On the ice, some hockey players insist wood hockey sticks have better feel and are much more affordable, the overwhelming majority of hockey players choose composite hockey sticks. Composite sticks weigh less, generally provide more power, have a custom kick point, and are more durable than wood sticks, which tend to be heavier and stiffer. Wood is also less consistent—every piece of wood is different, whereas several composite hockey sticks can be built with uniform qualities. But there are still devotees of wood hockey sticks. Some hockey players like the feel of the puck on a wood hockey stick. Price is another big draw. You can find a wood hockey stick for as little as $20, whereas composite sticks range from about $50 on the low end of the continuum to as much as $300.

Best of Both Worlds When Choosing Wood vs. Composite

Choosing between wood and composite hockey sticks is easy for some players, but others prefer a two-piece stick with a composite shaft and a wood blade to enjoy the best of both worlds. The two-piece hockey stick has the advantages of a lighter weight, a custom flex point, and durability, while its blade allows for the feel players love about wood—and the pieces can be changed easily and relatively affordably.

Benefits of Wood Hockey Sticks

• Affordable—Wood hockey sticks can be as cheap as $20.
• Feel—Many players agree that wood gives a player a better feel of the puck when stick handling or receiving passes.
• Nostalgia—Players over a certain age remember watching their heros work their magic on the ice with wooden hockey sticks. And a wooden twig is likely the first stick you took to the ice.

Benefits of Composite Hockey Sticks

• Weight—A composite stick will be lighter than a wood stick of the same length and specs.
• Custom—You can customize a composite stick from the blade pattern, to the flex to the kick point.
• Durability—A composite stick will last longer than wood.
• Consistency—Composite sticks are more consistent stick to stick than wood.

Wood or Composite for Younger Players

While a younger or recreational player can use a composite hockey stick for several years, players at higher levels may get only three or four weeks out of a composite stick. Still, that’s more use than players would likely get from a wood stick, which can succumb to warping and weakening. And younger players don’t yet have the strength to bend the stiffer shaft of a wood hockey stick. On the other side of the equation, you’ll need to buy your fast-growing little hockey player a new stick every year or two.

What Do You Use? Wood or Composite Sticks?

What do you prefer? Wood or composite hockey sticks? Do you use a wood stick? Or have you left the past in the past and moved on to the composite?