Equipment: STICKS - Buying Guide and Advice

[VerySuperFamous]

When I say good for dangles/snappers it's because I'm a smaller guy(5"7ish) and one hockey stick I've tried practicing was pretty immobile but it turns out it was weigted.

Yes basically money isn't an issue but I hate wasting it.

And an expensive stick not making you a great player is precisely why I'm not looking for a heavy stick that would be good for say Chara size players. Using the right stick is important too though IMO.

 

[Jarick]

The 7.0 is actually a down spec'd X:60. The 60 featured Bauer's best carbon weave, the TeXtreme, while if you look at the 7.0, the carbon weave is much smaller and presumably of lower quality. Same blade core though, but you might or might not notice a different puck feel between the two due to the weave.

If that TeXtreme provides reinforcement, I'm definitely going APX next time around. My X:60 has no business lasting as long as it has.

 

[hockeymass]

When I say good for dangles/snappers it's because I'm a smaller guy(5"7ish) and one hockey stick I've tried practicing was pretty immobile but it turns out it was weigted.

Yes basically money isn't an issue but I hate wasting it.

And an expensive stick not making you a great player is precisely why I'm not looking for a heavy stick that would be good for say Chara size players. Using the right stick is important too though IMO.

I'm just not sure if you understand the available options. I don't understand what you're talking about when you say "heavy stick that would be good for Chara size players", unless maybe you mean a stiffer flex? Seriously, you should make a trip to a shop to see exactly what differentiating factors there are. When you're looking for a stick, you should take these factors into consideration:

Blade lie
Curve
Flex
Balance
Puckfeel (best to go by word of mouth or reviews on this, hard to judge without actually using it)

Weight isn't really a concern, most mid to high end sticks are going to be around the same weight anyway. More expensive sticks will definitely not be heavier.

 

[Jarick]

Merged with the master thread.

Please check the original posts for lots of advice here.

 

[AIREAYE]

If that TeXtreme provides reinforcement, I'm definitely going APX next time around. My X:60 has no business lasting as long as it has.

I think this is a pretty good indicator of how TeXtreme compares to regular (3K?) weaves :

http://www.vajdagroup.com/company/news-archive/350-textremer-carbon-in-the-vajda-paddles

 

[Jarick]

Very interesting. So the larger the weave, the less material needed, and lighter weight. That would explain the lighter weight and better balance of the X:60/APX compared to most sticks on the market.

 

[VerySuperFamous]

I'm just not sure if you understand the available options. I don't understand what you're talking about when you say "heavy stick that would be good for Chara size players", unless maybe you mean a stiffer flex? Seriously, you should make a trip to a shop to see exactly what differentiating factors there are. When you're looking for a stick, you should take these factors into consideration:

Blade lie
Curve
Flex
Balance
Puckfeel (best to go by word of mouth or reviews on this, hard to judge without actually using it)

Weight isn't really a concern, most mid to high end sticks are going to be around the same weight anyway. More expensive sticks will definitely not be heavier.

I'm saying I don't want something like that. Because some are less mobile than others. That was my explaination of why I said good for dangling/stickhandling/

 

[VerySuperFamous]

Merged with the master thread.

Please check the original posts for lots of advice here.

Bud could you just close this than? It's made this more the mods opinion than anything useful for me.

Thanks to everyone who has helped.

 

[hockeymass]

I'm saying I don't want something like that. Because some are less mobile than others. That was my explaination of why I said good for dangling/stickhandling/

There's no such thing as an intentionally heavy stick, though. Heavy sticks are heavy because they're made of cheaper materials. All I'm saying is you seem to be very unfamiliar with what options and variables exist. There's nobody that says "man, I really need a heavy stick, that would be great for me". Choosing between heavy and light is not a choice you have to make.

 

[VerySuperFamous]

There's no such thing as an intentionally heavy stick, though. Heavy sticks are heavy because they're made of cheaper materials. All I'm saying is you seem to be very unfamiliar with what options and variables exist. There's nobody that says "man, I really need a heavy stick, that would be great for me". Choosing between heavy and light is not a choice you have to make.

Unless of course it's for practice.

I think I was just doing a bad job of explaining what I view as a heavy stick. One that's more power(which must be more flex) than mobility.

 

[Jarick]

It just sounds like you're not sure what you need in a stick, that's why I merged with the big thread. We can definitely give you advice and get you moving in the right direction, but it might be easier if you have the basics down, which is all covered in the first couple posts.

 

[hockeymass]

Unless of course it's for practice.

I think I was just doing a bad job of explaining what I view as a heavy stick. One that's more power(which must be more flex) than mobility.

Point is, that's not a tradeoff you have to make. If you're willing to spend up to 250 bucks, get a Vapor APX. Light as a feather with crazy shot power. Awesome for stickhandling, great puck feel.

 

[do0glas]

just wanted to ask a question about taping the blade of your stick.

the video i watched first when i was learning said to tape from TOE to HEEL, so the puck will roll easier from HEEL to TOE. basically the edges of the tape are essentially covered.

I noticed in your guide you say to tape from HEEL to TOE as this will create more friction. in this way the puck is actually hitting the edges of the tape. have you tried both ways?

 

[Jarick]

I have and it's easier to tape heel to toe for me, that's why I do it.

Honestly I don't notice much difference but a lot of people say they do. I actually have been taping with almost no ridges and haven't seen any difference. If I could somehow tape with one giant strip I probably would because the tape is gritty enough on its own.

 

[hockeymass]

just wanted to ask a question about taping the blade of your stick.

the video i watched first when i was learning said to tape from TOE to HEEL, so the puck will roll easier from HEEL to TOE. basically the edges of the tape are essentially covered.

I noticed in your guide you say to tape from HEEL to TOE as this will create more friction. in this way the puck is actually hitting the edges of the tape. have you tried both ways?

I've never seen anyone tape toe to heel.

 

[Jarick]

Patrick Kane does it in his YouTube video.

 

[do0glas]

Patrick Kane does it in his YouTube video.

thanks again!

it was the howtohockey guy.

I think he posts on this site.

 

[Jarick]

Yes from time to time, not as much as he used to. I'd try it all kinds of ways and see what you prefer, it probably doesn't matter in the long run, but it's nice to get your own style and groove with that stuff.

 

[r3cc0s]

Yes from time to time, not as much as he used to. I'd try it all kinds of ways and see what you prefer, it probably doesn't matter in the long run, but it's nice to get your own style and groove with that stuff.

if you got real soft hands, you could save alot of tape doing the Heatley style!

 

[Jarick]

Twice I've tried the minimalist tape jobs, and twice I've had the game tying goals on my stick and lost it. Never again!

 

[r3cc0s]

Twice I've tried the minimalist tape jobs, and twice I've had the game tying goals on my stick and lost it. Never again!

I can tell you that I cannot catch nearly as good as these guys and I pretty much overlap the thinner tape in half for added dampning (plus I coat the bottom half of my tape job in wax, like icing)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkRNN3xbRf0

 

[kingsfan88]

Hey guys, love this board a lot

I used to just shoot around with my hockey friend as a kid, and now I want to get into playing hockey because I absolutely love the sport.

Now my handedness is in question, when I was smaller I shot right handed, because my friends stick was right handed (left hand holding the top), and that felt normal to me. I then played tennis for my HS team, and still played right handed, and recently tried out my friend's left handed stick, which felt really awkward shooting/passing with that left handed stick.

I know the answer should be obvious, go for the right handed stick, but I am right handed and right footed which stirs things up. To poke check with my left hand ( I assume the hand you use with a right handed stick) feels awkward and less precise to me, but feels fine with my right. Should I just switch hands when the time arises or consider shooting left. Or am I making a big deal out of nothing.

TLR
Right handed, right footed, like to shoot right. Left hand stick poking feels wierd, what do i do?

 

[CoutseysCorner92]

I am looking to buy a new stick (my 87 flex APX broke at the end of my season). What would you guys say is the most durable top of the line stick?

 

[qmechanic]

Now my handedness is in question, when I was smaller I shot right handed, because my friends stick was right handed (left hand holding the top), and that felt normal to me. I then played tennis for my HS team, and still played right handed, and recently tried out my friend's left handed stick, which felt really awkward shooting/passing with that left handed stick.

I know the answer should be obvious, go for the right handed stick, but I am right handed and right footed which stirs things up. To poke check with my left hand ( I assume the hand you use with a right handed stick) feels awkward and less precise to me, but feels fine with my right. Should I just switch hands when the time arises or consider shooting left. Or am I making a big deal out of nothing.

TLR
Right handed, right footed, like to shoot right. Left hand stick poking feels wierd, what do i do?

I don't think you have time to change hands unless you're playing in a low level league. From what you say, it sounds like your right hand on top gives you better stickhandling, so I would recommend you to consider shooting left. I think stickhandling is way more important than shooting because you spend much more game time on the former than the latter. If you're a defenseman, stickhandling is especially crucial -- which is probably why so many NHL defensemen are lefties.

I used to shoot right and my coaches made me switch to lefty. I was really mad at them, but it didn't take too long to get used to. My passing/stickhandling/etc came back pretty fast. Your shot is probably stronger as a righty, but if you take the time to learn proper technique, your lefty shot should become nearly as good.

 

[Jarick]

Right handed, right footed, like to shoot right. Left hand stick poking feels wierd, what do i do?

Welcome!

Honestly if you feel awkward using a lefty stick, use a righty. But if you can stick it out for a few weeks using a lefty, that might give you better hands long run.

I would pick up cheap lefty stick and do some stickhandling with a golf ball or tennis ball and see if it sticks. $30 for a wood stick isn't that bad in the long run, and it it doesn't work, go righty.