Mid kick sticks, just based on their nature, tend to run a bit on the heavier side for hockey sticks. They are meant for power—not necessarily speed like the low kick point.

The Catalyst PX, on the other hand, looks to defy that undisclosed rule with its ultra-lightweight mid kick design. The PX was able to shave off 25g of weight from what was already their lightest hockey stick. Multiple technologies patented by TRUE were able to make this remarkable feat possible.

A major factor in the lower weight comes from TRUE lowering the resin content within the stick. A combination of new material advances and technology has made it possible for TRUE to minimize unnecessary material while keeping the same flex point.

Going back to the flex profile, the Catalyst PX is a mid kick stick, meaning that the shaft flexes right in the middle. This build is engineered to dish out some particularly hard shots.

As a basic rule, the longer the blade stays in contact with the puck during the follow-through, the harder the shot—regardless of how hard the stick hits the puck. Studies have actually been done on this subject too to confirm the physics; contact time with the puck translates to more potential energy, which then translates into more kinetic energy, hence the harder shot. Mid kick sticks, like the Catalyst PX, bend relatively higher on the stick compared to hybrid and low kick, increasing that potential energy even further while also helping the stick follow the puck longer.

Inarguably TRUE’s most consistent and successful hockey stick manufacturing design, Axenic Technology is their strategy for assembling genuine one-piece sticks. They compress the mold altogether at very high temperatures and pressure for solid wall thickness to achieve this feat.

A monolithic TRUE stick has a stronger hosel and better balance, courtesy of that unity between the blade and the shaft. The unification also maximizes efficiency in the energy transfer from the stick to the puck.

New to the season with the Catalyst line, the Catalyst PX will continue to use TRUE’s new patented Precision Laminate Design, or PLD, which serves to support their ever-popular Axenic Tech. TRUE focused on how all the weaves and carbon fibre layers angle in the build to reinforce the stick. Although the carbon fibre becomes very thin while manufacturing with Axenic Tech, the process also makes it tougher, reducing the weight while strengthening the shaft. PLD ensures the plys are all moving in the right direction to assist that build.

PLD and Axenic aren’t the only features in the Catalyst PX’s arsenal that are actively reducing weight and strengthening the stick. First of two brand new technologies by TRUE, ResFlo—or Focused Resin Flow—was introduced to eradicate voids in the construction, making both TRUE’s process and the sticks’ functionality more efficient. It is actually a major reason why TRUE was able to reduce the resin content in their stick.

With ResFlo, a huge chunk of the resin from the original Catalyst line could be taken out while reinforcing the stick at the same time. Overall, this tech makes the stick more resistant to wear and tear, despite that lower resin content.

Few things are worse than your stick blade suddenly chipping at the heel or toe. And it’s more than just a cosmetic problem—chips in these areas can severely hinder performance in both shot and stickhandling, but since the stick doesn’t look entirely “broken,” it can be tough to consider investing in a new one.

TRUE has been tackling this problem more and more as they develop new sticks, prompting them to come up with Tri Rib Tech, or TRT. With this tech, TRUE studied areas that tended to suffer the most from impact and use, and then reinforced those zones with strategic rib placements. If the impact point is stronger, hey—now you can really unload some clappers and engage in board battles without worrying too much about your blade chipping or breaking unexpectedly.