TPS R6 Armor

[AIREAYE 248]

Stick: TPS R6 Armor

Flex: 70 (WHIP)

Curve: Perry (similar to the (Bauer P106, Easton Drury, RBK Spezza)

Player: 5'10" 130 lbs

Left Winger

House League player

Mixed level summer hockey (House league to AAA)

Shaft/Flex: Love the concave walls on all four sides of the shaft, as it fits nicely in my hands. The Armor series features the middle section of the shaft having a 'Grip Zone', while the rest is clear. This grip is a combination of a toned down Stick'um and Warrior's Nipple Grip, which I thought was a good combination. Not as tacky as the Stick'Um, but offers the texture so you are more aware of your hand placement. Would've preferred that this grip covered the entire upper portion of the shaft however. Although flex is personal preference, I can say that the Whip flex is perfect for me, as I'm not a strong guy and take mostly wristers and the occasional snapper.

9.5/10

Blade/Puck Feel: One thing that I really noticed on this stick is the short blade height, especially at the heel. While the toe is normally heighted, the heel shortness worries me as it might either be a weak point in the blade or may not cushion the puck well. The puck feel on this guy is much better than my previous X:40. And not having other top of the line sticks to compare it to, I can only say that its livelier than the X:40/Vapor series, but not the wood-like feel of the Supreme series. One of the biggest drawbacks to the blade is definitely its ability to cushion a pass. I've noticed that reasonably powerful passes just deflect completely off this blade.

7.5/10

Weight/Balance: Being a price point stick at only $130, I was very surprised by the weight and balance of this stick. It seems much lighter than the X:40 and definitely lighter and better balanced than other sticks at that price. It is blade-heavy in the very slightest, being a price point, but that could help with puck and stick control.

10/10

Shooting: Simply a great stick for my wrister-only tendencies. I again got this in my correct flex and curve. Combined with improved shooting skills, shots mostly went where I aimed them, going top shelf or 5-hole was easier and more controlled than when i used the P92 before.

9/10

Update: After getting a new One95 with the same specs, I've found that the R6 just cant compare in terms of shooting and blade quality. The R6 blade torques too much when played against the One95 blade. I'd now say that if you were to move from an entry level OPS or another mid-level OPS to the R6, then you'd be impressed. Moving down however, is another story. 7.5/10

Durability: So far with this stick, the hosel has sustained a nasty cut, although it seems cosmetic, it's amusing that a stick called the Armor isn't renown for its durability. Like previously mentioned, the short blade height near the heel, definitely concerns me although nothing bad has come of it durability-wise yet.

7.5/10

Overall: Being an old model price point stick, I was lucky to find it at a local National Sports store here in the GTA. Paint job-wise, it seems quite old school and doesnt have that subtle flare I've come to like from the today's newest lines (save the Warrior sticks obviously). If you can find this stick (also available in the other TPS patterns) and want good performance without the price, this is worth a try.

9.0/10

Edited February 23, 2011 by AIREAYE