Choosing a Stick

There are a large variety of choices available when buying a floorball stick and it can be confusing, especially if you are looking to get your first one.  We hope to make your task a little easier by explaining the various options and what they mean.

Shooting Direction or Handedness:  Our entry level school sticks come with a straight blade.  They can be used by either a right-handed or left-handed players.  However, most floorball sticks and blades come in either left or right handed styles.  Which one is right for you is a matter of personal preference.  If you have not tried holding a floorball stick before we suggest borrowing one or holding a stick or bat of some other kind (hockey or baseball) in a manner that is comfortable to you. Now, if your left hand is lower or closer to the far end of the stick or bat you will want a left handed stick or blade. If your right hand is lower or closer to the far end of the stick or bat you will want a right handed stick or blade.

It is a generally accepted rule that you should have your strongest or dominant hand at the top of the floorball stick as this will likely give you greater control and power. If you are just starting out and have no existing preference we recommend you follow this rule.

Stick  Length:  Field players have a stick which can range from 65 to 104 cm long.  When buying a new floorball stick, the length is very important. The stick should reach about 1 inch above your belly button when holding it vertically on a flat surface. If the stick is too short, you have less playing  range and it adds stress to your back since you will be constantly leaning over.  If the stick is too long, your stick handling will be slower and you will lose power in your shots.

Stick Flex:  When determining shaft stiffness or flex, we are referring  to how much the shaft is bent when you apply force to the stick. For all  floorball manufacturers, the force is standardized at 30Nm. Stiffness is  measured in millimeters of bend. The less the shaft is bent for the given force,  the stiffer it is. Flex range for our sticks ranges from 24 for an extra stiff stick to 36 for a soft stick.

Which shaft flex is right for you depends on how you play.  Experienced players generally prefer a stiffer stick that lets them hit harder (by bending the stick against the floor) and shoot more accurately.  A more flexible stick may be preferred in defensive positions, for casual play or for those less experienced where a softer shaft can allow you to still hit hard and accurately while developing your technique.

Blade Face, Lie and Cavity:  There are a wide variety of floorball stick blades.  Most stick models have their own type of Blade. The blades vary in size, shape, color and firmness. A firmer blade (often referred to as 'hard' or 'super-hard') will help increase the power behind your shot, while a softer blade ('soft' or 'medium') will help with your ball contro.

Blades also often feature a concave area called a 'ball pocket' designed to help you better control the ball. While a larger or deeper ball pocket provides greater dribbling control of the ball and allows you to more easily perform trick moves this may come at the expense of shooting accuracy.  Blade face ranges from 2X to 7X and  indicates the curvature of the blade from heel to toe. An open face allows you  to get the ball up in the air more easily. Too much open face might lead to  shooting the ball too high.

Lie is the angle between blade and shaft. With a higher angle, you play the  ball closer to your body.

Cavity is a measure of the curvature of the blade from top to bottom when  held horizontally. More cavity increases the ball velocity when firing wrist  shots. Less cavity improves passing ability.

There are also blades specially designed for 'Zorro'.  Zorro is the name given to the art of performing tricks with your stick and ball. Blades designed for this purpose feature a curve or hook in the blade design to make performing zorro moves easier. You can also bend any blade by first heating it up and then applying pressure to shape it, this is often done to fine tune a blade to your style. While this is not difficult care should be taken as you will be voiding any warranty and potentially damage the blade or yourself!

You will find that some people have changed the blade that came with their stick. While a blade from the same manufacturer will normally fit any one of their shafts, the same is not true if mixing blades and shafts from different manufacturers. Also, by changing the blade to a different type than what the stick was certified with you may be breaking the International rules. Depending on where you play this may mean you cannot use the stick in any competitions.