Osaka

Osaka's Pro Tour 100 2.0 Low Bow is aimed squarely at advanced and professional field hockey players, the kind who already know exactly what they want from a stick and don't need much persuading. The low bow profile places the curve close to the head, which is what most tour-level and drag-flick specialists look for - it gives sharper ball control at the toe and helps generate the whip needed for slap hits and flicks, at the cost of the forgiving feel found in higher-bow sticks aimed at less experienced players. It's built for outdoor hockey, so grass and water-based turf rather than an indoor court. At an RRP of 395 EUR, the Pro Tour 100 2.0 sits at the upper end of Osaka's lineup, which fits its target player: someone competing regularly at a high level who has already worked out that a low bow, stiff-feeling stick suits their game, and is willing to pay for that level of construction.

The Osaka Pro Tour 40 2.0 Low Bow gives advanced field hockey players the same low bow shape as the rest of the Pro Tour range, aimed at grass and water-based pitches outdoors. The low bow point sits close to the stick head, which is the profile most competitive players reach for when they want precise stick work low to the ground and a sharper feel on flicks and hits, rather than an all-round, forgiving shape. Where the Pro Tour 40 2.0 differs from its siblings such as the Pro Tour 100 2.0 is in weight and feel rather than shape - Osaka positions it as the lighter option in the Low Bow line-up, which is why it's priced lower, at an RRP of 165 EUR. It's built for players who already play at an advanced or professional standard and know they get on better with a lighter stick in hand without giving up the low bow characteristics they rely on.