Left · LH
Your left hand is lower on the shaft, closer to the blade. Your right hand holds the top of the stick.
HPS Stick Guide
Your stick. Your choice.
A good stick suits your grip, stance and shooting motion. Start with your shooting hand, then check length and flex. Choose your blade curve after that.
01 · Shooting hand
Which hand is lower?
Right · RH
Your right hand is lower on the shaft, closer to the blade. Your left hand holds the top of the stick.
Your writing hand does not determine your shooting side on its own. If you are new to hockey, try both grips. When replacing a stick, your usual hand position is the best starting point.
02 · Getting the basics right
Choose length and flex together
- Start in your skates. Stand upright and place the stick on the ground in front of you with its shaft upright. BAUER suggests chin to lower lip as an initial guide; WARRIOR suggests chin to nose. Treat this as a starting point for fitting.
- Check your playing stance. Wear your hockey gloves and take your usual stance. Does the shaft fit your hands? Can you handle the puck comfortably and place the blade on the ice with control?
- Compare the correct measurement. BAUER measures from the top of the shaft to the ground or pivot point on the ice. Check how any centimetre or inch measurement was taken; shaft length and overall length may refer to different things.
Understanding flex
A lower number means a softer shaft; a higher number means a stiffer one. Consider your strength, shooting motion and actual stick length. Body weight alone cannot make the decision.
Check before cutting
A shorter stick feels stiffer. An extension changes the feel too. Check the markings on your particular model and discuss the adjustment with us before cutting.
For children, grip matters too
Youth, Junior, Intermediate and Senior are product groups. Length, flex and shaft size all need to suit the player. A heavily shortened Senior stick may still be too large for small hands.
Fitting sources: BAUER stick buying guide, BAUER measurement guide and WARRIOR stick buying guide. Checked: .
Flex and length examples from specific models
These tables show uncut sticks from named models. They explain why length needs checking alongside flex. The measurements describe the stick, not your body height.
BAUER NEXUS TRACER · Junior to Senior
| Product group | Flex | Length in inches |
|---|---|---|
| Junior | 30 | 50 |
| Junior | 40 | 52 |
| Junior | 50 | 54 |
| Intermediate | 55 | 58 |
| Intermediate | 65 | 58 |
| Senior | 65 | 60 |
| Senior | 70 | 60 |
| Senior | 77 | 62 |
| Senior | 87 | 62 |
Same flex, different length: here, 65 flex means an Intermediate stick at 58 inches or a Senior stick at 60 inches. Always check the complete specification.
Applies to NEXUS TRACER on the US manufacturer pages, not every BAUER stick. Sources: Junior, Intermediate, Senior. Checked: .
BAUER SUPREME Junior Series · sizes for young players
| Flex | Length in inches |
|---|---|
| 10 | 42 |
| 20 | 46 |
| 30 | 50 |
| 40 | 52 |
| 50 | 54 |
Applies only to this series; the numbers do not represent age groups. Source: BAUER SUPREME Junior Series. Checked: .
03 · Blade feel
Understand and compare blade curves
Curve location
Where the blade bends: around the middle (Mid) or towards the tip (Toe). This is different from how deep the curve is.
Face opening
How the blade face is tilted. A more open face can help lift the puck. Your shooting motion still matters.
Lie
The angle between shaft and blade. Together with stick length and stance, it affects how the blade sits on the ice. Lie is not a body-height measurement.
The tables show manufacturer descriptions. Similar codes are candidates to compare; shape, opening, lie and blade height may differ. Check the full code, including suffixes such as M or +.
BAUER
| Code | Curve location | Face | Toe | Lie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P92 | Mid | Open | Round | 6 |
| P28 | Mid/Toe | Open | Round | 5 |
| P88 | Mid | Slightly open | Round | 6 |
| P90TM | Mid/Toe | Open | Round | 6 |
The P88 description says slightly open; its data field says “open”. P92M adds material along the top of the blade. Check Youth and Custom versions separately.
Standard descriptions from the general guide; not a list of every model option. Source: BAUER Blade Pattern Guide. Checked: .
CCM
| Code | Curve location | Face |
|---|---|---|
| P28 | Mid/Toe | Open |
| P29 | Mid | Open |
| P88 | Mid | Closed |
| P90TM | Mid | Open |
CCM describes P90TM as a blend of P28 and P29 with a taller blade. The checked guide gives no numerical lie values for the standard patterns shown here.
General curve guide embedded on the FT9 PRO page; not an availability list for individual FT9 versions. Sources: CCM curve guide and CCM curve comparison. Checked: .
WARRIOR
| Code | Curve location | Face | Toe |
|---|---|---|---|
| W03 | Mid | Open | Round |
| W28 | Mid/Toe | Open | Round |
| W88 | Mid | Closed | Semi-square |
W88 already differs from BAUER P88 in its toe shape. The checked WARRIOR table does not provide numerical lie values.
Manufacturer curve chart on the ALPHA LX3 PRO page; also check your specific model option. Source: WARRIOR Blade Pattern Chart. Checked: .
Which curve should I try – and what is the kickpoint?
Your current curve is a useful comparison point. Without a clear preference, a balanced mid curve is worth trying. If you often play off the toe, compare a toe-focused pattern. Change one feature at a time where possible.
The kickpoint describes where the shaft bends: Low-Kick is closer to the blade, while Mid-Kick is nearer the middle of the shaft. It affects loading and release feel independently of the blade curve. Your position on the ice does not dictate your kickpoint.