Lacrosse Equipment

Lacrosse Equipment List

Every lacrosse player needs to have the right equipment before they play in an official game. There’s different equipment for the various positions on the field. Men and women also use different equipment.

Lacrosse Shaft

• Midfielders and attackmen in men’s lacrosse use short shafts that are 30 inches long, so these players must use a stick between 40 and 42 inches
• Defensemen and long stick midfielders use long shafts up to 60 inches long, so these players must use a stick between 52 and 72 inches
• For men’s lacrosse goalies, their shafts can be anywhere from 30 to 60 inches long
• Women’s lacrosse field players and goalies must use a stick between 35.5 and 43.5 inches

Lacrosse Head

• The lacrosse head is the top of your lacrosse stick used to catch, cradle, pass, shoot, and pick up the lacrosse ball
• Lacrosse heads must conform to the rules of their specific age and skill level
• These levels have different widths and lengths, making it easier or more difficult to control the ball
• You can buy lacrosse heads unstrung or with ready-to-use factory stringing

Lacrosse Mesh and Stringing

• Lacrosse mesh is a woven mesh of fibers strung into a lacrosse head so that players can control and hold the ball within the head. The mesh and stringing form a pocket that must conform to rules that depend on the age and skill level of the user. Men’s and women’s lacrosse have different rules for stringing requirements and different-sized mesh, but the same principles apply.

Lacrosse Ball

• Lacrosse balls are made of solid rubber and are usually colored white in men’s lacrosse games and yellow in women’s lacrosse games. They come in various colors and have different versions used for training purposes. This includes soft indoor lacrosse balls, no-bounce lacrosse balls, numbered lacrosse balls, heavier lacrosse balls, grippy or textured lacrosse balls, and more.

Lacrosse Helmet

• Men’s lacrosse players and women’s lacrosse goalies use lacrosse helmets
• These helmets offer the wearer lightweight protection with a wide frame of view
• Lacrosse helmets have a facemask to shield from flying lacrosse balls and feature vents for airflow

Lacrosse Throat Protector

• Lacrosse throat protectors keep lacrosse shots from hitting the trachea of lacrosse goalies
• Men’s and women’s lacrosse goalies use these for protection from shots they don’t stop with their sticks
• Lacrosse throat protectors hang off of their lacrosse helmets
• They resemble a crescent shape made of hard plastic going from below one ear to the other

Lacrosse Shoulder Pads

• Lacrosse shoulder pads offer protection for the sternum and collarbone
• These pads are thinner, more lightweight, and made of a padded material featuring minimal hard plastics
• Newer lacrosse shoulder pads feature smaller or nonexistent shoulder pads atop the shoulders
• Lacrosse shoulder pads are only worn by men’s lacrosse players

Lacrosse Chest Protector

• Lacrosse shots can exceed 110 miles per hour. That makes protection essential to prevent injury to the sternum, abdomen, ribs, and chest.
• Goalies in men’s and women’s lacrosse wear chest protectors
• This keeps goalies safe from the high-speed shots that are flying at them
• Chest protectors use similar materials to lacrosse shoulder pads
• However, chest protectors have thicker shielding that covers more area

Lacrosse Gloves

• Lacrosse players need their gloves to be flexible for controlling the lacrosse stick. For lacrosse players, keeping their hands safe when using them to play the game is always a priority.
• Goalies wear special lacrosse gloves with protected thumbs to safeguard them from shots
• Usually, only men’s lacrosse players and women’s lacrosse goalies wear lacrosse gloves
• Some women’s lacrosse players wear gloves that offer them more grip

Lacrosse Elbow Pads

• There are different elbow pads used for protection in men’s lacrosse.
• Generally, the players that play the most defense wear the smallest elbow pads
• That’s because these players handle the lacrosse ball less, and you’re only allowed to stick check a player that controls or attempts to control the ball
• Lacrosse elbow pads generally feature hard plastic cups to protect elbows from strikes

Lacrosse Cleats

• Lacrosse cleats are like football cleats. But, they focus on cutting ability and ankle support. This is because, in lacrosse, every player plays offense and defense.

Goggles

• Women’s lacrosse players use goggles to protect from stick checks and lacrosse balls. They feature hard plastic or metal caging around the eyes for incredible vision with protection.

Mouth Guard

• Players need to wear a mouth guard at all times during gameplay to prevent concussions. They can be molded to fit a player’s mouth so they are comfortable to wear. They protect the player’s head and mouth and encourage better breathing and communication.