Warrior Ritual CR Composite Goal Sticks Review

Warrior has established themselves as one of the top goalie stick producers in the hockey industry. New for 2017 are the Ritual CR composite goal sticks. The Ritual CR1, CR2 and CR3 composite goal sticks give you three options, so you can choose the best stick for your needs. The following will highlight the key features for each stick, and I will give some input on which stick will best suit your needs.

Ritual CR1

HiFused Construction

The Ritual CR1 replaces the Ritual VR1 as Warrior’s pro-level composite goalie stick. Warrior continues with HiFused construction, which brings together two separate pieces (paddle and shaft) to form the stick. HiFused construction fuses the stick in an optimum location to resist twisting and improve balance.

Minimus Carbon 1000

The primary material used to construct the CR1 is Minimus Carbon 1000. Minimus Carbon 1000 is an aerospace grade material, which is describes as a “flat weave” composite. Essentially, rather than weaving strands of composite together, the weaves of Minimus fit together like Lego pieces so the end-product is entirely flat. A tangible benefit of the flat weave design is the stick is very lightweight, and in conjunction with the HiFused construction is very balanced.

Minimus Carbon 1000 is used to make the entire stick.

VibexLite

VibexLite is a vibration reduction technology used in the shaft of the stick. Due to the construction of composite sticks, vibrations will run up the stick and won’t be too comfortable for the hand. Thanks to VibexLite, you won’t have to worry about that.

SlideGrip Technology

New SlideGrip Technology features a coating for sliding the stick during a poke-check, and a coating to grip the stick. The ‘Slide Zone’ is a clear matte coating combined with vertical rib texture along the entire shaft length; the ‘Grip Zone’ features a gloss grip finish combined with raised grid texture provide grip only where you need it.

Other Features

The CR1 has a couple other features to improve its durability and performance. For performance sake, the CR1 has TwinSpar paddle reinforcement, engineered to enhance shooting. TwinSpar reinforces the flex (kick) point of the stick, so the stick whips back to original form when following through.

For durability, the CR1 features an Impact Fiber Layer and a clear gloss coat. The Impact Fiber Layer simply reinforces the shaft, while the clear gloss coating is the first line of defence for any chipping on the paddle.

Final Thoughts

Here’s a guideline to help choose the right Ritual CR stick for you:

Ritual CR1

Sizes: INT 23.5” | SR 25”, 26”, and 27”

If you’re not worried about how much money you’re going to be spending on your stick, then I recommend the CR1. With a bigger price tag comes better performance. Minimus Carbon 1000 is both strong and lightweight, making for a consistent performance. I noticed just by flexing the stick that the CR1 is one of the stiffer composite goal sticks on the market. Essentially, the CR1 has a great foundation with Minimus Carbon 1000, and then a bunch of additional features like SlideGrip Tech. and TwinSpar.

Ritual CR2

Sizes: INT 23.5” | SR 25”, 26”, and 27”

The Ritual CR2 comes stock with a slightly different look, in terms of colour, but it’s very similar to the CR1. The CR2 comes with SlideGrip Tech., VibexLite, Impact Fiber and TwinSpar—all features found in the CR1. What’s different is the CR2 is made with a HiFused construction, Minimus Carbon 800 base. The overall weight of the stick is a little bit heavier than the CR1.

If you’re playing 3 to 5 times per week, even at the Junior hockey level, the Ritual CR2 is a great choice.

Ritual CR3

Sizes: INT 23.5” | SR 25”, 26”, and 27”

The Ritual CR3 is the entry-level composite model designed with a HiFused Construction and Minimus Carbon 600. The CR3 comes stock with mostly the same materials as the CR2, such as VibexLite, Impact Fiber and TwinSpar; however, the CR3 does not have SlideGrip Technology.