True sticks - Grip Gone Tacky

[IPv6Freely 2092]

Has anyone else noticed True sticks having their grip coating get tacky? Like seriously sticky?

As background, yes I keep my sticks in my garage. Yes it gets hot in there in the summer. So I do accept that the damage is my own fault and I don’t expect True to do anything about it. But none of my other sticks, both newer and older, have had this issue.

That said, has anyone else had this happen? It’s maybe 3-4 years old at this point and only been used a couple times (and not once since I noticed the stickiness last year). Like I said, I don’t necessarily blame True but I do want to know if this is typical as at this point I would not buy a True stick again because I’d be worried about this happening. 

[VegasHockey 1280]

I haven't had that issue and I have a bunch of them in my garage which gets VERY hot. Which model is this? 

[IPv6Freely 2092]

I can’t find the receipt email. I think it’s a A4.5 from about 2015-2016 or so. I’ll check when I’m home. 

[th6252 25]

48 minutes ago, IPv6Freely said:

Has anyone else noticed True sticks having their grip coating get tacky? Like seriously sticky?

As background, yes I keep my sticks in my garage. Yes it gets hot in there in the summer. So I do accept that the damage is my own fault and I don’t expect True to do anything about it. But none of my other sticks, both newer and older, have had this issue.

That said, has anyone else had this happen? It’s maybe 3-4 years old at this point and only been used a couple times (and not once since I noticed the stickiness last year). Like I said, I don’t necessarily blame True but I do want to know if this is typical as at this point I would not buy a True stick again because I’d be worried about this happening. 

Yes, I noticed it in my A5.2 and A6.0(the original line).  I hadn’t played in almost 2 years and noticed they both felt very tacky.  Was assuming it was coming from either residue on my gloves or residue from the cohesive grip tape on the handle that I hadn’t changed in a few years.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

25 minutes ago, th6252 said:

Yes, I noticed it in my A5.2 and A6.0(the original line).  I hadn’t played in almost 2 years and noticed they both felt very tacky.  Was assuming it was coming from either residue on my gloves or residue from the cohesive grip tape on the handle that I hadn’t changed in a few years.

Mine is definitely neither of those things. I use tacki-mac grips and my gloves stay pretty much like-new. 

[th6252 25]

1 hour ago, IPv6Freely said:

Mine is definitely neither of those things. I use tacki-mac grips and my gloves stay pretty much like-new. 

Yeah, I wasn’t sure what was going on until I just saw your post.

I just checked another A6.0 I forgot I had that I’d cut but never prepped for use and noticed the same sticky feeling. ...nothing that a bit of matte clear coat can’t fix.

[BTSyndrome 8]

I have XC5, XC7, A2.2, A4.5, & A5.2 from past years... none stored in the heat though. I use Tacki-mac on top, but I find the grip coating wearing off on lower hand before the stick is dead.

Is there a way to add grip back to a stick without it getting on/dirtying gloves? (other than storing it in the heat.  lol)

[IPv6Freely 2092]

45 minutes ago, th6252 said:

Yeah, I wasn’t sure what was going on until I just saw your post.

I just checked another A6.0 I forgot I had that I’d cut but never prepped for use and noticed the same sticky feeling. ...nothing that a bit of matte clear coat can’t fix.

Sure, I could do that. But now that I know it’s not just mine, I won’t be buying True sticks anymore. 

44 minutes ago, BTSyndrome said:

I have XC5, XC7, A2.2, A4.5, & A5.2 from past years... none stored in the heat though. I use Tacki-mac on top, but I find the grip coating wearing off on lower hand before the stick is dead.

Is there a way to add grip back to a stick without it getting on/dirtying gloves? (other than storing it in the heat.  lol)

I don’t think this is relevant to the topic, unless I’m misunderstanding.

[darkhors 88]

8 hours ago, IPv6Freely said:

Sure, I could do that. But now that I know it’s not just mine, I won’t be buying True sticks anymore. 

I have 2 AX9's, 2 Xcore9 prostocks, broke 2 other Xcore9 prostocks and have a retail 2016 Xcore9 and none of them have this problem. If you like the stick I wouldn't stop buying them because a 4 year old stick got a little tackier. They have changed their "grip" a couple times since then and the new AX9's are even different from the 2019 A series and Xcore's. You're using a stick that's 4 generations old. I'd be way more concerned wondering if that stick is even worth using at this point. That thing should've been whipped out and dead 2 years ago.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

I don’t know why it wouldn’t be usable, besides the grip. It’s only been used maybe 5 times.

Regardless, I’m not taking the chance. 

[darkhors 88]

You didn't mention it was new, old stock. Also, if you bought it recently and it is indeed new - old stock - it's possible that something could have happened to it while it was in storage before you purchased it. My point is that I wouldn't stop buying a brand because of one stick that was made 4 years ago. They don't even make that exact stick anymore so you're essentially comparing apples to bananas here. I keep my stick in the basement and have never had an issue.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

I didn’t say it was new old stock. I said I bought it about four years ago. 

Im not sure how your basement is relevant. Does it get over 100F in your basement on a regular basis?

[Buzz_LightBeer 969]

I had it happen to a few sticks, the matted coati g pulled away and the adhesive was left. 

[darkhors 88]

1 hour ago, IPv6Freely said:

I didn’t say it was new old stock. I said I bought it about four years ago. 

Im not sure how your basement is relevant. Does it get over 100F in your basement on a regular basis?

Again, the stick is 4 generations (and years) old and it's been sitting in your +100F degree garage for 4 years and now you're mad because the coating on the stick is sticky from being stored in a place it shouldn't be stored in for a super long amount of time. Then you're assuming that the companies sticks are problematic because of this? I honestly just don't understand where you're coming from. I wouldn't even think that this would be an issue and you even said that you accept responsibility for the damage as it's not an optimal storage location. 

No it doesn't get over 100F in my basement. That's my point. Just move it to a place that isn't hot af and you should never have a problem.

[psulion22 402]

I could proably stick my Gen 1 5.2 to a wall.  Or use it as flypaper.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

43 minutes ago, darkhors said:

Again, the stick is 4 generations (and years) old and it's been sitting in your +100F degree garage for 4 years and now you're mad because the coating on the stick is sticky from being stored in a place it shouldn't be stored in for a super long amount of time. Then you're assuming that the companies sticks are problematic because of this? I honestly just don't understand where you're coming from. I wouldn't even think that this would be an issue and you even said that you accept responsibility for the damage as it's not an optimal storage location. 

No it doesn't get over 100F in my basement. That's my point. Just move it to a place that isn't hot af and you should never have a problem.

Wait, who is mad about it? I stated explicitly in my first post that I'm aware that it's my fault. I also stated that none of my other sticks have had this issue. I started the topic to ask if others have had the same experience, which they have, which tells me that because my environment the sticks will be stored in isn't going to be changing I should stick to the other brands so I don't ruin another stick. It's really not that big a deal.

Anyway, I got what I needed out of this thread now. Thanks everyone for your input!

[darkhors 88]

1 hour ago, IPv6Freely said:

Wait, who is mad about it? I stated explicitly in my first post that I'm aware that it's my fault. I also stated that none of my other sticks have had this issue. I started the topic to ask if others have had the same experience, which they have, which tells me that because my environment the sticks will be stored in isn't going to be changing I should stick to the other brands so I don't ruin another stick. It's really not that big a deal.

Anyway, I got what I needed out of this thread now. Thanks everyone for your input!

Ok fair enough. I still think you're over thinking it though because the grip material has changed quite a bit on the new sticks compared to the old ones. I guess that's what I was trying to say and didn't get it out the right way. 

[IPv6Freely 2092]

I wouldn’t say overthinking it, I’m just making a decision based on the evidence I have. Maybe a good experiment to try if I didn’t have to pay for one but after one stick I only got a couple uses out of, I think I’ll pass.

[Aggie 9]

I have the same issue, but only with certain brands of grip sticks.  I also store my hockey sticks in the garage, where it can reach over 100 degrees in the summer.  I’ve had the grip turn into goo for the following brands of grip sticks: retail True, retail STX, pro stock Easton, one pro stock Warrior, and the worst, TPS rubber.

[Stewie 721]

Have the same issue with my a6.0 stick as well as a shaft I have of theirs. Both super gummy. 

[Hills 712]

This also explains an STX stick I bought at a local store that was about 5 years old. Was WAY too grippy to the point of sticking to your open palm. I had to sand it down to remove the grip.

[VegasHockey 1280]

Its actually pretty easy to sand off the grip and to reapply it. The biggest issue is having connections to get the grip coating liquid since it isn't made in enterprise level of volume. A lot of stick manufacturers have to pre-buy a year or more supply in order for the factories to manufacturer the chemical. This is why many companies are slowly changing their application to incorporating the grip into the graphics wrap for sticks. Warrior has been doing this and TRUE just started to do this too with the AX9. I dont think CCM or Bauer are, yet. Supposedly this is also helping to shed weight as well. I forgot where I read/saw info on it but they mentioned this helped Warrior get the Alpha DX down to under 400 grams, among other things. 

[yrhmblnr8r 69]

I bought a NOS Easton Griplite shaft that had gone all gummy. I removed the sticky goo with paint thinner and played with it as an Ultralite instead. That seems less messy than sanding to me. 

[marka 526]

Howdy,

I'm still just amazed that someone has the same stick they want to use four years later.

🙂

Mark

[IPv6Freely 2092]

It happens when you only skate out 2-3 times a year 😉