Miken MV5 Pro Radial Hockey Stick Review 2

Miken Hockey has given Hockey World Blog a stick to review. Despite being discontinued as newer twigs have come out such as the Miken Razor Z9, the stick is still able to be found in some stores at a reduced rate. Here is an updated review.

Stick: Miken MV5 Pro Radial

Weight: 488 grams

Curve/Lie: BP 40 (Easton Zetterberg, Bauer PM9, Reebok P34, and Warrior Savard)

Flex: 100

Price: $199.99 original price, $160-ish at Inline Warehouse

Aesthetics:

Although the new stick designs are coming out with a white-out finish on the bottom third of the stick, the matted black finish with red lettering and grey and white accents still is pretty eye-catching. The decals have held up well against the two-handers and shots, leaving the stick to look almost as good as new.

Performance:

The Miken MV5 Radial has taken some time to get used to. Feel, stiffness, etc… But I can say my learning process has ended and now I’m overall happy with the end product.

The stick was eventually cut down to the right size providing better stick-handling, all that goes well with the BP-40 curve. The round, slightly open blade allows for some pretty decent toe drags.

Passing seems to be pretty spot on, although making a high saucer pass does take some practice. The open toe leaves pucks coming off on an angle that is sometimes hard to collect for the target. Wrist shots follows the same pattern, coming of a bit wobbly instead of a solid shot. On the bright side, this all is mere player capability. Sure I’m an alright hockey player so some may be a bit cautious, but truth be, if I had my choice I would have chosen a different curve and all would be perfect.

The shafts low kick point is still kicking slappers without any loss of flex. This is good, however it does seem the breaking in takes a little longer time than previous sticks I have used. So a few more slapshots are needed a game, who’s complaining? Well, maybe the goalies as they go whizzing by.

Durability:

My initial concerns for durability have speedily faded. The toe has seen better days as there was a little opening that happened early on. Since though, the stick has not seen any more wear, even to the toe. I’m quite surprised as I did expect it to slowly break down and leaving me with a stick looking like one of those party favor clappers. Instead I am left with a one piece that feels indestructible.

Ending Notes:

I’ve played with the MV5 for over 3 months now on a constant basis. I have been quite pleased with the performance, with the ability to hit players at full speed with passes with relative ease. Wrist shots have seen better days but that is merely because of the blade itself. Slap-shots on the other side are still as strong as ever and accurate too with the dependable shaft. Speaking of strong, the stick is solid, so solid I don’t even carry a back-up most nights. It is made in America for all those looking to support the homeland (depending where you are from), as well as a good price point for the product. I would recommend picking up a Miken MV5 Radial and giving it a shot, just make sure you pick the blade of your preference.

Tags: Hockey Sticks, Miken, Miken Hockey, Miken MV5 Pro Radial, Miken Razor Z9, Review

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 8th, 2011 and is filed under Gear, Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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Hockey Gear

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Easton Stealth RS Hockey Pants

After seeing a lot of success with the Easton Stealth RS stick, we are now getting closer to more stealth gear as they prepare for the release of the . The new Stealth RS pants, which will be available in both black and navy colors, are going to be really light weight and offer a lot of mobility. Nothing stands out aesthetically on the Stealth RS pants, besides looking stealthy. Easton has continued with the black and yellow color scheme first seen on the stick, offering a black liner with yellow accents. Expect a release date around April of 2012 for the Easton Stealth RS pants.

Let us know what you think of the new in the comments.

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Hockey Hodge Podge: College Edition

There has been some unfortunate and negative news coming out of the college hockey world in the first month-plus of the season. Here are some story lines that developed recently.

Alabama-Huntsville Drops Program

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Hockey World Blog members grow moustaches for Movember

a charitable movement where men grow (or attempt to grow) moustaches in support of health and well-being in addition to cancer awareness and prevention in men.

As participants of the movement, each member of Hockey World Blog shaved his face and will spend the entire month of November growing and grooming his moustache. However, while we fully support men’s health issues, we have decided to throw our support behind another cause that hits closer to home.

In early 2005, Matt and Chris, two of the founding members of Hockey World Blog, were informed that their mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. After diagnosis, the doctors only gave her a few months to live. While she beat out the doctor’s initial estimations, Peggy Austin eventually lost her battle with pancreatic cancer in August 2005.

Over 44,000 Americans are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year. Of those, 94 percent will lose their battle within five years of diagnosis. A staggering 74 percent will lose their battle within the first year. The average life expectancy after diagnosis is just three to six months. Pancreatic cancer remains the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States largely due to the lack of effective detection tools that can be used to diagnose the disease in its early stages when surgery removal of the tumor is still a possible treatment option. According to the Hirschberg Foundation, despite these statistics, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) spent an estimated $97.1 million on pancreatic cancer research in 2010. This represented a mere 2% of the NCI’s approximate $5 billion cancer research budget for that year.

In support of this cause, the members of Hockey World Blog are asking for your donations. Every penny counts and even the smallest donation will support a great cause. So throughout November, we ask that our readers help us raise money to help raise awareness about pancreatic cancer and help fight this terrible disease.

Hockey World Blog will match the first $500 worth of donations made. So if our readers can combine for $500, we will match an additional $500 to donate a total of $1,000 to pancreatic cancer research and awareness. Hockey World Blog will also auction off memorabilia throughout the month of November with 100 percent of the proceeds going to charity.

Donations can be made to Hockey World Blog’s pancreatic cancer page at www.pancreatic.org/fund/hwb.

For more information on how you can participate or help our cause, please contact EB at EB

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Bauer Nexus 1000 Ice Hockey Skates

Earlier in the week, we told you about a new line of hockey gear being released by Bauer Hockey, the Bauer Nexus product line. Today, we have our first glimpse of the new gear, as the were leaked out. As expected, the Bauer Nexus 1000 skates have a much more traditional look, with details a bit reminiscent of the old Bauer Supreme 8090 skates.  Of course, the Nexus 1000 skates will have all the top end features that you would expect from a pro line of gear. As far as fit goes on the Nexus 1000, you can expect a wider boot than the Supreme line, and it looks like its going to provide a bit more depth as well. Great news for fans who love Bauer products, but have feet that don’t quite fit the other two lines.

The Bauer Nexus 1000 skates will hit retail store shelves in June, 2012. Until then, check out the picture below of the Nexus 1000 and let us know what you think!

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DJ Steve Porter to Appear on Hockey Night in Canada Saturday

Every now and then we have to throw a few words to those that make us move. No, I’m not talking makers of hockey skates, although we are appreciative, but the guys and gals who make the music that make us jump around. DJ Steve Porter will be appearing on Hockey night in Canada tonight.

A little PR about Porter:

Steve Porter founded his production company PorterHouse Media in 2009. In just the past two years, PorterHouse has been hired to create the 2010 NBA Playoff/Finalsmarketing campaign, E! Network promos for their award season red carpet coverage, and a weekly project withESPN’s

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Reebok 20k Ice Hockey Skates

The all new aren’t scheduled for release until April 2012, but we have a sneak peek below. The Reebok 20k skates will continue to use the Reebok pump technology, as well as the lace-lock system. The skate looks real sharp in black and shades of grey, with a much more subtle Reebok symbol on the boot that blends in nicely with the color scheme. Unfortunately we have no other information quite yet, but expect the Reebok 20k skates to be available in retail stores next April.

What are your thoughts on the new ?

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Bauer Supreme Total One NXG Ice Hockey Skates

In April, 2012, Bauer will release their newest skate, the Bauer Supreme Total One NXG ice hockey skate. We brought you a sneak peek at a prototype version of the 2012 Bauer Supreme skates back in July, but now we’re looking at the final design of the skate.

You can see in the picture below (courtesy of HWB fan Tyrone, thanks bud!) that a few concepts from the prototype made their way into the Bauer Supreme Total One NXG skates, but we’re still not clear on all the features. The Total One NXG will definitely be a step up from the original Total One skates, which were released in Spring, 2010.

What are your thoughts on the new Bauer Supreme Total One NXG skates? Will you be willing to shell out some coin  to pick up a pair when they are released?

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Easton Stealth RS Hockey Gloves

Easton Hockey is currently featuring a picture of the new on their Stealth RS micro-site. The gloves, in all black with white accents, look pretty fresh. The Easton text is printed out diagonally on the cuff, which looks slick and new. Typically, we see the brand name printed horizontally on the cuff. The are likely to hit the market in April 2012, along with perhaps the rest of a new Stealth protective line.

Take a look at the picture of the new Stealth RS gloves below and share your thoughts!

 

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Easton Stealth 85S Ice Hockey Skates

A pair of unreleased popped up over the weekend, and are looking pretty sexy. The new skates, which carry the same sort of stealthy black and yellow look as the Stealth RS hockey stick, are presumed to be a prototype pair, with the design near final. The new Easton Stealth 85S skates, if the name is to hold true, feature a mostly black and grey boot, with yellow accents near the bottom front. They are featuring the Easton Razor Bladz II holder as well as Easton steel. If the picture is correct, the Easton Stealth 85s hockey skates weigh in just under one pound eleven ounces, or about 765 grams for one skate.

Take a look at the pictures below and let us know what you think of the . Will they help Easton gain market share for skates?

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Sherwood Nexon 12 Hockey Stick

Sherwood Hockey looks like they are putting forth a solid effort towards gaining stick market share with the release of their latest twig, the . The Sherwood Nexon 12 will be the top of the line stick in their brand new Nexon line, and is already being endorsed by players such as Bobby Ryan of the Anaheim Ducks.

Sherwood is describing the Nexon 12 stick as being a true one-piece stick, using the same fibers from the toe of the blade all the way to the butt end of the stick. It’s also going to feature spear shaft construction, which will provide an enhanced low kickpoint. Beyond that, it appears as if you’ll find a lot of specs similar to other one-piece hockey sticks such as being light weight, maximizing energy transfer, great feel of the puck on the ice, and a great feel in your hands as well.

They really nailed the look of the Nexon 12 grip version, featuring a black shaft with blue accents. It looks great standing all by itself in the corner, and would look even better flying around the rink in your hands.  The clear version is a bit more plain, however, with a traditional black and white color scheme.

Through November 9, 2011, the only place you can purchase the Sherwood Nexon 12 will be Pro Hockey Life retail stores  in Canada, or on their website ProHockeyLife.com. The Nexon 12 will only set you back $189.99, which is a modest price these days for a one piece stick. In mid-November, you can expect the Sherwood Nexon 12 to make its appearance in other retail stores in your area, as well as online.

Take a look at the new below and let us know what you think. Are you willing to give a Sherwood stick a shot over today’s popular brands like Bauer and Easton?

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Miken MV5 Pro Radial Hockey Stick Review

The kind folks over at Miken  have given HockeyWorldBlog.com a Miken MV5 Pro Radial Hockey Stick to review. Given that our team is working on a decent amount of reviews, and perhaps a little coaxing on my behalf, the team has decided to let me take the stick for some rigorous testing. Without further ado, here is my first review.

A little background knowledge is always a good thing. My previous stick that I was using was from the guys at Blue Ice Hockey, the Blue Ice Nano Pro. To say that I love the stick would be an understatement. A price point to fit every hockey players budget, a long with the durability and performance of top end sticks, really makes it tough for me to jump over to the Miken.

Miken’s roots began in baseball as they produced a high performance composite bat. Taking the knowledge learned from their research and development, mixing it with pro player advisors, Miken is now in the hockey game. Another little ditty for those who don’t know already, Miken is based out of Minnesota.  For hockey players in the United States, if you’re looking for American made you have found it. I personally may not be a fan favorite of local Wild fans, but hopefully after reading this review they might ease up on me a bit.

Stick: Miken MV5 Pro Radial

Weight: 488 grams

Curve/Lie: BP 40 (Easton Zetterberg, Bauer PM9, Reebok P34, and Warrior Savard)

Flex: 100

Price: $149.99 sale price right now / $199.99 original

Aesthetics:

A matted black finish with red lettering and grey and white accents. To say that it is eye catching is definitely an understatement. It is slick, it’s mean, and a big “Made in U.S.A.” is plastered on the back of the blade. What’s not to love?

Performance:

It’s hard coming from a stick you love and jumping right into another one. A lot of the stick is feel for a hockey player. Fortunately the Miken MV5 Radial eased the transition.

The shaft has a tapered design and a low kick point. From a shooting perspective, the stick has a good kick. Slapshots seem to come off the stick with a nice snap and wrist shots are pretty dead on with accuracy. I even have picked the top shelf on multiple occasions (and yes, I was aiming there).

From a puck handling perspective I’m still transitioning to the stick. Currently the Blue Ice Nano Pro is about a half an inch to an inch smaller. The longer length of the Miken at times makes it difficult to get some decent wood on one-timers. Oddly enough, and kind of contradictory to my last statement, my puck handling seems to have improved. I find myself not looking down as much, really being in tune with the feel of the puck to the blade of the stick. This is an added bonus that I was not expecting.

Durability:

If there is one thing I question about the stick is durability. Still way too early to really get a good feel for durability, but currently I have noticed a little opening on the toe of the stick. This, however, could be the result of anything be it someone stepping on the blade to an awkward poke check. It is something I am keeping note of an plan to report on in the future.

On a more positive note, I do have a fellow teammate who currently uses a Miken MV3 Pro. After some competitive play for about a month, he ended up snapping the stick in a game. He contacted Miken’s customer service and is not only having his stick replaced, but is actually being given an upgrade to the MV5 Pro Radial.

The two situations are an abnormal occurrence. The professionalism of the company and the customer service on the other hand is top notch solid.

Ending Notes:

I’ve played with the MV5 for about a half dozen times now be it in a league and some drop-ins. I’m liking what I am getting out of the stick so far, but look to continue to push it to the limits. I might knock of an inch on the stick to get a little better stick handling, but worry about the extra stiffness taking a hit to wrist shots. Overall with the excellent customer service, made in America, as well as a good price point for the product, I would recommend picking up a Miken MV5 Radial and giving it a shot.

 

Tags: Blue Ice, Blue Ice Hockey, Blue Ice Nano Pro, Miken, Miken MV3 Pro, Miken MV5 Pro Radial, MV3 Pro, MV5 Pro Radial, MV5 Radial, Nano Pro

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 24th, 2011 and is filed under Gear, Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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