Why HOAPA?

The HOAPA concept was conceived by a factory in Taiwan, specializing in manufacturing of high end carbon-fiber products.

With close to twenty years of experience working as a OEM manufacturer of ice hockey sticks, softball and baseball bats, lacrosse shafts and more the factory felt a shift in the consumer process was necessary as the current marketplace showed increasing instability.

From the period of 2013-2017 the hockey industry collectively saw many of the largest brands and retailers sold and in several cases file for bankruptcy. During that time the HOAPA factory witnesses some of its largest client brands sell and fight to stay in business under the current industry retail model.

In 2019 the decision was made by HOAPA management to create a global brand, designed to work with the consumer directly. In doing so, creating a simple custom experience designed to make it easy for the end user to receive the exact product they want, consistently and at tremendous value.

HOAPA has spent the past year partnering with multiple North American designers and industry experts in order to build a brand that can immediately display a high level of competency and develop a trust with the consumer.

How is HOAPA different?

For most other major brands the process of developing, producing and distributing hockey sticks and sports products has remained the same for decades.

The cost of working with official sales reps, buyers and retailers while paying for professional marketing and huge league-wide licensing deals along with paid player endorsements has made the price of many products explode to an unsustainable level.

Let’s be honest, how many people can afford to spend upwards of $300+ USD for new stick? Even with weights pushing below the 400g mark, the price cannot be justified with on average hockey players going through four or more sticks per year.

Have you ever gone to a shop or online store only to find out your stick preference or style is out of stock or maybe even discontinued?

We believe the customer deserves to get the exact product they want at a fair price. Our custom process ensures you can design a stick to fit your game. We promise to keep these options available for you, meaning you will always have access to the product you need, when you need it.

In addition to our custom sticks we’ve developed a line of quality stock and partially custom sticks and products, ensuring a product for nearly every budget.

The last key element in differentiating HOAPA from other brands is global access to our products. Our sticks are produced right here at the HOAPA factory in Taiwan and we proudly ship all over the world.

Customers in many parts of the world do not have easy access to affordable hockey sticks and products. In the case of customers in regions such as Asia, South America and the Middle East, retailers must incur the additional cost of products being manufactured in Asia only to be shipped via sea freight to North America or Europe and then redirected back to them, doubling shipping and duty costs.

With HOAPA we will make the stick you want and ship it to you directly without massive shipping or duty costs. Whether you’re in Hong Kong or Hawaii, Bangkok or Beijing, Pittsburgh or St. Petersburg we will ship quickly and efficiently to you.

 

The HOAPA Service

At HOAPA we love feedback! We believe our sticks are something special and are confident you’ll agree, however no single product works for everyone and we’re always trying to get better!

We are creating a HOAPA Community page as one of our many channels where you can communicate directly with us about your experience. We believe that together we can continue to improve our products in an effort to becoming a brand built for the customer and not shareholders.

Why Custom Sticks Matter

We feel there are many reasons a custom stick can help you take your game to the next level. Here are a just a few to consider:

Proper height to stiffness: Normally when buying a stock stick, the length has been standardized by the industry, meaning when you buy a standard 59”, 85 flex stick from another brand and cut it, the stiffness is modified. Conversely if you buy a 59” stick and need to add an extension, the stiffness is again modified.
With HOAPA sticks you can choose the exact height and stiffness for you, meaning no cutting is necessary and the flex you choose is the flex you get.

Proper stick for your location: While not all forms of hockey is the same, all players should be treated equally

We know that not all players play in the same environment. Some play pond hockey outside while other play indoors. Some play inline hockey on sport court and other play ball hockey on concrete.

Regardless of the setting, hockey is indeed for everyone and we want to make sure you get the proper stick for your venue. This is why we offer such a variety of product types and materials for you.