Lightest Hockey Stick (Weighs only 335g, made by…)

Intro

The lightest hockey sticks available today are made of composite material. 

They are all one-piece, meaning that the blade and shaft of the stick are fused together as one unit.

This was to distinguish from the now-defunct two-piece aluminum sticks. Back then, players could swap blade inserts should the blade break or chip away without replacing the shaft.

Coming back to composite sticks, each brand has their own patent technology to make them lightweight and robust.

Composite one-piece sticks have dominated the industry since the early 2000s.

Some of the best sticks made weigh currently less than 400g. They usually come with a hefty price tag, somewhere for $300 USD or more brand new.

As of right now, the lightest stick on the market is 335g produced by Bauer in 2022. The stick model is the BAUER AG5NT Grip (Canada Here) used by NHL players including Patrick Kane, Trevor Zegras and Jack Hughes.

Some players will gravitate to other brands due to preference, so I included other options very close in specs to Bauer.  

Advantages of Light Hockey Sticks

The main advantage to a light stick is the greater hand mobility. 

If you want the ability to stickhandle seamlessly, shoot the puck quickly and deliver swift passes to your teammates, lightweight sticks are the way to go. 

Think about how baseball players in the batting box place weights on their bats before going to the plate. 

This is done so the bat feels like a feather when it’s their turn at-bat.

Same applies to a hockey stick. The heavier it is, the more your hands and arms are weighted down.

When players get tired, the stick weight is one of many factors that can impede their performance. 

Disadvantages of Light Hockey Sticks

But there are also disadvantages to a lightweight stick. The first that comes to mind is the loss of robustness.

While we did mention that manufacturers have focused greatly on delivering sticks that won’t break, they do have their limits.

Which is why composite sticks are guaranteed for only 30 days. Should the stick break before then, the company will allow for a one-time replacement.

Anything beyond that and you’re on the hook for replacing the stick.

I’ve had my composites break within the 30-day limit, while others have lasted over two years. 

Keep in mind that the shaft or blade can incur damage not only from puck usage, but slashes and battles with opposing players.

Aside from breakage, I’ve had to adapt to the feel of lighter sticks. This is also holds true when changing brands, kickpoints and stick flexes.

Because composite shafts are hollow inside, you can sometimes feel the shock resonate from the stick to your hands.

You’ll receive passes that bounce off the blade rather than sitting firm. It’s an adjustment you’ll have to make, but which you become used to.

And just before we review the lightest sticks on the market, make sure to check out some of my other popular titles covering hockey sticks.

Lightest Hockey Stick Options

Which lightweight stick is right for me?

If you are strongly considering going with one of these super lightweight sticks, you must know the differences between your options.

The way for brands to differentiate from their own stick collection is mode of use.

For example, some sticks are better for snapshots and wrist shots, while others are ideal for slapshots.

The stick feature which takes into consideration shot type is known as the kick point.

Currently, brands offer a low, mid (hybrid) or high kick points. The kick point is where the stick flexes the most along the shaft, closer to the blade.

It creates a snap back effect on shot release. The kick point location benefits certain shot types while taking away from others.

Read below to see which kick point is most suitable for your go-to shots.

Low Kick Point (Best for Wrist Shots and Snapshots)

A low kick point is the most common option available amongst all stick brands. They are best for quick and powerful release of wrist shots and snapshots.

This is the typical option for forwards, whether playing center or on the wing.

Note that wrist shots comprise of 51.8% of all NHL goals.

Snap shots come in at number two position with 15.2%. And lastly, slapshots account for only 9.6% of all goals.

The remaining goals include backhands, tip-ins, deflections and so forth – basically less common scoring methods.

Both the Bauer AG5NT (Canada Here) and the TRUE HZRDUS PX (Canada Here) are low kick options, most suitable for forwards.

Mid Kick Point (Hybrid option for Snapshots and Slapshots)

The WARRIOR NOVIUM Pro (Canada Here) is more ideal for defensemen or players with a powerful shot release.

For players that often break their stick right above the blade, the hybrid kick point may prolong the stick life. 

That's because the kickback area is slightly higher along the shaft compared to low kick point models.

Other Stick Considerations

As I cover in all my other stick reviews, you’ll also have to consider stick flex and blade curves when making your selection. 

Stick flex is easy to figure out – take your weight in pounds (lbs) and divide by two. 

The score you get will determine the upper and lower range for your flex options.

For example, I weigh 160lbs and my flex score is 80 (160/2). I fall between sticks that offer 75 or 85 flexes. Currently, I opt for the 75 flex which causes my shaft to bend more my follow-throughs.

Since I play forward, my main shot selections are wrist and snapshots. The low kickpoint combined with the low flex curve gives me the most power on the wrist shot.

Blade curves can also impact your gameplay, especially for stickhandling and shooting. 

I prefer a toe or mid-toe curve, as opposed to heel curves.

While not the lightest stick on the market, I prefer using the CCM Ribcor Trigger Pro Series (Canada Here). 

The blade curves I’m most comfortable with are the P29 (Crosby) and P40 (MacKinnon) options.

You can use the following curve chart to find comparable options for the lightweight stick brands. 

Lie is the angle the shaft takes on relative to the blade. The lie can range from an angle value between 4-7, with the typical stick having a value of 5. 

For more information, check out the following link. 

Final Thoughts

All the light sticks suggested above are top notch in the industry. They are all new 2022 models and come with a hefty price tag.

Leave a comment below to let us know if you’ve tried and/or recommend these sticks. 

I personally like the feel of lightweight composite sticks, but I’d only suggest these for experienced players. 

For those new to the game, you should definitely consider less expensive options before making the leap to premium sticks.