What flex hockey stick should I use?

Start with half your body weight in pounds, then adjust for how you play. A 150 lb player begins around a 75 flex. Go about 5 softer if you are a forward who works in tight for a quicker release, or about 5 stiffer on defense or if you take a lot of slap shots, then round to the nearest flex we build.

What flex should a 160 lb player use?

Half of 160 is 80, so a 160 lb player lands around an 80 flex: roughly 75 as a forward and 85 on defense. If you cut the stick down from its full length, size up a touch, because cutting a stick stiffens it.

What hockey stick flex is best for defense?

Defensemen usually go about 5 flex stiffer than the half-body-weight starting point. A stiffer shaft stores more energy on a slap shot or a hard point shot, where power matters more than the quickest release.

What flex should a youth or junior player use?

Lighter players need a softer flex they can actually load. Half body weight still applies, so a 60 to 80 lb youth player lands in the Junior range, roughly a 30 to 40 flex. The builder only offers flexes we actually make, so you cannot pick one too stiff to bend.

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What Flex Should I Use?

A good starting point is half your body weight in pounds. We nudge it a little softer for forwards and a little stiffer for defense, then land on the closest flex we actually build. Lower flex loads faster for a quick release; higher flex suits stronger, heavier shooters.

Your body weight (lbs)

Position

Goalie sticks have no flex rating. Start a custom goalie stick instead.

Which hand do you shoot?

How hockey stick flex works

Flex is how much the shaft bends when you load a shot, measured by the pounds of force it takes to bend the stick one inch. A lower number is a softer, whippier shaft that loads easily for a quick release; a higher number is stiffer and stores more energy on a full wind-up. The right flex lets you actually bend the stick on your normal shot.

The starting point is half your body weight in pounds, so a 150 lb player begins around a 75 flex. From there, nudge it about 5 softer if you are a forward who shoots in tight, or about 5 stiffer on defense or if you lean on slap shots. One more thing: cutting a stick down stiffens it (roughly 4 to 5 flex per inch), so taller players who trim the shaft should size up a touch.

Hockey stick flex by weight

A starting-point chart using the half-body-weight rule, rounded to the flexes we build. Your exact build can move a step either way for how you shoot and how you cut the stick.

Your weight	Forward flex	Defense flex	Size
60 lb	30	35	Junior
80 lb	35	45	Junior
100 lb	45	55	Junior
120 lb	55	65	Intermediate
140 lb	65	75	Intermediate
160 lb	75	85	Senior
180 lb	85	95	Senior
200 lb	95	105	Senior
220 lb	105	110	Senior

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