P88 Curve Rocker causing all heel tape wear. Cut it down or get used to it?

[Mikej411 2]

So I just went from a Datsyuk Reebok curve to a Vapor Kane P88 curve. I figured it would be a smooth switch because curves are similar and both Lie's are 6, but for some reason the P88 is all heel on the ice. I attached a picture, the red line is where the tape is wearing.

If both Lies are 6, then is the Rocker the problem? Not only are both Lies 6, but the P88 is 1.5 inches shorter than the Datsyuk, so if anything, I thought I should be wearing the tape out more at the toe. But it's the opposite. Im losing pucks at the toe all the time now.

Does cutting down the stick help to get more toe on the ice? If so, how much should I cut?
Has anyone had a similar problem and just kept playing with it instead, and then it corrected itself as you got used to playing with that kind of rocker?

[hyster110 3]

is your shot good? can you stickhandle well,

if they are then just leave it alone, tape wear isnt the absolute indicatior of good stick length

[SydNap 25]

I just made the opposite switch about 6 months ago, and I love the Datsyuk. I had the same issue with super tape wear, the p88 is just much more rockered. I felt too many pucks slipped under my blade unless I was perfect. I also like toe drags and picking pucks off the boards much more with the datsyuk. I did feel the p88 was easier to shoot up top accurately with...it has more cup to it.

[Chadd 916]

CCM/RBK lie is a full number lower than marked in most, if not all cases. You basically went from a 5 to a 5.5

[Mikej411 2]

I just made the opposite switch about 6 months ago, and I love the Datsyuk. I had the same issue with super tape wear, the p88 is just much more rockered. I felt too many pucks slipped under my blade unless I was perfect. I also like toe drags and picking pucks off the boards much more with the datsyuk. I did feel the p88 was easier to shoot up top accurately with...it has more cup to it.

Wish I loved the Datsyuk, but I didn't like the kick point on it. I'm getting much harder shots off with the P88. I don't even know if cutting it down one inch will fix the Rocker problem.

Hopefully someone who cut their stick can tell me how much it affected the lie

[Mikej411 2]

Could hand/body position be changed so I can use this stick, or is that just forcing myself into an unnatural position

[interpathway 9]

Cut a inch or so off the stick and do everything the same, jus texpect it to be easiest to stickhandle, shoot, and receive passes a bit closer to your body. You should notice marked improvement.

[Sniper9 541]

as hyster posted, if your play isn't affected, it's not a big deal... the fact that it is rockered, probably aids in the heel being on the ice a lot more while you are skating around, and not necessarily shooting the puck

[TBLfan 25]

With large rockered blades the tape wear can lie to you. I get even wear throughout the middle of the blade but it tears through on the very heel and toe.

Go by how it feels, are you missing a lot of passes? Flubbing shots or passing attempts? If no, then leave it be. If you decide to cut it, start at a half inch...you'd be surprised at how much a half inch can change things.

[Mikej411 2]

Yes, as i said in my opening, I keep losing pucks at the toe. Its mostly when I pass or receive passes. So it's either because I my toe isn't on the ice, or it's because I went down 1.5 inches in stick length from my previous stick. I think its the toe issue because of the heel wear.

[Chadd 916]

With the higher lie and bigger rocker you have to play the puck closer to your body. Nothing will enable you to catch passes or stick handle farther from your body. My guess is that you are playing the puck too far away from your body, resulting in heel wear as well as problems with the toe.

[Mikej411 2]

With the higher lie and bigger rocker you have to play the puck closer to your body. Nothing will enable you to catch passes or stick handle farther from your body. My guess is that you are playing the puck too far away from your body, resulting in heel wear as well as problems with the toe.

Hmm that may be it. This was all a result from one stick time with this new stick. So maybe after a few games I will adjust. However, SydNap above, had the same problem with this stick, so Im not holding out hope.

Oh, and you mentioned that my Reebok stick was really a 5 Lie, and the P88 was an actual 6. Idid a side by side comparison and it doesnt look that way. The P88 actually has a little bit more deeper angle in its lie when held side by side. I think its more to do with the Rocker. Does cutting the stick down help Rocker as well, not just Lie?

[Chadd 916]

to measure the lie properly, you need the middle of the blade flat on the ground. The RBK should show a similar or lower lie than the Bauer blade when measuring that way. Cutting a stick will never "fix" the rocker. Assuming you keep the same hand position, a shorter stick will hold the heel off the ice and it will play with more blade on the ice. If you adjust your hand position to keep the heel on the ice, you will continue to have the same problems with the stick, no matter how much you cut off.

[wrangler 157]

If you don't change your stance or your hold on the stick, cutting the stick will just bring the position of the blade on the ice closer to your body. This can help compensate for a blade toe that is too far off the ice; it adjusts the stick length to work with the lie and the way you hold the stick. On a stick with a flat bottomed blade, it's easier to tell where the blade should be for you -- it's flat on the ice. If the blade isn't flat on the bottom, it may be more difficult.

With a blade that has a curved bottom (rocker), you can see that adjusting the stick length will change where that rocker touches the ice. Your tape wear should give you an indication of that. Shortening a stick will bring the blade toe down, and the heel up, on a blade with a rocker.

EDIT: The board software doesn't seem to tell me any more when a message has been posted while I've been writing one myself.

[Chadd 916]

EDIT: The board software doesn't seem to tell me any more when a message has been posted while I've been writing one myself.

That's strange, it usually does for me.

[wrangler 157]

I wonder if it's something I've got blocked with NoScript.

[Sniper9 541]

I have never used a blade or lie that caused me to ineffectively receive passes. Imo, you should be receiving passes heel/mid anyways.. I may do it automatically, but just picturing receiving a pass on the toe of your blade doesn't sound right

[Mikej411 2]

I have never used a blade or lie that caused me to ineffectively receive passes. Imo, you should be receiving passes heel/mid anyways.. I may do it automatically, but just picturing receiving a pass on the toe of your blade doesn't sound right

I was referring to passes that i need to reach out for when the pass isnt tape to tape. While reaching with my old stick, my toe was down enough to stop the puck. With the new stick, it is not. When sending passes, I guess ill have to work on sending them with the stick closer to my body

[wrangler 157]

Or give up the P88, if it doesn't suit you.

[Mikej411 2]

My shots were too good with the P88. What are curves similar to it with a low kick point, that don't have the Rocker?

[Chadd 916]

Bauer P12

[strosedefence34 179]

i had a similar issue moving from a p88 to the iginla. I cut the sticks down to the same size as my P88s and the stick felt too tall. I was getting nothing but tape wear on the heel. I cut the stick about an 1.5" or so and I still get tape wear on the heel, but I feel so much more comfortable with it. Now if I could just get my slap shots back I would be a happy camper.

[Mikej411 2]

How do I check out the exact specs of the P12, do they it listed on a Bauer website?

Is there an option to order a stick with a custom lie? Or get a P88 with less of a rocker?

[SydNap 25]

Mike, do you have access to a hockey shop nearby with all sorts of sticks? I had the same issues you speak of in terms of missing passes, etc. I found the p88 just had so little blade on the ice due to rocker that I had to be perfect all the time when receiving passes or making moves. I tried every stick in the store and settled on the datsyuk, perhaps you can try every stick and see what you like? I would love a p88 and p38 (datsyuk rbk) hybrid, basically a p88 with less rocker and more oblong toe...especially at the bottom for drags.

[davidfinlay276 4]

As Chadd mentioned, lie measurements are not standardized between brands AT ALL. They're completely unreliable, you really just have to compare curves in person to know whether a given curve is higher or lower lie than another. Based on the Easton scale (lie 5 = Modano lie; lie 6 = Sakic lie), the P88 is roughly a lie 5.5 - 5.75, while the Datsyuk is roughly a lie 4.75 - 5, you moved to a significantly higher lie blade.

With that being said, looking at that picture I really don't think the tape wear looks too bad, it's not all on the heel or anything, it's reasonably close to mid blade. Just keep playing, try to get used to it, the problems may resolve. Also, as others have mentioned you never want to be catching passes near the toe anyway, regardless of the curve. You should always catch passes in the mid-heel area, hard passes that hit your stick near the toe will blast through regardless of the curve you're using.

As for the Bauer P12, it's basically the same curve as the Easton Iginla. A fairly closed mid curve, without a lot of rocker. However, I'd say if anything the lie is a touch higher than the P88 (more of a true lie 6), and significantly higher than the Rbk Datsyuk, so not sure that it would work for you. If you want a closed, mid or mid-heel curve with a lower lie and not much rocker that ISN'T a Rbk Datsyuk, then you could try a Modano type curve (like the Bauer PM9), though it's a bit more mild than the P88. Alternately, the Bauer P14 might work for you too, though it's more open than the P88 and more of a mid-toe as well.