Zoppo tiger...

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[willy]

Hi!

I bought a zoppo tiger xsp at christmas last year and today it has gone from having a little crack (where the splice should be on a wooden stick) to being pretty much unusable, ie cracked at least half way through. I was wondering, has anyone else had this happen - so it could be the design at fault - or is it just an anomalous stick/i've done something wrong to it..?

I'm asking this because it has been, by far, the best stick I've played with after getting used to the low bow (and extra inch - i have the 37.5) and I'm thinking of getting another as long as it's going to last more than half a season this time.
Also, I don't want to spend all my student loan before I've even gone back to university so is there a big difference between the sp and xsp?

Cheers!

[mspice61]

dont know about the length of life you have experienced, but the difference between the sp and XSP is the low bow. i believe only the XSP has the lowbow

[John]

I would suggest that it is an unusal place for a composite stick to fail.  Unless anyone else has had similar issues I couldn't comment on it being a design flaw and think that maybe you are just unlucky and its a mis-mould.

[mspice61]

i have known it to happen on some Grays Jumbows, possibly it is due to the low bow in the stick making it more susceptible to breakages on that curve??

[John]

The splice is further up the handle, where they used to be joined.  On a wooden stick, about where the handle starts to become rounded.

[willy]

Thanks for the help! It started to break on the back of the stick. According to another thread here it is probably due to carbon being far more brittle under compression and the xsp has a high carbon content which would be why it went so early.
The crack is on the start of the bend, I don't know whether that suggests it is a mis-mould or just a consequence of having a low bow...
Next time I will get a cheaper stick. The extra 1% (or whatever it is) gain in pace when I hit the ball is probably something I don't need anyway.

[zuluhockey]

I bought a zoppo tiger xsp at christmas last year and today it has gone from having a little crack (where the splice should be on a wooden stick) to being pretty much unusable, ie cracked at least half way through.

Hey Willy,

If you dont mind me asking - how long did you have the stick before it did this? And how much did you play with the stick?

I only ask, as you could probably get something back, but obviously if you have been using the heck out of it, the store will tell you where to stick it...

[willy]

Hey! Since the end of last season (mid march-ish) I've used it once in may and on saturday. For the 2 months before then I was using it for 2 trainings and a match a week. I think I used it for a couple of friendlies too. I noticed the crack in may.

I've spoken to my brother about this (he's a lawyer who has been playing hockey a lot longer than I have) and he didn't think I was in a position to be able to get anything back. Although it hasn't been used excessively in my opinion, if I had played once a week, it would have lasted a season and a half... I still think I should have got more out of it though.

I'll probably order the tiger sp later today despite the zoppo website being incredibly misleading. I've hit briefly with one before and I was sure it had the same low bow as the xsp but I can't work out what the website means...

[ragyrascal]

Same bow - lower carbon content.

[UKSS]

SP is the exact same mould as the XSP just lower carbon content.

To our knowledge in the 1.5yrs the XSP has been on sale none have ever been returned to Zoppo due to premature breakages.

We ourselves have nalso never had any returned and I've had mine for over a season now and its hardly even worn let alone cracking anywhere.

The SP is a great price for those not wanting to break the bank, having said that there are plenty more expensive sticks on the market than the XSP as well

[mymaxamillion]

Yea...the zoppo website is so confusing, 1st it says the tigers r low bow, but when you go on the SP it says mid bow?
They have just offered me sponsorship...and i have no idea what stick 2 go for,....if the bow on the sp is the same as xsp then i will get that...as low bow is what I want....but im not sure!

HELP!

m

[UKSS]

XSP and SP are the exact same mould just less carbon in the SP, so definately both Low Bow.

I use the XSP myself but I love the slapping power I get from it as I play at the back.

If you want accurate info have a look at our website for info then you can go back to Zoppo or whomever is providing the sponsorship on their behalf to get the stick you want.

Try asking if they'l allow you to try some first. When we provide sponsorship to players as we're Scottish agents we allow the players to try out the range of Zoppo sticks at a training session before committing.

Good luck

[mymaxamillion]

Just been on the website, and very strangley thats also says the SP is mid bow...
http://www.uksports-supplies.co.uk/Hockey-Sticks/Outdoor-Hockey-Sticks/Composite-Sticks/Zoppo/Tiger-Range/Tiger-SP/p-10-269-271-379-402-649/Tiger-SP.htm
well confused!!
Ill email and ask if I can try it, may solve the prob..thanx.

 m
xx

[UKSS]

well spotted its a typo. SP is 100% definately a low bow I have several of them here in front of me.

Good luck

[Si Lee]

XSP - Greant stick!!