Easton Flex = FALSE

[FrankFrank 0]

I just wanted to put this out to everyone looking to pick up any Easton shafts in the near future. I'm a 6'0" 200lb guy and love my 110 flex shafts. I went online, bought 2x Easton ST Grip (2010) 110 flex and am absolute beside myself in disappointment in this Eason product. Instead of the nice firm shaft I need to skate with, I end up with these garbage, 75 flex-feeling shafts. 110 flex normally comes with a "wow, thats a stiff shaft" kind of response... I gave it to a couple other light weights who use 85'ers and they agreed with me that these were too whippy for even them.

I've had 2x Easton UltraLites 100Flex and 2x Easton Grip Lites 110Flex... and these ST Grips are no 110 flex.

Anyone else experience this problem or know of any solution (ie Easton return department or complaint department)... or did I get royally screwed by Easton?

Sorry for the complaining, but I'm just floored right now.

Frank~Frank

[Gefiltefish 9]

I find that Easton's do play a little whippier than advertised. I find the same with Bauer and CCM though as well.

As someone who also prefers a stiff flex (I think my ideal flex would be in the 140-area, but I have not been able to find a RH stick in that range)... I pretty much have to stick with the Easton and Bauer products. Not many other companies offer 110+ flex sticks. The 110, 112 and 115 flex Easton & Bauer offers are still stiffer than the 100-flex RBK, Warrior, etc offerings.

In terms of the ST sticks and shafts, they are more of a mid-kick point, which does make them feel flexier than a low-kick stick. For instance, compare a 110 ST and a 110 S19 shaft and you will likely find that the S19 shaft is stiffer. It actually isn't, it just feels stiffer...

Another problem with the ST shaft is that it is very short. You likely had to add a wooden end plug, which increases the whippiness of the stick.

I would suggest looking into the 115-flex ST one-peice. I have several and really like them.

[Scotty 8]

For a company that originally started the whole flex scale thing and had the rest of the industry's flexes measured against it, they've sure been all over the spectrum with different sticks. Yes, I know the whole kickpoint issue plays into how stiff a stick feels, but they've had some issues.

Just what I've noticed personally:

Cyclone graphite shaft- People stated that the 70 flexes felt like the 95s should have... because the 95s felt more like 110s.

Original Synergy- Many of the 100s felt to be identical to the 85s and vice-versa.

Post-green kevlar Z-Bubbles- Flexes all over the place. Some whipped out before you could say "Easton".

S17- May as well have gone up a notch on your flex, because each one was basically true to the flex above it.

S19- Now we're back on track after the S17, but feeling some of the batches at different stores makes you realize that some are fine, others feel like a piece of rebar.

And a spattering of problems such as the original poster's: shafts that feel nowhere close to their rated flex. Seems some years that Easton just doesn't have their stuff right.

[AIREAYE 248]

I find that Easton's do play a little whippier than advertised. I find the same with Bauer and CCM though as well.

As someone who also prefers a stiff flex (I think my ideal flex would be in the 140-area, but I have not been able to find a RH stick in that range)... I pretty much have to stick with the Easton and Bauer products. Not many other companies offer 110+ flex sticks. The 110, 112 and 115 flex Easton & Bauer offers are still stiffer than the 100-flex RBK, Warrior, etc offerings.

In terms of the ST sticks and shafts, they are more of a mid-kick point, which does make them feel flexier than a low-kick stick. For instance, compare a 110 ST and a 110 S19 shaft and you will likely find that the S19 shaft is stiffer. It actually isn't, it just feels stiffer...

Another problem with the ST shaft is that it is very short. You likely had to add a wooden end plug, which increases the whippiness of the stick.

I would suggest looking into the 115-flex ST one-peice. I have several and really like them.

Doesn't help when you've just listed the top 3 brands in the industry lol, not trying to be picky, just trying to help with the argument :P

I find that TPS whip flexes (70) feel more like other brand's 75/77 flexes

[TBLfan 25]

It's been three years since the changed their system, you guys don't pay much attention do you? Look at the top of the stick, there are lines with flex values. The rated flex is accurate when cut 3".

[Scotty 8]

It's been three years since the changed their system, you guys don't pay much attention do you? Look at the top of the stick, there are lines with flex values. The rated flex is accurate when cut 3".

Did Chadd ever get that machine time lined up with the guy from Oggie Grips about testing some of the market's stick flexes?

[Jarick 5]

Always makes me wonder if companies can't drastically alter the flex of a stick without downgrading performance or durability. Lots of us guys who like the whip flex always seem to find them too stiff while at the other end the super tall dudes want an even stiffer one.

[Gefiltefish 9]

Doesn't help when you've just listed the top 3 brands in the industry lol, not trying to be picky, just trying to help with the argument :P

I find that TPS whip flexes (70) feel more like other brand's 75/77 flexes

I find that RBK's and even some Warrior's play stiffer than rated. And CCM's felt true until the launch of the U+ and CL. Those were the main ones that felt whippier than advertised. Since they don't make a 110 flex stick and I don't like using mid/lower-range sticks, I have not tried anything other than V10.0's, U+ and CL's. My V10's felt fairly true.

But there in lies the problem... What is the true flex? I think most base it off of what they started with. One can only compare it to others.

[Ogie Oglethorpe 14]

Haven't others speculated before that it had to do with the difference in tapers making the flex feel different?

[Fire0nIce228 1]

I'd say its generally accepted that the kickpoint alters how stiff the flex feels.

[AIREAYE 248]

Mid kickpoint and the stick feels whippier, opposite for low kickpoint

[Chadd 916]

Did Chadd ever get that machine time lined up with the guy from Oggie Grips about testing some of the market's stick flexes?

I haven't had time to catch up with Joe but in the past he has said that Easton has been the most consistent in his experience.