Before I buy anything, sticks, whatever, how it packs, or fits into my pack rather is the first thing I look at, I don’t really care if a stick weighs 1.5 oz versus 1.7, how is that stupid thing going to carry along with the rest of my junk is what I worry about, and the fiddle factor involved, testing all this crap in the yard under ideal conditions is a joke, how about doing it during a snow storm in the dark… choose whatever stick packs well with your intended platform, pack, you get the idea Im sure… and then become proficient with it.