Preferance On Stiff Flex

[Action Jackson 0]

I went from 90 to 87 to 75 flex. Slapshots were great with the stiffer sticks, but wristshots and snapshots suffered, and since I almost never have time to take a slapshot I decided to move down in flex.

I used to swear by the 75-80 flex range sticks. As I started working out more and got in better shape when I leaned into my shots with the 75's the extreme amounts of whip just felt off. I completely agree with you on the snap/wrister suffering, but slappers are just rockets with a stiffer shaft. I find i can get good zip on a snapper if I really load the heck out of the stick. Just a little give and take I guess.

[Jarick 5]

I wanna try a 65 flex just to see what the result is LOL. I'm 6'1 - 300lbs :)

BTW is that an 03-04 Cobra in your avatar? It's pretty small, cant tell.

It's my old BMW 330xi that I miss dearly. Dreamed of getting the car for years, finally got her, and it was just a whirlwind of repairs culminating in replacing the transmission. Sold it to get an SUV for hockey gear and the new baby, and that new vehicle is a whirlwind of repair costs as well. Should have kept the Bimmer.

[Secti0n31 0]

If you're breaking a stick because you're flexing it too far, the stick isn't the problem.

I've seen doofuses break 90+ flex sticks by trying to flex them to the ground, but I've also seen similar doofuses that bent int and JR sticks a good 50-60 degrees, and the youngsters that owned those super-flexy sticks were able to play with them for months, and as far as I know they held onto them until they outgrew them.

I don't have half the experience of some people here on MSH, but I've also never seen anyone break the shaft of a stick on a wrister during a game. I have seen shafts fold in half after botched slapshots tho.

[phonak 0]

I used to swear by the 75-80 flex range sticks. As I started working out more and got in better shape when I leaned into my shots with the 75's the extreme amounts of whip just felt off. I completely agree with you on the snap/wrister suffering, but slappers are just rockets with a stiffer shaft. I find i can get good zip on a snapper if I really load the heck out of the stick. Just a little give and take I guess.

Its not so much I don't have the power to use a higher flex stick at 6', 190lbs. It's my technique that sucks on wristers/snappers.

[Action Jackson 0]

Its not so much I don't have the power to use a higher flex stick at 6', 190lbs. It's my technique that sucks on wristers/snappers.

I was the exact oposite. I usually had a good motion on a quick release shot, but my slapper was awful. Once I started practicing my slapper more I felt more comfortable with the stiffer shaft when taking them. Ive been practicing loading the stiffer shafts on a snap shot so I can continue to use a stiffer shaft and still be able to get some zip on wristers/snap shots. Its a work in progress to say the least lol.

[tareatingrat 4]

I use 100 flex sticks, but I wouldn't say my technique is any good. I personally just like the feel of them better, and I think I just have the body type that works well with a stiff stick. I'm 6'1", but my legs are short and huge, so I'm almost always hunched over and leaning into my stick anyways ;), and I usually fall between 210-230lbs.

I rarely take slappers because I have an awful technique, but if I get a good wrister off, it's pretty damned quick.

One of the nice things, from my experience, with a stiff stick is that if you can power through your shots (using the wrong technique), you can fool goalies a lot. Sometimes I'll get a shot off on the wrong leg and barely move my lower body, but because I didn't get set to shoot and didn't really load the stick, the goalie didn't know it was coming. Kind of an off balance snapper or wrister. When I've tried with a lower flex, the lag usually throws me off.

Granted, that won't get you a powerful shot, but I find the tricky release can make up for it. Maybe that's all in my head, but I've sniped a few that way.

I have gone down to 85 flexes before, and while I haven't used one for quite some time, I do remember it was a little easier to get a faster shot off with one, provided I was in a situation where I could take a halfway decent shot.

However, for my style of play and the shots I normally take, I find a 100 flex more comfortable overall. Although, i think my S19 100 flex is cut from stock just a little, so it's not quite a true 100 and is probably closer to 90-95, and it's been my favourite stick so far.

I used a 77 flex Bauer for a couple of games, but noticed it was way too whippy for my. Too much lag and stickhandling was pathetic. Sold that one quick.

[gxc999 7]

If you're breaking a stick because you're flexing it too far, the stick isn't the problem.

Hey, it's not my fault, you've gotta test out an unmarked pro stock eh? One 85 I snapped on a snapper in my shooting gallery. I really leaned all my weight into it and it gave way. I fell to my hands, it was funny in a way.

[Action Jackson 0]

Little off topic, but I read today on a Sports Illustrated article on Steven Stamkos that he uses a 95 flex. I was a little shocked to see someone with a great wrister(best in nhl imo) with a shaft that stiff.

[twistoffate19 0]

Look at Alex Semin. He has one of (if not) the best wrist shots in the league and the Semin One95 I bought from TSR a year or so ago was marked 107 flex.

[caldakid 0]

P.Kane uses 107

[sickwilly 37]

The Malkin Pro Stock One90 I have is also a 107.

[Action Jackson 0]

The Malkin Pro Stock One90 I have is also a 107.

Does Geno have a good Snap/Wrister? Its been so long since I've watched a game with him scoring that i cant remember. I know Kane has a good one and Semin is sick. I was just impressed that Stamer and Semin used stiffer shafts and still have a wicked wrister.

[RichardsIsTheMan 0]

On some occasions the flex of the stick will affect puckhandling as well, depending on how strong or big you are. Mostly, it'll affect your size. It's all about which flex you get a better shot off with, especially your slapshot since that is the shot you'll be utilizing your flex with anyway.

[adam14 182]

they all also use relatively longer sticks, keep that in mind. look how far apart semins hands are when he takes a wrist shot.

[sickwilly 37]

Does Geno have a good Snap/Wrister? Its been so long since I've watched a game with him scoring that i cant remember. I know Kane has a good one and Semin is sick. I was just impressed that Stamer and Semin used stiffer shafts and still have a wicked wrister.

I thought he did. Then again, I haven't watched the Pens in a while. Those guys are all immensely talented, strong as hell and well-trained. With the pros' technique, conditioning and strength, I'd imagine that loading a stiff shaft is a snap.

When I was using that 107 flex Malin, the thing that was throwing my wrister off was the banana hook, not the flex. I only parked it because of the accuracy issue.

[Scotty 8]

Does Geno have a good Snap/Wrister? Its been so long since I've watched a game with him scoring that i cant remember. I know Kane has a good one and Semin is sick. I was just impressed that Stamer and Semin used stiffer shafts and still have a wicked wrister.

There's nothing to say that a whippier stick or a stiffer one is necessary for good shots. Hull had a killer with 65 flex and Semin has perhaps one of the best wristers ever with a 107-112. It's all in technique, timing, and practice.

I have a great wrister that I've developed over almost 15 years. It was good with a 95 flex Easton Cyclone (that feels to be much stiffer as they all did, probably 105), and also with a 77 flex One95 shaft once you get used to it and change up your technique.

[Action Jackson 0]

they all also use relatively longer sticks, keep that in mind. look how far apart semins hands are when he takes a wrist shot.

Ive read the ony person with a shorter stick on the pens is crosby. Malkin from what I have seen uses a really short stick for his 6'3" frame.

[Secti0n31 0]

There's nothing to say that a whippier stick or a stiffer one is necessary for good shots. Hull had a killer with 65 flex and Semin has perhaps one of the best wristers ever with a 107-112. It's all in technique, timing, and practice.

I can fire a wicked wrister from the point with a 90+ flex, heavy-a$$ woody cut down 6" just as easily as a 70 flex composite or 2-piece cut to the same length. I just 'like' the flex. I like to feel the loading of a shot, and I like the extra launch I get on my mediocre slapshot with more flex in the stick. I can't explain it.

I used to use a Koho that must have been 130 flex and my teammates all thought I was crazy. I didn't know any better, My shot was still good, it was very light and it was cheap. When I started to learn about flex in 2-piece sticks I went softer and it felt so much better. I've never bought a stiff composite or shaft after using a whippy stick.

[mug25 2]

Little off topic, but I read today on a Sports Illustrated article on Steven Stamkos that he uses a 95 flex. I was a little shocked to see someone with a great wrister(best in nhl imo) with a shaft that stiff.

You consider 95 to be stiff ?

[Action Jackson 0]

You consider 95 to be stiff ?

[/quote

Really Stiff..NO. But its no whip flex either. Just thought he'd use something softer, thats all.

[SolarWind 23]

this is an old topic but is about something that's been bugging me for a while so here it goes:

there're lots of opinions here and the flex selection seems to be a purely personal preference thing with a lot of variables involved: technique, strength, types of shots tapen etc

depending on how much sticks are cut it affects it as well since the progression isn't linear for most sticks.

having all that said with all things being equal is there any way to predict which flex would work better for a player other then simply trying them all?

from my personal experience softer flex over time seems to lead to form problems: it's more forgiving in terms of loading, and often can be loaded with just hands which of course slowly turns into a habit...

[splitbtw 2]

I had an 85 flex cut down to 90 that would let me rip them. Then I used 75, 85, 90, 110, and so on until the decrease is slap shot power didnt overcome snap/wrist shot power at around 81. Now, everything works, I just bottom-hand lower on lower flexes and everything works.

[elpresidente99 1]

I had the luck to get a bunch of sticks about 40 in various flexes from a friends which is a pro. They all not my curve but i could test which flex is the best for me. Im 200lbs and 5'11" tall. I have a very good technique on shoots but i noticed that in pratices i'm used to the 102 flex because in practices i have time and control to load the stick. In games where i have to handle very quick the 87 suits better.

[hockeymass 11]

I had the luck to get a bunch of sticks about 40 in various flexes from a friends which is a pro. They all not my curve but i could test which flex is the best for me. Im 200lbs and 5'11" tall. I have a very good technique on shoots but i noticed that in pratices i'm used to the 102 flex because in practices i have time and control to load the stick. In games where i have to handle very quick the 87 suits better.

O.o can I have some?

I prefer a whippier flex. Normally just wristers and snappers, my slapper is pretty bad. Stick I have right now is an 85. I tried a 110 years ago and it was like playing hockey with a steel beam.

[Andoy 5]

Personal preference. It aint the tool...