2X Pro vs X2.9 stick durability review

[Abraham Simpson]

We picked-up a couple of 2X Pro sticks this summer, as well as a (much less expensive) X2.9 to be used exclusively for practices. Both have had some decent use, so it’s a good time to examine their durability. For fun, we also compare them to some other sticks we had lying-around. All the Bauer sticks below have a 25” paddle, P31 curve and similar tape job.

I weighed each stick using a kitchen scale. Weights are a bit higher than official numbers due to the weight of the tape, which probably adds 20-30 grams.

The sticks, from left to right, with weight (in grams) and retail price (in C$):

1. 2X Pro (unused); 700g; $299

2. 2X Pro (used for about 50 hours of ice time, both games and practices, over two months); 700g; $299

3. X2.9 (used for about 30 hours of practices over the last month); 800g; $179 

4. 2S (heavily-used over four months; has a broken blade); 750g; $229

5. S190 (used sparingly over 18 months); 775g; $150

6. 2003-vintage Koho 580 foam core, with 26” paddle (used mostly for road hockey with plastic pucks and balls); 825g; $50

WEIGHT: Advantage 2X Pro

The 2X Pro is 100g lighter than the X2.9. Surprisingly, the X2.9 is almost as heavy as a 16-year-old foam core stick. Clearly, the ACL technology in the 2X Pro paddle has a lot to do with the weight difference.

PADDLE DURABILITY: Interior issues?

When new, the 2X Pro made a sweet TWACK! whenever the puck hit the paddle — it almost made people in the arena jump out of their seats. After about 20 hours of ice time, however, that sweet sound was dampened. We suspect there must be a small crack inside the paddle, but thankfully it hasn’t (noticeably) impacted the stick’s performance. To be safe, and to prolong the life of the 2X Pro, we picked-up a X2.9 for practices, since the shape and feel of that stick is very similar — albeit in a heavier package. 

In terms of exterior durability, both sticks have the usual puck marks and scratches, so no concerns there. 

BLADE DURABILITY: 2X Pro is aging quickly

The second picture below shows the heels of the 2X Pro (black) and X2.9 (white). Admittedly my kid is rough on his heels, but the blade of the 2X Pro is starting to crack in a way that the X2.9, 2S and S190 have not. If water continues to seep in there, we expect this particular 2X Pro stick will have a short life.

CONCLUSION: 

The 2X Pro is definitely a good stick, but among all the Bauer sticks my kid has used, it seems to be wearing-out the quickest. The lightweight blade and paddle seem to have durability issues.

In terms of overall durability, the 2X Pro is still a lot better than the 2S Pro (we’ve seen a lot of those break after taking a puck off the shaft), but in terms of value for money, the 2S seems to be a good compromise among Bauer offerings: It’s $70 less than the 2X Pro, only 50g heavier, and overall more durable (ours only broke after 200+ hours of use when a skater stepped on the blade). This probably explains why it was so hard to find a 2S stick for a while earlier this year, since a lot of the stores we visited had sold-out.

[big_tommy68]

It's funny how "heavy" is such a relative term. I just picked up an X2.9 just last nigh at my rink's pro shop because, on top of the outrageously good deal the guy gave me on it,  it felt super a amazingly light when compared to the Warrior Swagger Pro that broke in my game 30 mins prior to walking into the shop. Admittedly, the shop didn't have any pro level composite sticks to compare it to, though.

The warrior had lasted me 1.5 years of 1-2 beer league games per week and was just starting to feel a little soft. Glad to hear the 2.9 has been ok for you durability wise -- hopefully I can get the same kind of life out of it as I did with my old Warrior

[coopaloop1234]

56 minutes ago, big_tommy68 said:

It's funny how "heavy" is such a relative term. I just picked up an X2.9 just last nigh at my rink's pro shop because, on top of the outrageously good deal the guy gave me on it,  it felt super a amazingly light when compared to the Warrior Swagger Pro that broke in my game 30 mins prior to walking into the shop. Admittedly, the shop didn't have any pro level composite sticks to compare it to, though.

The warrior had lasted me 1.5 years of 1-2 beer league games per week and was just starting to feel a little soft. Glad to hear the 2.9 has been ok for you durability wise -- hopefully I can get the same kind of life out of it as I did with my old Warrior

You won't get the same life as a foam core with a composite. I had my warrior swagger for almost two years before it snapped. the warrior composites last me half to a full year each.

[big_tommy68]

That's a shame for the prices of these twigs. I remember when (old man rant alert) a $30 Sherwood would last me years. I had to convince my mom once that all the little splinters along the edges of the paddle were "dangerous" so she would buy me another one in (so exciting!) white, as I was sick of my woody but it had zero structural problems and could have kept on trucking for another season no problem. I can't imagine what it's like for parents like the OP trying to outfit their kids with gear as they grow these days. Hopefully my two tykes never want to be goalies! (can't believe I'm saying that...)