Lacrosse Equipment Buying Guide

Lacrosse is a very fast paced and aggressive sport that requires specific protective equipment to ensure player's safety. Even though the rules of men's and women's lacrosse are very similar, different equipment is used between the two.

• What protective gear is required for men?
• What protective gear is required for women?
• What protective gear is required for men and women goalkeepers?

What protective gear is required for men?

Choosing the right gear comes from knowing what position you are playing, skill level, and understanding the equipment.

Required equipment for men include helmets, arm & elbow pads, shoulder pads, & gloves. Additional pads are recommended but not required are cup/athletic supporter, cleats, and rib pads.

Helmets

Lacrosse rules allow for players to get hit in the head by an opponent, making the helmet the most important piece of protective equipment.

• Helmets are constructed from hard plastic with a wire mesh cage or face mask, to protect the face and entire head
• Face masks are required to have a center bar from top to bottom for better protection
• All helmets have a 4 point buckling system and chinstrap to make sure they stay on and allow for a snug fit
• Helmets are sized by the head circumference in inches, although most models are one size fits most

Protective pads

• Arm pads protect the forearms and are attached by a adjustable velcro strap

• Elbow pads cushion the elbows, as well as the upper and lower arms. They are attached by a adjustable hook-and-loop strap

• Shoulder pads slide over the head resting on the shoulders, to protect the shoulders, chest and back. They have a adjustable strap that loops and velcro underneath the armpits and across the chest

Specific types of shoulder pads by position:

Attackmen want more padding protection and a hard shell that can withstand frequently hard hits by the defense

Defense prefer lighter pads that have less padding and shell with minimal protection

Midfielders like average size shoulder pads that offers minimal protection with good range of motion

Gloves

• Lacrosse gloves should have heavy padding on the tops of the fingers, backhand, and around the wrist
• The plams are normally made of leather for comfort and handling
• Most gloves are made of mesh and/or synthetic materials allowing your hands to keep cool during play

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What protective gear is required for women?

The women's game focuses much less on physical contact and more on body positioning and refined skills. Because of this, less protective gear is required for women's lacrosse. The only two necessary pieces of equipment are eye protection and mouth guards.

Protective eyewear/goggles

• Vary by brand, size, and color
• Goggles are normally made of a wire mesh mask that covers the eyes and the bridge of the nose
• The masks have a cushioned padding for comfort and adjustable straps for a secure fit

Mouth guards

• Mouth guards should absorb the impact of a strike protecting the player's teeth

Gloves (optional)

• Womens gloves typically have padding on the back of the hand and thumb
• The material used on the palm and fingers helps players keep hold of the stick

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What protective gear is required for men and women goalkeepers?

Besides wearing different pads and protecion, goalkeepers are required to wear a throat guard, chest protector, and a much different stick in addition to a helmet and gloves.

Throat guards

• The throat guards attach to the bottom chin piece of a helmet to provide extremely important protection
• Throat guards are made of dense and durable plastic that gives protection to the goalie without compromising mobility

Chest protectors

• Chest protectors have adjustable straps that can be tightened for maximum support and mobility
• The goalie chest protectors should start at the bottom of the neck and shoulders and end at the waist

Gloves

• Goalie gloves are the same as field gloves except they have extra protection on the back of the hand, thumb, and fingers as their hands are close to some hot shots.

Goalie sticks

Goalies use sticks that have a much larger head, deeper pockets for catching those hard shots, and a shaft that is in between the attackers and defensemen.

Stick length

• Men are allowed to have a stick from 40 inches to 72 inches long
• Women are allowed to have a stick from 35.5 inches to 43.25 inches long

Head

• The goalkeepers stick head is much larger than other field players making it easier to assist in blocking shots
• Goalies like a wider stick head, preferably 12 inches wide

Pocket

There are different types of pockets to consider, like mesh or woven

• Mesh has a looser weave which provides a deeper pocket and is preferred by goalies
• Woven is more traditional and primarily used by field players

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