LACROSSE EQUIPMENT GUIDE FOR THE NEW PLAYER/FAMILY

Lacrosse equipment comes in more designs and styles than is imaginable. Like baseball, the basic equipment hasn’t changed that much over the past several years. It just happens to get re-branded and sold for a higher price than last year’s model – and last year’s equipment is sold as close-outs for a much lower price! That said, every player MUST have the following equipment*:

  • Helmet (white, black or dark green is fine if you already own one)
  • Shoulder pads
  • Arm pads
  • Gloves
  • Stick/Head** (30″ short stick for all 9U & 11U players, 60″ long poles for 13U & 15U defensemen only)
  • Cleats
  • Protective cup
  • Mouth guard
  • Optional: Lacrosse gear bag

* Full goalie equipment will be provided by the Grizzlies Youth Lacrosse unless a player already has their own gear.

** Special Note: Stringing pockets is not as easy as it looks…please visit www.stringking.com for a really cool video tutorial that is customized for your specific lacrosse stick head.

If you can borrow equipment that is in good condition and fits properly from friends or family – do it! Proper fit and condition are paramount to your son’s safety, comfort and well-being. My suggestion is to lean towards less expensive equipment for new and/or younger players. Sticks in particular can get outrageous. Once your son has a solid fundamental base to work from, you can start looking at other equipment/options as they continue playing from year-to-year.

There are many online resources to order equipment from. Some of my favorites are:

www.stringking.com

www.lacrossemonkey.com

www.amazon.com

The StringKing sticks come fully strung with a great pocket setup for your player.  We suggest their sticks, they also offer 20% off any order from their website.  Please contact your coach to be setup for a link.

Some of the other sites have a ‘point’ system that adds up when you buy equipment and lets you use the points for future purchases. I would suggest visiting Dick’s and trying on brands/sizes to see what fits best. If they are running a good deal – take advantage of it. Otherwise, you can use that information to order at a discount online.  Your coaches may also have access to some used gear to borrow for the season.  Please don’t hesitate to ask.

The primary lacrosse brands are StringKing, Brine, STX, Warrior, Cascade (helmets), Under Armour, Reebok, Nike and a few others. They are all good brands.

Leave a Comment