The Vater 5A's are AWESOME sticks, even after half a year on them they sounded brand new.If you want a reliable stick you've found one,if you don't like Vater, try a Zildjian Z4A they are awesome too.

I've got the fatback 3a's. I'm speechless. Been playing the same pair for half a year. Not only is the 3a size perfect, but the sticks are still fine, not cracks. Forget Vic firth. only problem is the head of the stick, it breaks down after a while but still offers a great sound.

Fatback 3a's ROCK! Try them if you haven't. It's a forward weighted stick made to high standards. Heres a tip that will work on any wood tip stick. Coat tips with clear nail polish. Use the cheap stuff (.99 cents) and make sure it's clear. Do at least 2 coats making sure to let dry between each one, no more than 3 coats. The tips will compress after use and get smaller on a maple stick, but won't chip or flake. Neg. The polish will wick off on your heads and ride. You'll see the swipe marks, but it cleans up and your tips will outlast the shoulders of the stick.

I've played drums for 3 years and I have used sticks from Zildjian, Vic Firth, Innovated percussion, Pro Mark, and many more but Vaters are the only sticks I have used that will actually last longer then 6 songs while playing a show, the other sticks break on me so easy.

If you play heavy and need sticks that will last over the course of more than one show, buy Vater sticks.

I ordered my pair of VATER drumsticks to see what they were like. THEY ARE AMAZING! They have a superb feel that you will love! ORDER THEM NOW!

They are just as advertised. I played Pro-Mark for about 2 years before grabbing a pair of 3As and instantly fell in love with them. They are extremely durable sticks and slowly just seem to "shred" away, instead of breaking, which I will take any day. They are extremely balanced, feel great, and I have had much better luck with them staying in my hands as they are not as slick as some of the others. I recommend Vater to everyone.

THIS STICK DURABLE LIKE NO OTHER.YOU GET GREAT RIM SHOTS AND STRONG AND DISTICNTIVE SOUND WITH SNARE HITS,AND IT DIFFERENTLY TAKES A GO BEATING AND LAST LONG.

I've used the Vater Hickory sticks, in the Power 5A size, for about half a year now playing fairly consistently. For the most part, these sticks can put up with anything you put them through. I'm a fairly hard hitter, doing a lot of rimshots on my snare and a lot of cymbal work, as a result, my sticks get chewed up pretty fast. Even when there's about half the stick left on the rimshot area, they still don't break, unlike the Vic Firth's I've used previously. Although, I have had the chance to have a brand new one break about 2 minutes into a song, no other stick has done it since then. Also, the tips chip somewhat easily. But, that's pretty common with wood-tipped sticks, about one-third of the time or less. The sticks will be ever-so slightly warped, but it's hardly noticeable. Overall, these sticks are great! I've used them on tour as well as in the studio.

Perfect weight and balance. Nice tone, and very durable. I love these sticks and won't play with anything else ever!