Buying guide
Hockey SticksInformation and buying guide
The hockey sticks we use can have a big influence on our game. There is no better or worse hockey stick; the best stick is determined by your preferences and personal qualities and is different for every hockey player. Hockey sticks can differ in many ways and, therefore, we want to help you find the best option for you, so you enjoy playing.
How to know your correct size?
Using the correct size of stick is important for your posture during the game. This can influence your technique and it's very important so you don't pick up bad habits. The length of a stick ranges between 18″ and 41″ (the mark ″ represents an inch, one inch equals 2,54 cm). The 18″ is a mini stick that works as a nice gift or keepsake for newborns or children under 2 years old, or as a souvenir, and the 41″ is an extraordinarily long stick used by goalkeepers during the "shoot-outs". The sizes we offer are 24″ – 35″ for junior hockey sticks and 36.5″, 37.5″ and 38.5″ for senior hockey sticks. We also offer an 18″ stick in the Accessories department and 41″ sticks in the Goalkeepers department.
Determining the correct stick length can be difficult, especially for children. To help, we'll explain it in a very easy way. There are several methods to choose the size, but they all end up at the same point. We'll use the Belly-button Method because it's the easiest to understand and the most widespread. Key points regarding size:
Junior sizes: Sticks from 18″ to 35,5″, not all brands make every size, the most common are (18″-24″-26″-28″-30″-32″-33″-34″-35″).
Adult sizes: When size 35″ becomes too small we move up to adult size, where we no longer look at size by height, but it will be size 36,5″ for the vast majority of players and some 37,5″ and 38,5″ (we explain why later).
The Belly-button Method
This method is a well-known and reliable way to estimate the length of the stick you need. You should take the measurements with your shoes on. (If you can't, add 2 cm to the final length.)
Stand up straight. Find your belly button. Table measurements:
Option 1: Measure the distance between the floor and your belly button (better with shoes on, otherwise add 2 centimetres).
Option 2: Look up the height in column 1 of the table; it's another option, not as exact. Find the correct length in the table, either height (column 1) or belly-button distance (column 2). Choose your favourite stick according to the table measurements below. If your size is between 2 measurements, pick the larger one.
| Minimum height adult or child (cm / ft) | Floor–belly-button distance (cm / ft) | Select the sticks in your size |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 105 cm / down to 3’44″ | < 61 cm / < 2′ | See Sticks Size 24″ |
| 105 to 110 cm / 3’44” to 3’60” | 61 – 68,5 cm / 2′ – 2’24” | See Sticks Size 26″ |
| 110 to 115 cm / 3’60” to 3’77” | 68,5 – 74 cm / 2’24” – 2’42” | See Sticks Size 28″ |
| 115 to 120 cm / 3’77” to 3’93” | 74 – 79 cm / 2’42” – 2’59” | See Sticks Size 30″ |
| 120 to 132,5 cm / 3’93” to 4’34” | 79 – 81,5 cm / 2’59” – 2’67” | See Sticks Size 32″ |
| 132,5 to 140 cm / 4’34” to 4’59” | 81,5 – 84 cm / 2’67” – 2’75” | See Sticks Size 33″ |
| 140 to 150 cm / 4’59” to 4’92” | 84 – 86,5 cm / 2’75” – 2’83” | See Sticks Size 34″ |
| 150 to 160 cm / 4’92” to 5’24” | 86,5 – 89 cm / 2’83” – 2’91” | See Sticks Size 35″ |
| More than 160 cm / up to 5’24” | > 89 cm / > 2’91” | See Sticks Size 36.5″ |
| More than 175 cm / up to 5’74” | — | See Sticks Size 37.5″ |
| More than 185 cm / up to 6’06” | — | See Sticks Size 38.5″ |
Slide the table from left to right to see all the columns.
Which composition is the best?
The composition of the hockey stick is important for its stiffness, power and feel during play. Hockey sticks used to be made only of wood; today we still have wooden sticks, but most sticks are made of Composite. By Composite we mean sticks made up of Carbon, Fibreglass, Aramid, Kevlar and resins.
Carbon in hockey sticks represents stiffness, power, durability and strength. The more carbon, the stiffer the hockey stick. A stiff stick means less flexibility and touch with the ball. Less flexibility means there isn't much flex in the stick when you hit the ball, which gives the ball more speed when you play. This is one of the reasons why almost all the best players choose sticks with 90-100% carbon. Less feel makes it a little harder to control the ball, but for experienced players this isn't a problem. Carbon is a very strong but light fibre. That's why the strength and durability of these sticks are very high, yet the sticks stay light. A high percentage of carbon in the stick is the perfect choice for advanced players.
Fibreglass sticks are flexible, affordable and light. The flexibility of the hockey stick gives less power, but being "softer" it gives more touch and is therefore easier to control the ball and learn new techniques. The feel of a fibreglass stick is greater than with carbon sticks. It doesn't have as much power as carbon sticks, but this isn't necessary in most situations. Fibreglass is also a very light material and this fibre allows for more affordable prices.
From here on, any stick between the two extremes, 100% fibreglass or carbon, will have characteristics according to the value of its composition. Example: a stick with 20% Carbon has 80% fibreglass, so we'll have a stick that is a little stiffer and stronger than a 100% fibreglass stick.
It's important, from our point of view, that the player evolves with the stick, that is, as the player gains strength they choose more carbon in their stick, rather than picking a 100% carbon at age 11 because they won't make the most of its performance.
Wooden hockey sticks are the most traditional sticks. The feel you get with wooden sticks is even greater than with composite sticks, which is why there are still indoor hockey sticks made of high-quality treated wood. Because in indoor hockey hitting isn't allowed, and control (the feel of the stick when we have the ball) is essential.
On the market we find wooden sticks as the entry-level price for adults and children, and in indoor hockey sticks we find both entry-level and higher prices.
100%Carbon
70%Carbon
50%Carbon
30%Carbon
100%Fibreglass
100%Wood
What should the bow position of your hockey stick be?
The bow position is related to the place where the bow is at its peak. This is given in millimetres. These millimetres are the distance between the lowest point of the head and the point of maximum curvature of the stick.
The closer the bow is to the ground, the lower the position value. At Flick Hockey we decided to divide sticks into three types of bow position: mid bow or Mid Bow, low bow or Low Bow and the super low bow or Super Low Bow. We decided to do it this way because each brand gives it a name and even we had trouble understanding it.
As with every aspect, the bow position also depends on your preferences:
- Mid Bow: Traditional player, classic hitting, flat push.
- Low Bow: 3D dribbling, aerial passes.
- Super Bow: 3D dribbling++, drags and flicks.
For each brand, the bow height can differ in the name they give it. That's why we divide the stick into the following bows:
Which bow depth best suits your preferences?
The bow of the stick is the degree of curvature relative to a flat surface. If you place the stick on the ground, flat side down, the distance between the stick and the ground represents the curvature of the stick. The preferred degree of curvature depends on the person. We divide the degree of curvature into three groups, see the table, although the most common are 24mm or 20mm sticks.
Which weight should you choose?
The weight of the stick is given in grams. With a very light stick you can move quickly and play easily, but you lose some power in your shot if you don't have good shooting technique. With a heavier stick you can shoot harder but moving it quickly can be more difficult. Depending on your playing style and preferences, the weight choice may differ. We divide the weight into three categories, see the image.
Sticks with more carbon, due to their stiffness, give us power even when the weight is light; you'll see that at the end of the size it says SL, L for example. This means superlight (SL) and light (L).
Which goalkeeper stick to choose?
When it comes to choosing a goalkeeper stick, it's important to choose a stick we feel comfortable with; as goalkeepers we have different demands and tastes compared to the rest of the field players. Every goalkeeper is different and we may prefer different weights and lengths. With longer sticks we'll get more reach, which is also very useful in the penalty shootout.
There are two types of stick that goalkeepers can use. One is the field player's stick (highly recommended and the one most of us use) since the weight, strength and balance let us block shots and also pass the ball.
The typical goalkeeper stick we know, which only we can use, has very good advantages, since the head is more curved and has a larger stopping surface. It's used above all in shootouts.
Sometimes we come across goalkeeper sticks that are too light, which gives us the feeling that it isn't strong or firm, and that affects the moment of making saves.
When choosing a stick, we should try different types to see which one best suits our needs. For example, we come across defenders' sticks; these have a flatter horizontal surface, which is good for stopping shots and for aggressive styles. The defender's stick is a very good option, since another type of player's stick (midfielder or forward) already has more bow and is specific to other movements.
There are many goalkeeper sticks on the market that we can use, but it's very important that you find the one that best suits you and your needs.
Don't worry, the Flick team is here to advise you so you get your hockey gear choice right. Contact us through the web whatsapp or at info@flickhockey.com.
Still have questions? Don't worry, the Flick team is here to advise you so you get your hockey gear choice right. Contact us through the web whatsapp or at info@flickhockey.com.
