Tapered shafts that flex like a "true" taper

[OldNSlow 3]

I have yet to feel the benefits of a tapered stick. I would like to find a tapered shaft, however, I have been told by various sources that certain tapered shafts flex like standard shafts. Most notably, the SE16 tapered shaft.

Suggest tapered shafts that flex like a true tapered shaft. Also, post whether you can really feel the tapered benefit with the shaft/blade that you feel flexes like a true taper.

The cynic in me wonders whether this tapered stuff is nothing but theory.

[shotty 7]

its pretty simple physics. all the load transfers to the narrowest part and thats where the shaft flexes. taper systems aren't exclusive to hockey. fishing rods, ski poles, skis and golf clubs, to name a few, have been using it for YEARS.

[OldNSlow 3]

its pretty simple physics. all the load transfers to the narrowest part and thats where the shaft flexes. taper systems aren't exclusive to hockey. fishing rods, ski poles, skis and golf clubs, to name a few, have been using it for YEARS.

I understand the physics of it. But unlike the items you mentioned, you separate your hands on a hockey stick by a much larger distance than, say, a golf club. When your lower hand is already low, I wonder how much of a difference it makes.

Putting aside the physics, I have flexed numerous sticks with a buddy observing the flex from a distance, and we can never tell a difference in the flex.

[mack 44]

I'm with your cynical side. Not that I don't think there are benefits to tapered shafts, I just don't like them.

[gxc999 7]

I'm with your cynical side. Not that I don't think there are benefits to tapered shafts, I just don't like them.

I do question if there are any substantial benefits. I tend to think they are rather slight. I really think the only big benefit that would be present for the ordinary player is a stick with a custom tri-flex shaft. Even if a tapered shaft helps more than a standard, what's really hurting is the loss of energy when a player takes a quick wrister with their hands near the top of the shaft. Talk about completely losing kinetic energy. 

[mack 44]

They do have a quicker release but I like loading up a standard stick more.

[gxc999 7]

They do have a quicker release but I like loading up a standard stick more.

Same here. Nothing has outshot the one95 on slappers, and I've tried pretty much everything.

[mack 44]

I love the One95s. Current model sticks/shafts that I like are the One95 and AK, but all-time nothing worked like the ol' A/C.

[Dr. Funk 6]

I'm an OPS guy at this point, but every time Mack mentions the A/C, it brings a tear to my eye. A/C 7100 was the all-timer.

With respect to the thread, though, I seem to feel the tapered vs. standard difference more with OPS. I think that shaft/blade combos feel relatively the same. However, I'm a guy who grew up with O/G Eastons (A/Cs, convexes, and A/Gs), so take that with a grain of salt. It may be all OPS marketing that I'm feeling.

[Da Beez 0]

I have an Easton S15 (same as Z-bubble) that I find feels like a good tapered OPS.

I have have a CCM U+ CL for comparison and I feel they are similar. I use the S15 shaft with an Easton ST blade and it is a nice set up. One thing to note is that the S15 seems to flex much lighter than listed-my 100 flex shaft feels like an 85 flex.

I don't mind the tapered concept, I find the sticks load up nicely for passing the puck. It's not a big advantage for me though, I can adjust to whatever stick I am using.

[Jarick 5]

I'm one of those guys that can't shoot with a One95. I've never enjoyed any standard taper rig, they always throw me off in terms of accuracy. Then again I don't have a slapper to speak of and nearly always shoot some variant of a snap or wrist shot.

[fiimb 1]

its all preference really, you just might not be a tapered person. i take mostly wrist shots and i benefit the most from my one75 which is a low mid kick compared to the dolomite i was using (that had a really low kick tapered shaft).

also, the one95 isn't a true standard (0.620) taper, its a low mid kick with a 0.520 "power taper" so it doesn't really have a constant flex arch either.

[Chadd 916]

They do have a quicker release but I like loading up a standard stick more.

I like not having to load up and still getting most of the velocity on half shots. I like the tapered shafts with the higher kick points.

[TheEdge27 2]

I like not having to load up and still getting most of the velocity on half shots. I like the tapered shafts with the higher kick points.

Im gonna assume the R2 has a higher kick point? :D

Thats the main thing I notice in between Tapered and Standard, being able to let a hard wrister or snapper go in tight or after settling a pass down.

[OldNSlow 3]

Thats the main thing I notice in between Tapered and Standard, being able to let a hard wrister or snapper go in tight or after settling a pass down.

Meaning that the tapered is more effective at (i) releasing a hard wrister or snapper in tight spaces and (ii) releasing a shot after settling a pass?

[Scotty 8]

Meaning that the tapered is more effective at (i) releasing a hard wrister or snapper in tight spaces and (ii) releasing a shot after settling a pass?

Meaning that they like being able to load the stick decently and get a powerful shot off without having to concentrate and get full effort into it. The proper flex with a tapered stick/shaft can allow you to quickly get a shot off when it's more of an improper or "half" shot: the defenseman is basically on top of you and coming down with his stick and you just throw a sudden snapper at the net. Or, like TheEdge said, you catch a hard pass and haven't completely settled it yet or gotten it into the best shooting position, but you fling it off towards the net anyway. A tapered stick can help with these types of instances.

[TheEdge27 2]

Yeah, no big wind up in close, or if i have to settle a pass down (giving the defender time to get on me or i have to change my shooting angle to take the pass) and i only have time to pull back maybe 20" to let a shot go.

[Chadd 916]

Im gonna assume the R2 has a higher kick point? :D

Thats the main thing I notice in between Tapered and Standard, being able to let a hard wrister or snapper go in tight or after settling a pass down.

Sorry, missed this initially. Yeah, the older tapered shafts had more of a mid kick point. The load and release feels more natural to me.

[Chadd 916]

Meaning that they like being able to load the stick decently and get a powerful shot off without having to concentrate and get full effort into it. The proper flex with a tapered stick/shaft can allow you to quickly get a shot off when it's more of an improper or "half" shot: the defenseman is basically on top of you and coming down with his stick and you just throw a sudden snapper at the net. Or, like TheEdge said, you catch a hard pass and haven't completely settled it yet or gotten it into the best shooting position, but you fling it off towards the net anyway. A tapered stick can help with these types of instances.

That's a very good analysis. The ability to get a hard shot away without much windup can help deceive the goalie.

[TheEdge27 2]

Sorry, missed this initially. Yeah, the older tapered shafts had more of a mid kick point. The load and release feels more natural to me.

Do you happen to remember the company, i wanna say inno or hespeler, who used to market the mid kick and low kick. Mid kick - for harder shots, low kick- for increased accuracy.

[Chadd 916]

Do you happen to remember the company, i wanna say inno or hespeler, who used to market the mid kick and low kick. Mid kick - for harder shots, low kick- for increased accuracy.

It was Hespeler. I had the 9009 and 9010 but didn't like the balance of the "kick" series. Inno produced the sticks for Hespeler. The 9010 was a "0" shape 1100 like a bigger easton cyclone and the 9009 was an Inno 2000 if I remember correctly.

[OldNSlow 3]

Meaning that they like being able to load the stick decently and get a powerful shot off without having to concentrate and get full effort into it. The proper flex with a tapered stick/shaft can allow you to quickly get a shot off when it's more of an improper or "half" shot: the defenseman is basically on top of you and coming down with his stick and you just throw a sudden snapper at the net. Or, like TheEdge said, you catch a hard pass and haven't completely settled it yet or gotten it into the best shooting position, but you fling it off towards the net anyway. A tapered stick can help with these types of instances.

Thanks for the info. Pardon my ignorance but I have more questions. My understanding was that "tapered = lower kick point" and "standard = mid-to-higher kick point". Chadd likes tapered because of the shot release ability, but says that he prefers a tapered with a mid-kick point. So, a tapered shaft can have a low or mid kick point I take it? As an example, the one95 shaft has a mid-kick point. If a tapered and a standard shaft each have a mid-kick point, what is the difference in performance? Could you give me examples of tapered shafts with different kick-points?

I've never used a tapered shaft and was wondering whether I would benefit from it. I have a few standard blades that I love. Because they are wood, I will be ordering custom wood blades with the same curve, etc. as these standard blades. I'm trying to decide whether I should order standard or tapered. I will try out a tapered shaft before I do so, of course. I bought a Rbk 8K because I like the boxiness of shaft but I can't get the grip off of it. I've tried sanding it, but nothing removes the intense grip coating. None of the other tapered shafts are boxy enough for me (except maybe SE16, which I read doesn't have tapered performance).

[TheEdge27 2]

I think it has to do with the length of the taper, and the length of the shaft itself too.

[Chadd 916]

My experience is that sticks with very low kick points tend to play like a more stiff shaft and don't load as smoothly. Compare a vapor with a One95 and you will feel the difference between low and high kick points in a tapered stick.

[sickwilly 37]

Do you happen to remember the company, i wanna say inno or hespeler, who used to market the mid kick and low kick. Mid kick - for harder shots, low kick- for increased accuracy.

I think I recall seeing this on some of the older Inno shafts as well. I'm not 100% certain, though.