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our stick guide

Choosing the right hockey stick comes down to several key factors, including bow shape, power, feel and length. Every player is different, so we’re here to help you find the stick that best suits your game.

Below, we break down what each of these features means and how to choose the perfect GRYPHON stick for you.

The most expensive stick in the range isn’t automatically the best stick for your game. At GRYPHON, we believe the right stick is the one that complements the way you play and helps you Make an Impact.

This guide breaks down the key differences in shape, power, feel and performance, helping you confidently choose the GRYPHON stick that best suits your game.

frequently asked hockey stick Q's

How Much Should I Spend?

The GRYPHON range caters for players of all levels, with prices reflecting the materials, construction and technologies used in each stick.

A higher-priced stick may offer more power and stiffness, but the most expensive model isn’t automatically the best stick for you. Consider how often you play, your level and whether you prefer power, control or a more forgiving feel.

Still unsure? Speak with one of our GRYPHON stick experts and we’ll help you find the right stick for your game and budget.

What is the Carbon Content of this stick?

We’re often asked how much carbon is in a GRYPHON stick. What most players really want to understand is how much power the stick can generate and how it will feel when hitting or slapping the ball.

At GRYPHON, we don’t describe any stick as “100% carbon” because it isn’t technically accurate. No finished composite hockey stick is made entirely from carbon fibre. The carbon layers must be combined with resin and other materials to bond the stick together and provide the durability needed for play.

Carbon content can influence power and stiffness, but it is only one part of a stick’s performance. The materials used, shaft construction, thickness, lay-up direction and manufacturing process all contribute to its power, feel and durability.

More carbon can create a stiffer and more powerful stick, but it can also produce a firmer feel with less forgiveness. This is why the stick with the highest carbon content—or the highest price—isn’t automatically the best option for every player.

Rather than relying on an inaccurate carbon percentage, we recommend choosing your GRYPHON stick based on the level of power, feel and control that best suits your game. If you’re unsure, speak with one of our GRYPHON stick experts and we’ll help you find the right option.

What stick is best for my position?

Sticks are designed to enhance certain skill sets with a few factors. The bow of a stick can be more tailored to a certain skill set - for example an Extra low Bow would suit a more areal skills, where as a Mid bow would be more focused around basic skills.

The power (or stiffness) of a stick is also a factor to take into account. The stiffer a stick the more power it will generate when hitting the ball. The trade off is that stiffer sticks are generally less forgiving and best suited to more experienced players.

What length stick should I use?

A stick size is a case of personal preference, influenced by your height, whether you want extra reach, or whether a shorter sticks gets you lower to the ground improving your vision and control over the ball.

What is the difference between stick shapes?

According to the laws of the game, the curve in the shaft is not allowed to be more than 25mm at it’s apex when the stick is laid flat on the ground. There are two factors influencing the bow in the stick. The curve peak and the curve position. Most stick bows have a curve peak close to the 25mm maximum so the bigger thing to think about is where the apex of the curve is position on the shaft. There are four main stick shapes. Extra Low Bow, Low Bow, Mid Bow, Traditional Bow. Each bow serves a different purpose and to fit a certain play style.

Extra Low Bow

The Extra Low bow shape is suited to players who prefer a more areal play style. The Extra low bow shape aids areal skills in particular drag flicking, overheads etc. But makes trapping and hitting the ball more difficult.

Low Bow

Designed for the all round player. Offering the best of both worlds.

Mid Bow

The mid bow shape was designed to enhance trapping and basics with a more even stick profile.

Traditional Bow

A mid bow shape with a thicker shaft profile

Why do sticks have different head shapes?

Head shapes are generally a question of personal preference. Extended head shapes aid stopping and hitting on the reverse stick side. Where a thinner toe aids getting the stick under the ball to perform areal skills.

What does a concave face do?

A concave face is specifically designed for drag flicking and overheading. The Concave face of the shaft is designed to channel the ball up the shaft when drag flicking.

let's find the perfect shape for you

GRYPHON shapes & specs guide

It's important to pick the shape that suits your playing style - or enhances your attempts to develop in certain areas.

see shapes

stick information

Things to consider:

TOUCH & FEEL - When the ball and stick come together how does that connection feel through your hands? It's important to get something you feel technically and physically tuned into - doesn't matter how hard you hit a dead ball if it feels horrible or you can't control a moving one...

Touch and feel are principally dictated by material content (indicated by our Carbon Quotient rating). 

It's essentially about managing the energy of the stick/ball connection, governed by how materials react at molecular level. Carbon Fibre (high end) does not give, flex or bend, so the connection is sharper and clearer in your touch, with more swing speed continuing through the ball when you strike (more power). Glassfibre (low end) does flex, so energy is absorbed for a more cushioned touch when you control the ball and not transferred to the same degree to soften the feel (and lessen the power) on striking.

1. Stiffness

Ball speed is obviously important in many aspects of the game and particularly crucial when shooting at goal or passing over longer distances. There is a direct correlation between the power a stick can generate when hitting or slapping and the shaft stiffness of the stick. The stiffer the shaft of the stick, the more direct transfer of energy there is onto the ball and the faster the ball will travel. The shaft stiffness of the stick is dependent on a number of factors: Firstly; the materials that are used to make the stick. No metallic substances are allowed in the production of a hockey stick and so the materials used are composite materials, ranging from fibre glass to various aramids and carbon. Carbon is generally the most effective material to stiffen a stick. It is very light and has a very high tensile strength. It does however significantly harden the feel of the stick, as it is not as absorbent as other composite materials and is also relatively brittle when subjected to impact. It therefore has to be combined carefully with other materials, in order not to negatively impact the feel and durability of the stick.

2. Lay Up

The second main factor influencing shaft stiffness is the lay-up of the stick. By lay-up, we mean where and how the different materials are placed in the shaft of the stick during production. As a stick is not a uniform shape, there are different torsional stresses in different areas of the stick on impact with the ball. The placement and fibre direction of the different composites materials are critical to get the maximum possible transfer of energy onto the ball.

Thirdly, the shaft stiffness also affects the quality of the bond between the different materials. This in turn is impacted by the quality of the resins used and process used to impregnate the fibre and also the moulding process.

If carbon is not used effectively, it can negatively impact on the feel and durability of a stick. When choosing a stick, players who prioritize power for hitting and slapping will place a big emphasis on the shaft stiffness of the stick. Improved shaft stiffness is the main feature you are paying for when you move up in the range.

Feel of a stick

Feel of a stick What is meant by the feel, is the sensation felt when the stick makes contact with the ball when executing skills like hitting, slapping, trapping, dribbling, etc. While to some extent the feel is subjective, different stick models will have their own distinctive feels. Some may be softer and more forgiving, while others could be harder but more precise. The feel is dependent on a mix of materials used to make the stick, as well as the manufacturing process. Top end sticks have a stiffer shaft in order to improve power but as the materials used to stiffen the shaft (such as Carbon) are not very pliable, they tend to have a harder feel. The real art in the manufacture of a top end hockey stick is to produce a stiff shaft for high power, but at the same time create a feel which allows for easy execution of skills. Different manufacturers use a variety of technologies to try to soften the feel of a top end, however there is some trade off between power and softer feel, so make sure you choose the model that suits you best.

Direct Feel
Responsive Feel
Controlled Feel
Forgiving Feel

unsure what length you need?

GRYPHON size guide

In all cases our advice is to pick the stick that suits YOU. Not what you are told to get, but what feels comfortable to you.

size guide
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