Buyer's Guide

Durability

-The durability of a lacrosse head refers to how the head holds up to pressure over time and repeated use. If a head tends to break, fracture or deform over time, then the head will receive a low durability rating. Heads for defenders tend to be more durable than heads for attackers and midfielders. Durability is very important to the use of the lacrosse stick, since if it stays in good condition longer, it saves the player money in the long term use of the head.

Mouth Width

-The mouth width of a lacrosse head is the opening at the top of the head. A wide mouth width makes it easier to pick up ground balls and makes the head wider in general. Although neither a wide or narrow head is bad overall, the rating will be based off of how each mouth width is suited for the respective position that it will be used for. In general defenders should have a wider mouth width and attackers and midfielders will have a more narrow mouth width.

Rigidness

-Rigidness of a lacrosse head is how flexible the head is. This measures how much the head bends or deforms during contact or while picking up ground balls. Flexibility or rigidness will be rated by how much the head bends, the rating will depend on what position the head is used for. In general, defenders and attackers prefer heads to be more rigid and midfielders prefer for their heads to be more flexible. This is because defenders prefer for their heads to be as sturdy as possible when throwing checks and pokes at the attackers. Midfielders prefer more flexible heads because they are more apt for passing and faceoffs, which are the main roles for midfielders. Attackers prefer more sturdy heads because they are more stable for shots, allowing for the player to shoot harder.

Stringing Versatility

- Different heads have a different amount of holes for stringing. The more holes that are in the head allows for more possibilities for string configurations and allows for different types of pockets to be made for the head. The better stringing versatility that the head has, the more customizable and specialized the head will be. For example if one head has many holes for stringing, they can be made specifically for different positions based on what each position needs. The heads that have more holes, therefore more stringing versatility, will be rated higher.

Weight

-Weight is a very important statistic to consider when purchasing a lacrosse head. The weight of the head can effect aspects of the game like shooting, passing, stick checks or defense. There is usually a correspondence between weight and rigidness, so more offensive minded players prefer a lighter head and defenders prefer a heavier head. A lighter head allows for quicker stick movement while dodging and a quicker stick speed while passing or shooting, so they are normally preferred by offensive midfielders and attackers. A heavier head is able to transfer more energy while checking, so defenders prefer heavier heads.

Price

-There are multiple different price points that lacrosse heads can fall into. The more high quality and specialized heads will be more expensive. Some brands have multiple tiers of the same head that use varying materials and all come in at varying price points. For rating purposes, the more expensive heads will be rated lower and the cheaper heads will be rated higher.