Easton V9 Stick Review

Last fall, Easton Hockey released their Velocity line of sticks – part of that being the top of the line V9 and V9E. The V9, of course, features a standard taper, while the V9E stick utilizes Easton’s familiar elliptical taper.

We wanted to know exactly what this stick was like and how it would compare to previous Easton models as well as other brands. Fortunately, our friends at Easton Hockey sent us the new V9 stick to review. I have been using it for a few months now, and have put together my review on the Easton V9 stick below.

Specs: Easton V9, 100 flex, E36 curve, Lie 5

Design and Construction:

With the V9 stick, Easton finally moved away from the all white design found on the Mako sticks, and all black design found on the Stealth series.  The V9 combines the two, featuring a predominately black stick with gray, white and also the occasional orange accent. It’s a simple design, but one that still looks great in your hands and out on the ice.

In terms of construction, the Easton V9 stick is a fused one-piece stick. The V9E, on the other hand, provides the true one piece build if that’s what you’re looking for. The V9 uses a compression molden uni-carbon shaft. These universally aligned fibers are used to provide additional strength, while decreasing weight and improving energy transfer.

In the blade, Easton is using Hyper Toe technology to increase stiffness and durability. It is also meant to provide a more responsive shot, a more accurate shot, and optimize the toe shooting style which Easton has really been focusing on recently.

Feel:

Compared to the Mako line, and even top of the line sticks from other brands, Easton has made great improvements on puck feel with the V9 and with the sticks feel and balance in your hands.

I appreciated what was brought to the table initially with the Mako and Mako II in terms of puck feel, but also noticed that the blade was relatively quick to start dying. I’ve been using the V9 since October and have noticed improvements in puck feel over the Mako sticks. The feel of the puck travels well through the blade and shaft, allowing me to maintain confidence when skating and stick handling. After a few months of solid use, I’m also pleased to see that the blade is still providing the same feel as it did the first time I taped it up.

Moving on to the stick itself, the V9 feels great. Despite carrying a weight that is very similar to the Mako II, it feels extremely light in my hands. It also feels well balanced, which shouldn’t come as a surprise since Easton has been making some very nice sticks since the original days of the Synergy.

Shooting and Accuracy:

This is the bread and butter of Easton sticks, from my experience, and the V9 definitely hasn’t altered my opinion.

During games, I typically utilize the snap shot or wrist shot the most. I was extremely impressed with the shots I was getting with the V9. My main point of comparison was the Mako II, and from my point of view, the shots from the V9 completely blew away anything I was seeing with the Mako II. But on top of that, the wristers and snap shots I was taking were far and away better than sticks that I have used from any other brand as well. Shots were better not only in terms of accuracy, but true to the name, I noticed an increase in velocity as well.

What seemed like a bonus to me was utilizing Easton’s relatively new E36 pattern. This is one of their “dual lie” blade patterns, which is designed for primarily catching passes on the heel of the blade and shooting from the toe. Being a player who shoots off the toe a lot, this pattern seemed perfect for me. I was hesitant to make the adjustment at first, but definitely glad I did.

When it came to slapshots, the V9 continued to perform well. My shots remained hard, consistent, and about as accurate as I could hope for. Much like previous Easton sticks, the V9 provides a lot of pop on slapshots. It’s definitely a good feeling unleashing a clapper with a stick like that.

Durability:

Unfortunately, it seems as though Easton has been labeled as a brand with less than desirable durability in recent years. This has been the case not only with sticks, but some protective equipment as well. We know that Easton has been working hard to fix this issue, but we’re not sure that the V9 is the stick to provide the best durability.

The first V9 that our friends at Easton sent us to review saw only minutes of ice time. On my first shift using the new stick, I blocked a slapshot with it and the shaft snapped immediately. The good news is that a break like this with a brand new stick would be covered under warranty. Whether it was actually a defective unit or not, I’m not sure. I can say, however, that I have blocked other slapshots with sticks (even with the replacement V9 which Easton sent) and did not run into that problem again.

Once Easton sent out the replacement, I was excited to get back on to the ice to see if I would run into any additional issues. I have been pleasantly surprised that in the time since, I have not noticed any issues with the V9 stick. It has held up extremely well to all conditions, and has maintained its strength and pop as well. Additionally, since it is using a different color scheme than the Mako sticks, it appears far less scuffed and beaten. The blade has also held up quite well with no cracks or splitting.

Overall Impressions: 

What sets the Easton V9 apart from its competitors is definitely its performance. For a stick that costs $259.99, you expect something that is truly going to deliver results and elevate your game. In my opinion, I believe Easton has done exactly that with the V9. From hard and quick shots to precision passing and sniping, this stick is one of the best I have used.

Durability remains a concern, and will for the foreseeable future due to the stigma surrounding Easton sticks. However, besides the hiccup that I ran into early on, the Easton V9 does appear to be more durable than the Mako or Stealth RS sticks. I’m happy to see that improvement and happy that Easton continues to make that a focus with their new products.

With that said, if you’re looking for a new stick that will offer great performance, or are looking to try Easton sticks again after some time off, I think the Easton V9 would be a great stick to try.

Interested in purchasing the Easton V9 hockey stick or the V9 Grip stick? Head over to Ice and Inline Warehouse where you can grab one today for only $259.99!

Have you used the Easton V9 stick? Leave a comment below with your personal review and experiences with the Easton V9 to help HWB readers make the best stick buying decision for their needs!

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