Stick Flex Explained

by Dan Torretta - 7/2/2026

What is stick flex and why does it matter?

To put it simply, the flex of a floorball stick is how much it will bend under pressure. Shaft flex is an important aspect that determines how a stick performs in various situations.

Stick Flex Explained

You’ve likely seen a number prominently displayed on the shaft of your stick like 32 or 27. We’ll do a deep dive of what that number means and what flex is best for you.

How is flex determined?

In the video below (shout out to Fat Pipe for the peek behind the scenes) you’ll see exactly how it’s tested. 300 newtons of force are pushed down on the shaft, and however many millimeters it bends is what the displayed flex is. 32 millimeters = 32 flex. 29 millimeters of bend means 29 flex. The lower the number, the more rigid the stick is.

Shaft Flex — How it is measured

What does this mean in practice?

A higher flex (30-33) is great for beginner players because the increased flexibility makes the ball easier to feel on your stick. Another benefit of higher flex is that it’s easier to receive passes. Higher flex sticks are “softer”, so they absorb energy more easily than “harder” low flex sticks.

Once you learn how to shoot correctly, you’ll start naturally flexing the stick through your sweep. Lower flex sticks (29-27) are harder to bend so they whip back faster, creating more force on the ball.

What flex is right for you?

The best thing you can do is not overthink it. If you’re new to the game and looking at your first stick, lean toward a higher flex stick (30-33). If you’re a bit more experienced and looking for your next stick don’t agonize over a one-point difference in either direction because you’ll never notice it on the floor. The general rule is that 29 flex is better for stick handling and passing while a 27 is better for shooting. There are stiffer options (26, 25) but those are mostly found on longer shafts (103cm–104cm), where the added leverage requires a stiffer flex to compensate.

Many of our floorball sticks have the flex listed as part of the product name and we usually discuss the shaft flex in the product description. When you are looking at stick categories, you have the ability of filtering the sticks displayed by various attributes – stick length, class, brand, etc. You can filter sticks by flex as well.

For soft flex sticks (30 and above), look at Beginner Sticks.

For mid flex sticks (27-30), consider Intermediate Sticks

For stiffer sticks (24-29) - Elite Sticks

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