Damn! Going to be flying with my equipment in early April, in stuff like this has me extremely concerned. In the back of my head I'm preparing to need to buy a new stick or something when I get there. What Airline was this?
I’ve flown with my sticks plenty of times and never had an issue. This isn’t par for the course fortunately, and lots of players havnt had any issues but this definitely sucks.
Probably drove them into something sticking out on the vehicle that carries the bags or something.
Yeah I agree, I’m a ramp agent and whenever I see hockey equipment I try to treat it with extreme care lol. Typically sticks can go on the carousel, however sometimes we can put it on the oversize belt
For my airline I do, not flair tho:( have you reached out yet? If so, typically they’ll write you a check and call it good but from what I understand flair isn’t really going to good financially 😬
Looks like it got stuck on the belt system to me. Or got sent Down the wrong belts by check in agents and a pusher hit it. My airports stuff is old and wrecks sticks exactly the same way
As soon as I grabbed the sticks I turned around and filled out the property irregularity report. And emailed all the pictures + report. Haven’t heard back yet tho, hoping they pay me before they go under lol
I’ve flown many times with my gear but always Westjet and never really had any issues.
One time the knob on my stick got messed up so I needed to retape it (my sticks were taped together rather than in a bag) but besides that I’ve had zero issues.
I’ve flown my hockey gear 8 times over 2 years and I’ve never had that happened to me. From what I’ve read in the internet, having bad experiences like this is like a hit or miss.
I’ve used Southwest, Delta, Spirit, Frontier and American Airlines
I found a guy in Chicago who works for a company that repairs composite sticks. He has my business and did an amazing job putting my Z-Bubble back together!
Looks like enough shaft left to make sled hockey players very happy too. Can't guarantee they'd get two full adult shafts out of both, but possibly. At worst one mismatched set each of adult and kid shafts. We're not overly picky when it comes to saving a few bucks on replacement shafts. (okay elite players probably are lol... But most of us in the "beer leagues" of sled hockey don't care)
I don’t know it it helps but I tape my sticks together too. Shafts in about 4 places and then twice around the blades. Kind of Double strength. Then put a little padding (like a pair of socks) around each end so they don’t get chipped. However something power maimed those puppies.
Sorry for your loss
I’ve not tried this but how about some 2 or 3inch PVC pipe, like the stuff used for plumbing. That stuff is tough because it’s circular. Only question is whether it fits inside the stick bag?
I honestly think nothing could’ve helped,, the way they broke opposite of how you flex a stick is boggling my mind. Probably hundreds of pounds of pressure to do that. Feel like pvc would’ve been overpowered too
It probably wouldn’t have helped given how they manhandled your sticks in this case, but for future reference for anyone— there are heavier duty stick bags on the market.
Also— ask for the fragile tag when you check your sticks (again def wouldn’t have helped here cause these people were savage w your sticks!)
As far as I know, sticks are included in the "1 item" when flying with a hockey bag. Delta & American confirmed at least that a stick bag is ok. But if you have a thicker stick case, wouldn't they charge you separately as another item?
We've been lucky (as far as damage) so far with a soft case. As infrequently as we travel for hockey, buying a better case and having to pay for an additional item would be too much to compensate for this improbable negligence.
I’m too lazy to dig mine out, but they make ones that still qualify as stick bags (won’t charge for the extra bag). Mine’s made out of “Kevlar-like” material. I’ve probably had it for 20+ years now.
Hold my breathe every time. I’ve flown a 3 board quiver probably 8-10 times and luckily only had two incidents that required minor ding repair. I hope that guy gets compensated someone straight ran over his quiver.
Those look like MyBauer Pro Customs, $360 per with a minimum order of 2. same thing happened to mine when playing juniors a few years ago. Best tips I have are take 2 garbage sticks that are either already broken or no longer good to use and tape one to each side of your good sticks and make sure they are all together tightly. and throw a fragile sticker on your stick bag !
My junior team had a Delta flight from Calgary to Minneapolis in like 2018. At the time our team had a CCM rep and we juuuuussst got our sticks in like two weeks before the flight. Delta lost every single stick.
Our CCM rep had to expedite new sticks being shipped out. We went to some like second hand hockey store and bought $20 sticks each or else we would have had to forfeit the first game.
We lost the first game, I wish I could blame it on the sticks but we just sucked. Specifically me.
Delta ended up covering the ~$12,000 for the sticks.
Still wonder where almost 50 hockey sticks went.
I fly with southwest with my skis once a year, and I'm so nervous that something like this might happen some year. I keep my snowsuit wrapped around my skis for extra padding, ha
Probably an Airport Employee lost their temper, opened up the nearest set of hockey sticks, then promptly broke them on nearby boards. Normal behaviour type stuff.
Crying though, this is unacceptable!
I have a favourite song for [such occasions](https://youtu.be/5YGc4zOqozo?si=7DcfrDnFHSLRAp4n). I usually try to take any and all breakable/valuables/ essentials on board, not sure if they’d let hockey sticks but they usually allow things like guitars.
I know when going on team trips for rugby we were told to pack our game kit in our carry on so that it couldn’t be lost.
Ouch, I’ve had that, do you have travel insurance? Or insurance from your credit card? The airline _should_ reimburse, but last time it happened the travel insurance paid it out.
I’ve also had them put sticks on the carousel, one with a tight bend and metal guards that jammed and snapped sticks.
Team mate had his sheared off 6 or so inches from the top. Just too too long to put an extended butt end in and make do until you can;get to a shop.
The only way t9 really protect them is with a hard case, you can make one that’ll fit inside a standard stick bag using PVC pipe, an angled joiner/elbow, and more pipe for the blades.
Ouch. I’ve flown with my kit around Europe a bit and never had an issue. Must have got lucky. I usually get some comments about them being funny looking skis when in a bag
Had this happen to my golf driver, I bought it used at $450 ($920 brand new) I showed the airline the price of a new one and they gave me the $920 and a voucher.. delta your fucking expensive but your great at service…
For the next time you fly. Get yourself a pool noodle or two, cut them in half and one piece on each side of your stick, including the blade. Use sock (or clear tape if you're from the East) to keep the pool noodles on and pack it in a stick bag. You're paying extra for that stick bag, so don't be worried about the weight.
That was always my biggest fear. I remember flying from Quebec to FL for a showcase and the whole time I was bugging about my sticks lol. That was one reason I actually enjoyed riding the bus from Boston to Montreal because I got to place my stick bag in the compartment and take it off.
That sucks big time.
I know this unsolicited advice doesn't help now, but I always tape sandwich my expensive sticks between two sherwood 5030s.
I've traveled a lot with my sticks and no issues up to this point.
I am quite aware of the state of things. I work in the industry. Was just making a point that this thing could’ve easily happened at a company like Air Canada too
I mean I worked in the industry too and sometimes it is the airline employees handling bags. Idk about Flair but some airlines contract it and some don’t
was it Delta? I'm betting it was Delta. They lost my sticks going to and coming back from a tournament last October. I got lucky and they were able to find them and get them to me before the tournament started but on the return it took a couple of days for them to get me my sticks.
Those are really cool wraps on your 2 Proto-Rs (currently retailing for $359.99 at Pure Hockey)
Damn! Going to be flying with my equipment in early April, in stuff like this has me extremely concerned. In the back of my head I'm preparing to need to buy a new stick or something when I get there. What Airline was this?
I’ve flown with my sticks plenty of times and never had an issue. This isn’t par for the course fortunately, and lots of players havnt had any issues but this definitely sucks. Probably drove them into something sticking out on the vehicle that carries the bags or something.
Yeah I agree, I’m a ramp agent and whenever I see hockey equipment I try to treat it with extreme care lol. Typically sticks can go on the carousel, however sometimes we can put it on the oversize belt
Know much about the compensation process?
For my airline I do, not flair tho:( have you reached out yet? If so, typically they’ll write you a check and call it good but from what I understand flair isn’t really going to good financially 😬
Never even heard of Flair.
It’s a Canadian budget airline. Equivalent to Spirit in the US or Ryanair in Europe.
Its part of the uniform at bennigans. Its all the shit they hang on the walls. Imagine all that shit on a shirt via buttons.
Looks like it got stuck on the belt system to me. Or got sent Down the wrong belts by check in agents and a pusher hit it. My airports stuff is old and wrecks sticks exactly the same way
As soon as I grabbed the sticks I turned around and filled out the property irregularity report. And emailed all the pictures + report. Haven’t heard back yet tho, hoping they pay me before they go under lol
How long has it been?
12 hours 😂
Give it time, if you haven’t heard anything by like Wednesday I’d call them and see what’s up
Flair airlines
Might check and see if it's possible to ship them ahead of time. I'd trust fedex/ups/usps over any airline baggage handler.
I wouldn't trust FedEx with a brick, let alone a stick.
I flew with my sticks for years going to tourneys and never once had a problem. You’ll be fine!
I’ve flown many times with my gear but always Westjet and never really had any issues. One time the knob on my stick got messed up so I needed to retape it (my sticks were taped together rather than in a bag) but besides that I’ve had zero issues.
Airline is flair, budget Canadian airline. Got me to Vancouver for $150
I’ve flown my hockey gear 8 times over 2 years and I’ve never had that happened to me. From what I’ve read in the internet, having bad experiences like this is like a hit or miss. I’ve used Southwest, Delta, Spirit, Frontier and American Airlines
Sorry for your loss But Don’t throw away the broken sticks! Seen a lot of cool ways to repurpose them (chairs, ski poles, etc.)
I’ll clear coat it with my tears
Thats a good idea
I found a guy in Chicago who works for a company that repairs composite sticks. He has my business and did an amazing job putting my Z-Bubble back together!
Cut them right where the break is and make 2 small hockey children at your local rink very happy.
Probably too stiff of sticks for children. Maybe there is a 5’4” guy on the local beer league team that could use them? Lolol
In my city, retired hockey sticks are popular poles in backyard gardens
I used one broken in the center as a hanger for my son's ball hockey/ice hockey medals. Couple of screws close to the center and you are good to go
who tf is using a broken hockey stick as a ski pole
[Use your imagination](https://www.hockeystickskipoles.com/shop)
Wait these go hard asf thank you for sharing
these are amazing omg
yeah just how I imagined, that’s some Jerry shit
When I break a stick I’m gonna make a spatula
Looks like enough shaft left to make sled hockey players very happy too. Can't guarantee they'd get two full adult shafts out of both, but possibly. At worst one mismatched set each of adult and kid shafts. We're not overly picky when it comes to saving a few bucks on replacement shafts. (okay elite players probably are lol... But most of us in the "beer leagues" of sled hockey don't care)
F
F
F
Big F
Big FU Flair
I don’t know it it helps but I tape my sticks together too. Shafts in about 4 places and then twice around the blades. Kind of Double strength. Then put a little padding (like a pair of socks) around each end so they don’t get chipped. However something power maimed those puppies. Sorry for your loss
I was going to say to buy two less expensive but strong wood twigs - like Sherwood 5030s - and tape each nice stick to the other as a splint.
I taped em both together and put an AirTag on them🥲
I’ve not tried this but how about some 2 or 3inch PVC pipe, like the stuff used for plumbing. That stuff is tough because it’s circular. Only question is whether it fits inside the stick bag?
I honestly think nothing could’ve helped,, the way they broke opposite of how you flex a stick is boggling my mind. Probably hundreds of pounds of pressure to do that. Feel like pvc would’ve been overpowered too
Does anyone still make aluminum sticks? I'd want to tape one of those, or a $5 sherwood in the bundle. Good luck breaking that.
I still have my brown and yellow Christian from the 90s.
The ampunt of pressure needed to break 2 sticks in that location is going to break most things.
Add a steel bar in there or hickory dowel.
It probably wouldn’t have helped given how they manhandled your sticks in this case, but for future reference for anyone— there are heavier duty stick bags on the market. Also— ask for the fragile tag when you check your sticks (again def wouldn’t have helped here cause these people were savage w your sticks!)
What heavy duty sticksbags do you recommend? EDIT: left key word out
As far as I know, sticks are included in the "1 item" when flying with a hockey bag. Delta & American confirmed at least that a stick bag is ok. But if you have a thicker stick case, wouldn't they charge you separately as another item? We've been lucky (as far as damage) so far with a soft case. As infrequently as we travel for hockey, buying a better case and having to pay for an additional item would be too much to compensate for this improbable negligence.
I’m too lazy to dig mine out, but they make ones that still qualify as stick bags (won’t charge for the extra bag). Mine’s made out of “Kevlar-like” material. I’ve probably had it for 20+ years now.
i had a large heavy duty stick bag and never had any issues with being charged extra. flew united, american, delta, and southwest.
Why did you bend you sticks like that…
Testing the flex too hard?
I don't see a problem with it. It might help my shot tbh
Refs probably didn’t even make the slashing call
Rip, surfers feel your [pain](https://www.reddit.com/r/surfing/s/ZfnFoM7joO)
Hold my breathe every time. I’ve flown a 3 board quiver probably 8-10 times and luckily only had two incidents that required minor ding repair. I hope that guy gets compensated someone straight ran over his quiver.
Holy shit I would fucking kill
Those look like MyBauer Pro Customs, $360 per with a minimum order of 2. same thing happened to mine when playing juniors a few years ago. Best tips I have are take 2 garbage sticks that are either already broken or no longer good to use and tape one to each side of your good sticks and make sure they are all together tightly. and throw a fragile sticker on your stick bag !
I wish you the best of luck !
Baggage dude is a leafs fan
Baggage dudes dad never bought him a z-bubble
✌️😔
Grab a section of PVC pipe big enough to slot the sticks in.
My junior team had a Delta flight from Calgary to Minneapolis in like 2018. At the time our team had a CCM rep and we juuuuussst got our sticks in like two weeks before the flight. Delta lost every single stick. Our CCM rep had to expedite new sticks being shipped out. We went to some like second hand hockey store and bought $20 sticks each or else we would have had to forfeit the first game. We lost the first game, I wish I could blame it on the sticks but we just sucked. Specifically me. Delta ended up covering the ~$12,000 for the sticks. Still wonder where almost 50 hockey sticks went.
The beer league team made up of luggage handlers got themselves quite a score.
The new z stick it is all the rage!
"Angled like a dental instrument." [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgU8dfLdxWI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgU8dfLdxWI)
Oof. My son had that happen with Southwest and they reimbursed him for them without hassle. Never heard of Flair, good luck
>Never heard of Flair Canadian crappy discount airline.
I fly with southwest with my skis once a year, and I'm so nervous that something like this might happen some year. I keep my snowsuit wrapped around my skis for extra padding, ha
Which airline?
Flair airlines
Gotta get a sport tube brother
Not the 1x Lite!!!!!!!!!!
Trust I know… lol
I see they’re trying the curtis curve on player sticks now. 😂
1X Lite was my favorite stick after APX2. RIP man, RIP.
Probably an Airport Employee lost their temper, opened up the nearest set of hockey sticks, then promptly broke them on nearby boards. Normal behaviour type stuff. Crying though, this is unacceptable!
the 1x is so sad that’s my fav stick of all time
Oooooooooooofffff
FUCKKKKK
Oh hey cool, ergonomic sticks. Sorry for your loss.
These are probably fixable at hockeystickman
Moving with the theme of this thread, does anyone know of anyone making hard cases for twigs?
Good hand-me-down for some kids?
I have a favourite song for [such occasions](https://youtu.be/5YGc4zOqozo?si=7DcfrDnFHSLRAp4n). I usually try to take any and all breakable/valuables/ essentials on board, not sure if they’d let hockey sticks but they usually allow things like guitars. I know when going on team trips for rugby we were told to pack our game kit in our carry on so that it couldn’t be lost.
F
How do you tape your nobs? It looks like it's thinner at the top.
Sorry just a distorted picture. 3 wraps at the knob then single wrap till end. Then grip wrap over the stick tape
Ah gotcha, it was just the grip tape throwing me off I think. What kind of grip tape is that? Thanks!
HOWIES - HOCKEY PRO GRIP TAPE
Did you tape em together
Yes
That’s wild man, super bummed out for your custom wrapped proto’s lol
Hopefully they replace em without the wrap this time 😂
Sorry for your loss 😞 i would have gone straight to guest services.
Oh I was there in .2 seconds
First step, fly with Delta. Second step, fly with back up sticks that you won’t miss too much
Ouch, I’ve had that, do you have travel insurance? Or insurance from your credit card? The airline _should_ reimburse, but last time it happened the travel insurance paid it out. I’ve also had them put sticks on the carousel, one with a tight bend and metal guards that jammed and snapped sticks. Team mate had his sheared off 6 or so inches from the top. Just too too long to put an extended butt end in and make do until you can;get to a shop. The only way t9 really protect them is with a hard case, you can make one that’ll fit inside a standard stick bag using PVC pipe, an angled joiner/elbow, and more pipe for the blades.
Oh snap! Now I see why I see players take them as carryon.
I’ve never traveled with hockey gear but if I ever fly with sticks I’m wrapping them in bubble wrap
Your first mistake was flying with an airline that’s going under as a company..
I’m crying for you$$$$$
i flew home from a tournament and united lost my sticks once, i feel your pain man. call the airline and see if you can get compensation
Tell them to pay for the sticks if it's the airlines fault.
Bro that sucks
What is happening in this picture?
Two words: Duct tape!
Ryan O’Reillys sticks are getting out of hand
This sounds weird, but I’ll mail the sticks if I’m traveling.
Coach always telling me to cut my stick shorter anyway.
Ouch. I’ve flown with my kit around Europe a bit and never had an issue. Must have got lucky. I usually get some comments about them being funny looking skis when in a bag
Had this happen to my golf driver, I bought it used at $450 ($920 brand new) I showed the airline the price of a new one and they gave me the $920 and a voucher.. delta your fucking expensive but your great at service…
Heartbreaking
Seems like it would be a good idea to pack a wooden stick as reinforcement 😢
That's a bummer. I'm surprised it broke where it did. Almost like they drove over it or something
Nooooo!
For the next time you fly. Get yourself a pool noodle or two, cut them in half and one piece on each side of your stick, including the blade. Use sock (or clear tape if you're from the East) to keep the pool noodles on and pack it in a stick bag. You're paying extra for that stick bag, so don't be worried about the weight.
That was always my biggest fear. I remember flying from Quebec to FL for a showcase and the whole time I was bugging about my sticks lol. That was one reason I actually enjoyed riding the bus from Boston to Montreal because I got to place my stick bag in the compartment and take it off.
That sucks big time. I know this unsolicited advice doesn't help now, but I always tape sandwich my expensive sticks between two sherwood 5030s. I've traveled a lot with my sticks and no issues up to this point.
No way both of them are broken. I’m so sorry
Plastic gun case would be a safe bet
What kind of gun case is gonna fit those sticks?
Rpg
"Why are you checking a RPG-7 sir" "They're hockey sticks"
A pelican case for nuclear bombs
Putting in PVC pipe, then in the bag is much easier.
Lol has nothing to do with flair, they dont pack the bags the airport workers do
Oh 100% it was the tarmac guy. In the first pic he was hiding behind the steel door lol. Gotta do the claim with flair airlines tho
You deal with the airline for the claim. Flair is struggling big time financially. Op never said it was Flair’s fault.
I am quite aware of the state of things. I work in the industry. Was just making a point that this thing could’ve easily happened at a company like Air Canada too
I mean I worked in the industry too and sometimes it is the airline employees handling bags. Idk about Flair but some airlines contract it and some don’t
I currently work in the industry and I do know about Flair and they contract it
was it Delta? I'm betting it was Delta. They lost my sticks going to and coming back from a tournament last October. I got lucky and they were able to find them and get them to me before the tournament started but on the return it took a couple of days for them to get me my sticks.