VIC FIRTH - 5ADT

I love almost everything about these sticks.

The stick itself is very durable and the shape is just right. They are finished very well, and hold up as well as, or better than, any wooden stick.

The addition of the mallet end makes it very versatile and gives it a different, but very good, feel. The ability to flip them around for a cymbal roll on the fly is awesome for the styles of music I play. The mallet adds a very slight weight to the butt of the stick, which allows you to grip the stick futher back. This effectively makes the stick longer (more length from your hand to the tip) while keeping the same balance and basic feel. The mallet also gives a very reassuring stop to eliminate the stick slipping from your hands. In this way, it's similar to the butt of one of those Hornet sticks, but with Vic firth quality.

I have used a heavier version of this kind of stick, and found that the weight and length fatigued my forearms faster in long sessions. BUT, the stick on this model is comparable to a 5A, and acheives a better balance with the mallet, which makes it feel light and nimble. I would, however, caution heavy hitters when buying these. The sticks are very durable, as one would expect from Vic Firth, but heavy hitters will eventually break any stick, and these are more expensive to replace.

My only real complaint is that I haven't seen these with nylon tips; I just love the clarity of nylon on cymbals.