Harrow 300 series tapered composite blade

[Neal 41]

Harrow 300 series tapered composite blade

Curve: #4 (Recchi)

Shaft: Harrow 300 series Grip Shift

Time Used: 4-6 months

Stickhandling/Receiving Passes

This blade is the composite blade that I've found feels closest to wood. I'm a wood fan and have only experimented with composite as the selection of quality wood blades is decreasing locally and I don't like to order wood blades online. This blade seems to have a little extra inertia to it that makes knocking down hard passes or errant shots easier. Part of this is because it is a heavier blade. Definitely not a blade to go without tape though, as the finish is very glossy and has no grip. 8/10

Shooting

This is my favorite blade for shooting. After 15-20 games it remains stiff and doesn't torque during the shot motion. 8/10

Weight/Balance

This is a heavier blade. I tried it in a TPS XN10 shaft and the combo didn't make it through warmups. The stick felt blade heavy, which I don't like. In fact I prefer blade light as it gives me the illusion that my poke checks are quicker. A little more weight up at the handle would likely have resolved this but I haven't tried it. 7/10

Durability

I haven't broken this blade yet. I've used it for 15-20 games and it is still very usable. The toe, top and bottom of the blade have several chips that I have had to epoxy and tape up, but this isn't unusual. The toe chipped quickly, in the first couple games, but has remained in similar condition and the stiffness hasn't deteriorated. I play defense almost exclusively and my blades wear fast. I normally get 3-5 games from a wood blade. Past non-pro stock composite blades have lasted 8-12 games. 9/10

Price

These blades are an excellent bargain at their regular price. With the discount code that Harrow offers from time to time, they are by far the best blade dollar for dollar on the market. 10/10

Intangibles

I like the clear labeling of the pattern, with curve depth, lie and curve type. I'd argue the pattern 4 is more of a mid-toe than a toe, but close enough.

Conclusions

If you aren't a gram whore, you can't beat the value and performance of these blades. As an indicator of how much I like them, I bought 8 when they were on sale.

Overall 9/10

[Jarick 5]

Curve: #4 and #2

Shaft: Harrow 300

Time Used: 9 months

Stickhandling/Receiving Passes - excellent blade feel, as good as anything else I've used, except MAYBE the One95 OPS (and that may be more weight than anything). Hard passes stick right on to the blade on forehand and backhand. It's like the best of wood and composite in my opinion, the stiffness of composite and the softer/deader feel of wood. 10/10

Shooting - shots are just fine off the blade. It doesn't torque at all, very stiff. Most of the shooting performance comes from the shaft though in my opinion.

Weight/Balance - the blade is a bit heavier than most, although not prohibitively so. With the Harrow 300 shaft it balances very well, but it would likely be blade heavy in other high end shafts that are usually lighter. 8/10

Durability - these blades seem very durable. I've been using one or the other in every game since I got it and no chips, no cracks, and they're still quite stiff. There is wear along the bottom though, I'm sure in part by using it outdoors off a shooting pad. 10/10

Intangibles - great finish with the black composite weave and glossy lacquer. Non-distracting graphics are located in the middle of the blade so you can tape over them.

Conclusions - the best combination of durability and puck feel out there. The only downside is the weight, but if you can balance it out, these blades are great. Lots of curves to choose from as well and a great price when on sale.

OVERALL - 9.5/10

[Half 2]

Curve: #10 (Ovechkin Pro Clone)

Shaft: Harrow 300

Time Used: 11 Months

Skill Level: A-B

Stickhandling/Receiving Passes: The Harrow 300 blade is about as good as a blade can get for me. As a guy who likes to dangle through the zone stickhandling has been a breeze. Always been able to tell where the puck is on my blade and has an almost wood feel to it. No problems giving or receiving passes hard passes as the puck seems to almost stick to the blade.

Shooting: Blade has remained stiff, despite a few nicks, and doesn't torque during a shot. Shots seem to jump off the blade on both the forehand and backhand, although this can be attributed to the shaft most likely.

Weight/Balance: This is definitely a heavier blade than most. It balances quite well with the Harrow shaft but could foresee it being blade heavy in anything else. A small note that the hosel appears to be longer than other blades so you may have to cut your shaft further to accomplish the same height.

Durability: These blades are tanks. I am very hard on my blades and have a tendency to wear out the toes of blades very quickly but I'm still using the first blade they sent me. A couple small nicks or dings in the blade and it is still stiff and plays just as well as the day it arrived.

Intangibles: A good looking blade. Very minimal graphics and a nice composite weave. My only complaint is the logo on the end of the blade. If you don't tape over the toe you wind up with half of the logo sticking out.

Conclusion: Overall a high quality, durable blade. I am pleasantly surprised at the puck feel given the price. Since moving to a two-piece setup these are my blade of choice if the pattern I want is available, which with a variety of unique patterns offered shouldn't be a problem.

Overall: 9/10.