The goalie stick market has been one of the most disrupted in recent years. NHL goalies quit using wood sticks over a decade ago, while amateur goalies have been slower to adopt composite and foam core goalie sticks. Just 5 years ago, foam core sticks were some of the best goalie sticks on the market. Today, nearly 100% of goalie sticks are built of composite materials, making them stronger and lighter than ever before.
In 2024, the goalie stick market is dominated by Warrior, Bauer, and CCM.
When it comes to finding a hockey goalie stick that fits your game, you really can’t go wrong with CCM, Warrior, OR Bauer. Yes, Warrior disrupted things when originally released the V1 goalie stick. But that doesn’t mean the products that CCM and Bauer make won’t do the job extremely well for you.
With that being said, the two most popular goalie stick manufacturers are far and away Warrior and Bauer. Warrior, all around, makes the best shooting and most durable goalie stick. We’ve personally been recommending Warrior goalie sticks to all of the goalies we train for a number of years, as they simply outlast the competition.
Table of Contents:
Here are the best goalie sticks that money can buy in 2024.
- Warrior Ritual M3 RTL (Best Overall)
- Bauer AG5NT (Best Performance)
- CCM EFlex 5 Prolite (Best CCM)
- True Catalyst 9X3 (Best True)
We intentionally listed a handful of sticks here. If you decide that you absolutely cannot have the Bauer or the Warrior, I would maybe take a look at CCM as a close 3rd. Let’s dive into our picks of top high end goalie sticks on the market.
Warrior Ritual M3 RTL
Brand new for 2024 and topping our list of “best goalie sticks” is the Warrior Ritual M3 RTL. Warrior has dominated the goalie stick industry for many years – mostly due to their durability. Here’s what we did and didn’t like about it.
Advantages
First of all, this stick doesn’t weigh a lot. The age of heavy goalie sticks has come and gone – we’re in the era of light-weight, easy-to-maneuver sticks.
Light sticks are easier to control, stick-handle with, pass with, and are overall more enjoyable to play with.
Generally the lighter sticks go, the less durability the sticks tend to have, but we haven’t seen any issues with Warrior durability yet. We’ll keep an eye on this if something changes.
Grip & Control
The Warrior Ritual M3 RTL has SlideGrip technology – Warrior’s coined technology for the grip on the shaft.
It’s a high-grip coating that helps you control the stick effectively, but also adjust your hand position quickly depending on if you’re making a save or passing the puck.
Stick Construction
While this stick excels in about every area, it’s puck-handling and shooting ability rise above previous iterations of Warrior sticks. Is it as good as Bauer yet? I argue no, but still very good.
The blade and paddle are made up of Minimus Carbon 25, which is a strong, responsive, carbon-composite weave.
It has a low-kick point that is designed to help load energy into the stick and release the puck quickly. Which is critical in the fast pace of a hockey game.
The Warrior Ritual M3 RTL is built to last. It’s a durable hockey goalie stick so you don’t have to worry about it breaking too soon. It does come with a standard 30 day warranty that typically comes with most, if not all, brand new hockey sticks.
Rebound Control & Hand Shock
I’m a believer in Warrior goalie sticks simply for the reason that they have figured out how to deal with puck-shock or hand-shock. “Hand-shock” is when you make a stick save or redirect the puck into the corner and you notice shock or vibration in your hand, depending on the angle your blade was at, but also the stick you’re using.
Usually, the lighter the goalie stick, the more hand-shock you’ll get. This isn’t always the case, but it can be a lot of the time, unfortunately.
And getting rid of puck-shock entirely is likely impossible. There is always going to be those pucks that bounce straight off the face of the paddle or the shaft.
But if you can get rid of hand-shock 98% of the time, that’s worth it in my books.
And as far as rebound control goes – this stick does a good job of redirecting pucks quickly into the corner.
Disadvantages
Being that this is the best hockey goalie stick in the world, you’ll also pay for it. It’s a little less spendy than some of the other premium goalie sticks, but its still a lot more spendy than 98% of the stick market.
This stick also is in competition with the top Bauer sticks. Bauer is world renowned for their extremely light-weight goalie sticks and even better puck control.
Typically goalies choose Warrior over Bauer for durability and hand-shock, not puck handling ability. So it’s fun to see Warrior implement better puck-handling attributes into their goalie sticks.
But mono-e-mono, if you’re looking for pure puck-handling ability – Bauer is going to be where you want to go.
Everything else? Well, we put this stick at the top for a reason.
Overall
You’re not going to regret this goalie stick if you happen to choose it. It’s built to last, is light-weight, has minimal hand-shock and good puck-handling abilities. Yeah, you’ll pay for it. But that’s the price for using the best you can possibly get.
This is the best goalie stick that you can buy in 2024. Durable, light-weight, and minimal hand-shock.
Bauer AG5NT
The Bauer AG5NT is the next best hockey goalie stick of the year. As far as pure performance goes – it’s hard to beat. Historically the only problem that we’ve come across with Bauer sticks is that they tend to be less durable than other premium goalie sticks on the market. But if money isn’t a concern – Bauer is an enticing stick because it’s so light and stick-handling/ shooting is so much better than other goalie sticks.
Advantages
This is the top goalie stick available for puck-handling, passing and shooting. It’s balanced, super light and just feels good in the hand.
Bauer has implemented BORON technology into this goalie stick which is brought over from their player sticks. This is a part of the reason as to why it’s so lightweight.
The Advanced Carbon Layering 2.0 is another reason the stick weight is low. Basically what this is, is thin carbon layering on the shaft. It also helps to keep puck-shock to a minimum.
The AG5NT has an XE taper on the shaft. It’s in an elliptical shape, which Bauer says helps keeping the weight distributed evenly and thus a more balanced goalie stick.
As you know, puck-shock is one of the largest nuisances a goalie comes across when defending the net. The AG5NT does a good job of dampening vibrations from pucks. Bauer implemented ConnecTech in the handle. I think Bauer is still behind Warrior when it comes to vibration dampening technology, but it’s very close and all of the most premium sticks do a really good job of handling it.
The paddle features some new technology called Quad-Bridge. There are four internal stanchions that give the paddle better strength and help with transferring energy when shooting/passing the puck.
The blade of the Bauer AG5NT goalie stick is the TeXtreme Blade. It’s lightweight and does a good job of redirecting pucks into the corner.
Disadvantages
All of the benefits of the AG5NT do come at a cost, literally. It’s an expensive hockey stick.
There also could be some durability concerns. The problem with super light sticks is that they tend to break faster than a heavier stick. But, the entire industry is shifting towards lightweight sticks – so all of the brands are running into this issue.
Bauer tends to be at the forefront those concerns, but each year they have addressed and improved the issue. Each goalie is different and have had different success with the durability of this stick.
Bauer AG5NT Overall
As far as pure performance, puck-handling abilities and weight go – this is the goalie stick to have. It’s the pinnacle of performance. But, it does come at the cost of potential durability concerns. Bauer has addressed these, there’s no guarantees. The plus side is that Bauer does offer a 30 day warranty (like most stick manufactoring brands). With all that going for it, the AG5NT slides into our second spot on our stick ranking list.
The highest performing goalie stick of the year.
CCM EFlex 5 Prolite
A popular goalie stick in 2023 is the CCM EFlex 5 Prolite. Historically CCM has had some durability issues with their goalie sticks; they’ve addressed those concerns in the EFlex 5.
A big emphasis on this stick was getting the vibrations down – and they did it. CCM improved the paddle with aerograde foam, which is how they were able to decrease the amount of puck shock after making a stick save.
The EFlex 5 Prolite features a new “C carbon weave” which decreases the weight of the stick while maintaining durability.
While we haven’t seen the puck-handling technology increase dramatic amounts in CCM goalie sticks, other areas of puck dampening technology and durability make up for it.
It’s no surprise that CCM is a relevant goalie stick brand considering they make some of the best player sticks year after year.
One of the most popular goalie sticks is the CCM EFlex 5 Prolite. CCM improved overall durability and decreased puck shock.
True Catalyst 9X3
The True Catalyst 9X3 goalie stick is True’s premium offering for this year. True has done very well in the goalie pad market, but has had less success in the goalie stick market, though they’ve done an excellent job improving their sticks year after year.
Advantages
There’s plenty to like in this goalie stick.
It is a super lightweight goalie stick coming in at only 586 grams. It’s a little heavier than the Bauer AG5NT, but not by a lot.
The overall durability has improved since their previous iterations – which weren’t known for their durability.
The shaft is a mid-kick which means that the flex point is near the middle as opposed to the low-kick point that you’ll find in the Warrior M3 RTL. It’s balanced, but personally don’t think it has quite the same puck-handling abilities as the Bauer AG5NT.
The vibration dampening is very good. True added to the stick what is called Vibration Suppression System (VSS). It does what it sounds like it does – reduces puck-shock.
Disadvantages
If you’re a True fan, I don’t think that you can go wrong with this stick. It’s going to be an excellent goalie stick and is one of the best in the world for a reason. But, if you’re not tied to any brand – I think that the other stick manufacturers (like Warrior) have a little more to offer in their premium sticks.
That being said, I don’t think it’ll be long before we see True really making waves in the goalie stick market.
True Catalyst 9X3 Overall
The Catalyst 9X3 is a solid goalie stick. It’s durability is better than the old True sticks. It’s lightweight, balanced and has minimal vibrations in the grip. It is a little less spendy than the other elite sticks on the market. Overall it’ll get the job done at a high level, though there might be other high-end twigs that do a little more for you (M3 RTL).
Bauer Vapor Hyperlite 2
The Bauer Vapor Hyperlite 2 was (and still is) one of the most popular sticks used by NHL goalies. While this came out not this year but last, it’s still an incredible goalie stick that deserves it’s flowers.
Advantages
This goalie stick is lightweight relative to 97% of the stick market – outside a handful of other goalie sticks on this list coming in at 592 grams.
It’s puck-handling and shooting abilities are some of the best in world – though the Bauer AG5NT might have overtaken the Hyperlite 2 in this category.
It features Advanced Carbon Layering 2.0, which, is think layerings of carbon down the paddle of the stick that helps give it strength and absorb energy.
This is a well balanced goalie stick. Partial in credit due to it’s weight, that is so low.
Overall the Vapor Hyperlite 2 is a high performing stick.
Disadvantages
The durability is certainly a concern. Since it doesn’t have a whole lot of weight or construction to it – it tends to break down a little quicker than some of the other sticks on this list. I think you’d likely be better off going with one of the newer models in this same price range.
But, if price is not a concern and you aren’t concerned if you’ll break one here or there – this is one of the better sticks you can find from a performance standpoint. Around 25% of current NHLers used this goalie stick for a good reason. It’s a beast.
Warrior M2 Pro+
The Warrior Ritual M2 Pro+ is a premium goalie stick with minimal hand-shock.
The Warrior M2 Pro+ is last year’s premium model, but it still cracks the top of the list for highest-rated sticks this year.
It’s one of the lightest goalie stick that we’ve seen out of Warrior – though the new M3 RTL has something to say about that.
One of the major advantages to the M2 Pro+ and any Warrior goalie stick for that matter is their durability. Composite goalie sticks are great in terms of their weight and puck-handling ability, but not so great in terms of their durability. Higher-end goalies playing advanced players should expect to go through a couple of these sticks a season, regardless of which brand you buy.
On that note, if you’re considering buying a “cheaper composite goalie stick”, don’t. We tested some lower-end Warrior models last season and destroyed them within a week. It’s disappointing, really, because it’s become a pay-to-play game but the bottom line is the lower-end composite sticks will end up costing you more in replacement cost.
Here’s how we scored the Warrior Ritual M2 Pro+ goalie stick in our on-ice testing.
| Goalie Stick Ratings |
Warrior Ritual M2 Pro+
|
| Puck Handling Ability | 10/10 |
| Shock Absorbtion | 9/10 |
| Shooting Ability | 10/10 |
| Durability | 9/10 |
| Weight | 10/10 |
| Price | 8/10 |
| Total | 56/60 |
What we loved about the M2 Pro+
- This stick is super lightweight, comparable to the True Catalyst 9X and Bauer Hyperlite / Ultrasonic
- Durability wise, the Warrior Ritual M2 Pro+ is the most durable stick on the market
- The stick has a very balanced, lightweight feel when playing
- Excellent puck handling and shooting ability
Disadvantages
- Warrior has not been able to totally solve shock absorbency
- Price, the M2 Pro+ is upwards of $300
Warrior Ritual M2 Pro+ Alternatives/ Closest Sticks
A few years ago, Warrior came out with the “Pro+” model for each of their goalie stick lineups. This was designed to offer a premium, top of the line goalie stick without compromise. The “step down” model of each stick is simply marked without the “plus”.
True HRZDUS PX
True's top-of-the-line model for the latest year. A popular stick amongst NHL goalies wearing True.
The HRZDUS PX is the high end goalie stick from True. While True hasn’t quite been able to make the same splash in the goalie stick industry as they have had with goalie pads, this stick is a big improvement from last year’s model.
It’s 30 grams lighter than the Catalyst 9X, an enormous leap in reducing the overall weight of the stick. What we found interesting in this stick is that it’s much easier to play the puck with as well. Whether that is due to the decrease in weight, or the low kick profile, it’s not so easy to decipher. But the low kick profile is designed to release the puck quicker than a mid or high quick stick. This is beneficial when you’re playing the puck to get the puck off your stick as quickly as possible.
A big area of improvement with the HRZDUS PX is durability. True’s RESFLO technology was engineered to increase the strength of the paddle and blade. If you are paying the price that these goalie sticks cost, they had better last longer than a month. Which the HZRDUS PX looks like it has the capability of doing so.
Lastly, the shock absorption is good. Better than the Bauer Supreme Mach, not as good as the Warrior M2 Pro+. But if you’re a fan of True, you can certainly rely on this twig to get the job done for you.
Related: Best Youth Goalie Sticks
Top Budget Goalie Sticks That’ll Save You Money
The price of tending the hockey net is going up, and we get that you might not want to drop 300+ dollars on a new twig. So, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best budget and best for-the-money goalie sticks for you.
- WARRIOR RITUAL M3 GOAL STICK
- TRUE HZRDUS 7X COMPOSITE GOALIE STICK
- BAUER GSX COMPOSITE GOALIE STICK
- WARRIOR RITUAL V3 E COMPOSITE GOALIE STICK
- BAUER SUPREME M5 PRO COMPOSITE GOALIE STICK
Goalie Stick Sizing Guide, Picking The Right Sized Goalie Stick
What’s the difference between senior and intermediate sized goalie sticks?
The main difference in senior and intermediate goalie sticks is going to be length of the stick and weight, with some overlap in paddle size. It is perfectly normal for goalies under 5’10” tall to use intermediate sized sticks.
When should my goalie switch from a youth goalie stick to a junior size?
Switch to a junior sized stick after 1-2 years of playing goal. The main advantage to youth goalie sticks is they’re lighter than junior sized sticks. This helps kids focus on better form rather than dragging around a log on the ice!
Here’s how to size a goalie stick.
| Size of Goalie Stick | Paddle Length | Goalie Height | Goalie Age |
| Youth | 18″ | 3.5′ |
2 years – 6 years
|
| Youth | 19″ | 3.5′ to 3’8″ |
2 years – 6 years
|
| Youth | 20″ | Up to 4’2″ |
2 years – 6 years
|
| Junior | 21″ | 4′ to 4’4″ |
7 years – 8 years
|
| Junior | 22″ | 4’4″‘ to 4’6″ |
7 years – 8 years
|
| Junior | 23″ | 4’6″ to 4’9″ |
7 years – 8 years
|
| Intermediate | 23″-23.5″ | 4’6″ to 5’3″ |
9 years – 14 years
|
| Intermediate | 24″-24.5″ | 5’3″ to 5’4″ |
9 years – 14 years
|
| Senior | 24″ | Under 5’10” | 14 years + |
| Senior | 24.5″ | 5’10” to 6’+ | 14 years + |
| Senior | 25″+ | 6’2″ and up | 14 years + |
These Are The Only Goalie Sticks We Recommend
Here’s the deal when we’re recommending goalie gear.
Honestly, we could take money from brands to only recommend their gear. While that would be great, our only mission is to bring value to you, the goalie (or parent). It makes zero sense for us to have our opinions influenced by a brand paying us.
Does that mean we won’t work with brands? Absolutely not. In fact, we’ve worked with Bauer goalie for several years. Go look at the gear we recommend. Bauer has the best mask (our opinion) right now, but they don’t have the best stick. We’re not swayed by outside influence.
And that is what we will always be here at Goalie Coaches. Only bringing you the best information possible.
