StringKing challenged both me and Rob to review their Metal shafts (here's Rob's take). The Metal weighs in at only 130 grams, making it the lightest shaft on the market, and when I picked it up for the first time, I was shocked by how light it felt. Even after taping it up and putting a head on it, the shaft felt like it was floating in air. Because of how light the shaft is, it is guaranteed to increase your shot speed.
The shape of the Metal is similar to most traditional handles (Epoch calls this the "C shape"), but is a little more of a concave on the edges. This shape feels amazing in my hand and definitely is my favorite shaft of every handle I've used (I'm a gear nerd, so that is a lot of handles!). The Metal has a smooth finish that feels pretty good.
The Metal shafts have a very clean design. The only graphics on the shaft are StringKing and their logo on one side and Metal on the other side. The shafts come in four colors; black, nickel (which they sent me and looks similar to gold), silver and space grey. The colors all look subtle and classy. They remind me of the iPhone colors of the .
The Metal has three screw holes, which StringKing claims fit 90% of heads on the market without having to drill a new hole. Of every head I have put on it, there has been a screw hole aligned perfectly. Although this isn't a big deal, it is a nice convenience to have.
Although all of this sounds great, one big issue with the Metal shafts is the durability. It dents and scratches pretty easily, which i think comes from the lightness of the material. It's a trade-off you're going to have when it comes to materials. I just used mine in a few low contact pickup games and it has a few dents in it. You can see some of the dents and scratches from not too much abuse, in the image below.
Included with every Metal shaft, Stringking throws in a nice end plug, butt end and a roll of their pre-cut tape. These give you endless options on how you want to customize your stick. I just used the butt end and taped it up like I tape up most of my shafts. The butt end is my favorite of any included with sticks I've had. It is very low profile but has a nice and stiff end knob, and very nice to tape over, not giving a bump when going from the shaft to the butt end. I don't like having much tape on my sticks, so as I typically do, I just put enough at the end for my bottom hand.
The Metal is an extremely light shaft that feels great in your hand, but it has issues with some dents and, if you're rough enough, could actually break it. It is available at a price point of $99. I recommend this shaft for players who don't about aesthetics of dings and dents, but care more almost strictly about light weight and performance. If you're a rough player (box, crease attack, just an outright animal, etc), you may need a couple of these to get through a season.
Fortunately, StringKing has a two-month warranty where they will replace a broken shaft with free shipping and no hassle. If you break the replacement you can get your next shaft for less ($50 for Metal and $130 for Metal Plus) . If you purchase a Metal and then purchase a back up Metal than both warranties are bumped up to 4 months.
Think of this shaft this way: The Metal is a subscription shaft for attackman and middies who want to use the lightest shaft possible (think ice hockey guys who break their stick all the time in the name of having a light stick).
Overall, at $99.99 the Metal is all about light weight but can dent/break while the heavier, but more durable Metal Plus at $129.99 is the value buy.
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