Stick Technology
Stick Bends
- The Pro Bend incorporates a near maximum 23.5mm bend positioned just below the mid-point of the shaft. The shaft has then been shaped to give a thinner profile under the right hand and a balance point that favors the head end of the stick. This gives a combination of great stick turn-over because of the shape but better hitting power because of the balance point and sweet spot.
- The Ultimate Bend is the most aggressive low bend that we have ever made, the maximum bend at the lowest legal point enhances drag flicking and aerial skills, it has a shaft weighting to aid stick head speed but still provide power and balance for the slapping and pushing associated with elite level skill execution.
- The DSH bend is a 2mm concave face specifically designed to work with a 24mm bend to enhance drag-flicking and 3D skills. The 'cup' aids ball pull back from the left side of the body and enhanced elimination skills. The new DSH mold has a fatter shaft profile to increase the cross sectional area and aid hitting power.
-
MID Bend
A 22mm bend situated 300mm up the shaft. A majority of players look for a low or extreme low bend stick that helps with drag flicking, aerials or 3D skill execution. However, an increasing number look for a straighter stick, aligning hands with the stick face and so assisting accuracy with hitting and slapping. This NEW mid-bow is designed for exactly that. - The new innovative HEX Bend is a hybrid model combining a lacrosse style handle and a conventional hockey shaft. The 6-sided grip means a player can feel the sticks position in the hand without looking and the shape specifically helps locate the extended finger associated with flicking along the spine of the stick. As the hexagonal handle shape merges into the hockey shaft it creates a flattened spine that increases the sticks stiffness. The edges then are also flattened to give a specific backhand hitting zone with a surface designed to aid both power and control on the reverse side. The shaft then also has the ultimate bend with its maximal curve to further enhance flicking and overhead skills.
EVA GRIP
- A 1mm thick EVA (Ethylene-vinyl acetate) layer that is applied underneath the supersoft grip on the top three models of sticks. It increases damping and absorbs the vibrations produced by super-stiff carbon sticks.
TCDK (tungsten carbide diffused Kevlar)
- Kevlar is the registered trademark for a para-aramid synthetic fiber, also known simply as ARAMID in other sticks This high-strength material was first commercially used in the early1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires. Typically it is spun into ropes or fabric sheets that can be used as such or as an ingredient in composite material components. Currently,Kevlar has many applications, including bulletproof vests, because of its high tensile strength-to-weight ratio; by this measure it is 5 times stronger than steel. Tungsten carbide(chemical formula WC) is a chemical compound (specifically, a carbide) containing equal parts of tungsten and carbon atoms. In its most basic form, tungsten carbide is a fine grey powder,Tungsten carbide is approximately twice as strong as steel. For TCDK the fine powder version of WC is diffused through a sheet of Kevlar in the manufacturing process further enhancing the natural characteristics of the material and increasing both its strength and more specifically its durability.
QCS (quad carbon sleeve)
- Mercian’s QCS technology is based around enhancing the already common braided technology. By weaving carbon strands together you create a carbon sleeve. Using a full-length sleeve creates a softer feel, a lighter weight, but creates exceptional energy transfer and therefore power. The full-length sleeve is then overlayed with 3 more smaller sleeves to offer enhanced protection at the three identified stress points –base of handle, backhand hitting zone and stick ‘heel’. By utilizing these four sleeves we create a unique structure for delivery of maximum power and durability.
CARBON (Japanese sourced carbon)
- Carbon has high-strength, high modulus (stiffness) and light-weight properties. It has changed the face of sports equipment in the last 15 years. In hockey sticks the high-stiffness means that it has limited flex under impact and so transfers the energy generated by the player into energy imparted into the ball, this giving higher ball speeds. The trade-off is that a high carbon stick can be harder to control a ball with and also give a higher level of vibration.
NANO-POL
- The particles within our resins have been altered at a nano-size level (10 x below microscopic) Instead of using nano-carbon particles, the use of rubberized polymers creates a more flexible but stronger bond between the composite layers. This increases the stiffness of the sticks and reduces de-lamination.
X-FIBRE
- A unique lay-up of all the materials used in the top sticks – Fiberglass, Basalt, Kevlar (TCDK) and Japanese carbon to create a specific super-hard panel of processed composite material to enhance the backhand hitting area, helping to generate more power and ball speed.
HIGH FRICTION FINISH
- EVOLUTION and GENESIS composite sticks feature a silicon-based resin on the face of the sticks not silica-based. The result – increased ball control and skill enhancement. Tiny black rubber particles give texture to the surface. Because they squash on impact they provide a microscopic level of ‘damping’. Perfect for stopping and ball control.
M-GEL
- Creation of perfectly balanced sticks is based on experienced craftsmen, handling the highest quality raw materials and then balancing the final product with the introduction of specific, measured amounts of silicon rubber inside the shaft. This rubber coating, applied at the base of the handle provides a damping effect, reducing vibrations. It is inserted using a long needle and creates a specifically placed rubber layer.
COLD SATIN LACQUER
- The final coating applied to a stick is usually purely for cosmetic reasons. The Cold Satin Lacquer applied to the Evolution models actually feels different under a players touch, increasing awareness of temperature and giving the impression of reduced friction for dribbling and stick turn-over.
PIEZOELECTRIC FIBERS
- Piezoelectric fibers are included in all the Evolution sticks they are used to ‘harvest’ the vibrations created in these super-stiff sticks and turn them into heat. The result of this is efficient vibration dampening. Its achieved because the molecules within the material are active, the force applied to them (vibrations) causes the fibers to bend and emit a small electric charge that is dispelled as heat. The technology originally used by Head in tennis, applied those forces through an electrode to counter-act the vibrations (this isn’t present in hockey sticks!)