If you’re in the market for a new hockey stick and you’re tired of your hefty twig but you are curious about light hockey sticks then you’ve skated to the right place. We will find out if light hockey sticks are better or worse than heavier ones and what their advantages and disadvantages are.
Adult hockey players consider a stick to be lightweight when it weighs around 400 grams. Lighter hockey sticks can be handled more quickly which gives you a speed advantage. This extra speed can benefit your shot. However, some players complain about balance issues with lightweight hockey sticks which can result in a poor puck feel.
When it comes down to it, choosing a stick comes down to personal preference. Some players may prefer using a lighter hockey stick while other players will prefer something a bit more substantial. If you continue reading, I will give you some of the best pros and cons of lightweight sticks as well as some other things to think about before going out and purchasing the lightest stick you can find.
Does Hockey Stick Weight Matter?
For some hockey players, stick weight is a deciding factor when purchasing a brand-new hockey stick. It has been my experience that players that prefer a lighter stick are generally forwards or somebody who is offensive-minded.
A benefit of having a light twig is the ability to move the stick around your body more easily. Players that use lighter sticks are able to get shots off quicker and can usually handle the puck much faster. It’s easier to move something that weighs less…That just makes sense.
Another benefit of having a lighter stick is being able to handle the stick easier while only using one hand. You can reach away from your body with your stick with ease when you are using a super light stick. Players who have had previous elbow or wrist injuries may prefer to use a lighter stick as well because it will be easier on your joints and not strain them as much when maneuvering with the stick.
Having a lighter hockey stick is not for everybody. Some people prefer a stick with a bit more weight to it. Some of the downsides that I have heard from a few players are that Light sticks can sometimes lack durability and puck feel if not appropriately balanced.
| Pros | Cons |
| Quicker hands | Poor Puck Feel |
| Quicker Release | Durability |
| Easier To Handle With One Hand |
While stick weight is important there is something that most players find even more important. That factor is balance. Having all the weight in the handle or the blade of your hockey stick is less than ideal.
if your hockey stick has an extremely light blade and heavy handle it is difficult to feel the puck on your stick and shoot or pass with any sort of power. If all of the weight was in the blade of your stick it would be very difficult to maneuver the stick and handle the puck.
Most hockey sticks are balanced near the bottom 2/3rds of the stick but will be slightly different for each stick. That is why it is important to actually go pick up a stick and see how it feels in your hands.
What Is The Lightest Stick In Hockey?
The lightest hockey sticks on the market at the time of writing this are the Warrior Fantom QRE and the True Catalyst Project X weighing in at 360 grams.
Other extremely light hockey sticks on the market are the Bauer ADV at 365 grams and the CCM Ribcor Trigger 6 coming in at 375 Grams.
Some other notable light sticks are Sher-Wood EK60 and EK15 (These two will be hard to find brand new) both coming in at 385 Grams. The warrior QR1 comes in at 400 grams.
These are some of the lightest sticks on the market right now but I will have a chart below that shows lots of common sticks and their stick weights and price range.
$ = $60 – $139, $$ = $140 – $200, and $$$ = $200 – $250, $$$$ = $250+
| Hockey Stick Brand/Name | Hockey Stick Weight | Price |
| Bauer ADV | 365 Grams | $$ |
| Bauer X | 505 Grams | $ |
| Bauer Nexus Geo Grip | 390 Grams | $$$$ |
| Bauer Vapor X3.7 | 450 Grams | $$ |
| Bauer Nexus E3 | 450 Grams | $$ |
| CCM Jetspeed FT475 | 460 Grams | $$ |
| CCM Ribcor 86K | 460 Grams | $$ |
| CCM Ribcor Trigger 6 | 375 Grams | $$ |
| CCM Ribcor Trigger 7 | 415 Grams | $$$$ |
| CCM Tacks AS-V Pro | 395 Grams | $$$$ |
| Warrior Alpha LX Pro | 380 Grams | $$$$ |
| Warrior Alpha LX 30 | 415 Grams | $$ |
| Warrior Covert QR5 30 | 435 Grams | $$ |
| Warrior Covert QRE 10 | 401 Grams | $$$ |
| Warrior Fantom QRE | 360 Grams | $$$ |
| Sher-wood EK 60 | 385 Grams | $$ |
| Sher-Wood EK 15 | 385 Grams | $$ |
| Sher-Wood Code III | 440 Grams | $ |
| Sher-Wood Rekker Element Pro | 422 Grams | $$ |
| True Catalyst 9x | 385 Grams | $$$$ |
| True Catalyst 7x | 410 Grams | $$$ |
| True Catalyst Project X | 360 Grams | $$$$ |
| True AX5 | 434 Grams | $ |
| True AX7 | 418 Grams | $$ |
Is A Lighter Hockey Stick Less Durable?
Lightweight hockey sticks certainly seem to be more expensive but does that mean they are going to last longer? Not always.
In fact, most players feel that lighter sticks are more fragile. There are lots of players on many forums that say they have snapped their lightweight twig on the simplest of plays while their cheapo tank of a stick still trucks on.
Hockey sticks are focused on performance. When you are paying top dollar you are getting something that is lightweight and something that will rip shots. You are not exactly paying for longevity.
Should I Buy A Light Weight Hockey Stick?
If you feel like your game is being hurt by how quickly you are able to move your stick around which in turn affects the speed of your puck handling then maybe a lightweight stick is the right choice for you. Most of the time, lightweight sticks are higher in price so you should expect to spend a bit more money on a lighter hockey stick.
Light hockey sticks will also help you release the puck off the blade quicker, leading to faster shots. These quicker shots can catch goalies and defenders off guard. The last benefit of a lightweight hockey stick is the ability to handle the stick with one hand more easily. This can help you push the puck away from your body and shield it more effectively.
The two most significant downsides of lightweight sticks are that they have less durability (So don’t always expect them to last as long as you think they should) and sometimes decreased puck feel. The lightweight blade on many high-end featherweight sticks can cause players to have trouble feeling where the puck is on their stick.
It really does come down to personal preference when choosing the weight of your hockey stick. I would suggest going to your pro shop and trying a few sticks out to see if you have an issue with the lightweight blade decreasing your puck feel and know that the extra money from your purchase is going towards performance, not durability.
