All About Sticks

If you are using our loaner or rental gear you will get a well strung stick. If you are acquiring your own new or used gear, we suggest purchasing, as new, one of the sticks we recommend below. All of our beginning players, regardless of age will want to start with an attack length shaft (30") or junior shaft (28", K-4 only), NOT a defense shaft (60").

Kindergarten through 4th grade boys players can either use junior sized sticks that are shorter and sometime have a narrower handle than men's sticks or full size men's sticks. Note that sticks marketed as "fiddle sticks" are toys and not what you want for real play. Full size men's sticks are mandatory at the 5th/6th grade level and up.

For boys players in 3rd grade and under we recommend a junior stick as it is a little easier to handle, though a 3rd grader is usually OK with a full size attack stick. 4th graders can legally use a junior stick but they'll only get a year out of it, so for them, we strongly recommend the full size attack sticks.

The two junior sticks we recommend are the

StringKing Starter Junior Complete ($70) available online at StringKing.com, SportStop.com and elsewhere

Warrior Evo WARP Junior - NOT the Evo WARP mini - ($80) available online at dickssportinggoods.com, SportStop.com and elsewhere.

The StringKing Starter Junior Complete is our preferred junior stick.

Our recommended sticks for boys youth players 4th-8th grade, are

StringKing Complete 2 Intermediate ($130) available in stock at Dick's Sporting Goods in Northgate or online at Dick's or most other lacrosse vendors, e.g. SportsStop.com or direct from StringKing.com.

ECD Bravo 1 men's complete stick with "elite setup" ($100) available in stock at Dick's Sporting Goods in Northgate or online at Dick's or most other lacrosse vendors, e.g. SportsStop.com or direct at ecdlax.com.

The StringKing Complete 2 Intermediate is just a little better than the Bravo 1, in our opinion.

A third option that recently came to market is the RC1 from ReLax Collections (RC1 Complete $65). We do not have personal experience with it yet but trusted sources report that it is an excellent stick at an amazing price point. The organization that sells it is a non-profit that is focused on providing lacrosse equipment to under-served communities.

For boys in high school and older youth players, a stronger stick that is better able to withstand the intensity of higher level play is recommended. We suggest the:

ECD Rebel Offense CF5 Complete Stick ($150) available in stock at Dick's Sporting Goods in Northgate or online at Dick's, many other lacrosse vendors, or direct at ecdlax.com.

StringKing Complete 2 Senior Attack Stick ($160) available in stock at Dick's Sporting Goods in Northgate or online at Dick's, most other lacrosse vendors, or direct from StringKing.com.

ReLax Collections RC1 - see above

Replacement shafts can be purchased at a variety of price points from any lacrosse retailer. Decent but inexpensive replacement shafts can be purchased at SavageXlacrosse.com

If you have questions about stringing an unstrung head or restringing a used head please reach out to gear@shorelinelacrosse.org. We can direct you to expert stringers in our midst or resources if you want to learn how to restring yourself.

A good stick is key for both new and experienced players to be successful at throwing and catching consistently and that makes a huge difference in how much the player enjoys the game versus becoming extremely frustrated. A stick comes in 2 parts, a plastic head that is "strung" with mesh and a metal or carbon fiber shaft or handle. Most new players will want to purchase a complete stick, which comes with a pre-strung head on a shaft. As players advance, or one part breaks, they may want to purchase the components separately. Inexpensive ($40-$60) complete sticks from major brands usually come with low quality mesh that stretches in wet weather and poorly strung pockets that make it hard to cradle, throw or catch well. Further, inexpensive heads are usually difficult to restring. Keep reading for our recomendations for high quality complete sticks.

The way the head is strung determines the shape the mesh takes on, which is called a pocket. The placement of the pocket, e.g. high low, etc refers to the where deepest part of the pocket is relative to the top of the head and that placement can effect how quickly the ball is released vs how much hold the pocket has i.e. how hard it is for a defender to knock the ball out. The channel is also formed by stringing and is a groove in the mesh that directs the ball when it is thrown. A pocket with a nice channel will consistently throw straight whereas a pocket with no channel to direct the ball can throw all over the place. A head will also typically have shoelaces across the top called shooting strings that add a factor called whip, which is a downward force as the ball is released. Whip can add velocity to a shot but too much whip and the ball will always go into the ground or too little whip and the ball will sail. At the more advanced levels, heads are designed for the position of the user e.g. attack , middie, defense and individual players have preferences for how they want their pockets strung.

Shafts come in a few lengths. The most common is "attack length" which is 30" long and used by everyone except defensemen (from 5th grade up). Attack length shafts are also used by most goalies. Long poles or just "poles" are up to 60" length and used by defensemen. At younger ages the poles are often cut down by a few inches to make them easier to handle. Shafts can be made of a variety of metal alloys that differ in strength and weight and they can also be made out of carbon fiber. A 6000 series aluminum alloy shaft is typically sufficient for newer players.

About helmets

The helmet is with out a doubt the most important piece of equipment you will wear. All lacrosse helmets must be NOCSAE certified for lacrosse (no hockey helmets) and have a lifespan of 5-10 years (important if buying used). Our youth league requires a neutral colored shell such as white, grey, black, or navy. Our high school varsity requires a white shell. Therefore we recommend purchasing a white helmet if possible, especially if you are buying an adult sized helmet. All the helmets listed below have mechanisms to adjust the fit.

There are 2 main brands and 3 models for youth. The Warrior Burn Junior, is the smallest of them but generally fits well, is light and has a nice look. The Cascade CSR is the base model for Maverik-Cascade. It has a wider range of fit than the Burn but is a little heavier. The Cascade CPV-R is a step up from the CSR and the S/M size should fit most of our players up to 5th grade and perhaps beyond. If buying used, carefully inspect the helmet for signs of cracking, rust, mold, and worn out foam inside the helmet.

Older youth and high school players will need an adult size helmet. There are 3 brands. The Cascade XRS or XRS pro is far and away the most popular helmet and what most players will want. The Warrior Burn X is the newest offering from Warrior and runs a bit bigger than the Cascade and is best for kids with big domes. STX just released a helmet called the Aero that is a little less expensive than the XRS pro. Several college teams use it, but we have not had the opportunity to try it yet.

You can try on new helmets at Tama Lacrosse in Kirkland and Dick's Sporting Goods in Northgate.

If you are buying new equipment for youth

For youth kindergarten to 6th grade, we recommend the STX Stallion 75 line of gear and a Cascade CS-R or CPV-R helmet. Helmets must be white or a neutral color, eg black, gray, or navy blue. Stallion 75 pads offer good protection for youth and are both relatively comfortable and inexpensive. Starter bundles with and without a helmet can be found at SportStop. com or other lacrosse retailers. Do NOT buy the sticks that come with starter bundles if at all possible. (see our discussion on sticks above).

--> STX Stallion 75 3 piece starter bundle - no helmet ($106)

--> STX Stallion 75 4 piece starter bundle - with helmet ($225)

If you prefer shopping in person, Dick's Sporting Goods carries the Nike Vapor LT line of pads in a starter bundle. This bundle does not come with a helmet, but Dick's does carry both the CS-R and CPV-R. If you purchase these pads in store or online and have all three elements (shoulders, arms, gloves), the bundle price should pop up at check out.

You can find two additional bundles at Dick's. (1) The STX Stallion 200 bundle is good but a bit more expensive than the Nike bundle. (2) The Maverik Charger bundle, also available at several online vendors. The charger pads are protective, but we find that they have some fit and durability issues.

--> Nike Vapor LT 3 piece starter bundle - no helmet ($130)

If you are buying new equipment for older youth or high school

The speed of play increases and players become much stronger at the high school and even 7/8 level, therefore players need gear that is more protective than entry level youth gear. We recommend the Warrior Burn line of gear as entry level equipment for high school and older youth players. These players may choose to wear full shoulder pads that have a protective cap on the shoulder or shoulder pad liners that for the most part only provide sternum protection. Maverik MX shoulder pads are good and a little less expensive than the Warrior Burns, though slightly less comfortable. Nike Vapor Select gloves are good and the same cost as Warrior Burn gloves. We recommend the Cascade XRS or XRS pro helmet. The helmets are quite expensive and may be worth purchasing used, for example on SidelineSwap.com. If buying a used helmet, especially an XRS or XRS Pro, look to avoid helmets with rust around the face cage, mold etc on the inner padding, and or a crack on the jaw protector and do buy the purchase protection. All gloves and helmets for our varsity team must be white, so we recommend everyone in 7th grade and above purchase a white helmet and gloves. This gear is all available online at Dick's Sporting Goods and in person at Tama Lacrosse and in select sizes at Dick's. It can also be found at other online lacrosse retailers. Unfortunately, this higher level gear is not available in bundles. If you have youth gear that still fits and are wondering what you should upgrade to play at a higher level, we recommend starting with the helmet and gloves.

--> Cascade XRS Pro helmet ($329)

--> Warrior Burn Shoulder Pads ($130)

--> Warrior Burn Shoulder Pad Liners ($130)

--> Maverik MX Shoulder Pads ($100)

--> Warrior Burn Arm Pads ($70)

--> Warrior Burn Gloves ($110)

--> Nike Vapor Select Gloves ($110)