Are you looking to buy a new hockey stick and wondering how much to spend to get the right hockey stick for your level of play?
Hockey sticks cost between $30-$300 depending on the quality and design. Wood sticks are the cheapest, followed be composite and then carbon fiber sticks which are lighter and offer more powerful flex when shooting on net. You’ll benefit more from a more expensive hockey stick the better you are at the game.
Budget Hockey Sticks
If you’re new to hockey and just starting out then look for a budget hockey stick below $60. These sticks are typically heavier and won’t have any advanced features – but they will be perfect for learning stickhandling and shot technique.
Another major benefit to learning with a budget stick is that you won’t need to invest as much before you decide how much of your time and life you want to commit to the game.
Budget sticks are typically made from wood or in some cases are a composite of fiberglass or are a discounted model from the previous seasons.
Key Characteristics
Budget hockey sticks share these common characteristics:
- Priced under $80
- Made of wood or low-end composite and resin
- Two-piece where the blade is fused to the shaft
- Limited flex range and ‘pop’
Mid-Range Hockey Sticks
Over time you as you develop as a player you can upgrade and move towards lighter more expensive sticks – you’ll appreciate the weight saving and the enhanced feel of the puck.
Mid-range hockey sticks suit most hockey players who have been playing for years and who benefit from the better pop and whip that you get with these sticks.
Mid-range sticks are lighter and made from materials that offer a player to stickhandle better and take faster and more powerful shots. The stick alone won’t magically make you a better player – but combining good technique with a good mid-range stick will improve your game and make you a more competitive player.
A lighter stick helps you poke check faster, win puck buttle and take faster, snappier shots on goal when you’re inside the blue line.
Mid-range sticks come in a greater variety of flex and are made from varying mixes of composite and resin. Durability does suffer and this mid-range stick can be more prone to breaks and knocks and made need replacing more often if you play regularly or with a high intensity of play.
Key Characteristics
Mid-end hockey sticks share these common characteristics:
- Priced between $100-200
- Made of composite and resin
- Lighter than budget options
- Two-piece fused blade and shaft
- Better ‘pop’ and whip
- Greater range of flex
- Less durable
Top-End Hockey Sticks
These are the most expensive hockey sticks that are the lightest and packed with the most advanced features.
These sticks are for experienced players looking for the vital competitive edge in their game or intermediate players who want the best equipment.
High-end hockey sticks have the best pop and are made with more care and higher quality composite materials. They’re the lightest sticks on the market and are one-piece which means they less energy and strength is required to pass and handle the puck.
This translates to quicker hands, harder shots and less fatigue throughout the game.
Key Characteristics
High-end hockey sticks share these common characteristics:
- $200 and over
- One-piece and lightweight
- Well-balanced
- Plenty of pop and whip
- Less energy used to stickhandle and shoot
- More balanced blade
- Less prone to break
Cheap vs Expensive Hockey Sticks
The more you pay the lighter your stick and the more features it is likely to have. More expensive sticks are not however more durable and are more prone to chips and breakages.
While price doesn’t always correlate with quality – in most cases it does lead to a ‘better’ stick in terms of pop and energy transfer.
What stick is right for you?
Choosing the right hockey stick can be a minefield for some. There is a massive choice of sticks from top brands like CCM and Bauer to smaller brands offering unique blade curves and materials.
Here are my simple guidelines for choosing the level of stick for you:
- If you’re brand new to hockey choose a budget or low-end stick under $60-80.
- If you’ve played hockey regularly choose a mid-range stick over $80.
For most players, a mid-range stick will be the perfect balance between price and features.
Best Time To Buy
to save money when buying a new stick it’s a great time to buy at the end of the hockey season when brands are looking to shift the rest of this years hockey stock.