Earlier this year, I had an opportunity to check out a few of the drumsticks, rods and brushes available from SilverFox Percussion. After hearing so much about the quiet Massachusetts based company, I was eager to get a little hands-on experience with their product, and maybe get to the bottom of their “hit harder, lasts longer” motto.

After investigating as many of the models as possible, I settled on a pair of hickory Sweet Pea sticks (one of their most popular, I was told) to take home. A quarter inch shorter, and just a hair slimmer than most 5As, the Sweet Pea is very nimble stick that packs a healthy wallop.

I grabbed the Sweet Peas because they reminded me very much of the Vater Fusions I’ve used for so many years. Their barrel tip, short taper and front end weight allows for a very easy stroke that produces a strong, fat note with minimal effort. The Sweet Peas, like the rest of SilverFox’s line, have a smooth, non-tacky finish that doesn’t seem to pick up all the dirt and slime from my hands – even after a few steady weeks of play – and doesn’t easily slip and slide when gripped.

I will say, however, that extra weight near the tip, coupled with the barrel bead, reduces cymbal definition just a shade – nothing catastrophic, just a little less cut than other sticks I’ve used. On the whole, the Sweet Pea is a very playable stick with a great feel in hand and a unique, full, clean sound that definitely stands out.

Regarding SilverFox’s durable slogan, I got a quick rundown from one of the company’s representatives about what it is that makes these sticks so stout. Per the explanation I received (and a little further research on their website), SilverFox combines very select hardwoods with a unique drying routine, an extremely labor intensive cutting and finishing process, and a stringent quality control system to ensure the dependable stick possible. Based on what I’ve seen so far, the result is a very well-balanced product with a solid, reliable feel.

So, after more than a month of heavy use behind the kit, how have they held up?

Remarkably well. Whatever the secrets behind the SilverFox formula, they seem pretty. Considering how nice my first impression of the company was, I’m very much looking forward to exploring the rest of the SilverFox lineup.

Here’s a pretty awkward comparison of a Vic Firth 5A (first) and a SilverFox Sweet Pea. The footage was recorded in a fairly bright room, acoustically, but the additional spread and roundness produced by the Sweet Pea is still apparent.