bauer apx vs tps response xn10 JR sticks -review

[ulf 5]

okay..i picked up one of the older version tps response xn10 because of what i've read about it for my son. and because of the < 50 price i found it for.

the only curve available was the nash pattern, and from what i read about that it's the same/slightly less pronounced version of the backstrom p92..which is true. (pics coming)

get this....the stick was mailed to me in a garbage bag which only a little bubble wrap on the blade. when i opened up the bag i found that the stick had heavy shop wear to it, and even if it obtained more bruises on it's trip to me there would be no way to tell....lol....I'm kind of bummed that it was also the " stiff" version...:( ....not to mention it came w/ a 3" wooden plug in it. :(...and i was never made aware of this, nor did i think to ask..

that's the bad part...the good part is that's it's very light, even w/ the plug in it...i can deal w/ visceral things if it's not cracked.

being that these two sticks are close to 10 years apart,.. i didn;t know what to expect...i will say that after holding both..the weight difference seems negligible..and the apx is one of the lightest out there...the tps has a weird feeling to it.for being a one piece carbon (hope it's not cracked).

here's the goof..even though the stick is labeled "STIFF" as opposed to regular or whip..it's still pretty whippy...i can bend it more that i can w/ the 50 flex apx, which i find very strange...i can only imagine how much the kids would benefit from the whip version..

i will let my son be the judge...but we'll see soon enough if he will get those powerful shots people say come from it. going up against the apx is a big task

thoughts on the two sticks if you're familiar w/ them?

[ulf 5]

tps nash curve vs bauer p92 pics

[Cavs019 710]

Stiff was the standard and only flex option for TPS junior sticks back then. Its equivalent to a 45-55 on the Bauer/Easton scale. That stick is a gem, tell your son not to get too attached to it because finding another one will be a chore.

Its also built like a Ferrari...designed for performance, not mileage.

P.S. Wood plugs were the standard back then.

[ulf 5]

Stiff was the standard and only flex option for TPS junior sticks back then. Its equivalent to a 45-55 on the Bauer/Easton scale. That stick is a gem, tell your son not to get too attached to it because finding another one will be a chore.

Its also built like a Ferrari...designed for performance, not mileage.

ty, good sir.....i have located another europe but it's a tkachuck pattern, and that's a no go for us.....i just had a good laugh at the way the stick came..good to know sticks can be sent 1st class USPS like this and not in big boxes via UPS.

[Chadd 916]

For what it's worth, it is generally pretty easy to heat the shaft with a heat gun and pull the blade out of an XN10. Then it's just a matter of putting in another tapered blade. My only concern would be that the APX and the XN10 have vastly different designs and kick points, Chances are one that one will feel good and the other will not. As for the shipping, I've done that myself a number of times. It works pretty well.

[MisterSkates 1]

Seems like a few old TPS twigs are popping up everywhere. I just grabbed 2 adrenalines, and a xn10 and have come to love them both much better than anything else I have used. The puck feels like it is glued to the dam stick when stick handling, and when you shoot it kicks just as good and anything. But I just can't get over the feel...

[ulf 5]

since this post i have picked up an additional xn10 w/ a r2 comp sundin curve. he used the stick tonight and i have to say, everything what people say about it shooting rockets is true. i really want to put it on a scale w/ the apx, which i believe is 335 grams..it prolly weighs a little more, but the flex that comes with this stick allows my 11yr old to generate more power than he ever has. his youth black widow didn't show this much pop with a plug and being 35/40flex.. and the jr apx (45/50flex), while being a good light stick, is just stiffer..

so i guess it's combo of many things which makes this stick very lively...

where can i find additional tapered blades for this shaft? i really want to take the nash off the other stick for him. and find some toe curves as well

[ulf 5]

my son used this tps stick exclusively for almost 2 months..

i had him use his apx stick last week just to see if there was any change. one practice he called me to ice and said give me back the tps because he was use to it...so i did, but next practice i made him use the apx for an extended period of time. a quicker shot was visible immediately

what i realized about the 2 sticks is that after using the tps for half a practice it became heavier and not balanced as much. one of his first reasons for not wanting to go back to the apx is because it was too light and he wsa use to the slightly heavier stick.

since going back to the apx he's gotten a quicker release, and more maneuverability. but the power of the shot seems to be been a little less.