The Best Field Hockey Sticks for Drag Flick Specialists
The short version: drag flick specialists need an extreme low bow, a concave face, and high carbon content. The Naked Extreme Plus and Extreme are built specifically for this role. The Supernova Plus adds versatility for players who also contribute in open play. The Supreme range is for players who flick well but need a stick that works across the whole game.
What makes a stick good for drag flicking?
If you take penalty corners at club or international level, the stick you use for drag flicking matters more than almost any other piece of equipment. The wrong bow profile, the wrong balance point, or a face that fights the ball through the motion can cost you goals. The right stick amplifies everything that is good about your technique.
There are three things that genuinely matter for drag flick performance: bow profile, face design, and shaft stiffness. Everything else is secondary.
Bow profile
Drag flickers need a low or extreme low bow. The bow position, typically measured from the base of the stick, determines how the ball sits during the loading phase of the flick and how cleanly it releases at the top of the motion. A bow positioned too high robs you of lift. Too extreme and you lose control on open play. The sweet spot for most specialist flickers is an extreme low bow sitting at around 200mm from the head, which is exactly where the Naked Hockey Extreme range is set.
Concave face
A concave face channels the ball through the drag motion rather than letting it roll away from the shaft. It gives you a consistent loading point on every repetition, which is what builds the muscle memory that penalty corner specialists rely on. Every stick in the Naked Hockey Extreme range has a purpose-built concave face designed around this specific function.
Shaft stiffness
High carbon content, typically 90% or above, means the shaft stores and releases energy efficiently. Lower carbon sticks absorb too much of the force you put into the flick. For pure power at penalty corners, you want a stiff shaft with minimal flex.
The Naked Hockey Extreme range
The Extreme range is Naked Hockey's dedicated drag flick line, and it was built with input from one of the world's best penalty corner specialists. Felix was practising with Vincent Vanasch, the Belgian goalkeeper widely regarded as one of the greatest in the history of the sport, when Vincent pointed out something most players would never consider: it is genuinely hard to read the direction of a white ball against a white stick. That conversation led directly to the Extreme becoming the first white drag flick stick ever made in field hockey. The white finish is not an aesthetic choice. It is a performance detail.
Every stick in the range shares the same extreme low bow and concave face. The difference is carbon content, which determines stiffness, power transfer, and feel.
The Extreme is the 100% carbon flagship. Maximum stiffness, maximum energy transfer, and the sharpest release in the range. Built for players who have refined their technique and want to extract every watt from the flick.
The Extreme Plus also runs at 100% carbon with the same X-Late bow and concave face. At £325 it is the most advanced stick in the range, engineered for players competing at the highest level who demand both elite performance and longevity from their equipment.
The Naked Hockey Supernova: power with versatility
The Supernova Plus is another serious option for drag flick specialists. Built with 100% Japanese Toray carbon and an extra low bow, it delivers explosive power and phenomenal control. Where the Extreme range is purpose-built exclusively around drag flicking, the Supernova adds more versatility for players who also carry and create in open play. If you take penalty corners but are not a pure specialist, the Supernova Plus gives you everything you need for elite flicking without giving up anything on the pitch.
For players who want the Supernova profile at a lower carbon composition, the Supernova 70 at 70% carbon offers excellent feel and power at a more accessible price point.
The Naked Hockey Supreme range for flicking
Not every player at a penalty corner is a pure drag flick specialist. If you also need to hit, push, and contribute heavily in open play, the Supreme range is worth serious consideration. The Supreme sticks carry a low bow profile, are built light, and deliver the power transfer you need for both structured flicks and snap shots on the reverse.
The Supreme 30 is the entry point, built with 30% carbon for excellent touch and control. The Supreme 50 adds more power at 50% carbon while retaining the low bow and feel the range is known for. The Supreme 70 is the high-performance option at 70% carbon, for players training daily at performance level who demand both speed and precision.
Which stick is right for you?
- Pure drag flick specialist, highest level: Extreme Plus -- 100% carbon, X-Late bow, concave face, built for one purpose.
- Drag flick specialist, club to performance: Extreme -- same mould, same face, same bow. The original.
- Flicks well, plays across the pitch: Supernova Plus -- elite power with open play versatility.
- Regular flicker, primary match stick: Supreme 50 or Supreme 70 -- low bow, great all-round performance.
- Developing flicker or budget-conscious player: Supreme 30 -- low bow, forgiving feel, excellent touch.
Frequently asked questions
What bow profile is best for drag flicking?
An extreme low bow is best for drag flicking. The bow should sit around 200mm from the head of the stick at a depth of 24mm or more. This position maximises the leverage under the ball during the loading phase and allows for a clean, powerful release at the top of the motion.
What is a concave face on a field hockey stick?
A concave face is a curved indentation along the lower shaft of the stick, designed to cradle the ball during the drag motion. It gives the player a consistent contact point on every flick, which improves both control and power transfer. The Naked Hockey Extreme range features a purpose-built concave face developed specifically for drag flicking.
What carbon percentage should a drag flick stick have?
Most elite drag flick specialists use sticks with 90% to 100% carbon content. High carbon content produces a stiffer shaft that stores and releases energy more efficiently, which translates to faster ball speed on release. Lower carbon sticks absorb more energy through the shaft, reducing power. The Naked Extreme and Extreme Plus are both 100% carbon.
What is the difference between the Naked Extreme and the Extreme Plus?
Both use the same X-Late bow, concave face, and 100% carbon construction. The Extreme Plus is the more premium option at £325, engineered for players at the highest level who want maximum performance and longevity from their equipment. The Extreme is the original flagship model in the range.
Can I use a drag flick stick for normal play?
You can, but it is not ideal. Extreme low bow sticks optimised for drag flicking can be harder to control in open play, particularly on receive and in 3D skills. If you flick regularly but also need to perform across all areas of the pitch, a stick like the Supernova Plus or the Supreme 70 offers a better balance.
Why is the Naked Extreme white?
The white finish came directly from a performance insight during a training session between Felix Denayer and Vincent Vanasch. Vanasch observed that it is genuinely difficult for a goalkeeper to read the direction of a white ball against a white stick. The Extreme became the first white drag flick stick ever made in field hockey as a direct result of that conversation. It is a functional detail, not a cosmetic one.