Stick Length for 5'9" son?

[missin44 0]

My son is in need of a new stick but we have a few problems. First, Our local rink closed for almost a year which prevented him from skating, it's just reopened. Second, a few months ago his stick was broken when a car backed over it. The stick was thrown away before we checked it's size. Third, there are zero places to buy hockey equipment in out area so we are relegated to buying online.

My question, my son is 5'9", 125 lb., skates well in local pickup games. 

Could someone give me an idea of a stick length that might be a good fit?

Thanks

[caveman27 208]

Most senior sticks are 60" in length. Since he is not a super tall player, any senior stick will work. Don't get intermediate or junior size. He can cut that down the 60" to his desired length.

 

 

[missin44 0]

54 minutes ago, caveman27 said:

Most senior sticks are 60" in length. Since he is not a super tall player, any senior stick will work. Don't get intermediate or junior size. He can cut that down the 60" to his desired length.

 

 

Thanks. A little confusing when factoring length vs. flex.

[Stewie 721]

actually, a intermediate stick may be perfect. I am 5'8" and still have to cut down intermediates a small amount, so an intermediate may be perfect, especially at 125 lbs. Id find a place with an intermediate stick and see if it stands roughly the length up to his nose without skates.

[IPv6Freely 2093]

I’d look at intermediates as well. I found an intermediate was the exact length I wanted so I was getting the flex stamped on the stick. I’m 5’8 so it was perfect for me. 

[shoot_the_goalie 281]

Stick length is based so much on preference.  I'm the same height, and my sticks are about mouth height when on skates.  I know others about same height who have it to their throat all the way up to their nose.  So it can be all over the place.  Throw in factors, such as lie, flex, playing style, position; it gets even more varied.

For your son, I would worry more about flex first, and go from there.  At 125lbs, unless he's really strong, he's gonna need a pretty low flex stick.  I concur with some of the other posters who said to check out intermediate sticks. You could also check out pro stocks as well.  I've seen senior pro stock sticks all the way down to 60-65 flex.  Retail senior sticks, the lowest you'll find is 70-77 flex, and at 5'-9", you'll probably end up cutting a few inches which will bump up the flex rating 3-7 flex (depending on brand).  Again, unless he's really strong, retail senior sticks will be too stiff.

[215BroadStBullies610 435]

6 minutes ago, shoot_the_goalie said:

Stick length is based so much on preference.  I'm the same height, and my sticks are about mouth height when on skates.  I know others about same height who have it to their throat all the way up to their nose.  So it can be all over the place.  Throw in factors, such as lie, flex, playing style, position; it gets even more varied.

For your son, I would worry more about flex first, and go from there.  At 125lbs, unless he's really strong, he's gonna need a pretty low flex stick.  I concur with some of the other posters who said to check out intermediate sticks. You could also check out pro stocks as well.  I've seen senior pro stock sticks all the way down to 60-65 flex.  Retail senior sticks, the lowest you'll find is 70-77 flex, and at 5'-9", you'll probably end up cutting a few inches which will bump up the flex rating 3-7 flex (depending on brand).  Again, unless he's really strong, retail senior sticks will be too stiff.

Was just about to type that. With the technology infused into sticks these days, the stick should work for you as much as possible. You see a lot of younger kids have senior sticks cut down to their respective height preferences but lose any flex benefits. Never really thought of it myself but it was something that I started realizing recently and was a topic of discussion during my Level 4 Coaching seminar earlier this spring. Flex should be the focus.

[IPv6Freely 2093]

For sure. But you gotta start somewhere when it comes to length to be able to develop preferences. Start with the nose without skates and adjust from there. That seems to be the general standard for length. 

[missin44 0]

Thanks all. So looking online i see some intermittent sticks in the 60-65 flex range which seems perfect for him, these sticks are generally the 60 flex = 55" to the 65 flex = 58.5" long based on the specs listed. Since the way you measure a hockey stick in hand is different then how a stick is actually measured by the manufacturer is where i am have trouble. If I cut the stick them the stick become stiffer and that perfect flex is now gone. True I can measure the his chin/node to floor but that doesn't correspond to the length listed by the manufacturer. 

I'm I missing something, or trying to put too fine a point on it? 

I tend to think that a 58" might only be just ever so slightly too long and 55" too short. If I were able to have sticks in hand and stand them in front of him it really wouldn't be an issue.

Edited August 5, 2019 by missin44

[IPv6Freely 2093]

Flex has nothing to do with length. Intermediate sticks should all be the same length.

[SirJW 207]

http://www.cuthockeysticks.com/

 

[Vet88 674]

3 hours ago, missin44 said:

 If I cut the stick them the stick become stiffer and that perfect flex is now gone.

No, this is a fallacy (unless you are cutting the stick to a ridiculous length). Stick manufacturers measure the flex across a set distance of the stick, depending on how much pressure it takes to deflect the stick 1" is it's flex rating. Cutting 1" off the top of the stick does not change it's flex rating BUT... what it does is reduce the amount of leverage you have to exert force on it therefore you need to exert more force to get the same amount of flex (semantics I know but this is important for the next point). However some manufacturers counter this, for example a few years ago CCM made sticks that they say you can chop the first 4" off and it will not impact on the force you need to exert to flex the stick the same amount. I don't know if that is still the case as I am no longer involved with gear.

[missin44 0]

Thanks all, learn something new everyday

[puckpilot 312]

To add to Vet88's point. Here's a video of a product designer from True hockey explaining the relationship between flex and length. 

 

 

[215BroadStBullies610 435]

On 8/5/2019 at 4:58 PM, IPv6Freely said:

For sure. But you gotta start somewhere when it comes to length to be able to develop preferences. Start with the nose without skates and adjust from there. That seems to be the general standard for length. 

No doubt. I just know that when I started hockey that height was always mentioned but rarely flex. Now, the first Easton Synergy came out 1-2 after I started playing hockey so flex, kick points, etc. were relatively unknown to normal folk like me. Since the OPS market is well established, those who new hockey players and/or parents go to for advice should highlight flex just as much (if not more) than height. At least that's how I see it ha.

[IPv6Freely 2093]

Agreed. Though my first stick when I went back to hockey after 20 years was a Bauer 100+ because I had no clue. I still can’t flex it!