STX Surgeon RX2

[Swlabr11 69]

I'm really intrigued by the idea of a more ergonomic shaft. I just can't help but feel like this might be a gimmick though. I know they come out next week but I was curious if anyone has had the opportunity to use one. Is it worth spending the money or is it a hard pass? 

[Cosmic 178]

Get a wood stick for $20, file it down at the handle and in the area where your lower hand will grip the shaft. Put some electrical tape over the filed down areas so you don't get splinters. Stickhandle and shoot around in your driveway or at skate and puck, and see if you like it. If it feels great, then it might be worth it to buy. In a few weeks, if they have them for use at the HM range, then I will give a report on the real thing.

[Thinkingjack 51]

I'm excited to try these, should have mine tomorrow.  I was asked to write a review for them and I really look forward to tryin gthis concept.

[crazyhick 19]

I've seen the stick and they are very comfortable in the hand. The weight is really good, I cant wait to try one out on the ice once we get ours in

[Chadd 916]

A lot of manufacturers have tried the "more ergonomic" shaft shape over the years but consumers have never really bought into the concept. This is a lot less extreme than a lot of the earlier efforts, that may help them gain more acceptance. I have a pro stock Surgeon that I actually like quite a bit and a couple Stallions that I love. They really do have great product. 

[Cosmic 178]

I took a few shots, a few days ago, at HM with the RX2. Felt great. I usually shoot pretty wild there (even though I am right up on the net; it just is closer than I am used to shooting from), but I was consistently hitting corners for the first time with this stick. I mean, sure, from that close, of course I could put every shot on goal, but when aiming for the corners, shots tend to sail wide, which looks ridiculous when shooting from that close, no skates, no goalie, not moving. It's fine though, I do not go there on dates, trying to impress a woman I just met. 

 

Anyway, on skates, on ice, moving, may be a whole different story, but regardless, I am sold on this (for now). I play tomorrow night at pickup with the RX2.1.

[Caps06 1]

Got to pick one up while getting new skates and it feels pretty good.  Not sure how it'll work but it fet really good

[kovalchuk71 212]

I'm very intrigued by this stick. Waiting for my demo from STX. I've heard nothing but positive remarks about the shaft shape. Supposedly it increases your control a good amount. I loved my Stallion 500's, so I'm sure this stick will be fantastic as well.

 

It amazes me how STX has only been in the hockey world for less than 3 years, yet they already produce sticks that outperform the big companies (i.e. Bauer).  It's very impressive. STX doesn't even do a lot with Carbon Fiber, as they are primarily a lacrosse company

[crazyhick 19]

It does help that a good part of their hockey dept is made up of former Bauer employees.

[Cosmic 178]

Used the RX2.1 twice in the past 2 days (2 different pickups). I like the geometry, I definitely have better control of my stick when stickhandling, which should translate into better control of the puck, but it is not quite. Anyone else who has not played/ practiced much, and tries it, I am curious if you notice this too. It's like, I feel like I have 1.5x better control of my stick, which translates to about 1.2-1.25x better control of the puck. So, significant yes, but I am still not scaring people with my "dangling" (in quotes because I do not really dangle).

 

Shot wise, the RX2.1 feels like a mid-line stick. I do not mean this as a compliment. I have recently used the Warrior QR Pro (only OPS I have used prior to this), as well as an assortment of 2 piece rigs that I have assembled, mostly with the Warrior AXT1 blade (which is high end). With these, I felt like the puck exploded off my stick (when I made good contact, of course. On a flub, sure, nothing there). With the RX2.1, I am not sure if the sweet spot is smaller or what. I do not know if this is due to my not really knowing how to use the dual kickpoint (if this is even a real thing), or if I got a dead stick, or if the stick is just shooting like a $150 OPS is expected to shoot. (I would NEVER spend $250+ on a stick that can break if someone falls on it, or if I just wear out the hosel from smashing the puck too much). 

 

Anyway, this is my initial impression. I will stick with the stick as my primary, as it is all I have got for summer (aside from some TITAN TPM3030s, which I am yet to try), as I am definitely remain sold on the shaft geometry. Maybe I will pick up a high end pro stock RX2 stick, or wait for the retail RX2 to go on clearance, and see what I think. In the shooting range at HM with the RX2, I did feel like my shot was lightning. Just a funny feeling with the RX2.1, which I have not yet experienced (since even the 2 piece rigs that I was using, even tho I did not pay much for them, were same as the high end OPSes, the difference being that I did the fusing). 

 

I guess I started to buy into some of the "The difference between a high end and a middle of the line stick only comes into play if you are really good" talk. I know that I am not really good, I think we can all be comfortable with this reality. If the RX2.1 that I have is standard issue, then I can definitely say that there is a noticeable difference between mid and high end is significant (at least with the sticks I have been using).

[Hills 710]

On 6/18/2016 at 0:30 AM, Cosmic said:

I guess I started to buy into some of the "The difference between a high end and a middle of the line stick only comes into play if you are really good" talk. I know that I am not really good, I think we can all be comfortable with this reality. If the RX2.1 that I have is standard issue, then I can definitely say that there is a noticeable difference between mid and high end is significant (at least with the sticks I have been using).

 

I completely disagree with that statement in that you'll only notice a difference if you are really good.

I am by no means really good and even from an EK60 and QRL my shots are basically night and day, which REALLY translates to a game since the only way I can get a shot from the EK60 close to the QRL is if everything is perfect. That matters since in a game I don't have the chance to ensure my mechanics are good, you just shoot when you have a chance and I know with the QRL the shot will be better 85% of the time than it will be on the EK60.

[JR Boucicaut 3759]

Sorry, late to the party here.  I received my RX2 a few weeks back, and will answer any questions you all may have.

 

First off, it's legit - this coming from someone who for years chose a Mission Flyweight shaft due to the ergonomic shape.

 

 

I don't think I would be able to use my beloved Tacki-Macs - I haven't tried but I don't know if it would hug the corners.

 

 

The graphics on the stick highlight the shape very well.  

 

For those who wondered, the shape pretty much carries down to the hosel.  When I cut it (more on that later) I notice the seam of the shaft where it finishes after wrapping is in the middle of the "skinny" part.

 

 

18k on the backhand...

 

 

...3k on the forehand.

 

One thing that I goofed on was that I cut the stick longer than I cut my sticks, but didn't realize that the stick is too short now that I've been skating on LS4.  I reached out to my local STX for an end plug, instead of whittling down a standard end plug to not only match the stick's shape, but the grip as well.  Or I can just switch back to LS2 steel.  So while the stick feels really good, shooting is a bit weird as I'm feeling the stick's a tad bit short.

[Hills 710]

I am a huge fan of Tacki-Mac as well. I am thinking these might work with the shaft shape of the STX. More expensive but it is an option.

 

http://sniperskin.ca/collections/hockey/products/sniper-skin-one-grip-kit

[Stewie 721]

think thatll be my drive to get the skin and try it when/if I get one of these STX sticks. big fan of my surgeon 500 especially for inline. love the idea of a potentially more egonomic shaft.

[sectachrome 40]

What's the reasoning behind the different carbon weaves on forehand/backhand? Never seen that before.

[fcalog 58]

14 minutes ago, sectachrome said:

What's the reasoning behind the different carbon weaves on forehand/backhand? Never seen that before.

The face of the blade is composed of 3k carbon which according to the website allows for a greater transfer of energy to the puck; while the 18k carbon weave on the backhand reduces the weight of the blade,  they mesh the two of them together and call it "pure blade" technology

[Swlabr11 69]

I've got the Rx2 and my Tacki Mac went on without any issues. I use the sand grips and it fits shockingly well.  I'll write my review shortly. I've only had it on the ice once. So far so good. 

[JR Boucicaut 3759]

Awesome to hear that. I don't have any spare TMs right now, but could always take one off a stick I'm no longer using (I do the hairspray method so that I can reuse them.)

[JR Boucicaut 3759]

It worked. 

 

[Cosmic 178]

11 hours ago, Hills said:

 

I completely disagree with that statement in that you'll only notice a difference if you are really good.

I am by no means really good and even from an EK60 and QRL my shots are basically night and day, which REALLY translates to a game since the only way I can get a shot from the EK60 close to the QRL is if everything is perfect. That matters since in a game I don't have the chance to ensure my mechanics are good, you just shoot when you have a chance and I know with the QRL the shot will be better 85% of the time than it will be on the EK60.

 

@Hills - Although I did reference you in a post (I like your smash testing for the gloves), I definitely was not referring to you in regard to mid line/ top of the line sticks being no different for lower skill players. I mean, I actually can see- if one absolutely stinks, then yes, the stick will not matter. But, once one progresses a bit beyon novice and into intermediate (about where I am), I am definitely feeling the difference with shooting. The sticks with the greater % carbon fiber (such as the RX2 that I tried at HM) whip like snakes, whereas this middle of the line one does not quite perform as such. I still like the stick, I can rip shots ok with with it, but not as easily or naturally as with the higher carbon fiber % stick. But, if there is an increase in durability, due to the higher fiberglass % in mid middle of the line stick, then I am cool with that. I do not like breaking stuff that cost me more than $100.

[icewalker_bg 126]

I dont remember the last time I was so intrigued by a new hockey product. Really looking forward on trying it one day, hopefully they start selling them at canadian retailers, i do not see it being sold at other than hockeymonkey.

[tpedersen3118 58]

On June 17, 2016 at 11:30 PM, Cosmic said:

Used the RX2.1 twice in the past 2 days (2 different pickups). I like the geometry, I definitely have better control of my stick when stickhandling, which should translate into better control of the puck, but it is not quite. Anyone else who has not played/ practiced much, and tries it, I am curious if you notice this too. It's like, I feel like I have 1.5x better control of my stick, which translates to about 1.2-1.25x better control of the puck. So, significant yes, but I am still not scaring people with my "dangling" (in quotes because I do not really dangle).

 

Shot wise, the RX2.1 feels like a mid-line stick. I do not mean this as a compliment. I have recently used the Warrior QR Pro (only OPS I have used prior to this), as well as an assortment of 2 piece rigs that I have assembled, mostly with the Warrior AXT1 blade (which is high end). With these, I felt like the puck exploded off my stick (when I made good contact, of course. On a flub, sure, nothing there). With the RX2.1, I am not sure if the sweet spot is smaller or what. I do not know if this is due to my not really knowing how to use the dual kickpoint (if this is even a real thing), or if I got a dead stick, or if the stick is just shooting like a $150 OPS is expected to shoot. (I would NEVER spend $250+ on a stick that can break if someone falls on it, or if I just wear out the hosel from smashing the puck too much). 

 

Anyway, this is my initial impression. I will stick with the stick as my primary, as it is all I have got for summer (aside from some TITAN TPM3030s, which I am yet to try), as I am definitely remain sold on the shaft geometry. Maybe I will pick up a high end pro stock RX2 stick, or wait for the retail RX2 to go on clearance, and see what I think. In the shooting range at HM with the RX2, I did feel like my shot was lightning. Just a funny feeling with the RX2.1, which I have not yet experienced (since even the 2 piece rigs that I was using, even tho I did not pay much for them, were same as the high end OPSes, the difference being that I did the fusing). 

 

I guess I started to buy into some of the "The difference between a high end and a middle of the line stick only comes into play if you are really good" talk. I know that I am not really good, I think we can all be comfortable with this reality. If the RX2.1 that I have is standard issue, then I can definitely say that there is a noticeable difference between mid and high end is significant (at least with the sticks I have been using).

 

What is the weight of the 2.1?

[Hills 710]

11 hours ago, Cosmic said:

 

@Hills - Although I did reference you in a post (I like your smash testing for the gloves), I definitely was not referring to you in regard to mid line/ top of the line sticks being no different for lower skill players. I mean, I actually can see- if one absolutely stinks, then yes, the stick will not matter. But, once one progresses a bit beyon novice and into intermediate (about where I am), I am definitely feeling the difference with shooting. The sticks with the greater % carbon fiber (such as the RX2 that I tried at HM) whip like snakes, whereas this middle of the line one does not quite perform as such. I still like the stick, I can rip shots ok with with it, but not as easily or naturally as with the higher carbon fiber % stick. But, if there is an increase in durability, due to the higher fiberglass % in mid middle of the line stick, then I am cool with that. I do not like breaking stuff that cost me more than $100.

 

Sorry I didn't mean to say that I thought you were referencing me there. How to Hockey did a video of $100 stick vs $270 and said it wasn't worth it at all since you never have the chance to load up for a perfect shot in a game, and I think that is completely false.

[fcalog 58]

5 hours ago, tpedersen3118 said:

 

What is the weight of the 2.1?

From HM Sr stick 455 grams

[Giraffe14 23]

I am curious to try one of these, but for those of us that need end plugs , will STX (or someone else) make them?