Tiger Bill Reviews

Hiptrix™

The World's Brightest Glow-in-the-Dark DrumSticks

These sticks first caught my eye at Winter NAMM 2004. They are the invention of Erich Neugebauer. Steve Stockmal, author of the book/DVD Spinology, was demoing them in a booth that consisted of a darkened tent, which didn't really wasn't quite dark enough to do the sticks justice. Click the link below for a video clip of Steve's performance.

Steve Stockmal puts HipTrix™ Glow-in-the-Dark Drumsticks through their paces at Winter NAMM 2004

Once I received a pair for review and took them into a really dark room, the sticks really shined or should I say glowed! They are made out of a material that inventor Erich says is harder than wood. Although he wouldn't identify the material, they feel fiberglass based. The sticks, currently available only in 5A size, are quite a bit heavier than the usual wooden variety but they have a nice balance point that makes them easy to play.

In addition, the sticks I tested were tonally matched and perfectly straight. Although the instructions recommend that you "charge" the sticks under a fluorescent or blacklight before use for best results, I tried taking them into a dark room after the sticks were lying around for a few minutes in a sunlit room and their glow was still impressive.

However, once I followed the directions and charged the sticks under the proper lighting, the resultant glow was amazing! They are definitely the brightest glow-in-the-dark sticks I have ever seen .

The HipTrix™ Bottom Line
If you like to put on a "show" for your fans, especially if you're into spinning, flipping, and juggling your sticks (like Chip Ritter!), I highly recommend that you try a pair of HipTrix™.

HipTrix™ cost $34.99 per pair and are available directly from www.hiptrix.com.

Until next time: Stay loose!