PRODUCT DETAILS

High Specification, 95% Carbon, Ultimate Bend, elite performance Mercian hockey stick. Designed to maximise energy transfer the Evolution 0.1 has a 95% carbon construction including a Quad Carbon sleeve (braid)* with 5% Aramid (Kevlar) applied to the 3 specific stress points within the stick – heel, back-hand edge & bottom of handle. The Ultimate bend aids drag flicking & 3D skill execution with the active molecule ‘piezo-electric fibres’ and m-gel silicon sleeve providing vibration damping. An additional feature is the extra cushioned grip created with a 0.75mm PU foam layer beneath the standard super-soft m-tek grip. The new soft touch lacquer used to finish the stick gives enhanced grip on the shaft for both hand & ball. * The Quad Carbon Sleeve is a full-length carbon sock with 3 specific extra sleeves applied to the key stress points in the stick – 4 in total (Quad). The sleeve technology provides the same 360-degree strength seen in braided sticks, enhancing the energy transfer for exceptional hitting power.

ULTIMATE Bend The Ultimate Bend is the most aggressive low bend that we have ever made, the maximum bend at the lowest legal point enhances drag flicking and aerial skills, it has a shaft weighting to aid stick head speed but still provide power and balance for the slapping and pushing associated with elite level skill execution

HIGH-FRICTION FINISH The Evolution line sticks feature a silicon based resin coating on the face of the sticks. Increased friction on the head of a stick, as seen on many of the leading brands products, enhances ball control and skill execution. On the Evolution models we have created that friction surface using silicon rather than silica. These tiny (black) rubber particles give a texture to the surface and because they have the characteristics of rubber they can squash (compress) and at a microscopic level provide a degree of ‘damping’ and assist with stopping and ball control.

PIEZO-ELECTRIC FIBRES Piezo-electric fibres are included in the Evo.0.1 – Evo.0.5 and are used to ‘harvest’ the vibrations created in these super-stiff sticks and turn them into heat. The result of this is efficient vibration dampening. The materials themselves have been known about since 1880; The Piezo-electric effect is the ability of certain materials to generate an electric charge in response to applied mechanical stress. When piezo-electric material is placed under mechanical stress, a shifting of the positive and negative charge centres in the material takes place, which then results in an external electrical field. As a vibration damping material, the vibrations created from striking a ball create the ‘stress’ within the Piezo fibres and create an electrical charge (dispersed as heat).

NANO-CARBON TECHNOLOGY Think small and strong. All Mercian composite sticks are made using a complex process of bonding materials together; the smaller the gaps between the materials in these bonds, the stronger the stick will be. Nano-Carbon Technology involves adding microscopic carbon straws to the bonding resins for the purpose of filling these tiny gaps which are otherwise filled only by resin. These hollow carbon straws within the resin provide multi-directional strength between the materials. The result being a stronger and more resistant bond which increases the overall strength of the stick. Nano-Carbon Technology is used in all sticks with a carbon content.

RESINS Prior to hand-crafting and then ‘baking’ under heat and pressure, the raw materials are impregnated using complex resins. Standard commercial resins will form adequate bonds between the layers but for true high-quality performance multiple resins are blended to ensure the chemical properties of all the materials are considered and accounted for in the manufacturing process

COLD SATIN LACQUER An alternative lacquer finish applied to the top sticks in the range. Standard matt and gloss lacquers have a similar level of friction and a create a specific temperature ‘feel’ underneath the right hand when it is below the grip. The CSL is applied to the area directly below the grip on certain sticks to reduce friction and enhance dribbling.

M-GEL A silicon rubber gel is applied to the inside of the sticks in the designated ‘M-Gel’ area  and it acts as a barrier to vibration, creating a slightly softer feel to all the sticks and enhancing the touch the player experiences.

CARBON FIBRE Anywhere where high performance is required Carbon Fibre’s superior strength to weight ratio offers significant advantages, and sporting goods are no exception. It is used to replace or reduce metal, wood and steel con- tent in a wide variety of sports applications. Carbon strands are made up of multiple filaments. 1K means 1000 filaments per strand. The greater the number of fibres the heavier the material. 1K Carbon is found in the electronics industry and used in military grade equipment. 3K and 6K are found in different types of sporting goods. 12K is usually considered too heavy for use in hockey sticks, further specifications exist but are increasingly heavy and not used in sports goods. Mercian uses Carbon from UK and European plants as well as the highly regarded Toray Carbon from Japan, the importation of such materials into Pakistan rather than using local materials increases the manufacturing cost but this is more than outweighed by the increase in the quality of the finished product. SUMMARY: Stiffness, durability, power, and very high strength to weight ratio allowing for a high performance light-weight hockey stick.

ARAMID / KEVLAR Other materials such as aramid (Kevlar is a trademark of DuPont) can replace glass fibre and Carbon and enhance performance characteristics within a composite stick. It has superb impact absorption and durability so is perfect for using on high impact points such as stick edges and faces. SUMMARY: Light weight and has excellent anti abrasion and impact properties and is used on the heal of the hockey stick to prevent quick wear down from use. Aramide fibres in the shaft also enhance vibration dampening and enhance edge protection for backhand skill execution.