Product Buying Guide

If you're new to sport, choosing the right equipment is key, but with so many products on the market, it can be difficult to know exactly what you need. Below you can find out about the characteristics of hockey sticks, football boots and running shoes and which is most suitable for you.
Hockey Sticks
The bow on a hockey stick is the amount and placement of bend in the face of the stick. The greater the bow the more power can be generated from drag flicking. Larger bow sticks are usually for attacking players, or those who use a lot of drag flicks as the power generation is good. Larger bow sticks tend to be more difficult to use for beginners. Experienced players may need time to adapt to a larger bow but should find the positives of using the stick outweigh the negatives after some use.

Bow Location
A High/Middle bow provides a flatter overall stick, the high bend allows better control than a completely flat stick and is the best starting stick for novice players.

Alternatively, Medium/Intermediate bow sticks provide a good medium between the control of the high/middle bow sticks and the skills that can be performed with the low/late bow sticks. These sticks suit most intermediate players and provide most of the benefits of low/late bow sticks.

Finally, Late/ Low bow sticks are the most popular stick for drag flicking, as they provide the most control and power. The location of the bend makes chipping the ball easier, for angled shots at goal, but further out inadvertent chips may occur during powerful passes.

Different manufacturers use different terms to describe for the type of bow. The table below summarises this:

Head Shape
The shape of a hockey stick head differs and tends to be described as either a maxi or a midi head. The maxi head provides more surface area on the reverse playing side, and an improved sweet spot for hitting. Being a more open curve the maxi head offers an advantage of being able to trap the ball in the space between the toe of the head and the shaft, known as dragging.

The maxi head offers greater striking power due to the extra weight in the head. It is the most common head shape on the market and is produced by almost all manufacturers. The alternative is a Midi head which is a slightly smaller version of the maxi head and usually used by players who seek extreme control over their game play. Whilst having slightly less surface, it is generally lighter and is often the choice of players who like to move the ball quickly whilst dribbling.

Stick Materials
Nowadays hockey sticks are made from numerous different materials which are often mixed together to create a range of sticks with different characteristics. Traditional, lower-end sticks are typically made of wood, however, new sticks tend to make use of advanced technologies which offer heightened strength and optimisation of power.

Carbon fibre and Fibreglass tend to be the key materials used in the latest composite sticks as they are both high strength materials which are light in weight. These are however often mixed with other strengthening materials to aid the sticks performance and durability. The higher the sticks Carbon fibre content the better the quality as this is generally the component which offers the greatest amount of strength and durability to the stick.

Football Boots
When buying football boots it is always difficult to know what type of boots you want to buy with respect to their sole, whether they’re Soft Ground, Firm Ground or AstroTurf. Understanding the differences between the boots and knowing which boots are best for you can often be a tough decision.

Soft Ground Boots
Soft Ground boots contain screw-in studs or blades. The studs/blades are longer compared to other types of boot, which means they’re perfect for very muddy conditions.

On drier/harder grass pitches, they’ll be OK but give less traction so you’re more likely to slip around as the studs won’t go right into the ground.

Soft ground boots are however a definite no-go for playing on Astroturf as you will have no balance and you will be at a significantly greater risk of injury.

As soft ground boot studs/blades are metallic and long, the boots are often a little bit heavier than Firm Ground. Despite this, it is much more important to be wearing the right type of studs, rather than losing a few grams of weight on each foot.

Firm Ground Boots
Firm Ground Boots have rubber moulded studs or blades. The studs/blades are shorter than those in Soft Ground boots, meaning they are perfect for playing on hard grass during the summer. Having a rubber moulded sole also makes the boots perfect for playing on rubber crumb surfaces. However, when playing in muddy conditions, they won’t be as effective as Soft Ground boots and you’re likely to slip if you’re constantly changing direction, but generally they will be ok.

If you are looking for the lightest possible boot, firm ground boots with plastic blades are the best option, although it is suggested that playing with blades may lead to a higher chance of injury. There are a few brands who sell a moulded stud boot which might be the best option for players who are prone to picking up injuries.

Astro Turf Boots
If you are only ever going to be playing football on Astro Turf or Rubber Crumb surfaces then Astroturf boots are the best option. Compared to both soft ground and firm ground boots, Astro Turf Boots are noticeably heavier. Being similar to trainers, Astro Turf Boots can also be worn when playing indoor football.

Running Shoes
There is no single ‘best shoe’ as your weight, the surface you run on and the shape of your feet means everyone has different requirements when it comes to choosing the ideal running shoe.

Trail Running Shoes
Most trail shoes feature added cushioning and support, which provides protection to the joints and support to the ankles which is vital when running on uneven surfaces. The soles vary from model to model but compared to a typical road shoe, the trail shoe has a thicker, ‘rougher’ sole which features ‘lugs’. This provides more stability on rocky, hilly, mountainous, or root-covered terrains.

Stability Running Shoes
Stability shoes are recommended for runners who are mild to moderate over-pronators and generally have low to normal arches. Over-pronators have feet which roll in and under-pronators are those whose feet roll out when they run. These runners tend to need a shoe with a combination of good support and increased midsole cushioning. The stability shoe is designed to bring a degree of support to the foot which is not present in a neutral shoe as they are designed for those whose feet do not roll when they run. Having this support helps prevent injury and promotes good core movement which complements the runners own running style.

Neutral Running Shoes
A neutral running shoe is recommended for runners whose feet require no additional support through their running gait cycle. Neutral running shoes are best for biomechanically efficient runners (with minimum pronation) and mid-foot or forefoot strikers with high or normal arches.

This is a guide only and for further information, please refer to the manufacturer’s website or contact us with any questions you have on 01643 702929.