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vek

flex increase with cheapo sticks

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I have a price point ops stick, (currently using easton s7) and have noticed it getting more and more whippy, to the point at which it seems my shot timing is getting thrown off.

Its gotten about 8 months of use playing roughly 1-2 times weekly. Cosmetically it is still in great shape (very little hacking, rarely take slapshots), and it seems a shame to replace it if this flex change is just in my head.

Do these cheaper (or even the expensive ops) have a lifespan outside of breakage

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Most people who flex their sticks a good amount find they whip out after a while and lose their kick. 8 months is a pretty good lifespan for a one piece.

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Most people who flex their sticks a good amount find they whip out after a while and lose their kick. 8 months is a pretty good lifespan for a one piece.

Thanks Jarick. Its funny though - I know folks who play with two piece sticks that use the same shaft for up to a couple years with no complaints - could it be that the more expensive shafts and sticks have a composition that remains more consistent with useÉ. I assume that the cheaper ones use more fiberglass.....

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Thanks Jarick. Its funny though - I know folks who play with two piece sticks that use the same shaft for up to a couple years with no complaints - could it be that the more expensive shafts and sticks have a composition that remains more consistent with useÉ. I assume that the cheaper ones use more fiberglass.....

I've been using my shafts (Easton Synergy ST & NB One95) for about a year (I'm on the ice once or twice a week for beer league games) & I haven't noticed a change in their whippiness - they feel the same as the day I got them. I have no slap shot, so that may be a factor in that too.

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I think it depends on shooting style. A lot of guys on my team don't really have great shots and don't flex sticks much, so they can use them forever. One guy who was 5'6 was using an 87 flex for the longest time until I had him try a 67 flex and he noticed his shots were much better and switched. Obviously if you're using a super stiff stick and not flexing them they won't whip out, so maybe that's a factor.

One of the leading scorers on my team the last several years used an Easton Octane (the super cheap $50 fiberglass shaft) with a wood blade. He used that stick for at least three years before it finally broke. But he never took slappers, always quick wrist/snap shots and barely ever flexed the stick.

Personally I usually use sticks that are too stiff because I'm kind of in between the 65 intermediates and 75 seniors, so I never whip them out. Usually I sell them because they don't feel right (too stiff or too whippy). I really should just try a 75 intermediate Bauer.

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I've been using my shafts (Easton Synergy ST & NB One95) for about a year (I'm on the ice once or twice a week for beer league games) & I haven't noticed a change in their whippiness - they feel the same as the day I got them. I have no slap shot, so that may be a factor in that too.

Yeah, i`m a rare slapshot guy too. Maybe the change is between the ears... I`ll keep playing with it for a few more weeks. Maybe I`m just getting fatter and leaning on the twig harder.

Its funny that playing rep as a kid, as long as your wood stick wasn`t cracked in half, you were good to go, and 30 years later here I am complaining about a bit more give in a stick used for low level beer league. :biggrin:

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Price point and cheap OPS are generally made of just fiberglass in the shaft. Repeated flexing and use will whip them out, as compared say to an OPS with carbon/kevlar construction. That's one reason they are cheaper as well.

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Price point and cheap OPS are generally made of just fiberglass in the shaft. Repeated flexing and use will whip them out, as compared say to an OPS with carbon/kevlar construction. That's one reason they are cheaper as well.

Well, I guess I jinxed it.. I played this am, and it snapped right at the end of the game. I was pretty happy with the S7- felt pretty good up until the last few games, and 8 months+ out of a stick is a pretty good value, especially for the 60ish bucks I paid for it.

On the way back home, I stopped by the lhs, caved, and bought a 2010 ST, which was probably $100 more than I`ve ever paid for a stick. Adding some justification, even though it is the same flex and pattern (85, Sakic), it feels substantially stiffer...

Jimmy, based on your advice above, I`m expecting it to last 2 years minimum. :)

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This is part of why I much prefer 102 to 87 flex, generally. The 102's will break into my ideal flex of about 95 after 2-3 months, while some of the 85-87s become whippy noodles.

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I think I've only spent over $100 on a stick once (although I've spent $100 exactly on a few)...a Dolomite that was on clearance. It was a very excellent stick. A bit stiff but it lasted forever and I used it for two seasons and still sold it for about $40.

The ST is an excellent choice.

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Don't worry you're not alone I've noticed it too. Especially on the cheap sticks composed of mostly fiberglass. The graphite/kevlar two-piecers seem to last longer.

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I can second this...I had an Easton E-Flex (fiberglass) shaft that started life as a claimed 80 flex but I swear was no more than 50 after four months. It was like playing with those crappy floor hockey sticks that all school gyms seem to have.

Don't worry you're not alone I've noticed it too. Especially on the cheap sticks composed of mostly fiberglass. The graphite/kevlar two-piecers seem to last longer.

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