CCM FT6 Pro compared to Catalyst 9X3

[VegasHockey 1261]

Took them both out last night. Both are amazing sticks! 

Catalyst 9X3 weighs about 9 grams lighter, which is impressive since the FT6 Pro is already very light. Balance in both sticks is very good. I can't comment on durability since I have only used it once. Feedback from first use is that the Catalyst 9X3 is effortless to load, and pucks come off with power. The new kick point modifications they made and changes to the blade are both very good.

FT6 Pro is an incredible stick, but you need to put in a little more effort to load. The shot power output on the FT6 Pro is better than the Catalyst 9X3, but the release actually seems slightly slower. FT6 Pro has been a beast when it comes to durability. 

This was just first impressions, so I will update after I get in a few more ice times this weekend. Overall, both are impressive sticks. 

 

Edited July 21, 2023 by VegasHockey

[VegasHockey 1261]

Catch and release on the stick is nice. Good power with very little effort to load:

 

[Sniper9 518]

The important thing for me is that one won't break prematurely and the other will definitely break prematurely and that's enough of a factor for me to stay away from True in general these days. 

[VegasHockey 1261]

1 hour ago, Sniper9 said:

The important thing for me is that one won't break prematurely and the other will definitely break prematurely and that's enough of a factor for me to stay away from True in general these days. 

I haven't had issues with TRUE stick durability since the A and X series of sticks. Overall, though, I don't break a lot of sticks. They just tend to whip out over time, or the blade gets too soft for my liking. 

[Sniper9 518]

2 hours ago, VegasHockey said:

I haven't had issues with TRUE stick durability since the A and X series of sticks. Overall, though, I don't break a lot of sticks. They just tend to whip out over time, or the blade gets too soft for my liking. 

Blades getting soft is a sign of the material degrading. It may not be as drastic as a clean break but imo the blade is as good as dead.  Obviously this will happen over time like sticks shipping out but if it happens within a couple months that's still a sign of bad durability 

[VegasHockey 1261]

10 hours ago, Sniper9 said:

Blades getting soft is a sign of the material degrading. It may not be as drastic as a clean break but imo the blade is as good as dead.  Obviously this will happen over time like sticks shipping out but if it happens within a couple months that's still a sign of bad durability 

Every stick I have ever owned, regardless of brand or model, has had the blade go soft within 8–10 weeks. I skate 5–7 times weekly, so this seems totally acceptable to me. 

[Jbear 113]

Top-tier sticks are made for players that don't have to buy sticks. Weight and performance are IT!  Durability is waaaay down the list of priorities. If durability is the primary concern...drop a level or two down from top models.  They'll weigh a bit more but last a whole lot longer. 

[Sniper9 518]

4 hours ago, Jbear said:

Top-tier sticks are made for players that don't have to buy sticks. Weight and performance are IT!  Durability is waaaay down the list of priorities. If durability is the primary concern...drop a level or two down from top models.  They'll weigh a bit more but last a whole lot longer. 

I actually don't agree.  Ops' are way more durable than the days of the Bauer vapor xx lite and Easton synergies.  Since the Bauer 1n, Bauer's sticks have been pretty good overall except their gimmick models like the adv agent etc. But their main vapor and nexus lines aren't that bad. Ccms durability has been great. True is trash. 

[Jbear 113]

Relative to top-tier...lower price point sticks are heavier and more durable.  I'm not comparing today's with yesterday's. 

Edited July 25, 2023 by Jbear

[Sniper9 518]

4 hours ago, Jbear said:

Relative to top-tier...lower price point sticks are heavier and more durable.  I'm not comparing today's with yesterday's. 

How low tier are you talking about. My point is with technology these days durability shouldn't be an issue even with top tier sticks. Pros don't use the retail versions us consumers get. So I don't buy the whole performance over durability. Pros need something that is durable as well. Just bc it doesn't cost them anything doesn't mean they want it to break all the time mid game. 

My point was ccm and Bauer have been able able to make sticks that are decent in terms of durability but True either can't or won't. Seems more like a won't. 

Edited July 25, 2023 by Sniper9

[flip12 699]

9 minutes ago, Sniper9 said:

How low tier are you talking about.

 

9 hours ago, Jbear said:

Top-tier sticks are made for players that don't have to buy sticks. Weight and performance are IT!  Durability is waaaay down the list of priorities. If durability is the primary concern...drop a level or two down from top models.  They'll weigh a bit more but last a whole lot longer. 

 

4 hours ago, Sniper9 said:

I actually don't agree.  Ops' are way more durable than the days of the Bauer vapor xx lite and Easton synergies…

 

[Jbear 113]

Example...instead of a Hyperlite 2...grab an X5.  Instead of an AS-V Pro...use an ASV.  A little more weight, a lot more durable.  Some pros use off the shelf, some have custom spec, some use older models "dressed."  Their all over the map. I don't think Pros want their sticks to break, but I also don't think they would hesitate for a second to use a stick that felt right even if it only lasted a period. 

I haven't used a True twig that I cared for, so...with you there.

 

 

Edited July 25, 2023 by Jbear

[stick9 881]

I don't know if I fully buy in on "lower tier sticks are more durable". That hasn't been my experience. I definitely don't buy in on "top tier sticks are made for people who don't pay for sticks". People who don't pay for sticks, aka pros, generally don't use off the rack retail twigs. While the cost of breaking sticks doesn't affect them, breaking sticks during play does and that's far more costly than the price of the stick itself. Ovie's infamous 8 stick game and the WJC OT game quickly come to mind.

[mojo122 530]

When you look at the construction today some of the lower tiered sticks are great values.  

[Jbear 113]

9 hours ago, stick9 said:

I don't know if I fully buy in on "lower tier sticks are more durable". That hasn't been my experience. I definitely don't buy in on "top tier sticks are made for people who don't pay for sticks". People who don't pay for sticks, aka pros, generally don't use off the rack retail twigs. 

Upon what are your hypotheses based? Gut feeling?  Something read online?  In the course of selling these things we are very much aware of what customers are breaking and with what frequency.  We also get to speak with company reps about retail and pro usage/design. 

Maybe you have insight to which I'm not privy.

There's no rule as to what we are obligated to use, so you do you.  I'm just offering a possible solution for those who are experiencing breakage with some frequency.  I use top-tier myself, but...eyes wide open. 

[stick9 881]

11 hours ago, Jbear said:

Upon what are your hypotheses based? Gut feeling?  Something read online?  In the course of selling these things we are very much aware of what customers are breaking and with what frequency.  We also get to speak with company reps about retail and pro usage/design. 

Maybe you have insight to which I'm not privy.

There's no rule as to what we are obligated to use, so you do you.  I'm just offering a possible solution for those who are experiencing breakage with some frequency.  I use top-tier myself, but...eyes wide open. 

Actual use. Most recently but not excluded to, my FT3's lasted no longer than my FT5 Pro's. 

I also use top tier sticks but I don't pay retail for them. $340 for a stick is just absurd. Especially when you can find pro stocks for a little more than half that. Now, when it comes to pro stocks, they never feel the same as their retail counter part. I've experienced this from CCM, Warrior & Bauer. So if the other part of your comment was true, they would feel and perform the same, no??

I'm not talking with reps or customers who broke their stick on day 29. I'm talking about actual on ice usage from the same player playing in the same groups and leagues.

[Jbear 113]

Okee dokee.

[IPv6Freely 2084]

On 7/24/2023 at 1:54 PM, Jbear said:

Top-tier sticks are made for players that don't have to buy sticks. Weight and performance are IT!  Durability is waaaay down the list of priorities. If durability is the primary concern...drop a level or two down from top models.  They'll weigh a bit more but last a whole lot longer. 

The first sentence aside, I agree. Where do people think the weight reduction of top-end sticks comes from? Magic? No; they have less material (or potentially different, more performance-enhancing material). The lower tier models are going to be heavier because they have more material, but that also tends to make them more durable. It's not likely a linear relationship between cost and durability, but top end sticks are definitely squeezing out every ounce of performance they can for a market where performance is more important than durability. Diminishing returns at the top end, but if you're a pro then squeezing every bit of performance you can at the cost of every other factor is well worth it.

All that said, the low end has improved DRAMATICALLY over the years. If I were to guess, I would suggest the cost of giving the lower end sticks much of the tech/materials as the high end has evened out quite a bit. Or put another way, the gap between the low end and the high end is much less today than it used to be. People often lament the fact that sticks haven't really gotten that much better lately, which may be true. But I think what they're not factoring in is how much the low end has closed the gap.

As an aside, I have always kind of wondered why players on a PK don't at least consider opting for something that may be heavier but more durable so you don't have the sticks exploding trying to clear the puck. They always seem to break at the worst times. 

[birky 24]

On 7/25/2023 at 11:31 AM, Jbear said:

Example...instead of a Hyperlite 2...grab an X5.  Instead of an AS-V Pro...use an ASV.  A little more weight, a lot more durable.  Some pros use off the shelf, some have custom spec, some use older models "dressed."  Their all over the map. I don't think Pros want their sticks to break, but I also don't think they would hesitate for a second to use a stick that felt right even if it only lasted a period. 

I haven't used a True twig that I cared for, so...with you there.

 

 

FWIW, I have the E5 Pro (Nexus), ASV, and LX20 and they have all been extremely durable.

[birky 24]

On 7/21/2023 at 12:35 PM, VegasHockey said:

The new kick point modifications they made and changes to the blade are both very good.

Can you explain the changes they made to the blade? I found the Catalyst 9x blade just far too dampened, and vastly preferred the old BRT blades.

I mean I can't buy one of these anyways because they dropped the MC curve but just curious what I'm missing out on.

[VegasHockey 1261]

22 hours ago, birky said:

Can you explain the changes they made to the blade? I found the Catalyst 9x blade just far too dampened, and vastly preferred the old BRT blades.

I mean I can't buy one of these anyways because they dropped the MC curve but just curious what I'm missing out on.

 

[marka 519]

Howdy,

Does True have a customization program?

For instance, I think I'd like a 9x3, 75 flex, T92.5 w/max height blade.  At least, I would if I went crazy for long enough to actually click "buy" on a $350 stick...

Mark

[VegasHockey 1261]

On 7/27/2023 at 3:07 PM, marka said:

Howdy,

Does True have a customization program? For instance, I think I'd like a 9x3, 75 flex, T92.5 w/max height blade.  At least, I would if I went crazy for long enough to actually click "buy" on a $350 stick...

Mark

Yes, they do. 

[marka 519]

Howdy,

5 hours ago, VegasHockey said:

Yes, they do. 

Don't overwhelm me with details...

🙂

Mark