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Counterfeit Stick Sellers on SLS


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#1 Golden Gate Sharpening

Golden Gate Sharpening
  • LocationNorthern California

Posted 14 August 2024 - 12:08 AM

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I know most of us on here 1. Use pro stock sticks 2. Can tell the difference between real and counterfeit sticks, but I wanted to post this list for newer users/lurkers as well. Feel free to add more fake stick peddlers as they pop up. If you have been ripped off by a fake stick, please post it here. 

 

These sticks are imported from China in bulk and are much worse in quality and durability than their authentic counterparts. Bauer and CCM both have minimum advertised price (MAP) regulations that do not allow ANYONE to sell brand new sticks for lower than the $360 MSRP. The fact that these sellers are selling these sticks for $200 or less is clear evidence that these are not legitimate sticks. You can easily tell by the uneven blade weaves, misprinted graphics, and cheap prices that these are 100% counterfeit. These are not pro stock sticks, just knockoffs of retail models. I have been in the industry for many years and know for a fact that Bauer and CCM would never allow their sticks to be sold this cheaply. They would not even sell sticks to hockey store employees and partners for that low of a price. If a deal is too good to be true, it probably is!

 

What does "MAP Restricted" or "Covered by MAP" mean?
  • MAP stands for Minimum Advertised Price.
  • If a product is MAP Restricted or Covered by MAP, that means that the lowest possible price has been set by the manufacturer and NO COMPANY, including us, can discount the product to below that price.

"What is your lowest/best price?" is NOT an offer. 


#2 Cavs019

Cavs019

Posted 14 August 2024 - 08:18 AM

Yea you’d have to be nuts to buy a retail stick on SLS at this point. Have these guys ventured into protective and skates as well? A lot of them sell stuff other than sticks for way below retail it seems.

#3 Golden Gate Sharpening

Golden Gate Sharpening
  • LocationNorthern California

Posted 14 August 2024 - 03:44 PM

I have yet to see any fake skates, but wouldn't be surprised to see them pop up in the future. I think faking skates would be much more difficult than simple carbon fiber sticks. I have seen a few threads on ModSquad about fake gloves.


"What is your lowest/best price?" is NOT an offer. 


#4 NovaHands

NovaHands
  • LocationBoston, MA

Posted 15 August 2024 - 10:44 AM

I fell victim to one of these guys.  Here are some photos that should hopefully help anyone identify a phony stick.

When I got this Proto R, I kind of suspected it right away because the performance on-ice felt pretty dull and nothing like a $300 retail stick.

 

  • In all photos, the authentic Proto R is on the left, and the fake is on the right.  You'll see that the blade weave is very uneven on the fake one.
  • The warranty stickers have a slightly different font.
  • When the stick is held to the light, the hologram graphics have a different shine to them.  The authentic has many more colors, where the fake has more of a gold hue.
  • The graphics on the spine of the stick are gapped much wider on the authentic stick.

 

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#5 Golden Gate Sharpening

Golden Gate Sharpening
  • LocationNorthern California

Posted 15 August 2024 - 02:00 PM

SLS is unbanning bigger accounts that were previously banned. Who cares if customers get ripped off when you're making ~15% in seller fees on every transaction? MrStickDeal is especially bad since he has a PRO account and is featured on the front page. He was banned, but unbanned shortly after. 


"What is your lowest/best price?" is NOT an offer. 


#6 Miller55

Miller55

Posted 15 August 2024 - 04:29 PM

Don't forget the extra 3% bump fees and the PRO+ subscriptions

#7 Golden Gate Sharpening

Golden Gate Sharpening
  • LocationNorthern California

Posted 16 August 2024 - 04:56 PM

The amount of counterfeit stick sellers has absolutely blown up over the last few weeks. They pop up faster than I can even list them here. SLS has unbanned nearly every single account that was previously banned. They respond to complaints that they "take counterfeits seriously" yet refuse to ban these fake stick peddlers. All the seller has to say is make up BS fabricated "proof" about the origin of their sticks and they are automatically cleared of any wrongdoing by SLS. 

 

Excuses I've heard:

 

1. Team stock from Europe/China/wherever

2. Factory seconds from Bauer and CCM

3. Overstock from the SPHL/Federal league

4. Demo sticks from a pro shop that closed

5. "My buddy works for Bauer/CCM and gets them for cheap"


"What is your lowest/best price?" is NOT an offer. 


#8 AmeriCanadian

AmeriCanadian
  • LocationMO

Posted 15 November 2024 - 10:53 AM

Has anyone seen NorthProStock on SLS? Claims to have sticks that are exact Bauer/ccm models made in the same factory(s) but are blacked out versions. Some of the weaves look pretty spot on and he’s got pretty high reviews… doesn’t seem counterfeit necessarily but wondering has anyone tried one and can the attest to the quality/likeness of the sticks compared to what they claim they actually are?

#9 Buzz_LightBeer

Buzz_LightBeer

Posted 15 November 2024 - 05:55 PM

I haven’t used them personally but friends have.
I think the “same factory” claim is 110% BS, but built as a knockoff certainly. I wouldn’t say any one blackout is better than the other, but an average stick for a good value.

Good Idea; Whistling while you work.

Bad Idea; Whistling while you eat.


#10 Miller55

Miller55

Posted 15 November 2024 - 06:10 PM

You can regularly find near new or new pro stock sticks online for around the same price as these blackout sticks. I have no idea why anyone buys them

#11 Dupes

Dupes

Posted 16 November 2024 - 06:50 AM

Claims to have sticks that are exact Bauer/ccm models made in the same factory(s) but are blacked out versions. 

 

100% false. :)


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#12 Golden Gate Sharpening

Golden Gate Sharpening
  • LocationNorthern California

Posted 16 November 2024 - 06:03 PM

Has anyone seen NorthProStock on SLS? Claims to have sticks that are exact Bauer/ccm models made in the same factory(s) but are blacked out versions. Some of the weaves look pretty spot on and he’s got pretty high reviews… doesn’t seem counterfeit necessarily but wondering has anyone tried one and can the attest to the quality/likeness of the sticks compared to what they claim they actually are?

 

They are standard blackouts and definitely not "the same materials as Bauer or CCM" sticks. They're decent for $140, but you're better off spending a bit more for PRO Red Line sticks or legitimate Bauer/CCM pro stocks.


"What is your lowest/best price?" is NOT an offer. 


#13 90Style10Skill

90Style10Skill

Posted 23 November 2024 - 07:45 AM

Counterfeit Tracers hitting the market?

 

https://sidelineswap...ockey-stick-p88

https://sidelineswap...k-p90tm-87-flex


Custom everything.


#14 Golden Gate Sharpening

Golden Gate Sharpening
  • LocationNorthern California

Posted 23 November 2024 - 05:07 PM

 

Yes, you can tell by the inconsistent "Spongebob-shaped" blade weaves and unrealistically low prices that these are fake. 


"What is your lowest/best price?" is NOT an offer. 


#15 alereflammam

alereflammam

Posted 23 November 2024 - 07:29 PM

100% false. :)


Hockey Stick Man makes the same claim with their blackout sticks. A buddy of mine went there the other day and they told him it’s a Hyperlite 2 just without the graphics.

Their blackout sticks are nowhere close to the top end sticks on the market.

#16 Golden Gate Sharpening

Golden Gate Sharpening
  • LocationNorthern California

Posted 03 February 2025 - 01:21 AM

This is getting out of control. https://sidelineswap.../maxanderson330

 

SLS claimed that this seller has legitimate receipts from Bauer, which is obvious BS. 


"What is your lowest/best price?" is NOT an offer. 


#17 Buzz_LightBeer

Buzz_LightBeer

Posted 03 February 2025 - 03:29 PM

https://sidelineswap...al_code=Zydo441

CCM now putting Bauer curve ID’s on their sticks? I’m suspicious even apart from the text being upside down

Good Idea; Whistling while you work.

Bad Idea; Whistling while you eat.


#18 Hills

Hills
  • LocationNiagara Ontario

Posted Yesterday, 09:26 AM

https://sidelineswap...al_code=Zydo441

CCM now putting Bauer curve ID’s on their sticks? I’m suspicious even apart from the text being upside down

 

Did he edit the photo out? Can't see that part anymore.



#19 Buzz_LightBeer

Buzz_LightBeer

Posted Yesterday, 08:35 PM

In the fourth photo you can see the name bar says "75 FLEX GRIP P91A," but the text is reversed from what a normal CCM retail stick would be. 


Good Idea; Whistling while you work.

Bad Idea; Whistling while you eat.