The Changing of The Game: Follow Up

As promised here are some photos of different top strings strung by yours truly.

STX Supper Power Dream Top String

Gait Torsion SI Iroquois Top String

                 

Brine Edge Iroquois Top String

Warrior Evolution 3 X Dream Top String

The Changing of The Game

This game has changed drastically since it was first created by Native Americans we have seen the introduction of smaller fields and the move from all wood sticks to alloy shafts and  plastic heads. The biggest change as of resent is the new kinds of top strings that can be strung up. One of the popular types of new top strings takes its name from a tribe of Native Americans that to this day still are masters of the game itself. The top string is called an Iroquois top string. Another very popular top string style is called a California Dream. In this post i will be telling you how tostring both of these types of top strings.

These two top string styles are just the easiest and most common styles of stringing used by advance players. i personal have strung heads with both styles and photos are soon to come. After playing with both of these styles they each add a bit of flare and style to any head without making your head look silly. The Iroquois top string style adds a bit more hold to you head which is a good thing for almost any player wither they are a offensive or defensive player. I know you are all saying how you hate whip and all that jazz but the truth is that this hold that I’m talking about allows you to still be able have control of the ball without the ball “whipping” as it comes out. The California Dream top string, sometimes called a triangle top string, looks like a normal top string except when looked at from close up. The reason that people choose this top string over the Iroquois or a normal top string, one you see in factory strung heads, is because it pulls the mesh very tight to the scoop of the head. By pulling the mesh closer to the scoop, which can allow for a smoother transition from the pocket, you are able to make more accurate passes and shoots. Another reason is that the top string almost acts like a shooter and can stop the ball from hitting the plastic.

Now for the tutorial about how to string these two top strings.

Iroquois Top String (4 holes)

1. First take your head and go a few holes down from where you normally would start your top string (when I did my edge x I went down four holes)
2. This step depends on the number of diamonds you are using

1. If you did this with 9 diamond top then connect the first diamond to the sidewall whatever way you would normally do and then go through the back of the second diamond and go through the front of the second  hole in the scoop wrapping it around itself and then pull it tight.
2. If you did this with 10 diamond top string connect the first diamond to the sidewall whatever way you would normally do and then go through the back of the first diamond and then through the back of the first hole, wrapping it around itself and pull it tight.
3.  Now go through the front of the 4^th hole and through the back scope hole that is directly to the right/left of the center of the head.
4. Now go through the front of the opposite scoop hole to the one you just went through and wrap it around itself.
5. This step depends on the number of diamonds you are using

1.  If you did this with 9 diamond top then connect the first diamond to the sidewall whatever way you would normally do and then go through the back of the second diamond and go through the front of the second  hole in the scoop wrapping it around itself and then pull it tight.
2. If you did this with 10 diamond top string connect the first diamond to the sidewall whatever way you would normally do and then go through the back of the first diamond and then through the back of the first hole, wrapping it around itself and pull it tight.
6. Once you tie the mesh to the sidewall then you have just completed an Iroquois top string

California Dream (Triangle Top String)

For this top string you will need to use a 9 diamond for a top and two strings to use as the top string

1. First you need to tie the mesh to the sidewall and then you are going to go along the back of the head and go through the back of the scoop hole then through the second mesh hole and then wrap it around itself like you would in a normal top string.
2. Repeat this step all the way across the head and then tie it to the sidewall
3. Now you are going to go down on sidewall hole and go directly into the first scoop hole you already put a top string through
4. Now this part can be hard for some people to do but you’re going to thread the string in between the folded mesh and then have it go back through the fold and back through the scoop hole you just went through.
5. Now you’re going thread the string through the fold. 

1.  If you look at the top string it will look like they are three prongs. 
6. Now repeat steps 4 and 5 across the head. 

Gear for the Summer Leagues and Tournaments

Mac Daddy 3 "Rich People"

Warrior Riot

Brine Triumph Gloves

Reebok 10K Elbow Pads

Brine Shakecdowns

Shakedown Arm Guards

STX Cell Arm Pads

Gait Recon Gloves

K18 Arm Pads

Assault Arm Pad 

Assault Gloves

Assault Arm Guards

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