Eight inputs, twenty seconds — and you'll know the exact flex, kick-point and lie for the way you actually play. We bake in cut-down math, position, strength and feel so you stop guessing on a $300 stick.
85
AVG SENIOR FLEX
Among NHL forwards
+3
PER INCH CUT
Effective flex bump
~20s
TO RECOMMEND
Live recompute
▸ TOO-STIFF STICKS COST 6 MPH ON A WRISTER▸ CUT 2" → ADD 6 EFFECTIVE FLEX▸ NHL SNIPERS HOVER 75–87 FLEX▸ LOW KICK = QUICK RELEASE▸ HIGH KICK = LOAD UP THE SLAP▸ IF YOU CAN'T BEND IT, YOU CAN'T LOAD IT▸ BODY WEIGHT ÷ 2 IS A STARTING POINT — NOT THE ANSWER
▸ TOO-STIFF STICKS COST 6 MPH ON A WRISTER▸ CUT 2" → ADD 6 EFFECTIVE FLEX▸ NHL SNIPERS HOVER 75–87 FLEX▸ LOW KICK = QUICK RELEASE▸ HIGH KICK = LOAD UP THE SLAP▸ IF YOU CAN'T BEND IT, YOU CAN'T LOAD IT▸ BODY WEIGHT ÷ 2 IS A STARTING POINT — NOT THE ANSWER
● 01The athleteBody + stance
Body weight
180 LB
60 LBJRMIDLG260 LB
Height
70"
48"5'6'84"
Skating stanceDRIVES THE LIE
● 02How you playPosition + shot
Position / roleMix of all shots
Primary shotWHICH ONE FIRES MOST
● 03Profile + feelStrength · skill · taste
Upper-body strengthBENCH / PUSH RELATIVE
Player levelHONEST
Feel preference
Ice surface
● 04The stick itselfCut-down math
Plan to cut or extend?+3 EFFECTIVE FLEX / IN CUT
EXTEND ←0"→ CUT
−2"STOCK+4"
LIVE RECOMMENDATION
ID EHQ-SFC-0000
◆ RECOMMENDED FLEX
87PRINTED ON SHAFT
RANGE 85 — 95CATEGORY · SENIOR
◇ EFFECTIVE FLEX
87AFTER CUT
NO CUT — PLAYS AS PRINTED
KICK PT
MID
LIE
5.0
LENGTH
39–43"
CONF
92%
A 87-flex mid-kick shaft at 39–43" with a 5.0 lie. Bend it under your push, and the blade closes naturally at release — that's the sweet spot we're targeting.
Mid-kick, balanced grip — consistent on every shot type.
BEST FIT
C
PROFILE C · CARBON · HIGH KICK
Power-Load Build
High kick, reinforced hosel — slap shots and one-timers.
ALT
◆ LOAD SIMULATION
FLEX = 87 · CUT = 0"
BEND TEST · LOAD CYCLE
FLEX 87
● REFERENCE
WHY 87 FLEX.
Every adjustment we applied, plotted as a waterfall — and your number against the full flex scale.
◇ HOW WE GOT TO 87
BODY WEIGHT ÷ 2
90
POSITION
0
SHOT STYLE
0
STRENGTH
0
PLAYER LEVEL
0
FEEL PREFERENCE
0
ICE / TEMP
0
CUT-DOWN ADJ
0
RAW SCORE
90
SNAP TO STD
Nearest manufacturer point
87
◆ FLEX SCALE · WHERE YOU LAND
30 → 110
▼ 87
40
55
65
75
85
95
102
YOUTH
30–45
JUNIOR
40–60
INT
50–75
MID-SR
75–90
HEAVY
95+
● PROFILES
KICK POINT, VISUALIZED.
Where the shaft bends decides which shot the stick wants to take. Pick the kick point that matches your release.
LOW KICK
QUICK
LOADBOTTOM 1/3 OF SHAFT
RELEASEFAST · SNAP-WRIST FOCUS
BEST FORIN-CLOSE FORWARDS
MID KICK
BALANCED
LOADMIDDLE OF SHAFT
RELEASECONSISTENT ACROSS SHOTS
BEST FORTWO-WAY PLAYERS
HIGH KICK
POWER
LOADTOP 1/3 — BIG WIND-UP
RELEASESLOWER · MAX VELOCITY
BEST FORPOINT-SHOT D-MEN
● PRIMER
FLEX, EXPLAINED.
Four things to know so you can actually pick — not just trust whatever sticker is on the shaft.
01PHYSICS
Flex is force-to-deflect, not a tier.
A "85 flex" means it takes 85 lb to deflect the shaft one inch at the center. If your max push on a shot is 60 lb, you cannot meaningfully load a 100. Power leaves the puck.
02CUT-DOWN MATH
Every inch cut adds ~3 to your effective flex.
Cutting from the butt removes the most flexible portion. A 75 flex cut down 2 inches plays like a 81. If you cut, drop the printed flex by 5–10 to land where you should be.
03KICK POINT
Where it bends decides what it loves.
Low-kick whips quick wristers. Mid-kick is the all-rounder. High-kick coils for one-timers and slap shots from the point. Match your release, not just your flex number.
04THE TEST
If you can't bend it, it's too stiff.
On the bench, press the toe of the blade into the ground with one hand on the butt and one mid-shaft. You should be able to load 1–2 inches of clear deflection without straining.
● FAQ
QUESTIONS FROM THE BENCH.
What players ask before dropping a few hundred bucks on a new twig.
It's the starting point and nothing more. The rule of thumb gets you within ±10 flex, but it ignores position, shot style, strength, skill, and — biggest of all — how much you plan to cut the stick. We use it as the base and layer the rest of the math on top.
△ NOTE
Manufacturer flex ratings are not standardized between brands — an "85" from one maker can play closer to "80" or "90" from another. Use this calculator to land in the right neighborhood, then demo two adjacent flexes before buying a season's worth.
