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Gr8erade

Tapered shaft comparison

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I used to play with an Easton T-flex back when they were new. I've been playing with standard shafts lately and just don't know much about the newer tapered shafts.

I'm looking and I see the SE16, the Dolomite, the Reebok 8K (which is the only one I've tried) and the TPS one that's fairly new. I'm assuming that Bauer is replacing the Vapor XXXX with the X:60 eventually (that will come in just a shaft, right?) Am I missing any?

Knowing that much of this will be subjective (and that's exactly what I'd like to hear about), what works for you and why?

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I've used the SE16, Dolomite, and a 7k (similar to 8k), which was my favorite. I liked it because it had the lowest kick point and a good kick to it. Second was the Dolomite, which had a good kick and lower kick point, but was a bit stiffer. The SE16 was very similar to a standard shaft and didn't seem to have as much kick. Just my take.

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if i didnt get the one95s for $60 a piece about two weeks ago, i would have bought another tps shaft. i used the r8 and xn10 shafts all summer and nothing compares to the feel and the weight.

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I've gone between OPS and shafts and truthfully don't prefer one over the other based on performance. Can I feel the lower kick with the OPS? Yes, but you adapt to the kick from shafts as well.

I like to think I have the best of both worlds right now by using a Z-Bubble.

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I've found the sticks with the lowest kickpoints tend to feel stiffer than their advertised flex and don't perform as well for me. Sticks with medium length tapers, 11"-15" or so, and a kick point around the taper point seem to provide the best, and most consistent, performance for me.

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Wondering about a tapered shaft today actually as I just bought a tapered Smyth dolo blade to try out. Anyone have experience with the TPS XN10 tapered shafts?

I thought I had all of the R2XN10 shafts that were left. I believe they are the best shafts ever produced, assuming we aren't talking about the armor series.

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I've found the sticks with the lowest kickpoints tend to feel stiffer than their advertised flex and don't perform as well for me. Sticks with medium length tapers, 11"-15" or so, and a kick point around the taper point seem to provide the best, and most consistent, performance for me.

Based on your experience, which ones are the ones with the medium length tapers and which are the ones with the lowest kickpoints?

From what I'm gathering so far, the SE16 behaves least like a tapered stick and most like a standard shaft. Is that correct?

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I've used Mission L-2's and more recently Dolomites and XXXX. I didnt like the Dolo, just didnt feel right for me, didnt seem to be able to get as much on my shots as with other sticks. Bought 2 XXXX's from a member on here and they are amazing! Great feel and pop on shots. Just my opinion

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Wondering about a tapered shaft today actually as I just bought a tapered Smyth dolo blade to try out. Anyone have experience with the TPS XN10 tapered shafts?

I thought I had all of the R2XN10 shafts that were left. I believe they are the best shafts ever produced, assuming we aren't talking about the armor series.

What was wrong with armor series? I actualy found a R2XN10 on ebay and from the posts on this site, I though I would give it a try.

Also, what was so good about this shaft?

Thanks

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Wondering about a tapered shaft today actually as I just bought a tapered Smyth dolo blade to try out. Anyone have experience with the TPS XN10 tapered shafts?

I thought I had all of the R2XN10 shafts that were left. I believe they are the best shafts ever produced, assuming we aren't talking about the armor series.

What was wrong with armor series? I actualy found a R2XN10 on ebay and from the posts on this site, I though I would give it a try.

Also, what was so good about this shaft?

Thanks

The initial batch of Armor shafts seemed to be very brittle. Everyone I knew that bought one had to replace it within the warranty period. The XN10 stuff performs very well for its given flex. For me, the R flex loads as easily as an 85 but kicks like a 100 flex loaded to the same point. I feel very comfortable with the taper and kickpoint and how it plays. I have yet to find a stick with better shot performance for me and the way that I play. I can't speak for others.

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Wondering about a tapered shaft today actually as I just bought a tapered Smyth dolo blade to try out. Anyone have experience with the TPS XN10 tapered shafts?

I thought I had all of the R2XN10 shafts that were left. I believe they are the best shafts ever produced, assuming we aren't talking about the armor series.

What was wrong with armor series? I actualy found a R2XN10 on ebay and from the posts on this site, I though I would give it a try.

Also, what was so good about this shaft?

Thanks

I have to qualify this, as I'm the guy who has the r2 xn10 armor listed.

I've had very good luck with my two xn10 armor one pieces. The durability has been as good or better than most other OPS' for me. I can't speak for others. I tend to break OPS right around the hosel in the taper, and mine have been fine. The negative that I have observed from my own use is that the golf ball-like outer texture can chip fairly easily. My TPS armors have wound up being pretty gnarly-looking after a while. I find the look of them to be pretty unappealing to begin with. That being said, I keep coming back to them. They aren't "crazy light" either.

On the plus side, I have found that they kick extremely well. For me it has well enough for me to keep using them even though I've bought other things since. I bought this one hoping like hell that I could swap it with another hoarder for the same thing in a stiffer flex. Obviously, no luck.

I can't compare them to the original r2xn10 shafts because Chadd bought them all before I could get my hands on one. The consensus that I've observed from others' comments here is that the original XN10's are preferable. I've been looking for one on ebay and here for a while... no luck. If you like the whip flex, there are some intermediate OPS for sale in ebay stores for a reasonable (IMO) price.

I've really liked the Armor ones, too. Those are my 2 cents, trying to be unbiased.

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I'm a TPS freak and tried almost everything from them. The Armour series I did not like at all. They are twice as thick and way heavier than the XN10's. They don't kick as hard as XN10's. I didn't like the feel of the Armour series either. The newer R8 shafts (the 12K weave ones, not the ones with parallel lines) are better than the Armour series, but not quite as good as the XN10's.

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I have used Mission Flyweight, Easton Synthesis, and Warrior Dolomite shafts. I used the Synthesis for the longest time. I have to say I prefer the Mission Flyweight shaft. It just feel right for me. I don't like the flex though. I prefer the lower 85 flex.

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From what I'm gathering so far, the SE16 behaves least like a tapered stick and most like a standard shaft. Is that correct?

The SE sticks are more of a "traditional" taper, in that they're not trying to push the envelope of geometry design or lowering the kick/taper as much as possible. In that regard it is the highest level of stick that is still "lagging" in technology. I, as well as others, prefer this though as it gives the stick a different feel from more "modern" competitors. I'd say the Dolomite is pretty similar in how it performs, but the shafts feel quite different in terms of how the shaft feels in the hand, and how the stick comes together overall.

Sticks like the last generation from Mission, the Bauer Vapor line, Easton's Stealth line, the O-sticks from Reebok, etc, are all trying to go further towards an extreme, and each one produces a stick that performs radically different from anything else. It also helps polarize players towards a stick that works for them.

The shafts are definitely not going as far as OPS are. The tapers in Vapor shafts and getting thinner faster and that leads to a very stiff shaft that kicks much lower than others.

When I choose a shaft I like to hold it and base my purchase more off how the shaft feels with a blade in it. I don't like concave or weird shaft shapes, I don't like overly light shafts that put all the weight at the blade, and I don't like sticks that don't flex so much in the hands as they do in the taper. I use an SE since it's a nice somewhat boxy shape, isn't pushing toward featherweight and balances well with a composite blade, and the shot comes from the lower third of the shaft rather than the very bottom.

I've used a ton of different sticks and I keep coming back to Easton for those reasons. Other sticks may perform better, but if it bothers you while making passes, stickhandling, scrumming and digging, or doing everything besides shooting, then the stick just doesn't feel right.

Some people can change between sticks without an issue, but my big hands coupled with my priority for overall stability over pure shot performance makes me dislike a lot of sticks in the spectrum.

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Wondering about a tapered shaft today actually as I just bought a tapered Smyth dolo blade to try out. Anyone have experience with the TPS XN10 tapered shafts?

I thought I had all of the R2XN10 shafts that were left. I believe they are the best shafts ever produced, assuming we aren't talking about the armor series.

What was wrong with armor series? I actualy found a R2XN10 on ebay and from the posts on this site, I though I would give it a try.

Also, what was so good about this shaft?

Thanks

I have to qualify this, as I'm the guy who has the r2 xn10 armor listed.

I've had very good luck with my two xn10 armor one pieces. The durability has been as good or better than most other OPS' for me. I can't speak for others. I tend to break OPS right around the hosel in the taper, and mine have been fine. The negative that I have observed from my own use is that the golf ball-like outer texture can chip fairly easily. My TPS armors have wound up being pretty gnarly-looking after a while. I find the look of them to be pretty unappealing to begin with. That being said, I keep coming back to them. They aren't "crazy light" either.

On the plus side, I have found that they kick extremely well. For me it has well enough for me to keep using them even though I've bought other things since. I bought this one hoping like hell that I could swap it with another hoarder for the same thing in a stiffer flex. Obviously, no luck.

I can't compare them to the original r2xn10 shafts because Chadd bought them all before I could get my hands on one. The consensus that I've observed from others' comments here is that the original XN10's are preferable. I've been looking for one on ebay and here for a while... no luck. If you like the whip flex, there are some intermediate OPS for sale in ebay stores for a reasonable (IMO) price.

I've really liked the Armor ones, too. Those are my 2 cents, trying to be unbiased.

Ok, so I'm the guy who bid on this shaft not realizing there was a difference between the two shafts.

I do hope it performs well and I'm not too worried about the durability, as I play in a Beer league.

What blade would your recomend?

I currently have a Sherwood 950 tappered and a TPS R8 I can throw in it, but if you had a recomendation I would give it a shot.

Thanks

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Wondering about a tapered shaft today actually as I just bought a tapered Smyth dolo blade to try out. Anyone have experience with the TPS XN10 tapered shafts?

I thought I had all of the R2XN10 shafts that were left. I believe they are the best shafts ever produced, assuming we aren't talking about the armor series.

What was wrong with armor series? I actualy found a R2XN10 on ebay and from the posts on this site, I though I would give it a try.

Also, what was so good about this shaft?

Thanks

I have to qualify this, as I'm the guy who has the r2 xn10 armor listed.

I've had very good luck with my two xn10 armor one pieces. The durability has been as good or better than most other OPS' for me. I can't speak for others. I tend to break OPS right around the hosel in the taper, and mine have been fine. The negative that I have observed from my own use is that the golf ball-like outer texture can chip fairly easily. My TPS armors have wound up being pretty gnarly-looking after a while. I find the look of them to be pretty unappealing to begin with. That being said, I keep coming back to them. They aren't "crazy light" either.

On the plus side, I have found that they kick extremely well. For me it has well enough for me to keep using them even though I've bought other things since. I bought this one hoping like hell that I could swap it with another hoarder for the same thing in a stiffer flex. Obviously, no luck.

I can't compare them to the original r2xn10 shafts because Chadd bought them all before I could get my hands on one. The consensus that I've observed from others' comments here is that the original XN10's are preferable. I've been looking for one on ebay and here for a while... no luck. If you like the whip flex, there are some intermediate OPS for sale in ebay stores for a reasonable (IMO) price.

I've really liked the Armor ones, too. Those are my 2 cents, trying to be unbiased.

Ok, so I'm the guy who bid on this shaft not realizing there was a difference between the two shafts.

I do hope it performs well and I'm not too worried about the durability, as I play in a Beer league.

What blade would your recomend?

I currently have a Sherwood 950 tappered and a TPS R8 I can throw in it, but if you had a recomendation I would give it a shot.

Thanks

I have used the OPS only. Nothing says you can't try them both if you win. (There are a few watchers that appear to be lurking, and a fair number of page views on it, FYI). Maybe I'm the only guy here who likes these things... but I've liked mine an awful lot. It's not stupid light like some other stuff, so maybe a blade that is a little heaver might give it a better feel, maybe the SWD for starters?. Since it's a shaft, you'd have the liberty of changing setups, anyway.

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