Where do I get it

Basic stuff like cleats, water bottles and mouth guards can be found at most sporting goods stores and many online retailers. For lacrosse specific gear, there are several options. If you are hesitant to buy gear, we (Shoreline Lacrosse) can provide free loaner gear for families who need it and rental gear for new families wary of investing in gear. Reach out to gear@shorelinelacrosse.org for more information. Also check out our gear exchange on Facebook - link below.

Used equipment can be purchased or rented at Play It Again Sports in Lynnwood. Tell them you are with Shoreline Lacrosse for 10% off all lacrosse purchases and rentals in store. The staff is also quite knowledgeable. Used equipment can be purchased online at SidelineSwap.com. If you use SidelineSwap, we urge you to buy the optional purchase protection and look carefully at the pictures for any cracks, tears, dents etc. Note when purchasing used boys shoulder pads - all shoulder pads must be NOCSAE ND200 certified and will have a tag that says NOCSAE or an icon that looks like a heart rhythm. If they are not NOCSAE certified they are illegal.

New gear can be purchased at Tama Lacrosse in Kirkland, where they have very knowledgeable staff, Dick's Sporting Goods in Northgate, where they have a decent selection of gear but not many knowledgeable staff members, or online at a variety of lacrosse retailers including SportStop.com, LacrosseMonkey.com, Lax.com, LacrosseUnlimited.com, UniversalLacrosse.com, www.tamalax.com,and DicksSportingGoods.com, as well as some manufacturer websites such as StringKing.com, ECDLax.com, STX.com, CascadeMaverik.com. Amazon is NOT a good place to get lacrosse gear.

Sholax Gear Exchange Facebook Group

If you are on Facebook, come join the new Sholax Gear Exchange group. It’s a place to Sholax players and families to giveaway, buy, sell or ISO of all things Lacrosse. Search “ShoLax Gear Exchange” in Facebook OR use your camera to scan this QR code.

Quality Heads/Sticks and a well fit helmet / eye protection can make all the difference!

The proper equipment is critical to a great lacrosse experience.

A well strung stick will catch and throw consistently well and help eliminate a lot of the frustration that comes with learning a new sport. Check out Girls Equipment and Boys Equipment for our recommendations.

A well fitting helmet or eye protection is key to safety and feeling comfortable on the field, so we advise trying them on before buying

We dedicate time in our clinics, team meetings and practices to helping players with their equipment. You can also see if we have a particular item in our loaner gear collection or ask a teammate to try out their equipment before settling on your own.

Mouthguard

A mouthguard is required to play lacrosse, there is a zero tolerance policy on this: No mouthguard, no playing. Not required but it is helpful if mouthguards are a color other than white so coaches and referees can easily see if it is being worn.

Most, if not all, off the shelf mouthguards need to be molded to the wearers mouth for proper fit and protection. This is usually done by soaking it in hot water for a little while to soften the material, then biting down on it and shaping it to the players teeth. See the mouthguard's packaging for directions. Only certain mouthguards work with braces, please consult the packaging/company website and your orthodontist. These are a couple of moutguards we like because they let you talk and drink with them in.

• SISU mouthguards: https://www.sisuguard.com/

• Goon guard: https://www.goonguard.com/

Cleats

Both boys and girls players should wear cleats or turf shoes. Kindergarten to 2nd grade (8U) players can wear sneakers but cleats are recommended. NO METAL CLEATS, NO EXCEPTIONS. Lacrosse specific cleats, soccer cleats, or football cleats are all fine.

Bag for gear

Get a bag for your gear. It can be a lacrosse specific bag or backpack, a stick bag, or a plain old duffel bag. The only recommendation is to make sure it fits all your stuff and that it is ok getting wet in the rain (ie you might want to avoid leather or suede).

Water bottle

You will want your player to have a water bottle. For the boys in particular, it is best to have either a squirt style water bottle or a water bottle with a long straw so they don't need to take their helmet off to get a drink.

Athletic cups

Lacrosse balls are hard and can travel at high velocities. An athletic cup is therefore an essential and required piece of lacrosse equipment for boys. Get a hard style cup, soft style ones do not provide the necessary protection. Shock Doctor is a good brand widely available at sporting good stores and online. Modern athletic cups will have a soft silicone edge and can be purchased with compression short or underwear style holder. Old style jocks are also available and, though slightly less comfortable, do a better job of holding the cup in place. Goalies will want more substantial cups such as the Warrior Ritual hockey goalie cup, the Nutty Buddy, or the Diamond MMA cup.