Calhoun is just tough on his sticks. Watch him on the Larry London tribute video. Chips are flying everywhere and he's using hickory.
I've used maple since the early 90s. They've always lasted me. Same with these birch sticks. And birch is softer and lighter than maple. And I can play pretty hard, too, but I don't play straight rock anymore. The kind of music you play makes a big difference. The way you angle drums and cymbals makes a big difference for your playing approaches. I used to wonder how many sticks Billy went through with his cymbals at that height and angle.
The nature of wood being what it is I'll catch a stick that just breaks, but rarely. After using maple and birch for so long hickory feels like iron to me - heavy. I have cracked cymbals when using hickory, too, Jake Hannah, and 747 models, no less. Never cracked a cymbal using maple or birch. Of course, hickory tips last longer if you use wood tips. I switched to nylon and never looked back. Sticks just cost too much, and I like the sound better on cymbals. Maple tips sound really nice on drums, though.