For 2018 Warrior has improved the performance in the Covert line of hockey sticks. The QRE4 stick offers many of the features common to the Covert stick family but at a price point that will encourage skaters into the game and  keep them there with an array of appealing features.

• Minimus 600 carbon for enhanced playability and responsiveness
• Edge Taper design for increased flex energy and quicker releases
• 12k carbon fiber-woven blade for a lightweight and better-balanced feel
• True 1 Phantom construction for a truer one-piece feel

The Warrior QRE4 gives the skater a traditional and comfortable feel in the hands thanks to the stick’s round edges and straight sidewalls. The Minimus 600 carbon offers a nice blend of fiberglass and carbon, giving skaters a big jump in comfort, playability, and performance over the QRE5 stick. The Minimus 600 is a lightweight, flat-weave carbon composite design that increases the performance of the stick’s construction technologies.

The QRE4 benefits from the new True 1 Phantom construction process the Covert line inherits from the Alpha line. Low co-molding construction provides a much truer one-piece feel, a big improvement over the fused two-piece construction used in past models. This new construction gives the skater improved efficiency and greater energy transfer for quicker, more intense shots.

The signature Covert super-low kick point has been sped up thanks to the new Edge Taper allowing for quicker releases on wrist and snap shots. The new Edge Taper is a new angular taper which drives energy created in the flex process through the hosel to help magnify power and provide a quick release. The unique shaft dimension helps to add torsional rigidity so the blade face remains square to the target, even with big shots; a welcome byproduct of this new design is a quicker release. The unique geometry improves the stick’s overall response and gives the skater an improved, more stable feel. 

A full 12k carbon fiber weave in the blade helps to remove weight from the bottom portion of the stick, which in turn helps the player in two key ways: it promises a better balanced feel in the hands and, because there is less weight in the blade, a quicker release, since the recoil is just a little bit faster.

With these upgrades comes a new, two-toned look for the QRE4, with a flat finish throughout except for a gloss finish on the grip.

The QRE4 ice hockey stick is a great first hockey stick for the entry-level player who needs a quick-release stick with performance features, at a price point that get them on the ice.