Do sticks with higher flex break easier?

[HowToHockey]

I was wondering if anyone has looked into this one, I was doing some google searching but did not come up with any great answers. I thought I would open it up for discussion.

Say a strong player is breaking a lot of sticks at 95 flex, and takes a lot of slapshots. Would he be wiser to move up to a 105 flex, or down to an 85 flex?

 

[Gunnar Stahl 30]

if a player is breaking sticks because he is too strong then he should probably get a stiffer stick over a whippier stickk id think

 

[Harv]

Generally, the stronger you are, the stiffer the stick you want. A 6'4'' 240lb Dman will snap 85flex sticks all day.

Now keep in mind it all comes down to what the player wants. Ovechkin uses a crazy low flex even tho he is a very strong man. Then again he's not paying for those sticks.

 

[thedonger]

I was wondering if anyone has looked into this one, I was doing some google searching but did not come up with any great answers. I thought I would open it up for discussion.

Say a strong player is breaking a lot of sticks at 95 flex, and takes a lot of slapshots. Would he be wiser to move up to a 105 flex, or down to an 85 flex?

one would think that lower flex sticks would be a bit more brittle since the walls are usually a bit thinner than the higher flex variations of the same model.

 

[Hockeyfan68]

I was wondering if anyone has looked into this one, I was doing some google searching but did not come up with any great answers. I thought I would open it up for discussion.

Say a strong player is breaking a lot of sticks at 95 flex, and takes a lot of slapshots. Would he be wiser to move up to a 105 flex, or down to an 85 flex?

I'm 6ft 4in and 240-245 lbs and use a 100 flex, anything less than that is too whippy. I fiorst tried out Bauer One55 shafts ... not really a good example because they are thick shafts and not very light but the first two composites I tried to see if I would like them were shafts with pro-stock blades in them.

I have posted about it in here before and hate to repeat but to refresh I shoot really hard slapshots even now at almost 42 years old. I rarely if ever have broken ANY sticks in my life time as far as the shafts go. I used wood for 35 years or so and then wood or aluminum shafts (never folded any of those over [warped a couple of them though] either or launched any boomerangs from broken wood blades) and then now 2 piece composites which I started using in December of late 2008 .... the Bauer One55 shafts. After about a month and a half I switched to Harrow shafts, the 300 series at 100 Flex. The bauer One55 shafts are too heavy honestly but durable.

I should be using a 115 or 120 Flex and hope to try Harrow's new ones someone in here informed me of in a thread that are coming soon.

BUT to answer your request for opinions the One55 shafts are an 87 flex and way too whippy for me. I have taken many slapshots with them outdoors mainly for practice and nothing happened to them. I still have them and they are still intact except for a dent in the shaft from getting hit with a puck from someone else's slapshot or I was slashed or something. It was something I noticed after I got home.

I know for a fact I shoot very hard and I have not broken any shafts. I broke a couple of woodies taking faceoffs before on the backhand and the shaft fell apart splintering in half. I have had people step on my wooden blades and broke them but not from shooting.

My sticks that were wood always were destroyed with puck pocket in the blade from shooting pucks. never had shaft issues ever with any type of sticks.

Cheap plywood shafts break for anyone and I have broken those before when I was younger and poorer and could only afford cheapies for a stretch.

So we have my taking slapshots with an 87 flex cheaper composite shaft with no breakage, the One55 shafts. Also Harrow 300 series 100 flex shafts, no breakage with those either.

I have broken 2 composite blades in about 14 to 15 months, one blade broke catching a one timer too far on the toe on a wobbly knuckle pass puck and the other broke blocking a slapshot ... it was cracked and I used it for about another 2 months before it broke one timing a snapshot redirect type shot. I was surpised by how rugged the blade was still even after cracking. I used that blade from last April until about a month ago almost.

Now this being said the most common problem for teens and short players and sticks breaking are when the stick is cut too short for the flex rating. For example some guy cutting quite a few inches off a stick that already had a high flex rating because he did not know any better and ending up with a 120 flex for a 5ft 8in 140lb teen.

The blades on a two piece break off at the hosel joint because of that. The stick cannot absorb the shock and torque properly and it breaks easily.

Poor mechanics will break sticks much in the same way catching a baseball too high on the end of a bat in baseball will shatter a bat. I really believe this applies to hockey sticks whether they are wood or composite.

I mean I definitely shoot hard enough to snap sticks and I do not yet see some guys break them easily and am guessing they are not getting the sweet spot properly.

I think most stick breakages happen from the shaft getting whacked, blocking shots, getting mad and slapping the stick on the ice with a two hander etc.

It weakens a spot and then breaks later when someone is just recieving a pass. Basically I am saying if one has good mechanics and are using the correct flex that they should not break many sticks under normal use.

Well there is my long winded opinion on the matter lol.

 

[noobman]

I'm 6'2 ~190lb and I sometimes fear that my 85 flex stick is going to snap. I never had that problem with a 100 flex stick.

 

[Jarick]

I have heard it both ways, and it depends on how you're breaking sticks.

Some people say a stiffer stick doesn't have as much give, so when you flex it too much it will snap. A whippier stick will bow out more like a wet noodle.

Others say a whippier stick weakens as it gets flexed enough and that will cause it to break. A stiffer stick will not be stressed as much.

How much ice are you hitting before the puck? If you're hitting it a foot before the puck, you could be loading the stick too much and causing it to break. The general recommendation would be to try a slightly stiffer stick and hit the ice a few inches behind the puck.

 

[StrykerB]

As a general rule, stiffer sticks tend to be stronger. Aside from type of construction and use of carbon fibre, glass, tapes, aramid, etc. used to manufacture, more material is typically needed to create a stiffer flex stick. Hence more material=stronger stick.

Again, this is a very general rule. Quality and impact protection from each manufacturer can vary quite a bit, which skews this whole theory.

 

[MJAYK]

I'm 6ft 4in and 240-245 lbs and use a 100 flex, anything less than that is too whippy. I fiorst tried out Bauer One55 shafts ... not really a good example because they are thick shafts and not very light but the first two composites I tried to see if I would like them were shafts with pro-stock blades in them.

I have posted about it in here before and hate to repeat but to refresh I shoot really hard slapshots even now at almost 42 years old. I rarely if ever have broken ANY sticks in my life time as far as the shafts go. I used wood for 35 years or so and then wood or aluminum shafts (never folded any of those over [warped a couple of them though] either or launched any boomerangs from broken wood blades) and then now 2 piece composites which I started using in December of late 2008 .... the Bauer One55 shafts. After about a month and a half I switched to Harrow shafts, the 300 series at 100 Flex. The bauer One55 shafts are too heavy honestly but durable.

I should be using a 115 or 120 Flex and hope to try Harrow's new ones someone in here informed me of in a thread that are coming soon.

BUT to answer your request for opinions the One55 shafts are an 87 flex and way too whippy for me. I have taken many slapshots with them outdoors mainly for practice and nothing happened to them. I still have them and they are still intact except for a dent in the shaft from getting hit with a puck from someone else's slapshot or I was slashed or something. It was something I noticed after I got home.

I know for a fact I shoot very hard and I have not broken any shafts. I broke a couple of woodies taking faceoffs before on the backhand and the shaft fell apart splintering in half. I have had people step on my wooden blades and broke them but not from shooting.

My sticks that were wood always were destroyed with puck pocket in the blade from shooting pucks. never had shaft issues ever with any type of sticks.

Cheap plywood shafts break for anyone and I have broken those before when I was younger and poorer and could only afford cheapies for a stretch.

So we have my taking slapshots with an 87 flex cheaper composite shaft with no breakage, the One55 shafts. Also Harrow 300 series 100 flex shafts, no breakage with those either.

I have broken 2 composite blades in about 14 to 15 months, one blade broke catching a one timer too far on the toe on a wobbly knuckle pass puck and the other broke blocking a slapshot ... it was cracked and I used it for about another 2 months before it broke one timing a snapshot redirect type shot. I was surpised by how rugged the blade was still even after cracking. I used that blade from last April until about a month ago almost.

Now this being said the most common problem for teens and short players and sticks breaking are when the stick is cut too short for the flex rating. For example some guy cutting quite a few inches off a stick that already had a high flex rating because he did not know any better and ending up with a 120 flex for a 5ft 8in 140lb teen.

The blades on a two piece break off at the hosel joint because of that. The stick cannot absorb the shock and torque properly and it breaks easily.

Poor mechanics will break sticks much in the same way catching a baseball too high on the end of a bat in baseball will shatter a bat. I really believe this applies to hockey sticks whether they are wood or composite.

I mean I definitely shoot hard enough to snap sticks and I do not yet see some guys break them easily and am guessing they are not getting the sweet spot properly.

I think most stick breakages happen from the shaft getting whacked, blocking shots, getting mad and slapping the stick on the ice with a two hander etc.

It weakens a spot and then breaks later when someone is just recieving a pass. Basically I am saying if one has good mechanics and are using the correct flex that they should not break many sticks under normal use.

Well there is my long winded opinion on the matter lol.

 

[Socastee09]

I'm 5'-11" 145lbs, and using 85 flex u+, and a 100 flex s11. the u+ is whippier obviously but i have noticed with the s11 that the extra force to take a slap shot has taken a tole on it and is wearing faster than the u+. but if the flex is higher i believe the stick would be less prone to breaking due to the extra stiffness of the stick making it less flexible for it to even break....

 

[Hockeyfan68]

Yes really.

 

[IniNew]

Yes really.

I do believe he is referring to you saying "I don't like to repeat it but..." and you still managed to get in 3 times in one post. You don't have any ego do you?

 

[blueberrydanish]

I do believe he is referring to you saying "I don't like to repeat it but..." and you still managed to get in 3 times in one post. You don't have any ego do you?

This thread is not about that keep it on topic folks.

 

[Hockeyfan68]

This thread is not about that keep it on topic folks.

Your avatar looks delicious.

 

[Hockeyfan68]

I do believe he is referring to you saying "I don't like to repeat it but..." and you still managed to get in 3 times in one post. You don't have any ego do you?

 

[HowToHockey]

Thanks for all the feedback guys, it is nice to get different views from a lot of players.

 

[TBLfan]

It was mentioned earlier that shafts that are a lower flex have thinner walls... That is false.

It depends on how you are breaking the sticks. A stick that flexes beyond it's range of flexing is going to break, stiff or whippy... But a stick that can flex more can generally absorb more impact before breaking.

Really, if you want durability... Changing the model of stick is a much better idea rather than changing flex. Some sticks are made to be more durable... There is a reason the Easton ST and Ultralite shaft(now the ST shaft) have been around for soo long.

 

[noobman]

Hockeyfan68 posted some videos of him shooting in his backyard a while back.

First off the guy's a tank and I'd be afraid if he ever lined me up... and secondly he's got a pretty hard shot. I wouldn't call it NHL-calibre hard but it's a pretty hard shot nonetheless.

 

[nyr33]

Hockeyfan68 posted some videos of him shooting in his backyard a while back.

First off the guy's a tank and I'd be afraid if he ever lined me up... and secondly he's got a pretty hard shot. I wouldn't call it NHL-calibre hard but it's a pretty hard shot nonetheless.

I dont think anyone cares or is saying that he doesn't have a hard shot. Just saying he may or may not have an ego, which is fine. He is a hockey player

Anyway, i have not noticed any difference of durability between two different flex sticks.

 

[Hockeyfan68]

Hockeyfan68 posted some videos of him shooting in his backyard a while back.

First off the guy's a tank and I'd be afraid if he ever lined me up... and secondly he's got a pretty hard shot. I wouldn't call it NHL-calibre hard but it's a pretty hard shot nonetheless.

I need to make a new video because my torn bicep was still healing in that video and it was the first day shooting pucks 4 weeks after it had happened. It felt "twingey" until another 2-3 weeks or so after that video was made.

I can shoot as hard as usual now and should make another video. I posted that video in combination while mentioning that I was not shooting as hard as I can in it is my point. It was posted in my injury thread first and is all I have for a shooting video at the moment so it surfaced in other threads.

Thanks for the compliment on it but the shot in the video was subpar to what I can really shoot.

Yeah I have an ego about it, when you play with players who are very good and they tell you at a game or during warmup it is good with a verbal whoo or man I wish I could do that .... well you feel good about it. There is nothing like the drug of putting one in off the pipe with a high pitched "PING" and knowing how hard it just was. Many times I have seen people start to shoot their slapper after I shoot a couple to see how it compares like I started a competition by accident.

I have broken many plexiglas panels over the years with it and I can back up any claim I am making here about it. I just have that as a gift and could shoot them when I was little too. At almost 42 years old I may have a little bit of it but it still goes pretty good. I play defense and sometimes score 3 or 4 goals using the half slap from the point as the beer league doesn't allow slappers in full swing. I still shoot those harder than many shoot their slapshot in the recreational beer league caliber of things. I can hear sometimes on the other team's bench "Boy that guy has a great shot" after shooting one.

But anyway I posted about that in this thread because I shoot hard enough and am strong enough to break sticks and do not and I attribute it to great shooting mechanics and using the correct flex. I feel that is the most important factor in dealing with stick breakings. I simply do not have it happen to me for "whatever" reason.

 

[AlexK]

I need to make a new video because my torn bicep was still healing in that video and it was the first day shooting pucks 4 weeks after it had happened. It felt "twingey" until another 2-3 weeks or so after that video was made.

I can shoot as hard as usual now and should make another video. I posted that video in combination while mentioning that I was not shooting as hard as I can in it is my point. It was posted in my injury thread first and is all I have for a shooting video at the moment so it surfaced in other threads.

Thanks for the compliment on it but the shot in the video was subpar to what I can really shoot.

Yeah I have an ego about it, when you play with players who are very good and they tell you at a game or during warmup it is good with a verbal whoo or man I wish I could do that .... well you feel good about it. There is nothing like the drug of putting one in off the pipe with a high pitched "PING" and knowing how hard it just was. Many times I have seen people start to shoot their slapper after I shoot a couple to see how it compares like I started a competition by accident.

I have broken many plexiglas panels over the years with it and I can back up any claim I am making here about it. I just have that as a gift and could shoot them when I was little too. At almost 42 years old I may have a little bit of it but it still goes pretty good. I play defense and sometimes score 3 or 4 goals using the half slap from the point as the beer league doesn't allow slappers in full swing. I still shoot those harder than many shoot their slapshot in the recreational beer league caliber of things. I can hear sometimes on the other team's bench "Boy that guy has a great shot" after shooting one.

But anyway I posted about that in this thread because I shoot hard enough and am strong enough to break sticks and do not and I attribute it to great shooting mechanics and using the correct flex. I feel that is the most important factor in dealing with stick breakings. I simply do not have it happen to me for "whatever" reason.

I dont think anybody's calling you a liar. You just talk about it a whole lot. There's usually a mention in every post. Just sayin'.

 

[Maupin Fan]

I dont think anybody's calling you a liar. You just talk about it a whole lot. There's usually a mention in every post. Just sayin'.

Not to mention the fact that no one on here knows who you are or really gives a **** how you shoot the puck. I don't know what guys in Maine are like but it seems a little weird that random guys get so excited over your shot, kinda sounds like little kids standing by the glass getting excited when shots hit the glass in front of them. I skate with several guys that play or have played D1, junior A and a few from the NHL and we don't have a **** over each others shots

 

[StrykerB]

It was mentioned earlier that shafts that are a lower flex have thinner walls... That is false.

It depends on how you are breaking the sticks. A stick that flexes beyond it's range of flexing is going to break, stiff or whippy... But a stick that can flex more can generally absorb more impact before breaking.

Really, if you want durability... Changing the model of stick is a much better idea rather than changing flex. Some sticks are made to be more durable... There is a reason the Easton ST and Ultralite shaft(now the ST shaft) have been around for soo long.

Exactly.

 

[Hockeyfan68]

Not to mention the fact that no one on here knows who you are or really gives a **** how you shoot the puck. I don't know what guys in Maine are like but it seems a little weird that random guys get so excited over your shot, kinda sounds like little kids standing by the glass getting excited when shots hit the glass in front of them. I skate with several guys that play or have played D1, junior A and a few from the NHL and we don't have a **** over each others shots

Nah it isn't like that at all, they are just good shots. I knew a guy who played semi-pro years ago who could break plexi with a wrist shot or hurt a goalie from center ice with it. It was a snapper type shot he had until he tore his shoulder up. When he took one people mumbled about it on the benches as well. When you have a better than average 'thing" in hockjey people notice it .... like that kid who did that spinorama trick shot in the mini one on one tourney at the Boston garden .... he is from Maine by the way ... HA HA.

Anyway we are going to have a "Post your slapshot video" thread coming soon in any case. Hopefully it will stop raining here this week so I can get that going.

I also want to post slapshots with wood, an aluminum shaft and a composite to see if there really is any difference.

 

[Joe Cole]

It was mentioned earlier that shafts that are a lower flex have thinner walls... That is false.

It depends on how you are breaking the sticks. A stick that flexes beyond it's range of flexing is going to break, stiff or whippy... But a stick that can flex more can generally absorb more impact before breaking.

Really, if you want durability... Changing the model of stick is a much better idea rather than changing flex. Some sticks are made to be more durable... There is a reason the Easton ST and Ultralite shaft(now the ST shaft) have been around for soo long.

Just to expand on this... I have been using ST's 100 flexes for years with good results in both feel and durability. (I shorten the shaft an inch and a half so the flex is probably around 115).

I decided to test a lighter flex, and cheaped out and bought a Easton SE model. It is a 85 flex, cut the same way, so probably around a 100 flex now.

So...my results are not perfect, because I went from a high end stick built for durability and power to a lower end stick built for a fast release. But results do have some merit.

The SE's blade got soft very fast, if I twist it with my hands I can hear the fibers creaking. The shaft lost it's spring quickly too.

My conclusion, the SE is not for me, and I should not have tried to save a buck. The lower flex stick with the limited duability equaled into a stick that
had no durability and much less accuracy, even when new.