Easton Mako M3

[bwhockey17 12]

Easton Mako M3

Flex: 85

Curve: Hall

Height: 5'10

Weight: 145

Postition: Forward

Time-frame of use: 4 months

Aesthetics: The "whiteout" design has been very popular among many players on all kinds of levels. I love it, and the nice hints of orange and black on the bottom of the stick make it much easier to see in my peripheral vision than if it had been full whiteout. The matte finish and sleek "Easton" logo are nice touches as well. I did prefer the 75s to this (black n yellow!) but nonetheless, a great looking twig.

8.25/10

Weight and Balance: The M3 was a bit heavier than the 75s II, so much so that I noticed it on the ice. Could have been because I didn't really cut it (and I should have) though. It seemed very balanced, if not a tad blade heavy. All in all though, at the price point I saw it in the store, not bad at all

8/10

Blade: The blade is really good. Was nice with puck feel, pass reception and everything in between. Looks like Easton has fixed up the blade durability issues they had in the past with the RS II and Mako lines. My S19 was also very good in terms of blade durability, due to Kevlar added for extra protection in the blade itself. Great job by Easton!

8.5/10

Shaft/Flex: The stick is a true playmakers stick. If you are the one holding into the puck and creating plays, this is the twig for you. The shaft feels very nice and comfortable in your hands, and the flex profiles to what it was. No complaints here.

9/10

Stickhandling and Passing: This is truly the strength of this stick. Puck feel is amazing (at the price) and passing is on point and accurate. Reception is also very, very good. It can get a bit tiring with the weight, but as I said earlier I probably needed to cut it down a bit, which I did not.

8/10

Shooting: My wrist and snap shots were relatively unchanged. My release time however, was also a bit slower than I am accustomed to. This probably is due from coming from the low kick sticks such as S19, 75s II, S17 and so on. Slapper a were pretty good though.

7.5/10

Durability: Great so far, this stick is an absolute tank.there are a few cracks appearing in the heel, but that's more a result of me playing a bit of center.

9/10

Conclusion: This was a test stick from Easton, and at the price point they offer it at, I think it would be well worth it. I'd probably be more careful if I had dished out the $ for it too, instead of getting the great opporitunity to test it out and offer reviews. It is a great stick, definitely not top end but comparable to others such as the T70, or RBZ 80.

7.75/10