Need a new stick, what to do?

[puckpilot 312]

1 hour ago, smu said:

I guess I don't know about Ribcore, but are you sure it's 1 flex unit for every 1"?

This sounds low, but you have the stick! I have seen stats where for every inch you could have a 3 to 5 flex change. 

With regards to to length I have kept mine uncut, but don't need a plug as it makes the stick too long for me as I like to play with the puck close to me feet. I am not on my skates or near my gear, but I am sure the top of the stick is below my chin. If it wasn't so expensive I would cut off a bit even when I am 5'5"! You can really do some nice stickhandling with a short stick. There phots on the net where it shows some of the greatest players with very short sticks although you also will see the opposite. 2 or 3 years ago I was cutting short, but then with my newer sticks I stuck with the stock size.

I will get back with just how short I had mine and this gave me some great moves, especially going in on a breakaway playing with the puck right in front of you, I had more options on the goalie and it through them off. This can't be done with a longer stick as it will not allow the hands and but end to be directly on front of you because of the length.

on an old stick you should try to cut off another 2 inches or so and see your handling improve, to the detriment of your reach, but there are always trade offs. On defense you may need a but inserted to give the poke check ability.

Talk later - Alan

I took a photo of the Ribcore shaft before I taped it up. It's 46K and 52" 50 flex. I am willing to concede that I could be reading it wrong. I can be a dumbass like that sometimes.  But it appears to me to be 1" = 1 flex in this very specific case.

 

Any way, sounds like we might think the game in a similar way. I'm constantly trying to balance the offence with the defence and the poke check and reach is one of the reasons I use the length I do. But maybe I will give using something shorter a serious spin. If I can keep the puck more. I won't have to play defense. :D Over the years I've gone from really short to really long. I was using a 57" stick for a while. Off skates, it was as tall as me. Now, I've gone back to short. Maybe a little shorter won't hurt.

[Jamarquan 201]

7 hours ago, SCATMAN said:

The W88 to what I know has a really low lie (4 or 5) where as the P88 is a 6. Otherwise they are the same. If you get low when you skate and/or you like or want to try a longer stick then that could be a good choice for you.

Also, I'm not sure if I agree about Bauer sticks being harder to flex. But different kick point sticks feeling like they flex differently? Sure. End of the day though, if the sticks hard to flex then you can work on your strength a bit and then its no problem. Peanut butter sandwiches, some milk and 50-100 pushups a day for a few weeks would sort that out pretty quickly ;) - The advantage of youth! 

Maybe not the W88 then, because I stand up pretty tall when I skate. I also said that Bauer is hard to flex because I had a 47 flex (and plugged 2 inches) NXG, and it was like shooting with a metal rod. 

Unfortunately, PB is a no - go, but milk and pushups are easy enough.

7 hours ago, SCATMAN said:

I know you said you had a $50 budget but if you can stretch it to $60 you have a lot more options and many better sticks choices IMO. You should check out the True sticks and the Bauer Nexus range - http://www.hockeymonkey.com/equipment/hockey-sticks-shafts-blades/sticks-all-composite/hockey-sticks-junior/price/0-61.html 

I can get the Nexus 4000 for 45$, in P88, P92, PM9, or P14 (I've never used the Toews before, what is it? Looks like the depth of the PM9 but the toe curve of the P92,) but in terms of price - performance, the main selling points on the True sticks are found in other manufacturer's lines for less.

 

[smu 29]

We do sound alike! I see you stick has the markings as you described and you seem to be correct. Some sticks like the Sherwood have at the top a 4" length that you can cut off without changing the flex, I really don't understand that. I believe there is another brand like that.

Take the Ribcore, if every inch was equal to I flex unit, if you lopped off 10 inches you would have a stick around your belly-button and only 10 flex in the difference, it just does not seem to make sense. At that point that very short stick and would be getting fairly stiff to flex compared to the original length as any piece of material would. The shorter the piece the stiffer it is. Try breaking a short piece of wood the same size and quality against one twice it's size. It is all physics. It is like a lever, the longer it is the more easily it will bend. Try yours with weights. Have something holding your shaft on both ends with a weight in the middle and then make the span smaller and smaller, you will see that the flex of the shaft will be less and less flexible the closer you 2 holders come together. This is the same with any stick is rated if made in the normal manner. Your stick may have some difference, I don't know.

On to my sticks I have just measured and with just socks on and the "but" comes up to my chin almost falling under it. I found 2 other sticks that I have not used for awhile that I had a lot of fun with and they are 2.5" and 3" shorter than my new Warrior. I could put the puck easily between my legs and bring it back out without getting the stick caught on myself and stated able to stick handle the puck directly in front of me so the goaltender really does not know what you are going to do. With my last 2 sticks I felt I did not want to "ruin" them by cutting them off and now in particular that I paid over $200 for my junior Warrior QRL I really don't want to touch it unless I get the urge to do it knowing I can always go back and put a plug in it and 2" plus will not change the flex from the original neither would cutting a couple of inches off either, but 1" to 1 Flex has me bewildered. 

The way the manufacturers are supposed to give you there flex rating is having a specific length of stick strung between two points and specific weight placed in the middle and the deflection is calculated by the change the sticks bowing or flex. We are lead to believe by sales people that one flex is the same as another and more than once I have made the argument that they are not and the sales person had to eat their words just by picking up another manufacturer's stick and showing him.

Just some ramblings by me, as they say IMHO! I apologize if my message has errors I have to run!

Cheers,

Alan

[smu 29]

58 minutes ago, Jamarquan said:

Maybe not the W88 then, because I stand up pretty tall when I skate. I also said that Bauer is hard to flex because I had a 47 flex (and plugged 2 inches) NXG, and it was like shooting with a metal rod. 

Unfortunately, PB is a no - go, but milk and pushups are easy enough.

I can get the Nexus 4000 for 45$, in P88, P92, PM9, or P14 (I've never used the Toews before, what is it? Looks like the depth of the PM9 but the toe curve of the P92,) but in terms of price - performance, the main selling points on the True sticks are found in other manufacturer's lines for less.

 

Please stay away from the Nexus, due to my stupidity I purchased their best and top of the line 47 flex junior nexus by trading in some gear plus cash, I just want to forget it. I tried it on the LHS floor and yes it would flex, but not too much and for some reason I took it anyway, bad choice, for flex it was like a 2X4 once on the ice. I don't know how Bauer can sell these to young kids and get away with it!

Perhaps cheaper models are more flexible, I don't know.

Alan

[Jamarquan 201]

14 minutes ago, smu said:

Please stay away from the Nexus, due to my stupidity I purchased their best and top of the line 47 flex junior nexus by trading in some gear plus cash, I just want to forget it. I tried it on the LHS floor and yes it would flex, but not too much and for some reason I took it anyway, bad choice, for flex it was like a 2X4 once on the ice. I don't know how Bauer can sell these to young kids and get away with it!

Perhaps cheaper models are more flexible, I don't know.

Alan

My sentiments exactly with the NXG, and why I'm staying away from Bauer on this one. That leaves me with four options. 

http://www.hockeygiant.com/easstlc5gstkjr.html

http://www.hockeygiant.com/eassyn60gstkjr.html

http://www.hockeymonkey.com/equipment/hockey-sticks-shafts-blades/sticks-all-composite/hockey-sticks-junior/easton-hockey-stick-stealth-c3-grip-jr.html#

http://www.hockeymonkey.com/equipment/hockey-sticks-shafts-blades/sticks-all-composite/hockey-sticks-junior/warrior-hockey-stick-qr5-se-grip-jr.html#

[smu 29]

12 hours ago, Jamarquan said:

My sentiments exactly with the NXG, and why I'm staying away from Bauer on this one. That leaves me with four options. 

http://www.hockeygiant.com/easstlc5gstkjr.html

http://www.hockeygiant.com/eassyn60gstkjr.html

http://www.hockeymonkey.com/equipment/hockey-sticks-shafts-blades/sticks-all-composite/hockey-sticks-junior/easton-hockey-stick-stealth-c3-grip-jr.html#

http://www.hockeymonkey.com/equipment/hockey-sticks-shafts-blades/sticks-all-composite/hockey-sticks-junior/warrior-hockey-stick-qr5-se-grip-jr.html#

Jamaequan,

I had the QR3 last year and spent less than $100, but I am sure it was more than $50 on a good sale. That was a nice stick, heavier than my QRL and as I mentioned it was hard to capture a hard pass, but other than that it felt good was not heavy (except in comparison to my QRL) so that may do you well.

I ordered the Paccoretty last year as I like the deep curve, but went for the more moderate Yakapov with the QRL. Remember the more the face is open the easier it is to put it way over the net when you are near the crease, takes awhile to get use to that, try not to shoot it too close to the toe.

** Read this it IMPORTANT, I could have potentially bought the QR!, last years model of my QRL for a VERY GOOD price until I looked into the hockey shops history.

Before you buy anything on-line, unless you know the LHS, always type in  -- resellerratings.com , then type in the hockey shop's name.

You could get a shock, such as a poor rating, I note the first on your list is great, but check the last one!

If you order from a reliable source fine but if you are not sure of the site/store and you order you may have problems getting what you asked  have already paid for the items. You might hear your stick is not in stock when the site says it is, it will be in shortly, but it isn't etc., etc. on and on.

You do want your money in a safe place. so REMEMBER: reselleratings.com

Alan

 

[SCATMAN 33]

15 hours ago, Jamarquan said:

Maybe not the W88 then, because I stand up pretty tall when I skate. I also said that Bauer is hard to flex because I had a 47 flex (and plugged 2 inches) NXG, and it was like shooting with a metal rod. 

Unfortunately, PB is a no - go, but milk and pushups are easy enough.

I can get the Nexus 4000 for 45$, in P88, P92, PM9, or P14 (I've never used the Toews before, what is it? Looks like the depth of the PM9 but the toe curve of the P92,) but in terms of price - performance, the main selling points on the True sticks are found in other manufacturer's lines for less.

 

The P14 is a good curve. Its a medium sized paddle with a (physically) small toe (its a cross between the P92 and P88 IMO). I'd say its an acquired taste but plenty of people out there are huge fans. I've got it on my 1Ns.

[Jamarquan 201]

On 11/7/2016 at 0:48 AM, SCATMAN said:

The P14 is a good curve. Its a medium sized paddle with a (physically) small toe (its a cross between the P92 and P88 IMO). I'd say its an acquired taste but plenty of people out there are huge fans. I've got it on my 1Ns.

Hi everyone, I know this thread has been dead for a few days so let me bring it up to speed. 

I got a shooting pad over the weekend, and have really learned to use the P46. The key is to pull the puck in with the toe, then snap it off, unlike what I was doing before, which was letting the puck move from heel to toe and then release. This is not working at all on the W03, and I've pretty much given up on the Dynasty altogether. 

In regards to buying a new stick, I'm liking on the QR5, especially with the Dagger Taper and the price tag ($40 and 25% off).

[puckpilot 312]

I have the junior QR4. I didn't like the length, but I just decided to give it another try yesterday at the rink after pulling the 1inch extension plug from it. It's now two inches shorter than my usual stick. After a few minor tweaks to my technique, I think I can use it now. The problem I have, which IMHO, you could have with the QR5 is taking slapshots or any shot that you're going try to muscle a bit is going to need time to adjust to it. That's because the blade doesn't have as much reinforcement in the blade as the sticks up in the line. Flaws in technique for me got magnified in those instances.

But as I think I mentioned before, I'm a big fan of the Warrior QR line. 

[smu 29]

9 minutes ago, puckpilot said:

But as I think I mentioned before, I'm a big fan of the Warrior QR line. 

I am a big fan as well and have now used the Junior QRL 3 times now getting great snap shots off and close wrist shots, but I also have difficulty with longer wrist shots. My wrist shots go limp after not using it for years, too much passing and playing with the puck.

I love to set guys up! I have gone over you tube videos and have had a little success, unless I get my weight right and load my stick up, my weight over it. Sometimes I try that shot from the toe and can get a lot on it fast, but I find it flutters though. I sort of remember that I  used to hold my hands closer to the top and the puck would hit the net from the blueline. I wish I knew the physics behind that.

One thing above all that I like about the QRL is that I can take that hard pass, not everyone needs it, but when you have one guy at 6'3" that can really pass hard and I have to try really hard to get it, but I am now doing well and the top reason I went for the better carbon fiber in the blade shaft area and is it ever light! It is a feather to the QR3.

Good luck shooting, if you have any ideas, let me know.

Alan

 

[Jamarquan 201]

3 hours ago, puckpilot said:

I have the junior QR4. I didn't like the length, but I just decided to give it another try yesterday at the rink after pulling the 1inch extension plug from it. It's now two inches shorter than my usual stick. After a few minor tweaks to my technique, I think I can use it now. The problem I have, which IMHO, you could have with the QR5 is taking slapshots or any shot that you're going try to muscle a bit is going to need time to adjust to it. That's because the blade doesn't have as much reinforcement in the blade as the sticks up in the line. Flaws in technique for me got magnified in those instances.

But as I think I mentioned before, I'm a big fan of the Warrior QR line. 

Slapshots are no problem, because I don't take them. 

 

2 hours ago, smu said:

I am a big fan as well and have now used the Junior QRL 3 times now getting great snap shots off and close wrist shots, but I also have difficulty with longer wrist shots. My wrist shots go limp after not using it for years, too much passing and playing with the puck.

I love to set guys up! I have gone over you tube videos and have had a little success, unless I get my weight right and load my stick up, my weight over it. Sometimes I try that shot from the toe and can get a lot on it fast, but I find it flutters though. I sort of remember that I  used to hold my hands closer to the top and the puck would hit the net from the blueline. I wish I knew the physics behind that.

One thing above all that I like about the QRL is that I can take that hard pass, not everyone needs it, but when you have one guy at 6'3" that can really pass hard and I have to try really hard to get it, but I am now doing well and the top reason I went for the better carbon fiber in the blade shaft area and is it ever light! It is a feather to the QR3.

Good luck shooting, if you have any ideas, let me know.

Alan

 

Well, there aren't any 6'3 guys giving me passes, try 5'11 and 175 at the biggest. I've also had trouble with weight distribution and its result on my shot, but I think part of it is that my RibCor is very stiff for me. I try to get my hands down the shaft a little ways, right to the green RibCor logo, because holdimg my hands by the top of the stick doesn't feel quite right.  And the foams / carbon in the blade don't seem like a huge deal, because it wasn't on my NXG. No pass was catchable without batting it back a little. Weight isn't a big deal either. It's a junior stick, the most it'll weigh is 450 grams. If I can't hold that, there's bigger problems.

[smu 29]

1 hour ago, Jamarquan said:

If I can't hold that, there's bigger problems.

I mentioned a few posts ago that years ago all I had to complain about was the stiff full size silver Gretzky sticks. The small guys,, like me did not realize we should be able to flex the shaft. I can remember buying wooden junior sticks that were light and felt good (not knowing why) but they tended to break in half, if you were checked!

Now the manufactures seem to have it right for many players except guys like us and we fall through the cracks when it comes to sticks. We should be intermediate, but...

Buy an intermediate which should be right, but cut it off to suit and you can't flex it. Buy a Junior and it fits just right, but you might have to put a plug in it for height and you have a noodle instead of a stick.

Alan

[puckpilot 312]

8 hours ago, smu said:

I am a big fan as well and have now used the Junior QRL 3 times now getting great snap shots off and close wrist shots, but I also have difficulty with longer wrist shots. My wrist shots go limp after not using it for years, too much passing and playing with the puck.

I love to set guys up! I have gone over you tube videos and have had a little success, unless I get my weight right and load my stick up, my weight over it. Sometimes I try that shot from the toe and can get a lot on it fast, but I find it flutters though. I sort of remember that I  used to hold my hands closer to the top and the puck would hit the net from the blueline. I wish I knew the physics behind that.

One thing above all that I like about the QRL is that I can take that hard pass, not everyone needs it, but when you have one guy at 6'3" that can really pass hard and I have to try really hard to get it, but I am now doing well and the top reason I went for the better carbon fiber in the blade shaft area and is it ever light! It is a feather to the QR3.

Good luck shooting, if you have any ideas, let me know.

Alan

 

When I went from long intermediate sticks to junior ones, I was having the same issue with all my shots. They were OK, but I though I could do better. One of the issues I found was that sometimes I wasn't following through, and when I was, it was a weak follow-through. Once I addressed that and tried to always follow-through with some authority, my wrist and snap shots gained a lot more zip to them. I found it's kind of like throwing a baseball. You can throw it with a good velocity without snapping your wrist at the end, but if you snap your wrist, it's like turbo boost. 

Not to say I have this wicked wrist shot that puts holes in goalie gloves, but it doesn't flutter, and I practice shooting from the top of the circles.

As for your hands being close together, maybe that was causing you to snap your wrists and follow-through a bit more. I find that's the case with me, but the draw back with having my bottom hand that high on the stick is it makes it harder to flex the stick properly. That was one of the adjustments I had to make with the QR4, I had to remember to drop my hand just a little more to load up the stick.

 

3 hours ago, smu said:

I mentioned a few posts ago that years ago all I had to complain about was the stiff full size silver Gretzky sticks. The small guys,, like me did not realize we should be able to flex the shaft. I can remember buying wooden junior sticks that were light and felt good (not knowing why) but they tended to break in half, if you were checked!

Now the manufactures seem to have it right for many players except guys like us and we fall through the cracks when it comes to sticks. We should be intermediate, but...

Buy an intermediate which should be right, but cut it off to suit and you can't flex it. Buy a Junior and it fits just right, but you might have to put a plug in it for height and you have a noodle instead of a stick.

Alan

 

This is what happened to my old silver Gretzky after years and years of use. I didn't even realise put a bend into it until one day I dropped it on the dressing room floor and it stared to rock like a rocking chair.

 

 

[smu 29]

4 hours ago, puckpilot said:

When I went from long intermediate sticks to junior ones, I was having the same issue with all my shots. They were OK, but I though I could do better. One of the issues I found was that sometimes I wasn't following through, and when I was, it was a weak follow-through. Once I addressed that and tried to always follow-through with some authority, my wrist and snap shots gained a lot more zip to them. I found it's kind of like throwing a baseball. You can throw it with a good velocity without snapping your wrist at the end, but if you snap your wrist, it's like turbo boost. 

Not to say I have this wicked wrist shot that puts holes in goalie gloves, but it doesn't flutter, and I practice shooting from the top of the circles.

As for your hands being close together, maybe that was causing you to snap your wrists and follow-through a bit more. I find that's the case with me, but the draw back with having my bottom hand that high on the stick is it makes it harder to flex the stick properly. That was one of the adjustments I had to make with the QR4, I had to remember to drop my hand just a little more to load up the stick.

 

 

This is what happened to my old silver Gretzky after years and years of use. I didn't even realise put a bend into it until one day I dropped it on the dressing room floor and it stared to rock like a rocking chair.

 

 

That is hilarious, you must be stronger than you think and or the stick was much longer than you needed to get that bend in it. Mind is still is straight as an arrow, but not knowing the difference as to what was best it did not matter that much at the time.

I remember when a weekly hockey paper was sold about all teams including juniors to the NHL. It came out with an article about all the different shafted or sticks that were proposed and most dealt with the flex and my eyes and ears perked up, someone was finally addressing the flex issue and even proposed some women's sticks that fit the smaller women as in flex and height. They had different colors and I said to myself that I don't care what color I have as long as it fits and I can flex it. Well this all was very slow to come to anywhere near what I expected, no one would have these sticks.

Still, the smaller player is hampered by the problem with the inconsistencies of the manufactures when it comes to the flex rating and refuse to get together on it. I recall about 3 years ago I made another major mistake when I saw the top of the line intermediate Bauer 60 flex, thinking at that time was my flex, but when I cut 6 " off it I had something like 75 flex. Before the cut it towered over me, sort of, and after it fit well, but I could not bend it. Anyone that wanted the uncut 60 flex would have to be far taller than me, thus leaving out the smaller player who the stick was made for, or so you would think. 

It's changing, but initially it was all about the larger player. These guys could use all lines of sticks as with their size they all came close to be their preferred choice.  The rest of us were caught in the middle.

As you know now we are still having issues getting something that suits and it sure does not help when the flex issue has not been standardized even though we are told it is, or the LHS does not know any difference, but to sell the stick. I might have gotten off the topic here, but it is the S...t's for the smaller player.

Alan