STX’s elite defender head. This is a very stiff and durable head, perfect for the take-away defender.
- Position: Defense
- Level: Intermediate/Advanced
- Legality: All levels of play
- Colors: White
- Cost: $99.99
- Year Released: 2023
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Key Details of the Hammer 1k
STX Hammer 1k | |
|---|---|
Brand | STX |
Cost | $99.99 |
Year Released | 2023 |
Best Position | Defense |
STX Hammer 1k Drip Score
STX Hammer 1k score | TOTAL: 8.7 - SEE Detailed DRIP SCORE HERE. |
|---|---|
Stiffness: 0.8 | |
Durability: 0.7 | |
Material: 0.8 | EnduraForm |
Scoop: 0.9 | |
Stringing: 0.9 | 20 Sidewall, 6 Top, 4 Bottom |
Weight: 0.9 | 4.7oz |
Pinch: 0.9 | |
Name / Brand Name: 1 | ECD Ion |
Colors: 1 | White, Clear, Midnight, Ruby, Frost |
Overall Look: 1 |
Shape, Material, & Scoop
The Hammer 1k is a defensive head through and through. The Hammer 1k is fairly deviated from the Hammer 900 with the struts adding more support toward the lower end of the head. They were able to add some stiffness to the head which is very important for defenders. The face shape is wide to have the most area possible for picking off passes.
The Hammer 1k has a pretty standard weight for defensive heads at 5.6 oz. The EnduraForm plastic is very durable and maintains its shape well. The struts are located in a good place to keep the head stiff. This is an improvement from the Hammer 900 where the struts were not in great places and the stiffness suffered because of it.
The Speed Scoop is fairly decent but could definitely use some work. It didn’t work at higher angles as well as some other heads, mainly the StringKing Mark series. But it still does very well at most other angles.
Stringing
The head is tailored for a mid-high pocket. Defenders typically like a mid-high pocket for ground balls so the ball gets in the pocket quickly. With 6 top string holes,16 sidewall holes per side, and 4 bottom string holes, it does have much less stringing holes than the other elite defensive heads but it doesn’t have too many issues with stringing. It would be nice to have more but not a deal breaker. All of the holes are fairly large so you shouldn’t have any issue getting a string through, however, this can potentially affect the pocket because the string has a lot of wiggle room in each hole.
Aesthetics
The head isn’t the prettiest head, but what it lacks in look it makes up for in functionality. It only comes in white, which is a little unfortunate but really not a huge deal especially with many people able to dye their head. The struts are located in good spots for stability and it is a beefy head. The throat looks decent and it is smaller than previous hammers. I’m not sure why this is as defenders don’t typically put their hand near the head unless they faceoff which still wouldn’t make much of a difference with the hammer (definitely not a faceoff head). Maybe it has to do with cracking but I’m not sure.
Pros & Cons of the Hammer 1k
Pros
- Durable: The EnduraForm plastic will allow the head to maintain its shape after many games and checks.
- Stiff: The head is very stiff and got an upgrade from the Hammer 900.
Cons
- Needs more sidewall holes: The number of sidewall holes could be increased with the holes reducing in size.
- Colors: Would be nice to have some more color options but white is the only option.
Who is the Hammer 1k for?
The Hammer 1k is best for any defender. Defensive middies and LSMs can definitely use this head but I would recommend a slightly more offensive minded head for them because there are plenty of heads on the market that serve that purpose.
Conclusion
The Hammer 1k is a defensive head through and through. It has a great stiffness and should hold well with many checks. It’s not the best looking head, but it is very functional and is a top level defensive head on the market. The scoop could be a little better but I think it will do the job. Would definitely recommend this head to any defender.
