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The Brine Edge Superlight X strongly resembles (is shaped exactly like) the old Edge as well as the newer Edge X. The first Edge would be about 20 years old now, and truthfully to the naked eye the 2012 model won't look that much different from the one that Brine rolled out with in the early nineteen nineties back when they really were Brine. There must be some reason for this longevity because so many heads and head designs just seem to show up nowadays, and then, bang, they are essentially gone two years later. This is absolutely not the case with the Edge.
SAME AS IT EVER WAS
Visually almost nothing has changed about the Brine Edge and its off-spring.
The first Edge design made for one of the most innovative and best selling heads of all time. This Superlight X version is a fraction wider across the throat than the original was so that it can be absolutely meeting all the rules for all the levels of play. The head conforms to the NCAA legal 3.0" opening throat measurement minimum with plenty to spare, and with the same old 6.5" across the width at the scoop it is good to go with the NFHS rules as well as the newer NCAA specifications.
THIS OLD STEADY DIET HAS AN EDGE
If you are one of the many that still swear by the Edge, and lo, after all these many years there are many still, this is INDEED your father's Edge in every way, except that now Brine uses the Warrior "Noz" style of gas injected plastic head technology which replaces a lot of synthetic material with, well, with air, and the net result is a head that, at around 112 grams it is not only incredibly light, but actually pretty much a whole ounce lighter than the Edge X, the Edge incarnation that 'just' came out with all the new rules back in 2010. An oz. is a huge weight difference when we be Talkin' Heads.
SIR POKE ALOT
The original Edge has had such a long shelf life in large part because of its use by long pole players, and it remains a popular choice with them in particular. The original Edges were relatively stiff, which helped them to be durable. Through the years the Edge has stayed almost completely away from the whole more 'pinched is better' wave of modern lacrosse head thinking and technology. The Edge byproduct makes for a larger catching area opening than many, a feature that points a long pole to this target in hopes of getting his personal edges on. Catching more is good, and all us coaches like to see more of that, don't we?
This head has always appeared as having an 'open' looking face. It has always had that wider 'look' just above where the ball sits on the foam stop, and so there were really no drastic spec. changes that needed to be made to bring the ancient Edge safely into that 2010 head legality jungle.
SPORTS CAR or DRAGSTER?
The narrower the head opening is the easier it is to string a good pocket, and that narrow also 'hides' the ball and makes it harder for the ball to be checked out of the stick. These factors are a big part of what puts a stick in the high performance category.
The bottom of the sidewalls do angle slightly in (flare) on the Edge, but I would say that the Edge Superlight X, or any Edge used on a short pole would be more of an acquired taste because of its unique type of design. It does have all the hole-stringing choices any stringer might ever want to have, but the wider pocket area could also make for a sometimes-finicky pocket for those shooter types.
The Edge's straight and maximum off-set profile allows for maximum pocket holding possibilities. When any head is on a long pole most pocket whip issues are generally much less of a stick handling concern. The length of the shaft will help the stick to throw more easily and with greater consistency, even when utilizing a perhaps deeper pocket that has greater hold with that maximum off-set sweet spot in, or should I say 'on the Edge'.
SCOOP RATING - Above average. The scoop angle is moderate and the wide blade flattens nicely on the turf, which helps the ball almost jump into the stick when scooping.
STRINGING - All the EDGES are identical in form. As mentioned, they now have lots of holes for the max in stringing options. Some holes have protective ledges to minimize fraying in the string in critical points. With a 'low' pocket in this head the ball will be safely down in there and hard for any defender to knock out.STIFFNESS - Like the Noz the Edge Superlight seems to be durable, and without having some of that extra weight and stiffness of the older Edges. The Edge has never had weak points, as in there is a place where the head always tends to break or crack. Many heads out there do have patterned breakage.
The Edge tradition is that the throat really wraps around the pole well and securely, and in this case lighter might not always be a sign of weakness.
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