There has been a lot of discussion regarding the pros and cons of wood versus composite hockey sticks in the NHL that last couple of years. The fact of the matter is that wood hockey sticks are almost extinct in the NHL. But what about for the recreational player? Wood hockey sticks are a very viable, and sometimes preferred, option. We are going to cover the pros and cons of each stick.
Composite sticks have a couple of key performance advantages over wood sticks and as stated earlier they have become very popular at all levels of play. I think the most significant improvement that composite sticks have made is the ability to change the flex dynamics of the hockey stick. These changes include moving the flex points so lower so that the loading up and releasing happens quicker. Composite stick are often weight significantly less than wood sticks and this translates into a more active stick for a player.
The advantages of wood hockey sticks are that 1) they cost a lot less than composites, 2) they are supposed to provide a better feel to the player when they are puck handling, and 3) they can be more durable than the super high performance composite hockey sticks. Another potential advantage of a wood stick is the fact that it flexes at your lower hand when you are shooting. This provides a larger loading and recoil energy release and can provide a harder shot to the player that cab take full advantage of this feature. With the recent improvement in composite sticks there is only a small difference to feeling the puck but it could make a difference to you.
The biggest deciding factor for many players comes down to cost. Wood sticks run $15 to $50 for an excellent high end wood stick. Most composite sticks run $100 to almost $300. You have to ask yourself if there is enough of a difference in the performance between a wood stick and a composite stick to make it worth the extra money. If you are a fairly new player then it is unlikely that a composite stick will significantly improve your performance and many folks believe that you are better off learning with a wood stick due to the increase feel of a wood stick.
Once you chose between a wood hockey stick or a composite there are a couple of other key elements that go into getting you the perfect stick. The first is stick length. You hockey stick should come up to your chin when you are in skates and the stick is held vertically in front of you with the blade on the ice. Depending on how tall you are you will want one of 4 standard sticks sizes (youth, junior, intermediate and senior). You will need to cut one of these sticks down to the right size for you. Next is the blade of the stick. You will need to get a right or left handed blade based upon how you shoot and a curve that matched your style of play. The last element you need to determine is the flex of the stick. You don't want a flex that is too stiff or too limp because it wil be hard to handle the puck at either extreme.
In the end it all comes to personal choice. You need to try out a large variety of sticks to find the one that is best suited to your skills and your budget. As your skills and experience improve over time you "perfect" hockey stick will evolve as well.
Composite sticks have a couple of key performance advantages over wood sticks and as stated earlier they have become very popular at all levels of play. I think the most significant improvement that composite sticks have made is the ability to change the flex dynamics of the hockey stick. These changes include moving the flex points so lower so that the loading up and releasing happens quicker. Composite stick are often weight significantly less than wood sticks and this translates into a more active stick for a player.
The advantages of wood hockey sticks are that 1) they cost a lot less than composites, 2) they are supposed to provide a better feel to the player when they are puck handling, and 3) they can be more durable than the super high performance composite hockey sticks. Another potential advantage of a wood stick is the fact that it flexes at your lower hand when you are shooting. This provides a larger loading and recoil energy release and can provide a harder shot to the player that cab take full advantage of this feature. With the recent improvement in composite sticks there is only a small difference to feeling the puck but it could make a difference to you.
The biggest deciding factor for many players comes down to cost. Wood sticks run $15 to $50 for an excellent high end wood stick. Most composite sticks run $100 to almost $300. You have to ask yourself if there is enough of a difference in the performance between a wood stick and a composite stick to make it worth the extra money. If you are a fairly new player then it is unlikely that a composite stick will significantly improve your performance and many folks believe that you are better off learning with a wood stick due to the increase feel of a wood stick.
Once you chose between a wood hockey stick or a composite there are a couple of other key elements that go into getting you the perfect stick. The first is stick length. You hockey stick should come up to your chin when you are in skates and the stick is held vertically in front of you with the blade on the ice. Depending on how tall you are you will want one of 4 standard sticks sizes (youth, junior, intermediate and senior). You will need to cut one of these sticks down to the right size for you. Next is the blade of the stick. You will need to get a right or left handed blade based upon how you shoot and a curve that matched your style of play. The last element you need to determine is the flex of the stick. You don't want a flex that is too stiff or too limp because it wil be hard to handle the puck at either extreme.
In the end it all comes to personal choice. You need to try out a large variety of sticks to find the one that is best suited to your skills and your budget. As your skills and experience improve over time you "perfect" hockey stick will evolve as well.
About the Author:
Paul is a recreational hockey player who has a lot of goodies stuffed into his Ice Hockey Bags. Learn more about finding your ideal Hockey Equipment Bag with Paul at Hockey Stick Expert.
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