Direct Stick Orders From China Manufacturers?

[Denny91 0]

Interested in finding out from those whom have ordered direct from China stick manufacturers. Any recommendations on ones that produce top quality?

[Vet88 674]

Been there, done that, including going to china and sourcing sticks. Regardless of who you buy from, you get what you pay for and no warranty (unless you lock them up in a supply agreement and even then it can be risky). If you want a cheap stick with dubious performance and durability and no other expectations (other than the graphics you want splashed on it) then go for it, aliexpress has have lots for sale and your purchase is covered if it doesn't turn up. If you are looking for a cheaper stick with known performance, warranty etc then look at all black sticks or similar, they take the risk of dealing with chinese manufacturers. 

[Buzz_LightBeer 969]

Going back to my retail days, "Cheap shit on the internet, is Cheap Shit on the Internet for a reason."

 

be careful what you wish for

[Leif 161]

I bought both my current sticks on clearance for half the normal retail price. If you don’t mind the previous season’s kit you can save a good wodge. But you do have to wait until they go on sale, and move quick. 

[start_today 770]

Homer: Two pizzas for the price of one at Doughy’s!

Lisa: But Doughy’s has terrible pizza.

Homer: Yeah, but there’s two!

[applesauce 0]

There is a guy at one of the rinks who made a contact in china and is getting top end branded sticks that are within 10g of the expected weight and the durability/performance is on basically the same level as the retail according to everyone I ask(including a former NHL player who has been using them) and costs 1/3 of the price plus he can get whatever flex/curve you want(as long as it is 92 or 28 and sometimes 88).  Id consider trying to get one, but would be interested in the actual composition of the blades compares and also if the pop goes away more quickly than retail.

  @Vet88 interesting in seeing how your experience differs from this guys.

Wondering if anyone else has any experience with anything similar?

[start_today 770]

2 hours ago, applesauce said:

There is a guy at one of the rinks who made a contact in china and…

 Literally everyone who is mildly selective about sticks says these are always somewhere between low end mediocre to trash. The people who hype them up are either the people selling them, or people who love a “good deal” above all else.

Whats more likely - a factory in China is gonna sell unbranded Bauers/CCMs out the back door to some random suburban dad in the USA, or that those sticks are actually just off brand sticks that play poorly and weigh around 400 grams? People delude themselves it’s actually a $400 stick with no graphics but the scenario is so full of holes. 

If all you care about is weight, go for these. But if you care about feel, balance, performance, etc, spend $30 more and buy a prostock stick from somewhere. 

[stick9 890]

4 hours ago, start_today said:

People delude themselves it’s actually a $400 stick with no graphics but the scenario is so full of holes. 

^ this 100%. 

[Vet88 674]

12 hours ago, applesauce said:

  @Vet88 interesting in seeing how your experience differs from this guys.

Wondering if anyone else has any experience with anything similar?

There are a number of known resellers of Chinese sticks (outside of the major brands) in the market, all black hockey sticks is just one for example. You will find there are many loyal purchasers of these sticks. However every clone I have tried (and I would try 3 or 4 clones from different manufacturers every year) is, at best, only equivalent or worse to a mid range stick from one of the 4 major brands (Bauer / CCM / Warrior / True), there is just no comparison to a Hyperlite 2 /  Trigger 8 pro / Super Novium / Hazard PX. Yet speak to the Chinese seller or the local importer and the sticks are claimed to be from the factory that makes a major brand stick and or  just as good as a top of the line stick....

You get what you pay for, if you can 1: try one on the ice and you like the feel and your shot comes off ok and 2: get them at a 1/3 of the price of what you perceive to be a similar quality brand name stick - then buy one. If it lasts then you have got a good deal. If it doesn't then it hasn't cost you that much and you can chalk it up to experience.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

It's also really easy to claim something in china is "made in the same factory". That's probably a factual statement. The part that is missing is whose materials, tooling, and processes, and QA are they using because it's not uncommon at all for multiple companies to share factory floor space but thats very different from being from the same production line. 

[BenBreeg 493]

Agree, Chinese factories are capable of producing high quality products, if you spec it and pay for it.  A previous company I worked for made Class 2 medical devices there.  We had to be heavy on our oversight, but the product was obviously up to spec.  
 

But you aren’t getting that quality for some cheaper price just because someone hooked you up…

[Steve_v3 289]

I’ve been using  Hoapa sticks for two years and I’ve been happy with them. Some of their newer sticks are very close to high end sticks. Prices range from $100 to $200. If you don’t mind not having the top end sticks this a good option. I have problems finding pro stock sticks with the specs I like. Pro stock sticks are available at good prices. So you can get a quality stick at good prices. 

[Hills 712]

@Stewiehow are you Hoapas? Haha

[Griff 2]

I have a buddy who imports sticks 1-2 times a year straight from China. He likes them and some other beer leaguers and kids do as well. He got me one because he wanted me to test it. I personally found it unusable, mostly due to what I consider a laughably flexible blade. The blades on his are better/stiffer than what they sent for me. So some of it is preference/pickiness, but some of it is just a total crapshoot, honestly like wood sticks way back when...these 3 are for games, these 6 are for practice, and these 3 are just in the "no" pile.

[noupf 42]

Somebody ( who has more money to spare than i do ) needs to do a youtube review of a top end retail stick and a couple of these all black chinese knock offs.  After the initial review.........a dissection of the sticks needs to occur to see how the blades are constructed and how other internal features of the builds compare.    Just a thought 🙂

Edited January 10 by noupf

[Hills 712]

2 hours ago, noupf said:

Somebody ( who has more money to spare than i do ) needs to do a youtube review of a top end retail stick and a couple of these all black chinese knock offs.  After the initial review.........a dissection of the sticks needs to occur to see how the blades are constructed and how other internal features of the builds compare.    Just a thought 🙂

You won't be able to compare the consistency of the carbon in the shaft and in the blade by cutting them open. You also won't be able to tell where the "flex" in the stick is either.

[Stewie 721]

On 1/9/2024 at 6:51 PM, Hills said:

@Stewiehow are you Hoapas? Haha

Still at about a goal per game with them, so working pretty well outside of breakages

The durability on the hydrogen doesn’t seem the best, but I like how it shoots. Don’t like my pro plus that much in the limited time I’ve tried it but still going to work out the low and mid kick ones. I used my PXL today, scored on my first shot with it, seems to perform nice, and more durable. It may end up being my favorite of their offerings, just wish I could get it in different graphics