Senior vs Intermediate Hockey Sticks: Which Size Is Right?

Go by the player’s body, not their age. A senior stick suits adult players: 77 flex, 385 grams, about 65 inches. An intermediate suits growing players and lighter adults: 50 flex, 320 grams, about 62 inches. If you sit between the two, size down for control and up for power, then let flex settle it.

Senior vs intermediate at a glance

Both are the same stick in two sizes: 100% carbon fiber, one build and one flex each, left or right handed, same price. What changes is the size class.

	Intermediate	Senior
Flex	50	77
Weight	320 g	385 g
Length	~62 in (157 cm)	~65 in (165 cm)
Best for	Growing players, lighter adults	Adult players

Shop each here: Intermediate and Senior.

Go by weight and strength, not age

Age charts are a rough guide at best. Two players the same age can be a foot apart and forty pounds different. Weight and strength tell you more. A tall, strong teenager can be ready for a Senior. A light adult can be happier on an Intermediate, because the softer 50 flex is easier to load. Pick the class that fits the body swinging the stick.

What about height?

Height gives you a starting point, but the real test is simple: stand the stick on its toe in front of the player. On skates, the butt end should reach around the chin. As a rough guide, players up to about 5 foot 7 usually land on an Intermediate, and taller players on a Senior. So a player who is 5 foot 2 is almost always in Intermediate territory. Confirm it with the chin test and their weight, then trim if needed. Full method in the length guide.

Let flex be the tiebreaker

When a player sits right between the two, flex decides. A good starting flex is about half your body weight in pounds. Near 150 pounds lands you at a 77, which is Senior. Near 100 pounds lands you at a 50, which is Intermediate. Whichever flex matches your weight points to your size. More on that in hockey stick flex, explained.

Length and feel

The Intermediate is shorter and lighter, so it turns over quicker in your hands and sits lower in a stance. The Senior is longer and stiffer, so it gives more reach and loads harder for a stronger shot. You can trim either one down to fit, though cutting a stick stiffens its flex, so factor that in.

What about junior?

If the player is smaller than an Intermediate suits, the next size down is Junior: 20 flex, 260 grams, about 58 inches. The full breakdown of all three classes is in the hockey stick size chart.

Common questions

Can an adult use an intermediate stick? Yes. Lighter adults often prefer the softer 50 flex, since it is easier to load on a shot. Go by your weight, not the label.

Is intermediate the same as junior? No. Intermediate is 50 flex, 320 grams, about 62 inches. Junior is 20 flex, 260 grams, about 58 inches. Junior is a size smaller and much softer.

Can I cut a senior stick down for a smaller player? You can trim any stick, but cutting stiffens the flex. A shortened 77 plays even stiffer than 77, which is usually too much for a lighter player. Sizing to the player beats cutting a big stick down.

Still unsure?

If the player is close to the line, start with the size that matches their weight and let them grow into it. How to choose a hockey stick covers length and handedness too, and Find your stick walks the player through it. Or just shop hockey sticks and pick a color while you are there.