. Previously I had used an Inno 1100 260 with Tkachuk R2 wood blade and am very happy with the decision to buy the L-2 combo. I can't say it enough but the deal on this stick makes it something thats hard to pass up. After I go through this one, I will for sure stick with Mission buying a L-2 again or maybe a M-2. I recommend this stick to anyone looking for a tapered shaft or OPS.

Overall: 10/10

[Chadd 916]

Mission L-2 shaft

Usage before review: 3 months+

Shaft shape/flex: 100 flex is a bit stiffer than I generally like but the closest option for me. Shaft feels a little "beefy" to me, since I have bigger hands that was fine. Flex has been consistant and has not become significantly more whippy with extended use. 7.5/10

Stickhandling/Passing: I don't dangle much but I had no issues with puck feel from the shaft. Changing blades did change the feel so the shaft seems prety transparent in terms of feel. Passes snapped off as you would expect from a tapered shaft. 7.5/10

Weight/Balance: Changing blades changed balance significantly. The shaft also appears to be slightly blade heavy despite having a plug and a decent size butt end. Nothing significant enough to cause problems but it was easily noticed. 7.5/10

Shooting: No issues at all. Very consistant shaft. From one shot to the next, the same amount of pressure produced the same type of shot. That can't be said for all shafts. Velocity was good, accuracy was very good. 8.5/10

Durability: Very durable. When playing defense I always use my L2 because I know it can handle more abuse than my other sticks. Some flaking paint but no structural problems at all. 9.5/10

Conclusion: Very consistant and durable shaft. I've used a number of blades in the shaft and had no issues at all. It may not offer the kick of some other tapered sticks, it does offer the ability to hit the same spot on every shot. It's not the type of shaft you will need to replace within a month or two of purchasing due to breakage.

Final score: 8 out of 10

[Megamandan 0]

Reviewer Backround: Age:17, Height: 6' 2", Weight: 195

Blade: Synthesis Iginla Left handed

Shaft/Flex: L-2 100 Flex

Stickhandling/receiving passes: When I first started off using the stick the feel for the puck was great. There was no torque at all and stick handeling was a breeze. I could keep my head up and know exactly where the puck was on my blade. After using it for about 3 months the stick seemed to retain it's stiffness but it had a slight handling problem. When I was to recieve a hard pass I'd try to catch the puck and have "soft hands" but the shaft would flex and just shoot the puck back. Almost like a spring, no matter how hard I tried to use soft hands it just keep getting launched off the blade face and I'd loose the puck. - 7/10

Shooting: This stick is a rocket launcher! My slappers are amaizing and I can place the puck with ease. Clocked at 81 for a slapper which isn't that bad. -9.5/10

Weight and balance: When fitted with my synthesis this stick is nicely balanced. Not blade nor shaft heavy. Feels just like an OPS in terms of weight. -10/10

Durability: 13 months and still going strong. I've used it for an estimated 30 games and 45 practices, it's got normal wear and tear but no huge gouges out of it. This thing is a TANK. -10/10

Intangibles: The stick has a nice smooth texture. Almost exactly like the XN10. I hate grip on my sticks and this smooth texture is great for my sliding slap shot. -9.5/10

Conclusion: Overall this stick was pritty good. It served it's purpose as to feel and perform like an OPS but had the ability to change tapered blades if they broke/I wanted a different blade/Curve. Only thing I didn't like was the spring affect on my pass recieving, but that could just be my technique. OVERALL 9/10

[GoalMaster 0]

Reviewer Backround: age 13, height 5'7", weight 155 pounds

Blade: Mission L-2 hull pattern

Shaft/Flex: L-2/75 flex

Stickhandling/receiving passes: Once i got this stick i was a little sceptile about it then after about 2-3 days the passing and receiving got very responsive. 8.5/10

Shooting: very accurate shot loved it. 6/10 the reason i gave it a low mark is because the blade broke after about 2 weeks.

Weight and balance: this combo is very good cuz itz just so balenced 10/10

Durability: the 1 thing i hated about the blade shaft comb is the blades suck but the shaft is still going strong. 5/10

Intangibles: this stick is preatty good the only thing was that it didnt have any grip Darn. 8/10

Conclusion: overall this is a good stick very light and balenced the only thing in question is the blades? overall 7.5/10

[Jarick 5]

Mission L-2 Shaft

Flex: 75

Test Blade: Mission L-2 (Elias, Hull)

Reviewer: 5'8", 170 lbs, rec league winger

Time Used: Two months (20+ times)

Shaft Shape / Flex

I'm a shorter guy, have smaller hands (13" gloves), and am not particularly big or strong at 170 pounds. So the intermediate flex shaft feels great for me. At first it felt a bit small, but now everything else feels huge. The finish is a little slick compared to other sticks I've used, but it hasn't been a problem or required any additional adhesive or grip. The flex on this thing is great, whippy yet predictable. I'm able to fire off quick wrist shots no problem but also get plenty of heat on the slap shots. I also have the confidence to fire quick shots through traffic since I can load it so easily. But the lighter flex does seem to make passes a bit harder to catch. 9/10

Stickhandling / Receiving Passes

The feedback of the L-2 shaft and blade combo are terrific. I can feel where the puck is on my blade better than wood, so I do have a bit more confidence carrying the puck in traffic. The whippy intermediate shaft combined with the stiff composite blade make passes hard to catch though, enough that I have to remember to cradle the puck to slow the momentum. 8/10

Shooting

Shooting is excellent with this shaft and blade. Wrist shots are more accurate than anything I've used before and come off faster than anything else I've used. I feel like the lower flex combined with the design of the shaft (low torque and low kickpoint) works very well for my style of shooting. Snap shots have been fine, although I'm not great with them, but I was able to hit corners from in close just fine. My first slap shots with this stick felt very strange due to the whippy flex, but I've found that I can lean into and through them and retain all of my speed on the shot with less vibration than stiffer sticks I've used in the past. For me, there is no weak part about the shooting of this shaft. 10/10

Weight / Balance

It's thinner, shorter (55" or so), and lighter than anything else I've used, probably at or under 400 grams (keep in mind this is an intermediate stick). This makes poke checking and stickhandling quite easy. But the stiffer blade and lighter shaft make it more blade heavy, and I can't imagine using a wood blade in this shaft. A wood end would probably help balance it, but as light weight as it is I haven't had any issues. 9/10

Durability

The stick has taken several slashes and the paint chips off very easily, but I haven't noticed any cracks, damage, or change in feel. None of the blades I've used have softened at all. 9/10

Intangibles

At first I avoided the stick, honestly because I thought it looked cheap with that bright red finish, especially on the tenon of the blade (looked like a toy). And the "bargain bin" pricing that seemed to drop $10 every time I went in the store made me wary. The red color has grown on me now. I just have a lot more confidence in shooting with this stick than anything else I've used. Between the light weight and flex and smaller shaft diameter, I can't go back to my old sticks.

Conclusion

I highly recommend this shaft for any player. The shaft and blade have held up incredibly well, it produces a great shot, and right now you can get a shaft and two blades for about the same price as a high end tapered blade.

Overall 9/10