Crazy stick experiment?

[aal 3]

I'd like to experiment with a really flexible stick; like a 50 or so. Would it work to take a junior stick and put in a long end plug, or would this just be a waste? I usually use intermediate sticks now, and the length uncut is good, with about a 70 - 75 flex. Or, are there any more flexible intermediate sticks. I think Warrior used to make intermediates in 60, but now they're in 70.

[fatwabbit 93]

Mission had some interemediates at 65. I think the Ion is selling on HG for a steal of a price... you might want to try that, but be wary that it might only take junior blades.

[starsfan71 9]

Easton intermideates are 65 and pretty flexy especially the s17 but if their is a chance of snapping it you probably don't want to shell out the cash.

[DEATHTRON 19]

There is such a thing as too much flex.

On another note, I had a guy that was 6'2ish 220 pounds come into my store one time when I was working at a LHS, and wanted to use an intermediate. His logic was that if he would catch a pass at the right split-second he could fire off shots "at-least 90mph". I just laughed...walked off...pretty sure his last name wasnt Hull.

Zach

[starsfan71 9]

What shop do you work at DEATHRON.

[DEATHTRON 19]

I DID work at FB...and years before that Frisco. Somedays I miss that job...most days I dont.

Zach

[firestud17 0]

bauer has the vapor xxxx stickum and the one95 stickum available in an intermediate 60 flex. limited availability and patterns though.

[Ahriman 1]

I skate with a big fat guy who put a 12" plug on an intermediate stick. A guy I would normally hand a 100+ flex to. He hasnt broken it yet, so yeah if thats what you want, go for it.

[DVX 0]

i had a TPS Response rubber in whip flex back in the day.

Dammit it was horrible, it would flex when taking a pass, flex like a bitch when making a pass, and nearly fold in half when i shot.

[DEATHTRON 19]

While large/heavier guys can use a whippy stick and get away with it, there is an inevitable point where a guy shot loses power, accuracy, and consistency from going to too much flex. Hell, Ive tried a 70 flex, I tried to get used to it, but my shots all lost velocity. Just something for the OP to think about. Doesnt necessarily sound like it wll be his problem.

Zach

[Joel12 0]

More stick flex does not equal more power. If this is just some silly stunt you want to try then by all means go ahead, but I think you will find the best results as far is power is concerned with a stiffer stick.

Like for instance, I'm about 150 lbs, and I recently tried a 100 flex stick from warrior because I got a good deal on it. That one was just a little too stiff for me, it wouldn't flex hardly at all, I wasn't strong enough for the stick and I wasn't getting the best shot I could. I tried to go back to my old stick, a 75 flex, and I couldn't get any power on it because it was too whippy for me. I just got an 85 flex stick that I think is going to do wonders for me, I'll keep you posted when I get it on the ice though.

Basically what I'm trying to say is that there is going to be an optimal flex for you, and unless you weigh 80-120 lbs, I don't think anything under 75 will be worth it for you. You want to get it just stiff enough so it bends a little and really rockets the puck off the stick after you bend it.

Think about hitting a tennis ball. If you hit it with a lunch tray or something that doesn't flex, the only power you are getting is from the strength of your own arms and the torque. If you hit it with some Under Armour stretched over a tennis racket (take the weave part out), you wont get any power on it either because the Under Armour will stretch too much and absorb the energy. If you hit that tennis ball with a regular old tennis racket, they make it just stiff enough to get the ball to bounce back with as much power as you put into it and then some more power from the flex of the netting and the ball. You kinda get the picture?

Just some things to think about.

[gxc999 7]

I'm only like 165-170, and I clearly lose slapshot strength on anything below 85 at this point. 95 is probably optimal for my slappers, 80-85 for wristers. If I use a total noodle now, my shots are garbage.

[sarmalidu 1]

People have to keep in mind technique affects this as well. If you are capable of flexing a stick a lot, you have to adjust if you go down in flex (i.e. flexing the stick even more). As the stick bends, it becomes effectively shorter. The opposite is true as well (when moving from lower flex to higher). I think sometimes people assume that because they initially do worse with one thing or another that it is worse. You really have to give a bit of time to adjust and give something a fair shot before you judge it. Just something to keep in mind. Moral of the story: give everything an honest try and use what works best.

Definitely try an intermediate out and see if it works. You can usually find good int shafts pretty cheap so it's worth trying out. You never know if you like it until you try it.

[HattrickSwayze 3]

I think 50 flex might be a bit extreme, but give it a shot and see if it works out. Just because whippier sticks don't work for some people, doesn't mean it won't work for you. Phil Kessel uses an intermediate stick (or so I've heard) and Brett Hull used as low as 60 flex sticks. Obviously it's a big personal preference thing, but just because 90% of people say to use stiffer doesn't mean you should. Ovechkin only uses an 85 and he's a solid 60 lbs more than me. I'm using a 75 right now, but considering going down to an intermediate. I've got a 70 flex Easton on the way, and if I like that I might get a One95 in 67. To be honest the int. One95 I held seemed stiffer than my Dolomite 75 flex.

[Chadd 916]

People have to keep in mind technique affects this as well.

I agree with this statement.

If you go to a significantly lighter flex, you have to have a smoother shooting motion. You can't just hammer your way through the shot, the stick won't allow it. You have to feel the stick load and release, without that kid of feel it is very hard to shoot with a much lighter flex.

[vitaminZ 0]

I think I should do the same thing but with 75-80 flex. I use 90-100 and dont flex the stick a whole lot. I have a feeling I will hate the "lag" though.

[HattrickSwayze 3]

If you like the feel of the whippier stick, you'll get over whatever lag there is. It can be noticeable, but it's not like it's a 1/2 second difference. I didn't really notice much of a difference between the 85+ flex sticks I used and the 75 I use now. It was more noticeable when I used a wood stick one time, but that might've had more to do with the wood stick having less taper to it.

[raygunpk 0]

People have to keep in mind technique affects this as well.

I agree with this statement.

If you go to a significantly lighter flex, you have to have a smoother shooting motion. You can't just hammer your way through the shot, the stick won't allow it. You have to feel the stick load and release, without that kid of feel it is very hard to shoot with a much lighter flex.

You're supposed to feel the stick load? Man I definitely need a lower flex.

[Chadd 916]

People have to keep in mind technique affects this as well.

I agree with this statement.

If you go to a significantly lighter flex, you have to have a smoother shooting motion. You can't just hammer your way through the shot, the stick won't allow it. You have to feel the stick load and release, without that kid of feel it is very hard to shoot with a much lighter flex.

You're supposed to feel the stick load? Man I definitely need a lower flex.

I do and I can't imagine trying to shoot without feeling the stick bend. Sometimes I focus on that too much and lose a little accuracy because of it.

[JohnnyCanuck 0]

I tried using an 85 and couldn't do it. I'm used to a 100 or a 110. I don't have the strongest or most accurate shot in the world but my shots were not only slower and softer with the 85, they were way less accurate.

-with the 85 I felt way "ahead" of the shot, and even tried "feeling" the stick load up and to no avail, tried changing my "swing speed" on slap shots and "sweep or snap speed" with wrist shots and nothing could get me comfy with it, gave it to a friend.

I guess everyone is different.