Hands on video review of the 2015 Atlas ZX9000 field hockey stick.
Pros:
What we found most impressive from this stick was the hitting power. It has a good sized head and a nice sweet spot, so when you connect the ball rockets from the stick, a very nice feeling indeed! This is mainly due to the high carbon content and the quality Atlas construction. What else we really enjoyed was the comfort in handling the stick, because of the curve, head, weight and composition its the kind of stick you can pick up straight away and use. Some sticks take a little getting used to due to their shape or balance, not the ZX9000, so well balanced it feels like you have been using it for seasons. What else was nice was the control, its a lightweight stick with a nice bow allowing you to dribble with speed and control. No problems jinking or reverse stick passing either, very smooth.
Cons:
- If you are into drag flicking, its probably not the stick for you.
- No special head protection, can wear quite quickly compared to other sticks. Also although the stick can hit a toma no worries, there is no special toe protection or reinforcement either, so don’t be alarmed if it chips or cracks after a few rounds of excessive tomahawking. Atlas don’t have a great rep for this just yet.
- Trapping, bit bouncy because of the stiffness, but you are going to get that with any higher level stick.
BFHS’s one sentence Stick Summary:
The ZX9000 is a great all rounder stick for any competitive forward, just out of Atlas’s international stick range, but only just a good value buy. However if you want something with a little bit more power and control in Atlas’s elite range, check out the King Cobra
Specs:
- Model: Atlas ZX9000
- Composition: 90% Carbon 10% Kevlar and Fiberglass
- Weight: 540 -550g (depending on stick length)
- Curve: Atlas J curve, max bow is roughly in the middle of the stick
- Head: Maxi
- Bow: 25mm
