It's completely understandable that your child always wants the latest stick and model, but it's about making smart choices to keep the hockey budget under control. After all, hockey is a very expensive sport, but at the same time it is the world's funnest and best sport too!
EASY SIZE GUIDE - HOCKEY CLUBS
FLEX
Hockey sticks come in different sizes and shapes, but mainly the sizes are divided into Youth , Junior , Intermediate and Senior . Length, girth and thickness of the blade is gradually increased between the different sizes.
Youth (20-35 flex)
Junior (30-50 flex)
Intermediate (55-70 flex)
Senior (65-120 flex)
WEIGHT
In general, it is usually said that you should look at a club with a flex that is approximately equal to the weight of the player . If your child weighs about 20 kg, then you should consider a 20 flex stick. If your child weighs 30 kg, you can consider a 30 flex stick, etc.
LENGTH
Then it also has a little to do with the height of your child. A rule of thumb to start from is that the club should be to the nose without skates and to the chin with skates on. If you exaggerate in any direction, you may not be able to get and use the club's performance to 100%, regardless of which price model you have purchased.
However, one size does not fit all. Those who are a little taller, play more often or maybe like to press shots may gravitate towards slightly longer and harder clubs, while if you are a little shorter, don't play as often or prefer fast & rapping shots may gravitate towards slightly shorter clubs with lower flex than their body weight.
OTHER
If you choose to saw off your club a little, as many do, the flex is often increased accordingly. It is usually written on the back of the shaft at the top, what the flex will be where you saw it off.
Take myself as an example. I am 182 cm tall, weigh about 75 kg and play with a 65 flex that is a bit sawn off so it might be about a 70 flex. My stick is to the chin without skates, and that's because my style of play involves me being quite low in my hockey stance.
QUALITY OF THE CLUB
The difference between a top model club and a budget variant is greater than you might think.
Most club manufacturers have 3-4-5 different price groups within the same club model. The clubs within the same model usually look very similar, with slightly different graphics. Check out our post regarding different price groups and club models here.
The big difference is the material used in manufacturing and the weight of the club. Most often, they are the lighter clubs of higher quality.
Even more important than just the weight is that the weight is evenly distributed over the entire club. Cheaper models are often front-heavy because the weight is at the bottom and in the blade.
The club should feel reasonably light and evenly distributed so that it responds in the best way and you should get the most out of the club.
Heavier clubs are usually full of glue which makes it heavy and doesn't perform as well.
What controls the weight of the club has a hand in the fact that the top model clubs are usually made of 100% carbon fiber and the other composite material used in club manufacturing is fiberglass .
The difference between carbon fiber and fiberglass is a completely different discussion, and you can read about that here .
CHOOSING THE RIGHT LEAF PATTERN (CURVE)
Nowadays, it is quite easy to choose curve. There are 2-3 different curves that are standard in the market. Professional hockey players usually have custom made blades that suit their style. But the standardized curves include:
P92 is the most balanced and common pattern that suits all players.
The P28 is for those who like to shoot high and dribble a lot as it has a larger and more angled bend at the end of the "toe".
The P88 is my favorite and it is not as angled as the P92 and P28 and the blade is a bit straighter.
CHOICE OF CLUB
If you have found the right flex, length and curve, it is time to choose a model that suits you best. In the beginning, it doesn't matter that much, as you first have to learn to shoot before you can expect anything extra from your club, regardless of club model or price.
Most often, the children and younger players are inspired by their favorite players, either in the NHL, SHL, Allsvenskan or even their favorite local team - Which is completely understandable!
The pros always use top models, which costs a little more, but can be a worthwhile investment if it lasts a whole season.
If the club model does not play a major role for your child, it may be worth looking at an outgoing model at a discounted price. This is a very good and budget-friendly option as the technology does not change much from year to year.
The big problem comes when the children grow and get bigger, that's when the clubs start to break a little more and it can be difficult for parents to have to bear that cost year after year.
Many parents are looking for reasons to cut hockey costs , that's why we at Fixwell Hockey are here to fix your broken sticks so everyone can afford and play the world's most fun sport!
