Warrior QRL - flyers10

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

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[flyers10 57]

I'd like to first say thanks to JR, ModSquadHockey and Warrior #WarriorVIP #CovertQRL for opportunity to review this stick.

Stick testing: Warrior QRL
Flex: 75
Grip? : Yes
Curve: W03 Backstrom

About Me
6'  1 1/2"
185-190 lbs
45 yo
Play in an organized pick up group 2-3 times a week and an over 40 league with an occasional stick time. Level is C-B. Take mix of snap shots and slappers with an occasional wrister.
Position : Wing and occasional D.

Shoot: Left

Sticks used recently

Warrior QR1

True Xcore9 and A5.2 SBP

CCM Ribcore Reckoner

Bauer Nexus 1N

 

First Impressions:

Stick is light. Not having a scale, in hands it feels similar to my QR1 with a bit better balance. Stick has clear grip finish. Nice tack to it without being too sticky. The grip runs further down the shaft than it does on the QR1. Might be a benefit to those who play center and put their bottom hand real low on faceoffs.  Graphics pop a bit more than the QR1 with the addition of the white accent areas.  The Warrior word is reversed from the QR1 and is in black with the light blue background on the QRL on both sides of the stick. The hosel and blade are a matte finish showing the carbon weave. It is an eye catching stick without being too much. Tastefully done by Warrior.

 

Been using a W28 Yakupov curve so will need to adjust slightly with this W03, but shouldn't be too much of a transition. Shaft is a more squared shape but the edges don't dig in like some Eastons have felt to me in the past. Blade feels crisp when stick handling with a wooden ball. It will be interesting to see how this feels on ice. I prefer crisp blades that have some liveliness to them but not too much.

 

Hope to get it out on the ice for the first time in next few days at a stick time and in game action on 7/2.  (been out with a hip injury the past few weeks)

 

Some shots of the stick:

http://

http://imgur.com/a/HYuij

[flyers10 57]

Still rehabbing my hip but finally got on the ice for first time in almost 6 weeks at a stick time.  Wasn't able to receive any passes, mostly some shooting and stickhandling.

 

This thing POPS!  That was the very thing I noticed on the first shot. The puck effortlessly pops off the blade.  You feel that extra zip on your shot.  I brought my QR1 with me to compare (my QR1 has only been used 5-7 times and relatively new) and where the QR1 has good pop to it, it makes more of a thud sound on a snap shot.  The QRL has a crisper sound to it and the puck jumps off the blade. 

 

The other thing was the balance while stickhandling. That little difference in the QRL makes stickhandling a bit easier while not feeling too blade light. Something that seems to happen sometimes when they try to improve balance from one generation to the next. The blade feel to me felt very good. Crisp but with some liveliness for good feedback.  Had no issues not knowing where the puck was while messing around. Not super dampened like an Xcore 9 and to me not as lively like a Superfast or A5.2 SBP.  I'll know more once I get a chance to make and receive passes and stickhandle in game situations and can give a better analysis then.

 

Hope to get in another stick time this week and play my first game back around the 9th/10th.

 

 

[flyers10 57]

Got 3 games in on it over the weekend. Played mix of wing and defense. Stick was put through some solid use getting plenty of shots off, passes made and received as well as some minor hacks to it.

 

Still surprised by how much the puck seems to effortlessly fly off the blade. Nice smooth feeling as it is there and then when you snap it off it is GONE! Get the same feeling when making passes, especially some long range passes to forwards from the D. Gives a nice confident feeling as you're playing with it. Took a couple slap shots and it just feels very crisp and solid. They really did a good job balancing the liveliness of the blade with some dampening to give the blade good feedback to the user. Reminds me little of my Bauer 1N blade but with more pop to the shots.  As I take more snap shots now, the low kick profile of the stick works great for allowing you to get the shot off quick. The 75 flex also feels true to rating.  I like letting the stick do the work for me and had no issues with a softer flex for my size on snappers, wristers or slappers and getting good velocity on them. If you like to really bear down on your shots or are taking mostly slap shots an 85 flex might be a good fit. 

 

Aside from my stone-ish hands, had no issues controlling passes.  Passes seemed to hit the blade with a firm feeling that gave trust in the stick and stayed close to the blade.  Didn't have to worry that it might hit it and ricochet away.  Stickhandling was the same, no issues with noT knowing where the puck was on the blade. 

 

Although have only 4 ice times with it, have no issues with the blade so far and only couple minor paint chips around the hosel.  Time will tell on the durability but seems like it will hold up well.  Will update more on that as time progresses.

 

Have 3 more games this week to keep putting it through its paces.

[flyers10 57]

Got in 8 more times over the past 2 weeks.  All game action except for 1 stick time. Stick has been getting a good workout with mix of shots and plenty of passing and stick handling and deflections.  Blade is still very stiff with no signs of breakdown and shaft has plenty of pop. Doesn't feel like it is getting whipped out at all.  Some teammates have commented about it, noticing the how the graphics pop. Upon holding it they agreed on its' nice balance and light weight.  None tried it as all were right handed shots. 

 

Overall the QRL seems to do an excellent job with snap and wrist shots and provide good feel while stick handling and passing.  I used my Bauer 1N for a couple shifts in my last game and though its' blade feel was a bit better being a little more dampened, the QRL's blade had more pop to it and for me out performed it on the mentioned shots except for slappers.  The more mid-kick of the 1N was better when winding up for the big blasts. Since I don't take many full windup slap shots I don't feel I'm sacrificing anything.

 

Will be able to use it 7-8 times more over the next weeks to see how the durability holds up. 

 

 

[flyers10 57]

Put in about 9-10 more ice times.  All games except for 1 stick time.  Stick is still holding up great. No feeling of the shaft whipping out and the blade is still stiff with only minor scratches on it. Graphics are holding up well overall too. Main wear area for them is the orange on the backside of the hosel area. Otherwise still looks good compared to some sticks where every deflection/slash takes paint off.  I'm pleasantly surprised by how well it has been holding up combined with the performance.  Granted it is expensive but if looking at a top end stick the QRL is worthy of consideration when choosing your next one. I think anyone except those that primarily take slap shots would be happy with it. 

[flyers10 57]

Quick update:  6 months using the stick. Been little back and forth with a new Revolution the past couple months but still getting 1-2 times a week on ice with it.

Keep going back to it even as I have the Revolution, 1N, Reckoner, Xcore 9, and A5.2 sbp in my closet. Really feel how light it is after using my RBZ. It still is holding up great with stiff blade and no feeling of getting whipped out in the shaft. Taken a few hard shots off the shaft and minimal graphics wear from it. The pop is still there as well; the puck just feels to jump off the blade so well. Been very impressed with its performance and durability for a top end stick.  Warrior did a nice job taking the QR1 to the next level. It will be hard for them to out do themselves on the next gen model.