So Many Different Warrior Models... Which One?

[woodyRI 0]

My 13 y.o. sniping forward son is looking for a new stick.

Has done well with a Reebok 808 and a Ribcore, but looking at other brands now. He tried an Easton RS-65 and a Bauer X80, but neither felt good to him.

I see a TON of Warrior intermediates on H.M., but I don't know their products at all.

Covert DT3 LT? Dynasty AX3? Widow SE? Widow? Diablo? Dolomite DD?

He wants a versatile stick for mainly wristers and backhands, passing and stick handling, but some slappers too.

Any suggestions on how the above models compare? Suggestions on which Warrior blade matches the Crosby on his Reeboks?

Thanks for any help you can offer!

[Vet88 674]

Last year I purchased a bunch (10 of them) of Widows for my son, on special from HM at a great price. These and the Widow SE were their top stick from the 2012 range. They don't suit everyone but I'd say your 13 y.o. would love them. My son came across from a RS and a Total One, Widows are now his number one stick. Whilst they aren't great for standing up to a lot of abuse (the blade cracks along the bottom) if his game is mainly wristers and snap shots then they will last a fair while.

Personally, out of what you list there I'd be buying in this order: Widow or Widow SE, DT3, AX3, Diablo, Dolomite. If the Widows are on special at a good price then they are worth the money. Closest curve to a Crosby is a Draper or Kopitar.

Myself, I had some pro stock Widows and they were one of the sweetest sticks I have ever used. Recently used a DT2 for 6 months till it broke. I currently use a AX1 which I rotate with an NXG and Mako 2. Warrior do make a stick with a nice balanced feel to it.

[beedee 227]

Just something to keep in mind when choosing a flex pattern, Warrior's intermediate sticks are about 3" longer or so than most other brands.

[Souldriver 64]

Yes but you can cut it down more without effecting the flex as well. Also the lie ratings are numbered different but they are the same as their other company counterparts.

As a sniper I like low kick sticks bc I get a quicker more accurate release, they're best for wristers and snappers but are ok for slappers as well they just take more getting used to.

Their low kick line from the past 2 years is their covert line the dt series of last year and the new lt/st series of this year both under the covert name. Before that was the widow sticks, the widow se is just a different graphic, the stick is the same. They're all low kick with the dagger taper and for me these sticks have had effortless loading and great feel. My widows didn't last too long but my dt1 isa tank and bc jts still in great shape I havnt tried the newest lt stick yet. Widow imho had amazing feel and the converts lost a tiny bit of the touch but the durability is more than worth it.

The dynasties are their mid kick sticks they have some older dynastys and the newer ax line. I don't know much about these except they seem to be wel liked. They're also coming outbwith their ax/lt line sometime soon I believe. Mid kicks are usually more for power shots and slappers. Not my style so maybe others will chime in.

It's also confusing bc up until the past year or two warrior didn't have uniform naming for things they just names lower and higher end products in the same line by whatever name they wanted. Before it was ak-27, dynasty, evo etc all for sticks. Now it's covert line up dt1/dt2/dt3 etc etc.

HM has HUGE overstock on these and are really clearing them out, and have real good deals on clearance quantity pricing.

[woodyRI 0]

Thanks guys!

Much appreciated.

[colins 246]

I've got a senior DT3 & Widow, 2 Intermediate Widows, an Intermediate Dynasty and Intermediate DT1 between me and my two boys (wow, until I just wrote that out I didn't realise what a stick hog I've become!).

With the HM closeouts, I can't see how you can do better than a Widow/Widow SE. Fantastic feeling stick, and at that price with the discounts they have, great value. They also look great too (both the Widow and the Widow SE) and the kids all know they are top of the line sticks, just a year or two non-current. I don't know about your 13 year old, but I know that's a factor for mine :-)

Blades are definitely the weak point on the Widow - my oldest son plays center and the top edge of his Widow's blade is chipped and opened up from just out from the shaft to 3 or 4 inches down the blade. The blade is still nice and rigid, and I put a layer of clear tape over that before regular stick tape to contain the damage, but it's time is clearly limited. I blame this mostly on him being a Center and having his stick stepped on during draws, but previous sticks he's had have never opened up like this as quickly after a couple of chips as did the Widow.

The Dynasty is also solid, but he doesn't use it anymore because the feel of the Widow and his new DT1 are so much nicer. The dagger taper seems to be the big difference there.

The DT1 (and new DT1 LT/ST) addresses the blade durability issue with the new blade components/wraps being used compared as to the Widow. So far so good for his stick - but I'm still using a single band of clear tape across the top before taping just to hopefully cut down on the damage caused by faceoff abuse from skate blades.

Myself - I love my senior Widow - great feeling stick. But honestly the times I pick up my DT3 instead I don't find myself at all put off by it... The DT3 and the new DT3 LT are really amazing products for the price - unless you're concerned about having to own the top of line product, there's a great argument to be made for the DT3 LT.

From what I can tell, the DT1/DT2 to DT1 LT/ST transition was mostly about the marketing. The DT1/DT2 were equivalent level sticks, but having one with the "1" in the name the other with the "2" probably made some people think otherwise. The DT1 Intermediate (which I got on clearance since the DT1 LT is the newest model) my son is using now seems to have all the identical blade features (carbonized blade, hardcore X, Aramid sole) of the DT1 LT with just a different name - but I stand to be corrected as I know Warrior has a presense on here with Miseaujeu.

Unfortunately for Warrior, it did/does cause some confusion having such rapid transition in all the stick models/names/features over the past 2 years. But to their credit the end result which they have on the market today is great. Going forward, maintaining a Covert line and a Dynasty line with the various high/mid/low end models is pretty simple to understand.

Colin

[Miseaujeu 291]

Wow...What a great write-up Colin. Truly a great hockey dad who really thinks through product feature/benefit and see the difference on generational product. Thanks for your insight and for helping to guide a new Warrior user.

[woodyRI 0]

My son is easy on sticks, having only broken 1 in 7+ seasons, and that because a tubby defenseman kept slashing his Ribcore in front of the net.

Will blade durability be a nonissue for him?

[Souldriver 64]

I play elcenter and never had a stick break in all the years I've played including against chippy teams. I had two widows and both broke on me before their time. I received a dt1 which has shown no signs of labor wear in the 30+ games I've played. Warrior wanted to adress their weak point in blade durability and IMHO have aced it. My apx was a nice stick but had more toe chips than the dt1 in about the same amount of games.

There were also so many battles with my dt1 that I heard stick cracking that every player dreads but after many games and inspecting the stick it still has all it's pop and hasn't gone soft or shown signs of fatigue. Must have been the other guys stick.

[Miseaujeu 291]

My son is easy on sticks, having only broken 1 in 7+ seasons, and that because a tubby defenseman kept slashing his Ribcore in front of the net.

Will blade durability be a nonissue for him?

Should not be a problem with the DT series or DT lt/st series. All the improvements on durability construction are tried and true now and we've had the lowest return rates in our history on every model we sell - from high end to entry-level.

[woodyRI 0]

Thanks to all for the info.

[colins 246]

I've got a senior DT3 & Widow, 2 Intermediate Widows, an Intermediate Dynasty and Intermediate DT1 between me and my two boys (wow, until I just wrote that out I didn't realise what a stick hog I've become!).

The Dynasty is also solid, but he doesn't use it anymore because the feel of the Widow and his new DT1 are so much nicer. The dagger taper seems to be the big difference there.

The DT1 (and new DT1 LT/ST) addresses the blade durability issue with the new blade components/wraps being used compared as to the Widow. So far so good for his stick - but I'm still using a single band of clear tape across the top before taping just to hopefully cut down on the damage caused by faceoff abuse from skate blades.

Colin

Just an update - son #1 broke his DT1 on day 44 (sure wish that 30 day warranty was a 45 day one now - lol!). Slapshot in warmups before a junior high game tonight and it cracked clear off above the dagger taper. His last shot just before that was a solid clapper that he got all of - the very next shot had nothing on it as the shaft blew up. No signs at all of wear or distress on the blade or the shaft - except for the break it was holding up great up to that point.

He wants another Warrior - he really loved the DT1 for the short time he used it. Thankfully I got a good price on it at Sportchek on sale after Christmas.

Pics of the broken stick here: https://picasaweb.google.com/118245311561025892541/DT1

Colin

[Souldriver 64]

Yeah taking clappers will stress it out right around there. even though there is no fuse joint the slapshot does apply a bit of force.

[BrondonZA 0]

AX3 ! :)

[Innocent Bystander 5]

My 12 year old daughter just made the leap from Widow to DT1 LT and the differences were EXACTLY what Keith said they would be in the Covert thread on this forum. Better pop on her shot, lighter, and for me, it seems to be truer to it's flex rating. She loved the Widow, but this is the first stick where she took a couple of shots and then looked at the stick like it was a magic wand. We came from Easton sticks for years, but the jump to Warrior has been another incremental boost to her game and more importantly, to her confidence. In my own simplistic view, if the player takes a good amount of clappers, go with the mid-kick Dynasty line. If they are working more in front of the net and tend to use snappers and wristers more, go with the Covert line.

[hunterphfr 12]

My son and I both had Widows. He cracked one 1 and I cracked 2 all 3 along the bottom and up the face mid-blade. He went to The DT1 and it's now his backup (flex was a little high) and he upgraded to a DT1LT. I had a DT1LT that I went to tape and was surprised when I took the old tape off to find it cracked along the bottom and up the face mid-blade. It definitely lasted longer than our Warriors and I'm trying to secure another. Before shifting to Warrior sticks I'd been an Easton guy and he preferred Bauer.

Edit, sorry I had a DT1 not a DT1LT that broke.

[kyleo29 58]

If you can find dolomites get them. In my opinion one of the best all around sticks ever made. Otherwise I like the dynasty line. Better feel than covert