They Were Tired of $399 Hockey Sticks Snapping just outside warranty - This small Hockey company built stick not yet seen before
The Myst One hockey stick by Barrel is the first stick that truly delivers on its promises. Engineered with durability at its core, it uses an entirely new construction method and premium materials to last at least twice as long as $399 sticks. Barrel Hockey stands behind every stick — if something goes wrong, you can reach out anytime. Even if it breaks just outside the warranty, they'll personally review your case, often based on photos alone. Once you try it, you'll never go back to overpriced, overhyped sticks again.
As Seen In
The hockey industry’s biggest brands keep failing the very people who fuel their success — the players.
In 2022, Aksels Zingulis — a passionate hockey player and entrepreneur from Latvia, a small country with big dreams but limited resources — finally got his hands on a high-end stick from one of the top brands. It was on clearance, but still cost a hefty 200 EUR. Two weeks into using it, the stick snapped — right where the blade meets the shaft. It was under warranty, so Aksels did what any customer would do: he went back to the store and asked for a replacement.
But instead of standing behind their product, the brand pointed fingers. They blamed him. No replacement. No apology. Just a cold rejection.
Frustrated and disheartened, Aksels turned to the brand’s website to leave a review — and what he found shocked him. Dozens, if not hundreds, of players had experienced the same thing. Broken sticks. Denied warranties. Empty promises. He realized this wasn’t bad luck. It was a broken system.
That moment lit a fire.
Later that year, Aksels joined forces with his close friend Reinis Nikulcevs — an engineer with a deep background in material science — to find out why so many sticks were failing. What started as a personal mission quickly became something much bigger. They uncovered what the industry had ignored for years: a smarter, science-backed wayto design sticks that actually last.
As Aksels and Reinis dove deeper into the world of hockey sticks, they started testing everything the market had to offer — from the flashy, high-priced sticks of the big-name brands to the budget-friendly options flooding online stores.
The premium sticks — the ones with sleek logos, overhyped “technology,” and elite-level price tags — looked impressive on paper. They came wrapped in buzzwords and promises of next-level performance. But in practice? They didn’t hold up. Durability was still an issue, and many of the so-called “features” turned out to be more marketing gimmick than real innovation. Worst of all, they cost a fortune — breaking both on the ice and in your wallet.
On the other end of the spectrum were the low-cost sticks — the no-name brands, often produced in bulk in overseas factories. At first glance, they seemed like a tempting alternative. But it didn’t take long to see the cracks — literally. Some broke within days. Others were designed so poorly that Aksels found actual ridges running along the inside of the shaft — completely throwing off performance and feel. Most of them were nothing more than cheap replicas of the big brands — poorly engineered and rushed out of factories in China without any real innovation or testing behind them.
Between overpriced hype and unreliable knockoffs, players were left with a brutal choice: overspend for disappointment, or save money andgamble on junk.
During their journey to make the perfect hockey stick, Aksels and Renis met with players and parents in Europe — a mission that led to the creation of Barrel Hockey Myst One, a stick built not just to compete with the best, but to challenge the industry's entire status quo.
Myst One delivers what others only promise:
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Exceptional durability and balance, engineered for high-performance play.
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Carbon bridges reinforce the structure, dramatically boosting strength without adding weight.
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Perfectly balanced design gives players that feather-light feel and ultimate control.
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One-piece construction ensures maximum energy transfer with every shot.
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Quick puck release powered by a unique carbon fiber orientation for explosive responsiveness.
In a world full of overhyped sticks and underwhelming results, Myst One is the reliable, high-performance weapon elite players have been waiting for — and it comes at a price that respects your game and your wallet.
4 Secrets To Hockey Stick that Lasts and Performs
1 Japanese-sourced carbon
One of the key reasons the Myst One stands apart is its use of premium-grade carbon fiber sourced from Japan — widely regarded as the gold standard in composite materials. Unlike lower-grade carbon often produced in China, Japanese carbon is manufactured under strict quality controls, ensuring precise fiber alignment, minimal impurities, and consistent tensile strength.
2 Thin Foil Wrap around the shaft
To boost durability even further, the Myst One features a thin foil wrap layered around the carbon shaft. This acts as a first line of defense against impacts, chips, and surface cuts — protecting the carbon structure underneath from early wear. It's a small detail with a big effect: longer stick life and better resistance to the abuse of daily play.
3 Reinforced Walls
Most lightweight sticks sacrifice durability by thinning the shaft walls or tweaking the geometry to save a few grams — but that comes at a cost: early breakage. The Myst One takes a different approach. We intentionally reinforced the shaft with extra material, making the walls slightly thicker for greater strength and impact resistance.
4 The science of balance
In high-performance sports like hockey, balance is just as critical as weight — it directly affects how the stick feels, moves, and performs. The Myst One is engineered with a strategic balance point placed closer to the top hand, giving it a lighter in-hand feel while maintaining structural integrity through added shaft reinforcement.
Wrist shots, Slap shots, Backhand, it is really great at all three... and feels good with the puck as well. I really, really like this stick!
What Our Customers Say
Barrel Myst One tackles 3 major issues players facing buying current hockey sticks from industry biggest brands
You no longer have to “get used to” flaws of the sticks and brands
"Why should I trust a small, no-name brand like Barrel? Isn't this just another cheap stick made overseas?"
We get that — the market is flooded with low-quality, no-name sticks, often mass-produced in China with poor materials and no real testing. Barrel is different by design. We're not just a brand — we're real hockey nuts and athletes who were fed up with broken promises and broken sticks.
That's why the Myst One is built entirely in Europe, using top-tier Japanese carbon fiber and developed with material scientists and production experts to meet pro-level performance standards. Every decision — from reinforced walls to carbon orientation — is backed by testing, not marketing fluff. We're small, yes. But that's exactly why we can obsess over every detail.
Pro-level stick at a budget price
This stick performs just as well as pro sticks that cost twice as much. It’s light, strong, and has improved my game. I can’t believe how affordable it is for the quality you get!
Best for accurate shots
My shooting accuracy has improved significantly with this stick. It gives me just the right amount of control, and I’m hitting the net more consistently.
Best for accurate shots
My shooting accuracy has improved significantly with this stick. It gives me just the right amount of control, and I’m hitting the net more consistently.
Excellent grip, feels secure
The grip on this stick is excellent. I never feel like I’m about to lose control of it, even during intense games. It’s stable and reliable on the ice.
New batch with just 150 sticks just arrived - get it while you still can
We’re launching the Myst One in exclusive batches of just 150 sticks. Why? Because we’re focused on quality, not mass production. By keeping our drops small, we can control costs, stay lean, and maintain strict oversight on every single stick that leaves our hands.
This isn’t a mass-market product — it’s a high-performance tool built for players who care about what they put on the ice. Once this batch is gone, the next one will take time. If you're ready to upgrade your game, now’s the time to grab one before they’re gone.