As of now my search for my perfect drumstick has come to end, when I finally tried out these sticks. I wanted something thicker that 5a and with round tip, longer taper and lightweight. These sticks have it all, they feel light, they've got the meat for some really good rimshots, they crack the snare open like crazy. And yet you can easily play some jazz, funk and switch to rock and even metal. I am not sure at this point how big is their endurance, but till now I am overly satisfied and I will be ordering new pairs of these sticks in a future. Vater FTW!
P.s. Just keep in mind that these are MAPLE drumsticks, this wood behaves a little bit differently than hickory! But I think they have a little longer life than the hickory counterpart!