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Lacrosse Shafts

There is a wide variety of lacrosse shafts on the market, with prices ranging anywhere from $20 to $240+ for any given shaft. A player's shaft won't make or break his performance. The primary difference between lacrosse shafts is the material from which they are made. This impacts the shaft's weight and durability against denting, bending, and snapping. A lacrosse shaft with minor dents is usable, but major dents can seriously bend or warp the stick, rendering it unusable. It is not advisable to play with a bent or broken shaft, as it will misalign your passes and shots.

Aluminum, a cheaper material for a lacrosse shaft, tends to weigh more and is more easily dented and broken as compared to other alloy shafts. While most players prefer lighter shafts, some prefer heavier shafts as they inflict more severe injuries on their opponents. At first, it may sound logical that the attackmen and midfielders, the players with mainly offensive objectives, would use lighter sticks and vice versa for the defenders. In actuality, this is not the case, as defensemen use long poles and the additional weight of a heavier stick would hinder their ability to throw quick and accurate stick checks on their opponents. While the vast majority of lacrosse players prefer lighter lacrosse shafts that allow faster stick maneuverability, I have played with one lacrosse player who hand-crafted a stick made of dense, heavy wood to use against his most serious opponents. He created and used this stick to inflict intense pain on his competitor's arms (don't worry: this was in a competitive adult league, and such a stick wouldn't be allowed in youth or high school lacrosse). Most leagues do not regulate shaft materials, so there a possibility that players in your league may use unique materials for their sticks.

Various lacrosse shafts will claim the best "strength-to-weight" ratio on the market, but in reality, the main differentiator for shafts is the material. For example, all aluminum lacrosse shafts have a remarkably similar "strength-to-weight" ratio regardless of the brand and/or model. Due to the rigors of the sport, it is inevitable that a player's shaft will be dented and possibly broken regardless of the shaft type used. While titanium lacrosse shafts (and other more expensive shafts) may indeed have slightly better strength to weight ratios, they are not immune to being significantly dented or broken either. I myself have played with numerous titanium shafts that have dented or bent into angles, to the point where they can no longer be used. Check out lacrosse videos online and you will find multiple in-game college photos where a defensemen's titanium lacrosse shaft bends all the way around his opponent's body as he stick check them, or where a shaft breaks like a toothpick after being checked by an opponent.

Attackmen and midfielders use a regular sized shaft (usually measuring 30 inches); goalies use a goalie shaft (usually measuring 40 inches); and defensemen use a defensive shaft, known as a "long-stick", or "long-pole" (measuring up to 60 inches). The regular-sized shaft allows midfielders and attackmen to better protect the stick while cradling and dodging, while the long-stick is an advantage for defenders as it enables them to throw stick checks and play defense from a longer distance (the long-stick defender doesn't have to be right next to their opponent to pester the opponent with their stick).

My Lacrosse Shaft Recommendations

*In my experience, I have found Brine to consistently manufacture the most reliable and durable lacrosse shafts. Warrior offers the least reliable shafts. This could certainly be changing, however, as more and more shafts are on the market each year.