| The Warrior Stiffi isn't the lightest head on the market, but with a first of its kind titanium-enforced rod running along the top beam of sidewalls, that really isn't a surprise. Warrior's big entry for 2008 has great lines and shape and really should be one of the top heads on the market for a long, long time. Just as the Helix was a kind of mixture of all of Warrior's previous ideas, the Stiffi is almost a more refined version and resembles the offspring of an illegitimate Helix/Razer 2.0 tryst. The major selling point to the Stiffi is the titanium rod that surrounds the throat of the head on the upper sidewall. Running from about 3/4 up one side, around the throat and 3/4 of the way back up the other, the rod is designed to increase longevity by providing stability much the same way rebar works with concrete. Contrary to its name, the head is not as stiff overall as the Blade 2.0, the Stiffi will very likely not see many "cheap" cracks and breaks that some heads are prone to. The Stiffi weighs in at a respectable 153 grams, about 14 grams heavier than the Helix. However, it doesn't necessarily feel as bulky and is really pretty streamlined. While it has many of the same lines as the Helix, they are more tamed down and subtle. The stringing holes are plentiful and the Rock-it Pocket fits great into this head. While the Blade 2.0 and Blade F-Off are technically Warrior's face-off sticks, we think that the shape of the Stiffi's rear face is actually more suited to the job as it is a little narrower. All things being equal, the Stiffi would beat the Blade 2.0 in a straight clamp. Initial testing in the MLL has led some to believe that relying on this stick as your primary face-off head could be dangerous because the rod can bend, pro players also claim the ability to simply bend the rod back into place fairly easily. The sidewalls are flared in like many Warrior heads and the Stiffi also features the traditional curved face. On the back of the head, down near the throat is wide enough that the ball should not get stuck and create penalties. We are very excited about this head from Warrior and we think it will really be one of the best heads out there for the foreseeable future.
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