How important is flex?

[Michael9 57]

How important is the sticks flex rating. I seem to be someone that will use any flex, out of the sticks I have now, they range from, 85, 87, reguler, 100, 102, stiff, 110. For sure there is probabley a certain flex that would benifit my shot, but I don't seem to see much difference between sticks. Out of the sticks the ones that i perfer are the 85 flex Synergy SE and the 102 flex One90 and the one I like the least is a Tps Xn10. I find im the same for curves, i can get used to pretty much any one within a fe dozen shots.

[K9 Unit 1]

personal preference, and you obviously don't have one...but a lower flex is better for the wristers and higher flex are better for the slappers, so which do you use more in your game?

i use 80ish...since i mainly take wristers but i don't like it THAT whippy, and i'm not that big/strong

oh ye forgot to mention, some people just can't shoot wristers with a whippy stick or vice versa, same with slappers, so its really up to what you choose and how you feel it performs

[Michael9 57]

I use snappers all the time and the odd wrister and never slap shots. I have a S17 100 flex and I can do awesome snappers with it, but I'm scared shitless everytime i wind up for a slap shot or a one timer that the thing is going to explode in my hands.

[Brian Harte 1]

It's all up to you.

I used to be the same way. Get a stick. play until it broke, get a new one. Didn't matter what it was, as long as I got back to the rink.

[K9 Unit 1]

I use snappers all the time and the odd wrister and never slap shots. I have a S17 100 flex and I can do awesome snappers with it, but I'm scared shitless everytime i wind up for a slap shot or a one timer that the thing is going to explode in my hands.

i think thats fine...maybe a little stiffer but your there by the sounds of it...have you noticed any drops in performance say in a 85 flex or a 110 flex?

[Michael9 57]

Im 6'1" and 200lbs. The lower flex defentley gives a better kick on the snappers but I always feel like Im holding a pool noddle. The stiffer sticks don't shot as well, but I find them better for passing and puck control. I guess it's kinda a wash.

[Chadd 916]

I use snappers all the time and the odd wrister and never slap shots. I have a S17 100 flex and I can do awesome snappers with it, but I'm scared shitless everytime i wind up for a slap shot or a one timer that the thing is going to explode in my hands.

Slow down you hands a bit, take less ice and let the stick do some of the work and you won't break sticks on slappers. I've broken goalie jocks and helmets and almost never use anything 100 flex or stiffer.

As far as the best flex for someone. I usually suggest a flex that will bend on a wrist shot and learn to take slappers with that flex.

[vek 0]

To be honest, I've used sticks from 85 to 110, and they all haven't made any real difference in my shot.

The lie of the stick is a much bigger consideration, at least for me. I wish the manufacturers would pay as much attention to their lie specs as they do the flex.

[aarondevera 0]

I find that I can't get my shot off as quickly if the stick's too whippy. I'm used to using sticks around the 105-110 range (I usually use 100 flexes cut down a couple inches, depending on stock length), but anything going under the 85-90 range feels like a noodle in my hands. I have no problems leaning into a stiff stick, since I weigh in at about 205. I use my weight and my whole body when I shoot, not just my wrists and arms. I also find it harder to backhand accurately with a whippier stick.

[n3ss 0]

My One95 shaft is cut to 96 flex and i think i'm loving it for wristers. Same with my 9kO @ 85 flex.

slapshots i can't seem to get right with the One95 but i havn't had much practice with either.

[Chadd 916]

To be honest, I've used sticks from 85 to 110, and they all haven't made any real difference in my shot.

The lie of the stick is a much bigger consideration, at least for me. I wish the manufacturers would pay as much attention to their lie specs as they do the flex.

Lie is the single most important factor in a stick as far as I'm concerned.

[sfael 0]

To be honest, I've used sticks from 85 to 110, and they all haven't made any real difference in my shot.

The lie of the stick is a much bigger consideration, at least for me. I wish the manufacturers would pay as much attention to their lie specs as they do the flex.

Lie is the single most important factor in a stick as far as I'm concerned.

Where would you rank everything else? ie. flex, curve, etc.

[aarondevera 0]

I'd probably go:

1. Curve

2. Lie/Shaft Length

3. Flex

4. Grip/Feel

5. Tape (if we're trying to consider all factors here, :D)

[Chadd 916]

To be honest, I've used sticks from 85 to 110, and they all haven't made any real difference in my shot.

The lie of the stick is a much bigger consideration, at least for me. I wish the manufacturers would pay as much attention to their lie specs as they do the flex.

Lie is the single most important factor in a stick as far as I'm concerned.

Where would you rank everything else? ie. flex, curve, etc.

There is a topic on this somewhere.

Lie and length is one factor to me. The correct lie for me will depend on the length of the stick. A slightly sub 5 lie at my preferred length is perfect.

I can shoot with a noodle or a piece of steel, the funny thing is my wrister is hampered less by a stiff stick than my slapper is, as I can just speed up my hands and use the leverage as opposed to the shaft flex. With a very stiff shaft, my slappers flat out suck. No elevation and not nearly as much speed as my preferred flex. I prefer to feel the stick load and release when I shoot. With a stiff stick, you're just shooting and hoping it loads and releases. The sweet spot for me is right around a 90-95 flex.

While I have my curve preference, any curve type with the right lie is just fine. The stiffer the stick, the bigger the curve or the more loft I want on the blade to make up for the loss of kick from the stick. In an 85 or lower flex shaft I want something fairly flat, almost like Crosby's pro curve with just a bit more loft.

[Machinehead2k5 32]

I'm 5'9'' 220lbs. Mostly beer gut though. I use a 70 flex Warrior Syko, 65 Flex Easton Ultra Light, and a 50 flex Easton Z Bubble which I've used the past 6 seasons (3.5yrs).

I rarely shoot slaphots, more of a wrister/snapshot person. I have never broke my 50flex stick, however I've snapped 85 flex MacDaddy and a 100 flex S17.

[DEATHTRON 19]

Use the old addage of halfing your weight, and going from there. Remember...the majority of the NHL uses 85 flex. I use a 75 flex myself, which is closest to my weight/2. Focus on your wrister getting some flex from the shaft, THEN focus on your slapper. You will have to get quite a few shots in to make the adjustsments, but in the end it will be work it.

Your stick should be doing alot of the "leg" work, not your shoulders/wrists.

Zach

[Patrick67 1]

DEATHRON: I'm pretty sure the most used flex in the NHL is 95flex.

The is an old topic somewhere on this board with a graph of the most used flexes.

[Rocketking 0]

Flex is everything for me.

Without it (allot of it) I feel like I'm playing with a telephone pole.

I have to say that it seem quite a bit more complicate with the modern composite sticks than with the old woodies (taper, non-taper, type of comp material, etc).

I love the XN-10 whip shaft. The old one I've for many years is still what I use today, although I've had to put new blades into it.

[Ray 0]

I can't get used to the feeling of the stick flexing. I go with 110+. I prefer a little less velocity for the feeling of control I guess. I'm 5'11" and about 240 lbs.

[Machinehead2k5 32]

<----- my stick flexing on a wrister.

[adam14 182]

No leg lift!?!?!?

[ndlancer95 0]

<----- my stick flexing on a wrister.

Ok. You use a 70, 65, and a 50 flex stick at 5;9", 220. Those flexes are usually junior sticks. Do you use like a 1 foot plug or something?

[IniNew 53]

<----- my stick flexing on a wrister.

Ok. You use a 70, 65, and a 50 flex stick at 5;9", 220. Those flexes are usually junior sticks. Do you use like a 1 foot plug or something?

Could be using an Int. Those are only 3-5 inches shorter than standard Senior sticks.

[ndlancer95 0]

<----- my stick flexing on a wrister.

Ok. You use a 70, 65, and a 50 flex stick at 5;9", 220. Those flexes are usually junior sticks. Do you use like a 1 foot plug or something?

Could be using an Int. Those are only 3-5 inches shorter than standard Senior sticks.

yeah, IK that, but a 50 flex is a definate Jr only flex.

[IniNew 53]

<----- my stick flexing on a wrister.

Ok. You use a 70, 65, and a 50 flex stick at 5;9", 220. Those flexes are usually junior sticks. Do you use like a 1 foot plug or something?

Could be using an Int. Those are only 3-5 inches shorter than standard Senior sticks.

yeah, IK that, but a 50 flex is a definate Jr only flex.

Yeah, but the other two you listed are in the Int range of 67.