The main tool of a hockey player is a hockey stick. It is very difficult to choose from all the variety on the market. Sometimes even experienced players cannot find the equipment they like, and most professional players generally make custom-made golf clubs for themselves to meet all the specified parameters. Hockey fans can't afford such pleasure, and they don't really need anything, and therefore they have to choose from what is presented on store shelves. Therefore, you need to know what exactly to look for when choosing a tool.

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Despite the large assortment, all hockey sticks can be divided into two large groups - solid and prefabricated.

Whole

The most common and favorite among experienced hockey players. They have great balance and allow the player to have better puck control. On impact, they give the latter a good acceleration. The cost and playing characteristics largely depend on this.

Advantages:

• Big choice.
• Good puck control.
• Power and precision when striking.
• A fairly long service life, which largely depends on the material of manufacture.
• Designed for players of all ages.

Disadvantages:

• In the event of a malfunction, the entire tool will have to be replaced.
• There is no way to fit the wrongly chosen model.

Composite

These sticks are suitable for those who are just learning to play hockey, and those who play on weekends in the yard. The hook and pipe are bonded with a special adhesive. If necessary, you can separate them and replace one of the parts. If it is difficult to decide on the choice of a solid one, then the combined hockey stick gives you the opportunity to experiment and collect the ideal option for yourself.

Advantages:

• The ability to assemble the perfect tool for yourself.
• In the event of a breakdown of one of the parts, there is no need to purchase the entire stick as a whole, it is enough to replace the faulty part.
• Different materials can be used for the pipe and hook, thus increasing some of the playing characteristics of the tool.

Disadvantages:

• Not suitable for hard hitting games.
• The connection makes the hockey stick stiffer, which reduces the ability to control the puck.

Manufacturing material

The game characteristics and the cost of the inventory depend on it.

Wood

Wooden sticks are available, inexpensive, and provide good control of the puck during play. Great option to hone technique during training. They can be solid and assembled, in the latter, to reduce weight and cost, only a handle is made of wood. Solid wood putters have heavy weight, and therefore are not very popular.

Aluminum

These hockey sticks are almost never produced. Aluminum is now used primarily on the handles of compound tools. Lightweight and reliable, it has virtually no elasticity, making it difficult to control the puck. In addition, aluminum is quite an expensive material and it is not easy to reliably connect it to the hook.

Carbon fiber (carbon)

This material combines the advantages of the two described above. It is perfect for the production of products from both groups. Hockey stick made of carbon fiber will serve faithfully for both professional and amateur, however, not very long. The disadvantage is the high cost of the inventory.

Kevlar

The material is durable, resilient, reliable. Used as an additive in composite, but not as brittle as carbon. Feels great as a pen in a multi-piece piece, but works best in a one-piece tool.

Titanium

A hockey stick made from this material is a very expensive pleasure. Titanium is most often used as an additive in composite, which makes the product stronger and more durable. Lightweight, durable, reliable, this material is used both in composite and in one-piece products. Titanium sticks are inexpedient to purchase for amateurs due to the high cost, but they enjoy well-deserved recognition among professional players.

ABS plastic

Inexpensive compound clubs are made from this material. Strong enough, flexible and resilient, has good wear-resistant qualities. If there are no funds for a composite club, you can pay attention to a plastic product. The disadvantage is that it becomes fragile in the cold, and there is no hockey without frost.

Main characteristics

The hockey stick should be selected according to the player's height and weight, as well as his skill level.

Rigidity

This is the first parameter to pay attention to. It is determined precisely by the weight of the athlete. According to the EASTON system, the value can vary from 40 to 115. This figure is approximately equal to the weight of the athlete in kilograms.

The rigidity of the product determines the force of the impact. The larger the parameter, the harder you need to hit.

Sometimes the hardness markings on the sticks are not in numbers, but written in English:

• Whip - soft, hardness ranges from 65 to 75.
• Regular - Medium, 75 to 85
• Stiff - hard, 85 to 100.
• X-stiff - extra hard, 100-110.
• XX-stiff - extra hard, from 110 to 120.

Stiffness is also selected in accordance with the age group of the athlete. For adult golf clubs, this parameter ranges from 75 to 115 on the EASTON scale. Teenage equipment has a hardness of 60-65, and children's equipment has a hardness of 40-50.

The amount of stiffness is influenced by the size of the handle - the shorter it is, the harder the tool.

Length

This parameter depends on the age of the athlete. In total, 4 age groups are distinguished, for each of which instruments of their own length are produced. Accordingly, there is a marking, thanks to which you can accurately determine for which particular age group it is intended.

• Children are labeled "youth" or "yth". Intended for young hockey players between the ages of 4 and 7. The length of such a stick varies from 106 to 114 cm.
• Teenagers labeled "junior" or "jr" are suitable for children from 7 to 14 years old. The handle can be from 119 to 132 cm in length.
• Youth are designated "intermediate" or "int" and have a size from 137 to 145 cm. Designed for adolescents from 14 to 17 years old.
• Adults are designated "senior" or "sr". The length of these varies from 142 to 157 cm. Hockey players aged 18 and older play with such equipment.

Hook shape

The choice of this characteristic lies entirely on the conscience of the hockey player himself. This is how he likes to play, let him choose that one. There are several options for the shape of the hook, each of which is assigned a surname famous athlete: Ovechkin, Ricci, Hull and others.

Injection

This value is expressed in numbers from 4.5 to 6. The sharper the angle, the greater this value. The optimal value is chosen purely individually, depending on the style of the game and the individual characteristics of the player. So, a low angle is suitable for those athletes who, during the game, lean low towards the ice, and a high angle is suitable for those who prefer to keep the club close to the body, better controlling it.

Toe shape

It can be round, square or square with rounded corners. Each species has its own quality:

• With a round, it is more convenient to move the washer towards you.
• Square is suitable for playing near the board.
• The middle sock does not shine with special advantages, it can be considered universal.

The bend can be at the middle, end, or heel of the hook. The last one is best to lift the puck, and with a kink at the end it is better to control it.

Winding

The whole feather is wrapped around. For these purposes, a special tape is used, which prevents the feather from wearing out. The handle is also unwound to reduce slipping in the hands and increase club control. For this, flu tape is used.

The perfect hockey stick

First of all, it has an excellent balance of price and quality. Professional hockey players can choose their dear ones, but they spend more time on the field than on the couch. For lovers who wear only from time to time, inexpensive equipment is enough.

The most expensive hockey stick a estimated at $ 4,250,000. It is the oldest hockey stick in existence and is a piece of crooked wood and was made in 1850.

The tool should be chosen depending on the grip. It can be left and right. Determined by the position of the corresponding hand on the bottom of the club handle. Most hockey players have a left grip. Finding it out is quite simple - practice with a mop or shovel. On the club, the position of the hands will be the same.

The ideal hockey stick is designed to match your height, weight and age. It is unlikely that a child will be comfortable playing with a long heavy instrument, just like an adult with a small one.

The hockey stick is the main weapon of hockey players. With a stick, players give dizzying passes, deliver accurate wrist throws and clicks on the goal incredible strength, the stick helps the players to celebrate the goals colorfully and with artistry, with the stick the players greet each other, knocking on the ice, and the fans, lifting it up.

Choosing the right stick will help a hockey player reach his potential, as well as be more effective and efficient on the ice.

Choosing a club should start with choosing a grip. The hockey stick can be held with a right or left grip. They will differ from each other by the side of the hook bend.

It is very simple to understand what grip is needed: when you hold the club with two hands, and the hook of the club is on the ice, floor or ground, and a more comfortable position of the hands, when the left is lower than the right, then your grip is left. Conversely, when it is more comfortable to hold the club so that right hand was lower - right grip.

Left hand below - left grip.

It is always worth remembering that any change in length (shortening / building up) affects the stiffness of the stick. The shorter, the harder and vice versa. On modern hockey sticks, it is often indicated on the top of the tube, how stiffness changes with length when shortened.

Hockey sticks in our catalog

Hockey stick type

Hockey sticks are of 2 types:

Composite

Made of two parts: handle and hook. This type of club is gradually becoming a thing of the past, since it no longer meets the requirements of hockey players for manufacturability. But at the same time it remains more budgetary, except for solid wooden clubs, since in case of breakage, the "tube" and the hook can be replaced separately from each other.

Whole

These are sticks with a non-separable one-piece construction. In modern one-piece clubs, various manufacturers employ a variety of technological solutions aimed at lightening, strength and, most importantly, club balance. All of the above applies to composite hockey sticks. There are also solid wooden sticks, which have practically left professional and amateur hockey, but remained in the "yard version" due to their low cost and immunity to frosty weather. The main disadvantage of one-piece clubs is that in the event of a breakdown, you need to change the entire club.

Materials used to make golf clubs:

Club balance

The higher the center of gravity on the handle, the better the overall balance. A low center of gravity indicates a heavy hook. This point is easy to find by balancing the club on your toe.

One-piece composite sticks are most popular with professional players as they are much lighter and have better balance and a more pronounced knee point.

Deflection point

The point of flex refers to the specific area where the stick flexes when thrown. This is the softest point on the club and can be positioned lower for faster bounces, or higher for maximum energy storage.

Depending on the deflection point of the club tube and the stiffness of the hook, clubs can be divided into:
- clubs that are more convenient to click,
- golf clubs that are more convenient to throw from brushes,
- universal sticks.

Below is a table to help you find the right golf club for your style of play:

Sag point and hook stiffness	Throw	Receive transmission
Low deflection point, rigid hook.	Get the most out of your shot thanks to quick bounce of the puck off the hook. Hand throws.	Facilitates strong passes and quick return of the puck off the hook.
Midpoint, soft hook.	Improves the effectiveness of clicks and wrist shots with medium amplitude. A universal option.	It makes it possible to react to any game situation.
High sag point, soft hook.	Maximizes the effectiveness of full-range clicks and wrist shots.	Helps the putter transfer energy to the hook for a powerful one-touch shot.

Another feature of the golf clubs that should be noted is their outdoor behavior in severe frost. Composite golf clubs lose their properties (stiffness, flex point), and some budget models of composite golf clubs become more fragile when used at low temperatures.

Wooden clubs, on the other hand, retain their properties, both outdoors and indoors.

The main differences between composite sticks and wooden ones:

Hook shape

Last but not least, what you need to decide on is the choice of the shape of the hockey stick's hook, which depends entirely on the individual playing preferences of the hockey player. The hook shape is characterized by the angle / position between the hook and the "stick", the bend area, the depth of the bend, the curvature of the plane, the shape of the toe and the length.

Angle between hook and stick

The angle between the plane of the hook and its handle is usually denoted by numbers from 4.5 to 7: the lower the number, the larger the angle. To choose the option you want, you need to skate to a hockey stance, this is when you stand on slightly bent legs and hold the golf club in a comfortable position with both hands, with the entire lower edge of the club hook touching the ice. A high angle allows the puck to move closer to the body, and usually the players move in a more upright position. A lower value allows the puck to move further away from you, in which case the players move slightly in a crouch.

Unlike golf, where expensive golf clubs are adorned with diamonds and exclusive leathers, in hockey everything is much simpler. The most expensive hockey stick is an ordinary piece of wood, just a very, very old piece.

In early 2009, a Canadian purchased a $ 3,000 hockey stick from an antique shop called Quebecer. He believed that this exhibit dates back to the 1600s and planned to sell it on eBay for $ 1 million US dollars. However, historians have questioned its authenticity. And they were right.

In fact, the oldest and most expensive is a hockey stick made in the 1850s - a few months before the first hockey game. This instance passed through the generations and found himself in the hands of a certain Gordon Sharpe.

When he ordered an appraisal of the golf club, he was very surprised to find out that its current value is in the order of $ 4,250,000.

At the moment it is kept in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.However, recently, there was an attempt to auction the hockey stick at the winter Olympic Games 2010, but not destiny is visible.

$ 4,250,000We do not know anything about the new owner of the most expensive golf club in the world, since he acts exclusively through agents. The owner himself has been thinking for several years about what to do with his purchase. He even wanted to auction the golf club at the Vancouver Winter Olympics, but found no buyers. Until smart thoughts come, I decided to leave it in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, where it is kept under glass and is one of the most popular exhibits. By the way, there is also the most expensive puck in the world, however, it will not work to play with it: it is intended only for contemplation and personifies the vanity of some hockey players. This washer was created in 1996 by the jewelers of Diamond Cutters International at the request of the management hockey team Houston. Washer made entirely of platinum and set with emeralds total weight 4 carats and diamonds with a total weight of 171 carats. It is valued at more than $ 1 million.