Pro Stock Hockey Sticks (PSHS) have previously given amazing value for hockey sticks while also giving a ridiculous amount of pro and “custom” curve options. Before this new generation of sticks PSHS offered just a mid kick and low kick sticks. With their newest models, they have added a couple of new kick point options including this VF hybrid kick stick (shows as “Vari” on the name bar). I have reviewed the VX low kick option here and the VS high kick option here.

Firstly, I want to thank the person behind PSHS for sending me these sticks to review and make content on. I will also be reviewing their custom stick models in the future which I purchased myself previously!

Some of the most popular sticks on the market and in the pro scene is the hybrid kick point sticks. Which is a stick that doesn’t have a single specific zone for a flex point and the stick allows a range of hand positions when shooting. CCM Jetspeed, Warrior LX2 Pro, and Bauer’s new Nexus DK are all similar ideas behind the hybrid kick sticks.

Like the PSHS other new models of stick, the VF also includes a new taper design that differentiates it from the low kick and the OG Blue mid kick. I love seeing changing designs and tapers in a smaller branded stick company, something you don’t often see from the other “blackout” style of sticks or small companies. The VF model also includes an rounded square shaft shape with concave sidewalls. The concavity of these sidewalls isn’t as aggressive as something you would see in a CCM Trigger or in the LX2 Pro though but offers a nice middle ground between the rounded VX and the super square VS.

Watch the full review below and on YouTube for all of the details of the Pro Stock Hockey Sticks VF hybrid kick stick!

One part of this stick that I wasn’t very fond of was the new butt end plug, that is an interesting take on the traditional flat caps. The idea behind this is to add a small butt end to save from players having to add their own butt end to their sticks… but I found this knob to be too small and just felt awkward in my hand so I replaced it with my traditional tape butt end with a palm saver over grip. While I like that PSHS tried something different here, because I had to remove their new butt end I was left with a hollow top and would prefer a standard butt end was here instead.

I have often heard people talk about how true to the flex rating sticks play and from online comments the VF should play “softer” (I have also heard “stiffer”) than what is listed. The VF stick that was sent to me was a 75 flex. My preference for sticks is an 85 flex, but I am a bit thankful I was sent this 75 flex to test so I could compare it to my other 85s and get an idea of how this stick really plays in terms of flex.

The easiest way for me to test stick flex is through making and receiving hard passes as well as stick handling. For this stick it felt just like other 75 flex sticks I have used in the past. Receiving and making hard passes I could feel the stick flex under me and on multiple occasions when receiving a hard pass the stick felt like it “kicked” and the puck bobbled out from me. My hard multiple line passes and breakout passes would sometimes kick too much into a shot and would be unmanageable for the receiving player. Both traits I have experienced constantly with below 85 flex sticks. I didn’t notice the stick flexing too much when stick handling, but battling for pucks I could notice it more than the 85s that I prefer.

For shooting, the 75 flex allows you to get off a shot easier, but when applying the force I usually do I could definitely feel the stick was almost overloaded. Using a lower flex like this doesn’t change my thoughts on the shooting performance of the stick though as I can still easily feel the kick and how the VF line releases.

I was a bit skeptical on how much of a “hybrid” this stick really was. So brought out the OG Blue stick (which is a mid kick) to compare. I am happy to say that the VF really does play like a hybrid and requires much less precision in terms of hand position when trying to get off a good and quick shot. It plays very similarly to the Warrior LX2 Pro and CCM Jetspeed FT7 Pro I enjoy using so much.

Now obviously the most important part of this stick is shooting, and the VF being a hybrid should put this right up my list in terms of preferences. I have constantly stated that PSHS don’t quite have the shot performance as the top end of the big stick companies… and that is again the case here with the VF. The new PSHS models are improvements over their previous generation of sticks, but there is still an extra level that the LX2 Pro and FT7 Pro are on. Both of those sticks have the “average” shot being more impressive than the VF, where as a perfectly feeling shot of a VF is closer, I was finding myself less impressed with the release and performance of the VF compared to those bigger brands listed.

Once again though, comparing the Pro stock hockey sticks VF to the big brand competitors comes with a big BUT. Which is the ridiculous price difference… this PSHS comes in at $235 Canadian currently… and the top end from the competition are $440 now (at least from CCM) and “previous gen” sticks are $420. Which is absolutely ridiculous and easy for me to say that the constantly raising prices of sticks compared to something like this makes them absolutely not worth it. I have previously written about Tage Thompson breaking the NHL hardest shot with a PSHS and if you pay close attention I also cover the currently NHL leader of all time goals in this review video as well… so if this stick is good enough to be used let alone tested in World Championship games by Nathan MacKinnon (see below) I think it is safe to say this stick will give YOU enough performance and is a MUCH better value proposition.

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