Eddie at Hockey Hooked had the following to say about our LX1 stick;
'The slim head makes it ideal for 3D skills and lifting the ball. While the grooved shaft guides the ball to the head for powerful drag flicks. What stood out the most for me was the power behind this stick. So much so that it will take a couple of games to master it. Once you do, however, you won’t look back. For those looking for the best drag-flicking stick on the market, look no further.'
To see the full review please check out the link below;
https://hockeyhooked.com/best-field-hockey-sticks-buyers-guide/
]]>Our most popular stick so far has been the Catalyst LX1, it was the first stick we developed and released back in 2020 and it has been voted in the top 5 dragflicking sticks by BossFHockey, alongside this Catalyst Hockey was voted as best new field hockey brands by Hooked Hockey.
Following on from the success of the LX1 our focus groups and customer feedback showed there was a demand for a lower carbon model. The mould was still favourable but some of our customers would like a softer touch on their stick in comparison with the stiffer 95% carbon feel that our LX1 has today. This is where the Catalyst LX2 was born, made in our brand new Crimson red, the stick mould is identical to the LX1 but with a reduced 75% carbon make up.
Our other new announcement is the brand new goalkeeper stick the SF1. We once again shipped in multiple moulds from various suppliers to trial with our focus group. Ultimately one particular model was a favourite with a slight adjustment in balance point we have created what we believe to be the perfect field hockey goalkeeper stick. The mould features a curved profile to increase the surface area and make those diving stick-sides saves just that little bit easier. Keep an eye on the blog for more information and testing videos over the coming months.
]]>BossFHockey did an in depth review of the LX1 earlier this year which can be watched below;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFccHfdp9tc
Just a month ago the team at BossFHockey summarised their top 5 sticks based on dragflicking alone.
'new kid on the block has really turned up straight out of the gate. A nice aggressive XLB curve a subtle groove to keep the ball central on the shaft. The stick really gives you fantastic accuracy and power, letting you pick your spot and the fire the ball there. I used this stick to hit a target target in the bottom corner (because I couldn't get it to stay in the top corner). This stick had a really nice transition from pickup to release and gave a lot of confidence from the top of the D. '
]]>Catalyst Hockey is delighted to announce a brand-new partnership with The Wolf Academy coaching camps.
Co-founded by National League players Will Hearne and Matt Godden, The Wolf Academy launched in 2019 as a hockey specific coaching organisation, delivering school holiday hockey camps, as well as small group and individual coaching sessions to both junior and senior hockey players.
In addition to playing for Sheffield Hockey Club, Will and Matt are experienced Level 2 hockey coaches, and lead the two senior performance teams - men’s and women’s - at the Club, with Will recently being selected to attend the GB Advanced Coaches programme. Outside of hockey, both are qualified teachers.
Whether at camps or through individual sessions, The Wolf Academy works with players of all ages and abilities, from beginners and social players, to athletes who participate at Junior International level. They have also had guest appearances at their coaching camps from international players, including Great Britain and England’s Liam Ansell and David Goodfield.
To mark the beginning of the partnership, Catalyst Hockey has created bespoke branded sticks and clothing for The Wolf Academy’s players and coaches, and we look forward to supporting the athletes and their coaches on their future journey in hockey.
The Wolf Academy and Catalyst Hockey share the core principles of fun, encouragement, and creativity, and both companies are passionate about helping athletes to achieve their potential both as hockey players and as people.
'Be in the Action, Be in the Pack'.
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We have a couple of exciting partnerships that we are finalising and will be releasing over the next couple of weeks. We are also in the process of working alongside a highly successful coaching provider to design and release a specifically designed special edition junior stick. This will be designed to aid youth player development and we hope to make a real difference with this product.
Watch this space...we are also designing a new programme to work with schools, clubs and coaching camps, more details on this will be released over the coming weeks.
Thanks and stay safe. Hockey will return soon. Team Catalyst x
The new sticks are a evolution of the 75 and 95 series released earlier in 2020. The MX1 and the LX1 are both made from 95% carbon and 5% aramid to provide the optimum speed to power ratio.
Both sticks feature a touch compound face to reduce spin when trapping the ball. They also feature a slightly thinned blade profile to aid with 3D skills and ‘feel’. The LX1 features a concave face in addition to the above. As a dragflick specialist stick the face aims to hold the ball in the concave face to create a tunnel like effect increasing speed and accuracy of the dragflick.
]]>What size field hockey stick is correct for me?
This is another common question and there isn't a set in stone answer, some people prefer a slightly larger hockey stick and others prefer shorter. This is something that most players will learn over time with experimentation and trying different sticks in different situations. However if you are looking for a rough guide or are buying your first field hockey stick, hopefully the below table will help.
Stick Size | Player Height (inches) | Player Height (centimetres) |
36.5 | 5'3"-5'10" | 161-178cm |
37.5 | 5'10"-6'3" | 178-190cm |
38.5 | 6'3"+ | 190cm+ |
What elements make-up a hockey stick?
There are many other elements that make up your composite hockey stick and again these can differ by which brand you are choosing to use. The majority of sticks feature carbon fibre, Kevlar also known as aramid and fibreglass.
The table below shows the different elements in their more recognised form before they are woven together to create the base of your field hockey stick.
Carbon Fibre | Aramid | Fibreglass |
What Carbon content is the correct amount in a field hockey stick?
Similar to the size question the carbon content of a field hockey stick is down to a players preferred choice. Different companies provide different levels of carbon and in recent years this has become the identifying standard of what makes a good hockey stick. Unfortunately carbon content itself does not directly impact how good a stick is. Many companies are claiming to make a 100% carbon stick, this is actually not possible as between 30% & 40% of a hockey sticks weight is from the resin within it...your hands would also not likely forgive you using a 100% carbon stick. The quality of carbon can drastically impact a stick, here at Catalyst Hockey we import our carbon into our manufacturing teams, however some companies may use cheaper or lower quality carbon meaning two sticks with the same carbon content are very different. You'll notice some of the larger companies don't specify their carbon content again further displaying how the percentage of carbon does not necessarily differentiate the quality of the stick. We here at Catalyst Hockey do display our carbon content due to the question often being asked by customers.
The table below shows in very basic terms the differences between higher carbon and low carbon sticks, this measurement is based on power and control or touch;
Carbon Content | Power | Control |
95% Carbon | Very High | Medium |
75% Carbon | High | High |
50% Carbon | Medium | Very High |
What is Kevlar or Aramid in a hockey stick?
Kevlar which is the trademarked name for aramid is an exceptionally strong material. More commonly used in bulletproof vests, this element is use to counter balance the brittle nature of carbon. When correctly added in the manufacture process at the resin impregnation stage it can great increase the durability and usability of a field hockey stick.
What is Fibreglass in a hockey stick?
Fibreglass often forms the micro-skeleton for your hockey stick, again this is something we do here at Catalyst Hockey. Fibreglass is strong, absorbs some energy and is less brittle than carbon so provides the perfect base for which the carbon, Kevlar and other elements can be moulded to create your stick. Some junior sticks are made almost entirely of Fibreglass this is because at a junior age the fibreglass is strong enough on it's own to absorb the energy transfer. It is also more economical meaning that junior sticks can be produced at a more understandable price point.
What other elements are added into a field hockey stick?
There are a number of different technologies available on todays market, these vary from handles with dampening vibration technology, to remove the vibrations from hitting. To gritted stick heads to reduce the spin when controlling the ball. Here at Catalyst Hockey we add Tungsten Carbide into our composite mix to reduce the wear of the hockey stick. Tungsten Carbide is a very resistant material and approximately twice as strong as steel, we weave this through our Kevlar sheeting to further increase it's abrasive resistant properties.
What is the bow or bend of a field hockey stick?
There are many different bows and bends to a field hockey stick. Some brands use similar or the same moulds and others will invest in their own tooling and design their own bespoke mould. Often smaller companies will mimic similar moulds as this is the cheaper approach, larger companies tend to want unique moulds as a USP for them.
The above is an example of the 5 different bows currently offered by Catalyst Hockey, at the time of editing the blog post. The lower the bend point the closer to the head of the stick the bow starts. More often than not the lower the bend point the more extreme bow the stick will have. FIH ruling states the point of the maximum bow must not be closer to the head of the stick than 200mm.
The other factor to consider is the level of the bow, the FIH maximum allowed bow is 25mm. This was put in place to protect players in penalty corners as the speeds generated from the older larger bows was becoming increasingly dangerous. So the bend point and the bow both create the finalised version of what is commonly called the stick curve or bow. There are many combinations and some bows will be closer to the head but not as extreme as a 25mm bow to create a bow commonly called the ProBow. Ultimately finding a bow is about trying different models more commonly called the Low Bow or Mid Bow. Here at Catalyst Hockey the LX1, LX1 and the Unity One would be considered low bow models. The MX1 & Unity Two would be considered a mid bow model, however the Unity Two has a more extreme bend than the MX1 bridging the gap between the two sticks.