Branches Stick?

[flyersfan02 0]

(apologize in advance for the potential dumb question)

I stumbled across this stick today when I was picking up a new pair of skates and decided to grab it as a backup twig for the year. I had remembered Branches was no more a few years ago, and I was suprised to see it on the rack. Anyone know anything about them? Is someone still making them labeled as Branches? Thanks in advance.

[Chadd 916]

They still exist, but they no longer make hockey equipment. They found that there was a much larger profit potential in composite paddles for canoes and kayaks than in hockey equipment.

http://www.bendingbranches.com/

[flyersfan02 0]

Should also say it is a "Double Trouble 7809 RC or RL...

They still exist, but they no longer make hockey equipment. They found that there was a much larger profit potential in composite paddles for canoes and kayaks than in hockey equipment.

http://www.bendingbranches.com/

Thanks for the info. I knew of bending branches (grew up in ND and MN), and that was one of the reasons I grabbed the stick. I guess I was kinda surprised to see one still for sale, and I was a little curious if anyone had any info on it (or for whatever reason if someone is still privately labeling sticks as "Branches").

[Chadd 916]

nope, that stick is 15 years old. Give or take a year.

[flyersfan02 0]

nope, that stick is 15 years old. Give or take a year.

Haha, nice. Significant/cool enough to the point I should pick up the rest of them? :D

[Chadd 916]

I don't know how long I would expect a stick of that age to last. But no residual value, unless it's a local thing.

[flyersfan02 0]

Good to know. I couldn't argue the price ($30 bucks! haha) and they looked absolutely brand new. I'll probably use it as my pond hockey stick on Sundays as a conversation piece I suppose.

[notquitedeadyet 13]

Wow. I seem to remember a black model that touted a bullet proof blade that was intentionally made so you could use heat to change the curve. Must have been solid.

[Chadd 916]

I tried one we had in the shop, it sucked.

[leftwinger37 43]

Eleven Hockey (Warroad,MN) currently produces sticks and blades with a Branches heritage. I'm not sure if they just acquired their patents or exactly what the arrangement is, but they manufacture sticks with the Double Trouble and Rhino Wrap reinforcement. I just ordered some custom Double Trouble blades from them. I was really excited to see this option available because I was an avid user of Double Trouble blades back in the day.

[Neo5370 132]

Didn't that location revive the Christian name a while back? Are they just going through the list of defunct hockey companies every few years?

[JR Boucicaut 3805]

You bought $30 worth of kindling.

Yeah, I saw that about Eleven.

[leftwinger37 43]

Didn't that location revive the Christian name a while back? Are they just going through the list of defunct hockey companies every few years?

You are correct. But it looks like their association with these brands is more about pride in their Minnesota roots.

From the Eleven website: "...we augment our products with a variety of innovative new technologies and employ superior manufacturing techniques perfected over 100 years, drawing on the experience of our friends at Christian Brothers, Northland Hockey, and Bending Branches."

This might not be a bad way to establish their brand, at least regionally. Being from MI, I was pretty pumped about Warrior Hockey when they came on the scene and wanted to support them as a Michigan-based company with a good product... Until I realized that claiming Warrior Hockey as a Michigan company would be disingenuous. Although the brand is Michigan based, their parent company, innovations (no pun intended), and manufacturing are not. Oh, well... At least they make stuff that I want to buy.