Just over two months ago, we posted a first impressions review of the Bauer RX 10 goalie stick. After playing with it on ice and inline, I have nothing but positive things to say about the first composite goalie stick I’ve used. I first had reservations about switching from wood to composite because I have used wood my entire hockey career. I made a similar change two years ago with a player stick, so I knew if it would improve my game the same way my player stick did, I would be in good hands.
Stick: Bauer RX 10 Composite Goalie Stick, Senior P31 model
Flex: 87
Lie: 14
Face: Mid–Open
Toe: Round
Length: 27.5″
Butt End: Tacki Mac Goalie Command Grip
Modifications: None
Design and Construction:
Designed for the hybrid style of goalie, this stick is more upright goalies because of the regular lie and longer paddle. The open curve will help goalies who shoot the puck often increase puck control and raise the puck quicker. Flat front geometry improves rebound control, balance and reduces weight. The paddle is made of carbon and has a fiberglass reinforced outer wrap. The matte finish gives it a nice look without the glare. With the blade, it has optimized stiffness for better rebound control as well as low density foam for optimized balance and feel.
Weight and Balance:
While I could not find a specific weight for this stick, it’s the lightest I have used.
When it comes to balance, the stick’s weight is equally distributed, not blade and paddle heavy. I feel that the flat front has decreased some of the weight compared to other sticks without sacrificing durability and ability to stop shots.
Puck Stopping/Feel:
The stick has a really good feel to it. It fits comfortably in my hands. I have noticed a major difference with the flat front on the paddle. Shots are properly being directed to the corners and away from the slot as I roll my hands to direct the puck away from traffic.
I also love the Control Zone at the handle. I have never lost control of the stick while in net due to the increased grip at the handle and the shaft. Along the shaft I am able to quick poke check the puck and bring it back to the handle because of the matte finish. In addition, the concave geometry means better, more ergonomic feel around my hands. With previous wood sticks, I would have to use sandpaper to smooth and round off the edges to achieve a similar feel.
Shooting and Accuracy:
This is where the RX 10 has impressed me the most. I am a goalie who likes to play the puck to help quarterback our breakouts and ability to move the puck up the ice during a power play. The open face on the blade allows me to quickly get the puck up the glass and out of the zone. I am not the strongest shooter in terms of distance keeping the puck in the air, but I have been able to shoot the puck from the goal crease to the blue line while keeping the puck in the air. With accuracy, I have been able to make hard passes to my teammates stick. Even under pressure from the opposing team, I’m able to quickly fire the puck across the ice or up the glass without causing too many turnovers.
Durability:
The Bauer RX 10 has solid durability throughout. I still have the original tape job along the blade and it doesn’t show any signs of wear or a need to re-tape my sticks after over 10 weeks of playing with it. One aspect I was concerned with as I was purchasing this stick was dings from the tip of my goalie skate against the backhand side when the puck strikes my stick. So far I haven’t seen any that would cause for concern with the integrity of durability of the stick.
Overall Impressions:
At $239, this is the most expensive stick on the Pure Goalie site. And with that in mind I had high expectations for this stick. I did not want it to show significant signs of wear and tear after 10 weeks of use. And so far this stick has not disappointed. After purchasing a top-of-the-line composite goalie stick, I am almost positive I’ll be sticking to similar goalie sticks in the future. If you are still playing with wood, I would recommend any goalie to make the switch to composite.
Interested in purchasing the Bauer RX 10? Check out our friends at Pure Hockey, where they have recently expended their goalie line into its own site at Pure Goalie! Have any more questions about this stick? Feel free to contact myself on Twitter @HockeyWorldBlog or via email at eddie@hockeyworldblog.com
