Alternative Lacrosse Shafts

Native Americans Playing 

Before I start on the shafts on the market today I felt I should give a history of wood shafts and lacrosse. For those readers who don’t know the wood shaft was first used by the Native Americans when they played lacrosse or as they called the game, baggataway or tewaraathon. Some tribes called the game the little brother of war because of its violent nature. Over the years the game has changed a lot coming from a game where different tribes had different versions of the game to two versions that don’t use the same type of field have slightly different rules and have different equipment. To this day the tribes that still play on their reservations make their own wood shafts and practice indoor lacrosse which just means they play within walls. 

Looks allot like war

An out door "box" lacrosse game

Nation Lacrosse League Game 

I have been noticing that there has been a lot of new materials being introduced into the the game of lacrosse. You have heads being created with new plastics that make them lighter and stronger or even heads being infused with metals to make them stronger. Companies have also been introducing carbon fiber and wood into their shafts. I personally have a bamboo shaft from a company called BAMshaft which makes primarily bamboo shafts for attack/midlefeild, defense, and goalie. Also on the market are shafts made of many different woods. I have found another company called Hectic which is one of those companies that makes their shafts out many different kinds of woods. These woods being Pecan Hickory, White Ash, Red Oak, Purple heart, Bamboo, and Maple, Ipe. There are many other companies that produce wood shafts such as Talon and Hickory but I found that one company has found a way to create the hybrid of a wood shaft and an alloy shaft. This company is called Haute Stick Lacrosse and the way they have created a hybrid is by placing a CU-31 Spine down the middle of the shaft with a Northern Ash surrounding it to help dampen the impacts that a shaft takes. I like this idea but I can see how some might not be inclined to want the shaft because of its weight.  

Bamboo Only

Many different kinds of wood to chose from

Wood shaft thats hollowed out

Sold wood shaft 

Hybrid shaft with wood on the outside and a CU-31 spine for strength

The Gait Torsion SI

I have never been one to stick with a company and only get a head produced by a single company. This summer I was able to get a sneak peak at the upcoming fall line of Gaits 2011 lacrosse equipment. I was excited to see what they were coming out with for the upcoming season. During the preview to what gait was coming out with in the fall for lacrosse equipment I saw a head that looked like nothing I had seen before. This head was called the Gait Torsion SI. It only comes in white but does have customizable sidewall inserts. These inserts come in black, white, and silver but beyond the inserts the head doesn’t come in any other color. Many people say they do not believe that the inserts have any benefit but I think they do provide stability to the sidewalls of the head.  This head like all Gait lacrosse heads has the cork Screw-less fit system. The Cork Screw-less fit system allows the head to be put on and off shafts without having to put or take a screw out. This allows the head to be easily removed from the shaft when you need to put a new one on.

This Christmas I got this head and some mesh, side wall string, and shooting string to string the head with. Now I am an avid stringer and have never had much trouble but the Gait Torsion SI gave me some trouble. After I had finished stringing it I just had to spend the day seeing how it threw. I tried to put it on a shaft but when I tried putting it on a warrior platinum alloy but it was odd the head fit on the shaft though the cork didn’t seem to fit. I have never really used a Gait head and so I wasn’t sure if the cork should be tough to get in or not. When I tried pulling it out the cork was completely deformed and couldn’t be used in another shaft. Since I couldn’t use the cork anymore I instead put it on a new shaft that I was dying to try. I put it on a BAMshaft Bamboo attack shaft. After I screwed it in I finally was able to shoot and pass with the head.

 I was very surprised how directional the head shot. I was surprised that where ever I aimed the ball travel very well and ended up on the dot. Looking at the head I would say that this could be due to the fact that the scoop is more of a v-shape rather than the traditional flat scoop that is what most heads on the market have. I also noticed that because of the high amount of stringing whole there were on the sidewall it allowed me to set the pocket a lot easier and even put a channel down the middle of the mesh which I believe helps the ball travel in more of a direct line.  

How I chose the string the head

The Off-set