Easton Synergy questions

[clumsychris]

I have a couple questions about the Synergy. I am looking into buying one but have a few things holding me back...

I only play roller hockey, no ice at all. But I have heard regardless that Synergy blades are prone to break easily. Can I just flip over the shaft and put a blade in the butt end of the shaft and not lose any flex?

And I have heard people complain that their Synergys break after only a couple hours of use. Me not being anything close to rich, I guess my biggest question is if this is true and if they are even worth buying for so much money? I really don't want to have to get a stick if I can only use it once and not turn it inot a shaft after the blade breaks. I'd rather get a Z-Bubble instead....

Anyways, any info anyone can give me would be a great help. Thanks!!

[BkHdTpShlf]

All last years models broke very easily. They claim they are fixing this problem but I personally haven't tried any of this years models. I use the Bauer Tri-Flex and I had to go through atleast 25-30 of them during the year. There are alot more companies coming out with one piece sticks these days if I hear anything about these new models I'll definatly fill you in.

Darrell Interbartolo
Boston Storm GM/Coach

[BkHdTpShlf]

They don't use the Synergy for the sticks durability, they use it for the sticks performance.

Darrell Interbartolo
Boston Storm GM/Coach

[BkHdTpShlf]

Watch a game then, how many sticks do you see break in a game? Tell me you don't see that either.

Darrell Interbartolo
Boston Storm GM/Coach

[lurules8]

I've seen more Synergies broken at inline rinks than other sticks (but that could be because more people use them now than other sticks) and I've heard lots of people complain that Synergies break easily and most of 'em do flip the stick over and put in a Focus Flex blade when they do break. But, these are the same players that get a Synergy because the performace is worth the price to them. Hopefully, the new models will be more durable.

[Falcons77]

All I use is Synergies. You cant replace that feel and balance. I have broken quite a few, but I also have had ones last 2 years or more. The easiest way that they break is someone purposly stepping on them (which results in a roughing penalty for me). I have only broken one during a shot, but it was about 2 years old.

[-venom-]

wrong. sakic is sponsored by easton.

[-venom-]

Plain and simple, Easton is NOT the company it once was. TPS now with its XN10, has by far the best stick on the market. Innovative has caught, or maybe even suprassed Easton as well. The new Vector V120 is gonna be quite impressive as well.

You want GOOD info on sticks? www.corebeam.net (another hockey message board) the guys on there know what they are talking about.

[MDE3]

My son who plays on average twice a week, has gone through 5 Synergies in about a year and 3 months. However he played with the other sticks for about 5 months in that period, and has used an insert since around Septemeber of this year, so that's 5 broken Synergies in about 8 months of medium useage. All but one broke in the blade just past the heel.

He has also broken 3 of the Easton Z "flex" inserts, after only 4-5 usages each, at $50.00 a copy.

The performance is good, but the durability for him, is approximately equal to that of a good wooden stick or less. These inserts are all breaking at the bottom of the blade, cracking so they open up when shooting.

Anybody else seeing this?

[-venom-]

Post deleted by RichardGraham

[-venom-]

The quality of easton products is certainly NOT worth what you pay for them....

[fryer98]

I'm surprised to hear a lot of the complaints about the Synergies. I bought my first one around March-April because I was breaking about a blade a game (more so on ice, but also in roller). I used it on average of 3-4 times a week and it lasted until August. It broke at right at the blade/shaft intersection.

I was very happy with, not only the performance, but the durability. If I would have been using a wooden, or a two piece, I would have probably gone through at least 25 sticks in that time. Do the math (25 x $20-$25) on that and you can see why I was so happy with mine. As soon as I broke that one, I bought another right away.

The only easton complaint I have is with the Grips. I forgot my synergy to my last game, and broke my Grip that I had only used 10-15 times (2nd one I broke with limited use this year) right at the flex point taking a one timer. Has anyone else had problems with those? (Wanted to add that I mean the Two-piece Grip, NOT the Syn Grip)

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by fryer98 on 12/09/03 08:35 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

[-venom-]

not exactly.

just think it's funny, you've been here, what a week? and you come in acting like you're the end-all to everyone's questions?

Congrats man, any questions I have from now on, I'll be sure to come to you.

[RichardGraham]

Hi,

Let's try to keep on topic, OK? Thanks.

Sincerely,

Richard Graham
Editor
Inline Hockey Central

[Superstar9]

I get 6 synergy grips a month from my employer and so far Ive only broken 2 of about 18 of em I have. They hold up pretty well for me and I've been using them for a couple years now. I give the ones I break to the kids I teach and it seems to hold up well for them doing the flip thing. M-1's on the other hand, I used them for about a month and broke 4 of em. I don't recommend using them. The Si-core is nice as well, I have 2 of them and they feel good and are holding up well. Anyone else planning on trying the bauer vapor XX when it comes out? It's lighter than the easton's and I used to love bauers patterns. I'll let everyone know how they are once I get them.

Street

[-venom-]

Si-Core = overrated.

[Superstar9]

I totally agree, that's why I have a surplus of synergy grips

Street

[Tim46]

Hi, i live in Australia and over here synergy's start at $400, if you want a grip or si-core than you will expexct pay over $450. I have have 2 synergy's, 1 regular synergy that i broke the blade in after 8 or 9 months (i did that flip thing with the shaft and put another blade in it), and i also have a yellow synergy grip which is pretty new. The synergy's are definatly worth the money for their prefomance but if i have to pay $400 per stick it is not really worth it for durability, (the grip is also starting to come of my synergy grip,). So, my question is, how much are the synergys in canada, and where would be a good place for me to buy a couple more from. Any help with this would be much apprectaited

[Kdawg68]

I just broke my easton z-buble grip last night.I bought it in September so approximatly 3 months old two nights per week.I thought it to be strange though of where it snapped.Not at the blade or shaft area but in between my hands a little higher than where my bottom hand was holding the shaft.Just snapped like a pretzel.

[-venom-]

pretty sure they are 250 in Canada...

[MDE3]

Better to buy in USA as Canadian pricing is about 90% more than USA, but exchange rate between Canada and USA is only $1.31CDN : $1.00 USA

USA Synergy (not Grip) you can buy for $139.00 at several sources on the net (Hockey Monkey, Hockey Giant etc), and just this week have seen them at $169.00 CDN from Canadian stores on the net.

[Tim46]

Thanks, i will go have a look at that, but do they have special posting costs?

[MDE3]

all of these companies have relationships with various shippers which operate internationally

[bobbyorio]

Can you give e the urls for the canadian online stores please.

Thanks

[MDE3]

sorry about the misquote. I made a mistake on the Canadian Pricing: it read $269.00 cdn.

[MDE3]

Reference post above......the Canadian $ pricing was an error on my part, I meant to write $269.00 CDN

[MDE3]

Well it would be well appreciated if some of that technology advantage was used to develop durability as well as performance.....6 Synergies(only one under warranty), and six "Z Carbon focus flex blades" in 12 months. All the blade inserts have broken in the blade area......some within 4 - 6 hours of playing time.

[BkHdTpShlf]

Hey Tim I'd be more than happy to send you some sticks for far less than 400.

Darrell Interbartolo
Boston Storm GM/Coach

[-venom-]

I don't buy that for a second. The XN10 is by far the best OPS out there right now. THe SiCore is way overrated, and the Stealth is way too new to really fairly judge....

[patrick14]

Slightly off topic, but MDE3, if you are whom I've been told you are. Do you think that the length at which you are cutting your sons stick has anything to do with breaking as many as he has? (BTW, please continue to cut his sticks that length, he couldn't have hands like he does if it was any longer)

[MDE3]

All but one broke in the blade including 6 replacement Z Carbon flex blades, and not all the same way, four of the 85 Modano sticks broke vertically on the blade just in front of the heel, and only one snapped on the shaft. The other stick I cannot remember.

Five of the six inserts broke on the bottom of the blades, and one had a vertical crack 2" from the tip of the blade...that one looked like maybe it got stuck in a crack along the boards.

There's quite a few players use sticks of similar length too...I don;t know if they are experiencing the same problem. If the theory is that he's taking too much flex out of the shaft when he shortens it, thereby adding more stress to the blade, I might tend to agree with you.

However the Z Carbon "focus flex" inserts, definitely add more flex than the shortened one piece sticks have to begin with, and they are breaking in the blade even faster, which sort of contradicts that theory.