Combat Pure

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

Open

[Justin Liedloff 13]

Big thanks to MSH, Combat and JR for the opportunity.

Product: Combat Pure / 90 flex / HCR (Drury)

Height: 6'

Weight: 265 lbs

Left Wing / Defense

Currently using Easton SE/95 flex/Styles & CCM U+/Reg flex/Pro Stock

Out of the box impressions:

Appearance. First and foremost, Combat took the time to label the stick with my name. I realize it is just a quick label made with a label maker, but a nice touch nonetheless. The graphic design of the stick is well executed. The use of negative space design for the main logo on the shaft of the stick allows for the Combat logo to appear in carbon, which looks slick. The black, white, grey, silver, gold and chrome is a solid color scheme. However, some of the more intricate elements of the design are lost, as the grey tends to get lost in the carbon background. The chrome PURE logos really stands out. My only gripe with the looks is that the chrome lettering, which is located on the bottom 1/4 of the stick, is actually on top of the clear coat finish. In my experience, graphics on top of the clear coat never make it past the first season, especially on the bottom 1/4 of the stick, and double especially in the hack and whack world of beer league hockey.

Construction. I can't comment too much on the construction of the stick, as I am limited to what I can actually see. It has a solid carbon wrap from toe to top, and no obvious sign of a fuse point. There are some minor blemishes in the finish, such as some bubbling in the clear coat, and a small bit of rough sanding around the top of the blade, both cosmetic impurities that I have seen in every brand on the market. The stick has a nice long taper that starts about 1/4 up the shaft, and finishes to a nice thin taper. The blade feels solid, and is not overly thin, which, in my experience, can make a blade too "pingy". The blade appears to be similar in thickness to other offerings on the retail market.

Weight & Balance. The stick is not the lightest stick (Eagle SMU from Hockey Giant), nor heaviest stick (TPS Response Rubber) I have ever used. I'd say it falls right in with the rest of the pack as far weight is concerned. [i plan to weigh the stick tomorrow and will edit my post with that weight.] The stick is a little blade heavy, which I personally don't mind, after all, that's the part of the stick that should be on the ice!

Shaft & Blade. The shaft of the stick is somewhat rounded, but nowhere near that of the old Easton Cyclone or TPS Pro radius. It has with slightly concave sides, and feels comfortable in my hands. The blade is a Drury clone, and appears to be spot on.

Next up . . . initial thoughts after using the stick for 1/2 of a game last night.

[Justin Liedloff 13]

I used the stick for the first time in warmups on Sunday night 5/15/11. I took a few shots with it and was impressed. I did have some issues with control, as I had to reacquaint myself with the Drury pattern. I have recently been using my CCM U+, which is a very moderate mid, with only a touch of loft, so there was a bit of a re-learning curve to accommodate the heel curve and extra loft. Unfortunately, the ice didn't really allow for a proper warmup, as it was a lake for a majority of the 5 minutes (I love it when the ice crew rushes for the last game of the night). I decided to go with my U+ for the game, as I wasn't ready to play with the Drury.

I ended up using the stick for the second half of the game. My passes were crisp and shots solid and on target. I had some minor issues with keeping the puck low, but that will diminish as I get used to the loft again. I didn't notice any difference in weight from my other sticks, and the slight blade heaviness was never an issue. So far, so good.

[Justin Liedloff 13]

I finally got a chance to use this stick again. Our season ended and we had quite a gap between games.

This outing wasn't as positive as the first. However, to clarify that, I suspect the issue had to do more with the fact that I was exhausted (3 week old baby at home) and I was rusty as could be. On top of that, the ice was shit. To top off the perfect storm, I ended up playing defense vs. offense, so there was a bit of an adjustment there as well.

I didn't get a chance to use the stick in warmups, as the rink was flooded and the pucks were just sticking to the surface. Bastard ice crew!

I didn't get a chance to take vary many shots during the game, but my passes were all crisp and on target. The puck feel of this blade is nice, especially compared to the Harrow's I had been using recently.

Not much of an update, but I believe in quality over quantity. My next game is Saturday, but I may play pickup or stop in a stick time during the week. More updates to follow.

[Justin Liedloff 13]

It's been a while since my update. I haven't played in almost a month, and the ten or so games before the layoff were a joke. It's hard to keep tabs on a sticks performance when you only have 5 or 6 or 7 guys show up to your game, for the entire season.

I played pickup today and used the Pure for a majority of the skate. The ice was absolutely terrible, which I blame on a combination of So. Cal. weather (90ish today), a Lady Ducks practice in the slot before, a crappy ice cutting job, and over zealous pickup skaters not letting the ice set before playing.

Aside from the crappy ice, the stick performed well. Most noticeably, I focused on my backhand passes and shots. I noticed my quick backhand chip passes were very crisp and prompt, which I attribute to the liveliness of the blade. I was pleasantly surprised as the difference in POP between the PURE and my S19.

My shots in warmups were crisp, heavy, and on target. I didn't take too many shots during the game, but when I did, the stick performed exactly as expected.

Hopefully I'll be playing at least once a week again, and will continue updating after each skate.

[Justin Liedloff 13]

Wow, I can't believe I haven't updated since August. I'm a horrible person.

I used the stick last night for the first time in a while. I've found myself leaning toward my U+ as I prefer a lot of grip, and I didn't get a grip Pure.

I ended up using the stick because it just felt good in warmups. I really liked the way the puck felt and my shots were all hard and on target.

During the game, there was a bit of an adjustment, as my one touch passes were all over the map. After a couple shifts, I dialed in and it felt like the stick and I were old buddies. It performed exactly how I needed it to in all occasions. One thing I have started to notice is that the blade is a bit pingier than others I have used. I think this is a trade off to the stiffness of the blade, but as a recent wood blade convert, it's hard to get used to.

I am finally playing weekly again, and once again hope to keep this LTR more up to date.

[Justin Liedloff 13]

Look at me, two posts, and only a week apart!

I used the stick exclusively last night. I really am regretting not getting a grip version, and, truth is, I don't even know if one is available. The stick continues to perform well, with crisp passing and accurate shooting. I taped a single stripe of tape along the bottom half of the blade, back and front, before taping the blade. This seems to have cut down on the percieved pingyness of the stick.

One issue I have noticed is that the chrome PURE lettering is coming off, as I predicted. I have already lost the R on one side, and the E is starting to peel as well. I normally wouldn't care, but, since this is the an LTR, I figured I would point it out. Obviously, the PURE branding was important enough to be one of the only things on the stick that are chrome. So, obviously I would think that Combat would prefer to have the logos stay on the stick. I would recommend that they put future logos under the clear coat, even if it means a logo with less luster. To me, branding is everything, and it would be better to have logos that stay on, than logos that really stand out.

That's all for this week. Look for some more feedback next week.

[Justin Liedloff 13]

It's a bit of a spell since my last update. I found that the lack of grip on the Pure caused me to reach for my CCM U+ more often than not. However, a couple of games ago the U+ got slashed in half. So, back to the Pure I went. This time I added a candy cane of friction tape, which worked really well. Of course, my palms are all full of tar now, but that actually helps!

The added grip helped tremendously with my control and power. The stick performs well, and is holding up great, aside from the "PURE" logo mark falling off. I will try to take some photos this evening to show some areas where the stick has been stepped on as well as the issue with the logos.

Until next time . . .

[Justin Liedloff 13]

So, it looks like I failed on the photos. My bad. I'll try to get some this week, but won't promise anything.

Stick was used again last night. The candy cane of friction tape is miraculous. While it isn't the same as having a grip shaft, it is a definite substitute. The stick is performing better than before, or perhaps I am just performing better with the added grip. I suspect that's the case, as the stick itself hasn't changed. It continues to hold up well, save for a few chips in the finish here, and some skate cuts on the blade. I won't get into the PURE logo mark falling off, as I think i've beat that point to death. Passes are crisp, shots are heavy and on target, and the stick hasn't lost any pop at all. The shaft and blade continue to to hold their stiffness.

I'm playing again next Sunday, which is the first of 3 games that week. I'll update after each with any new thoughts or findings.

[Justin Liedloff 13]

It's been almost 2 months since my last post, my bad. I haven't really been using the stick as much as I should. I acquired a couple of grip shafts, which I have been using pretty exclusively. I did, however, use the shaft last night, as I felt it was only fair to do my part, since Combat was kind enough to send me the stick.

First thing I noticed was the difference in feel between a grip shaft, and one with a friction tape wrap. Night and day really. That being said, the friction tape does it's job, even though it has totally destroyed the palms of my gloves. The stick is still a little pingy for my personal tastes, but nothing I can't live with. As has been the case since day 1, the shots are true, passes as crisp, the stick just performs.

I won't get into the aesthetics of the stick, as I feel I've beaten that dead horse quite enough.