I went to toys r us this morning with my son to buy a birthday present for a kid in his class. The boy is going to his first school bday party this afternoon.
I took a look at these sticks while we were at toys r us. The core and handle are good quality. The foam part is some really dense and solid fun noodle type of material, the whole thing is covered with and elastic flexible cloth sleeve.
I bought two (2)packs for a total of four sticks for 43 bucks tax included.
they also come with a cheep mesh carrying case.
They are fairly well balanced, and the core intrigues me, i have experimented with fun noodle foam b4 in the past and it tends to hold up ok if wrapped in duct tape so they way they have it packaged here makes me wonder if the noodle matterial its self will stand up.
I have made homemade soft sticks for years of differing qualities and cost, I have experimented with kubo rattan centers, fiberglass bullwhip centers, pvc centers , and have settled on Action Flex off the members store here. They DBMAA sticks have lasted me for almost 2/12 years of very hard abuse have super balance and are the closest thing to a real rattan stick in movement ... other than a real stick that I have ever found. I have been VERY VERY VERY pleased with the quality of the DBMAA sticks and highly recommend them.
These toys R us sticks are much much much harder than a smack stick or an action flex stick,
Very dense and very penetrative due to the fun doodle foam.
I initially would describe them as not very flexible,
My first thought is these would be good for stick grappling. We will see if it snaps in half the first time you try to lock down a triangular stick choke or work a stick take down.
I will take them down to the gym on Monday night run through them and see if they wear out immediately, shatter, explode melt or otherwise immediately evaporate
Thoughts as a kids toy
the packaging is slick and this is marketed as a hit your buddy type of stick for kids is definitely way outside the box for a modern kids toy.
This thing definitely needs some type of head protection if you don't want your kids bell rung.
First impression is it has enough starch to take your kid to his knees if his buddy gives a full power strike to the head. Definitely stout enough to blow up an ear drum
As a kids toy it seems like some 1950's type of fun definitely not the year 2000 I will sue you type of fun. I am honestly supprised that toys r us stocks them.
I will post a real review soon and some pic's down in the gym.
Tony, thanks for the tip.
woof,
Terry
