Perfect for when a brush isn't enough and a stick is too much. In fact, that was Promark's tagline in the ad for these when I saw these for the first time, years ago. The rebound is right in between that of a stick and brush, as well. The red bands do NOT slide to adjust the firmness, so if you want the dowels to be a little tighter (which I don't think would really be necessary) just use some duct tape closer to the ends. My stick selection isn't complete without a pair of these in my bag.