There are a variety of stick brands that have a range of price points. Therefore, the first thing to determine before looking for a stick is how much you want to spend. If you are new to hockey, Discount Hockey does not recommend buying the most expensive stick.
This is because it may not be the right stick, especially if you are just developing a shot. In general, as you work your way up in price sticks will be lighter weight and use stronger and more flexible materials. For more info on what spending more gets you check out our article about the subject. Keep in mind that even though there are general guidelines for picking out a stick, over time each player develops a unique preference for a certain flex or curve.
Left or right, pretty simple right? Well that is if you know already. If you are unsure ask yourself which way would you bat in baseball?
If you stand on the left side of the plate and swing off your right foot you are a right handed shot. The opposite is a left handed shot. After finding the proper size, flex is the next thing to determine. The numbers listed below will vary slightly from company to company but the higher the number always represents more stiffness.
Companies have been adding more stratified flex options with the addition of a 90 flex and an 80 flex. Phil Kessel's stick is believed to have a flex rating of less than The curve or blade pattern decides what your shot and puck control will be like. This is difficult because for most there is no real way to know which curve they will like or despise. For this you need to identify the kind of player you are and what kinds of shots you will be taking.
The position you play and what level you play will also determine where you are going to spend most of your time on the ice. For more details on blade patterns and the type of advantages and disadvantages they offer, check out this article. A stick will also come in different lie. The lie is the angle the shaft and blade make when the blade is flat on the ice.
Players who skate upright are going to want a higher angle lie like a 6. Players who skate lower to the ice will want a larger angle which is represented as a lower lie like a 4. Most curves will come in a mid lie around 5 or 5. This is a typical starting point and most players will fall in this area.
We use cookies on our websites. You can manage this via your browser setting at any time. To learn more, please see our cookie policy Read More. Need help? Hockey Stick Buying Guide. Which stick is right for me? Whatever your style, whatever your game, there is a Grays Hockey stick for you. Why Grays Hockey? AC Range The most advanced hockey stick we have ever created.
GR Range Graphene is exceptionally strong and light, and has been precisely combined with the highly successful GX composition to forge the GR technology.
GX Range Iconic technology combining performance, durability and playability. Which stick size? Stick Shapes Our shapes can be split into two categories, low bow and medium bow.
Low bow models are designed for drag-flicking, aerials and 3D skills. Medium bows are tailored more towards the core skills of the game. How much should I spend on my stick? Grays cater for all levels and abilities of player. Prices vary according to the materials used in manufacture and the technologies mentioned above. See what Helen Richardson-Walsh has to say about the materials in Grays hockey sticks and the numbering system…. Power Energy transfer from the stick to the ball, measured by outbound ball velocity and influenced by stick stiffness.
Control Energy absorption of the stick when receiving the ball determines the rebound properties, measured by the COF. Blade patterns generally come in anywhere from 6 — 10 different styles for each manufacturer. While named differently, often different brands will have very similar if not totally identical patterns. Just like you may be thinking, the mid curve blade has a prominent curve in the middle of the blade.
Curve depth relates to the depth or shallowness of the degree of the curve type. There are three depths to each of the three curve types:. Curve openness refers to the face angle of the blade and how much loft it creates. The face angle has three types of loft: closed, slight, and open.
If you look straight down at the closed blade, you can see the face, or front side, of the blade. But when you look straight down at the open blade face, you can see how the front is much more visible, almost as if the blade has been twisted — the result is more loft, and the more loft a blade has, the easier it is to lift or elevate the puck.
The lie of a hockey stick is how the blade is angled in relation to the shaft of the stick. Most patterns have a pre-determined lie, but how do you know what lie is best for you?
Usually, your height with your skates on can help determine this. BUT, lie is something you can adjust before you buy a stick. And keep in mind, some patterns offer multiple lie options. The kick point of a hockey stick is a huge selling point for composite sticks. Kick point is most associated with flex and the style of play you want to bring to the ice. The kick point of a stick can be defined as the area where the stick will flex the most.
There are three types of kick points, and each caters to a different type of player. The different kick points are: low-kick, mid-kick, and customized kick. A low-kick is made for the player who relishes a lightning-quick release. Mainly for quick wrist shots and snap shots, this kick compresses and loads in the tapered area of the stick. Mid-kick points are made for the power player, the type of shooter who loves to unleash hard slap shots and fully-loaded wrist shots. This type of kick compresses and bends mostly in the middle of the shaft.
It offers full-powered shots for players shooting from greater lengths. A customized kick point is the last type. Not all brands offer this kick point. A customized kick point is engineered to flex wherever you place your bottom hand.
Customized kick point sticks are great to optimize a full-loading stick and unleash powerful shots from any location of the rink. For beginner skaters, deciding which handed stick you need might prove a little more difficult than you may first think. If you already know which way you shoot, you probably automatically wander that way to whichever you use when you walk over to a stick rack. Which way do you naturally swing? The most important aspect is that you feel comfortable.
Left-handed players crush the number of right-handed players in the NHL today by a ratio of nearly 70 to 30, but why? Determining whether you need a left handed or right handed hockey stick when purchasing a new one can be confusing.
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