Easton Stealth RS

[the_sock 1]

Easton Stealth RS

Flex: 85

Curve: Hall (Sakic/P92)

Matte (candy cane tape, I usually use a grip but beggars can't be choosers)

Time Frame of Use

Since October 2011

Aesthetics

What can I say, it's the best looking stick that I have used or seen. I like the two tone color and the yellow lets you know that it's an RS on the ice. Although it may have been after the T90 Undercover's pioneering color scheme, it's still the sexiest stick on the ice.

10/10

Weight and Balance

I haven't used the S17 or the S19 extensively, but I have tried them out shooting around and I find that the RS feels much more balanced then the previous generations. Less blade heavy then the S19, overall light weight, on par with the APX. I switch between the RS and the A.i 9 and the RS is the lighter of the two by far. Good job by Easton taking out weight from the joint and the blade.

9/10

Blade

Easton changed the blade by moving the rib higher so the puck is no longer knocking against it (problem with the S19, eventually the blade would break from repeated impacts) and by using a mix of foam and honeycomb materials to balance weight and feel. However, the feel from the blade is much less than other sticks I've used, it's much more "pingier". It's a bit of a stiffer blade and it's great for shooting but not much for puck handling and receiving passes.

6/10

Shaft and Flex

Shaft is smaller diameter than more sticks and has square corners with straight walls. This is what the pros like because it's built similar to pro stock (apparently, what the rep told me). I have smaller hands so I like the smaller dimensions and the corners for really holding in my hands when passing and shooting. The flex is more true to stated, the S17 where overly soft and the S19 where overly stiff. It's a bit softer than the A.i 9 and the CL. Great job fixing the issues from the previous Stealths. I could go on about what Easton did but I'll leave that for you all to find the post I made regarding this.

9/10

Stick Handling and Passing

Hmmm...this is where I find the faults with the sticks (along with the blade). This stick is not the greatest feel for the puck and it's a shooter's stick. If you want the best puck feel and passing, this may not be the best stick. However, this stick is probably not designed for this header but read on...

4/10

Shooting

...and this is why you use an RS. This stick gives me a shot. A real shot, I don't have much of one but with this stick my teammates have noticed more of the puck flying from me. It's almost like you want to shoot every time you get the puck. Being a Flames fan, it makes me less Tanguay and more Iginla. The puck MOVES. It's like a laser. When I say laser, think of Dr. Evil. Every co worker who plays with this stick laments the puck feel but is won over with the shooting. Just image the net is a 10 point buck and your RS is the shotgun; Deer Hunter that mesh. I actually broke a puck today shooting with the RS.

11/10

Durability

Perhaps the dumbest thing I see on YouTube are young kids with no sense of money, value or hard work, get their equally dumb or lazy parents to buy them a pro stock RS and watch them break the stick on the second shot. I have worked in the hockey industry for a long time, used many sticks, seen some break in the first time and others never break (I'm lucky to be part of the second group, I can't break a stick if my life depended on it), durability means almost NOTHING. Hence forth, I will no longer give a score for this because there are too many factors that are involved. I have used a CL, EQ50, RS and A.i 9 in the last 8 months while a teammate has gone through 8 sticks (all broken).

-/-

Conclusion

This is a great stick, for those snipers or shooters, it will elevate your game. Pay no attention to the pros, they have a different dynamic that doesn't affect us mortals. Good looks, strong shooting characteristics, bareable puck feel, spend the cash if you think you need that extra "umph" to get you that extra 10 to 15 goals a season.

Cheers

[pmedow 2]

I signed in just to post this review, normally I just lurk (as is evident by my massive post count)...

Easton Stealth RS

Flex: 100

Curve: Hall (Sakic/P92)

Design: Matte black yellow accents + grippy shaft

Time Frame

4 months and counting, 3-4 times a week (games and pickup)

Aesthetics

It's a good looking stick, I'm not the biggest fan of the yellow accents but it still looks nice, very low profile and sleek. If you don't want a fancy looking stick that stands out, then this is definitely for you.

9/10

Weight and Balance

I've used the Ai9 and the T90 and this definitely feels infinitely more balanced than either. It doesn't feel blade heavy at all and I can balance it on one finger almost in the middle of the shaft without any issues (that's also a testament to how light it is). It's very light, not the lightest stick you cant find, but I find it really helps defensively. As a defenseman, I find poke checks so much easier as well as board work.

9/10

Blade

The blade has decent feel but is VERY poppy. The blade on this stick forced me to learn how to have softer hands when receiving passes and trying one-timed passes. At first, I tried to overcompensate by adding more tape to the blade (ie the way Phaneuf tapes his sticks), but this made the feel absolutely terrible), so I just stuck to as little tape as possible and just learned to handle the poppiness of this blade. There are some minor chips, but it's nothing too bad (mostly on the toe) for the time being.

8/10

Shaft and Flex

The shaft is grippy but seems to become less grippy as you move further down the shaft, not sure if this was an intended design but I like it. This is the first 100 flex stick I've used extensively (I stepped up from 85 which felt a bit too whippy), so it feels true to flex compared to the other short-term 100 flex sticks I've tried. The shaft is a bit smaller, which I find makes it easier to grip and stick handle with. Loving the kickpoint on the tapered shaft, cannot be happier. Again, some minor chipping, but nothing to be worried about.

8/10

Stickhandling/Passing

Even though the blade feels a little dead, due to the lightness of the stick you can really stickhandle your way out of a scrum or a tight situation pretty well. I find that my passes are harder now but the accuracy remains. As someone who tries to play as more of a puck mover, I absolutely love the way this stick has improved my passing game.

9/10

Shooting

This is definitely a shooters stick as the previous reviewer mentioned. My slapshot is noticeably faster (although I'm still having issues controlling it a little bit), my snapshots are as well. The blade is very snappy and this is the first thing you will notice when you take a shot or three.

10/10

Durability

I know a few guys that have complained about breaking their RS's, but I'm very hard on my sticks and haven't really had any issues with mine. The stick does tend to chip alot, but minor scuffs and scratches don't really bug me.

8/10

Overall

8.7

I've had a few friends chirp me because I paid alot of this stick, but I can definitely say that it's money well spent and there has been a noticeable improvement to my game in most aspects. If you have the cash laying around, snag one up, you won't be disappointed!

[Edited for typos]

Edited February 15, 2012 by pmedow

[Dangles83 24]

EASTON STEALTH RS

Model Specification

• Flex: 100
  
• Pattern: Cammalleri (PM9)
  
• Finish: Grip
  

Aesthetics/Intangibles

The overall look of the stick is very slick. The black and yellow contrast has a very nice visual appeal, although I do like the non-grip version's matte finish a bit more, but the grip version is still very nice.

9/10

Blade/Stickhandling/Receiving Passes

This is one area where I tend to be pretty strict when testing out new sticks. Ever since the Bauer ONE95, I have been spoiled when it comes to the feel of the puck on the blade. The RS does a decent job here, but I would have expected a bit more of a puck-dampening feel. It's not that the feel is bad, but it just doesn't have the feel of being "one with the stick." I would say the RS is more of a stiffer/harder blade and that isn't conducive for receiving passes or stickhandling.

6.5/10

Shaft/Flex

The flex of the RS feels true to the number printed on the shaft. I have certainly experienced sticks with higher flex profiles that are too whippy and the exact opposite, but Easton does a good job here with flex accuracy. The feel of the grip shaft is very nice, not too grippy, but certainly not nearly as smooth as the matte non-grip version. The shaft walls and corners feel nice in your hands and provide a comfortable experience.

8/10

Shooting

One thing I noticed right away with the RS is the release. The release on this stick was definitely noticeable as the puck seems to pop off the blade. It didn't take me long at all to dial in the accuracy when using this stick for the first time, it was very responsive and delivered power through the shot.

8.5/10

Weight and Balance

The weight of the stick was very nice, pretty much on par with many of the newer sticks on the market; it is not too heavy and not too light. What I was really impressed with was the balance of the RS. The balance of the RS was very good, not blade-heavy at all and the distribution of power felt even throughout the stick. Having used the S19, SE, ST and EQ50, I personally feel that the balance of the RS was the best of the bunch, with the EQ50 slightly behind.

9/10

Durability

My 1st RS broke in half taking a one-timer after only about 4 games, so I have to say I was very disappointed; especially considering the price point. Up until that moment, the integrity of the stick appeared to be uncompromised. Luckily I had a 2nd RS in the holster and I have been using that quite a bit and so far so good; perhaps the 1st one was just a fluke. I have noticed that the tip of the blade has began to chip a bit and I tape my entire blade. I'm also a center and take a lot of draws so to be fair, the first signs of damage on most of my sticks is in that precise location.

6.5/10

Conclusion

Overall I would say that the RS is a very good stick, possibly best in the Easton family (MAKO review coming), but not sure it is worth it's hefty price tag. Durability issues are a big red flag and when retail is $250, my expectations are a lot higher. Price aside, the stick is very nice. The areas to focus on are durability, puck feel and shooting. If you are willing to sacrifice puck-feel for shot power and equal power distribution, I would certainly recommend the Easton RS, but again, because of it's durability issues, the price tag may leave a lot to be desired.

7.5/10

player reference: 6'0 / 165lbs / A League (3x/week)

[Acichetti25 0]

EASTON STEALTH RS~

-SPECIFICS

Time of use: since the products october 2011 release(skating atleast 5-6 days a week, 2 hours a day, not counting games and pond hockey outside)

Blade: p7 iginla curve

Shaft: Non Grip matte finish with the occasional candy cane tape job from time to time in practice(switching it up sometimes, never seem to be able to get used to it though)

flex: 85 flex, cut about 1" down to a 87-90 flex

Intangibles:The RS is a very slick looking stick. its not too flashy, and has the look to make everybody envy you out on the ice. certainly shows off a bit of class on the rick with the solid black on black graphics.the looks earn it a 9/10

Durability/Construction: the rs is Kevlar wrapped, which gives it added durability on the the stick, making it stiffer on the inside part of the shaft(depending on your handed-ness).Its compression molded, by using thinner layers of material Easton is able to use more layers, allowing them to stay lively and fresh feeling longer.They used a higher-end carbon fiber construction for an extremely lighter feel. I'd give it an 8/10

Stickhandling: This is where i feel that easton has done a tremendous job with their products. the stealth rs is truely an incredible stick, it stick handles so well because it is so light. it feels as if your holding a pipe cleaner and is the lightest stick in my opinion. making those toe drags and deking inbetween your skates takes less than a second because of the immediate release with this stick. It is certainly worthy of atleast a solid 7/10

receiving passes: if you give it a little give and recieve the pass its easily going to stay on the stick. i feel that the stick is a little bit more blade heavy so there is a bit stiffer feeling in the blade. i personally like the stiffer blade feel because i tend to make harder passes and recieve hard passes from my teammates and the blade has held up great. one of the best parts of the stick, giving it a 8.5/10

Shooting: This is where the stealth part comes into play.Every time i shoot with the rs i feel that the puck just seems to "pop" right off the blade. no matter how long you have had this stick in use it will always keep that new stick feeling with the popping release. this truely is "the shooters" stick. wherever you look and aim the puck, if you take your shot the right way and the release is how it should be you will put the puck behind the goalie 10 out of 10 times. i could take 50 shots (aim top right like i prefer to on a net) and 48 of them would be perfect top right, the other 2 would hit the post from the pin-point accuracy on this stick. you will light the lamp every time when going 1 on 1 with the goaltender. the best part of the stick, giving it a 9/10

Weight and balance: this is where the blade becomes a big part in this stick like i mentioned above. it is so light, that its noticibly blade heavy. the shaft weighs around 450-470 grams(depending if you cut it) so its one of the lightest sticks on the market. rediculously light, earning an 8/10

Conclusion: I already own one of these fabulous sticks thought up by easton, but if i didnt, after reading all these reviews i would certainly make it my goal to go out and buy one if i wanted to be able to shoot and play like a pro. the easton RS is the best stick ive used yet and makes me wish i had more than one. hands down the best stick ive used yet and im so thankful i bought one when i did. it has improved my game tremendously, overall i would give the stick an 8.25/10