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Best Women's Lacrosse Sticks

Updated December 2021
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
STX Women's Exult 300 Lacrosse Stick
STX
Women's Exult 300 Lacrosse Stick
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Bottom Line

This is a reliable, lightweight stick from a trusted company, designed for players to scoop with confidence, catch well, and throw with accuracy.

Pros

This stick is lightweight, and the scoop angle provides whip and accuracy on a straight head. It's flexible where it should be to easily scoop up balls. At the same time, the stiff sidewalls allow for control. There's also enough give to hug the ball, which is important for control when catching and throwing.

Cons

The strings are generally reliable but not quite bulletproof.

Best Bang for the Buck
Nike Women's Victory Lacrosse Stick
Nike
Women's Victory Lacrosse Stick
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Bottom Line

Uses a tapered handle that allows the female player to maintain a greater level of control over the stick.

Pros

Has a reasonable price for a stick aimed at inexperienced women’s lacrosse players. This is a complete stick designed with a head attached, so players can use it immediately after buying it. Uses materials in the design that allow it to function in any temperatures you may encounter. Extremely lightweight design, which means the player can generate plenty of stick speed. Has an octagon shape to help players maintain a good grip.

Cons

May not stand up well to extremely rough play.

STX Women's Crux 100 Lacrosse Stick
STX
Women's Crux 100 Lacrosse Stick
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Bottom Line

This is a reliable stick for an entry-level player with the type of durability that would be expected for the price.

Pros

The sidewall design allows it to be a fairly lightweight yet durable stick. The flexible scoop allows for easy ground ball pickup, and the handle has good grip.

Cons

While it's durable enough for most high school players, you could get more out of more expensive sticks.

STX Women's Fortress 300 Lacrosse Stick
STX
Women's Fortress 300 Lacrosse Stick
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Bottom Line

This is a quality, mid-level stick but best suited for defensive-minded players, particularly power players.

Pros

It has a stiff design with defensive players in mind. It's durable, with technology aimed at hugging the ball well. The elongated face increases power.

Cons

If you're not a power player, or if you're looking for a versatile, top-tier stick, this falls short of what you might get for top-dollar investment.

Brine Women's Mantra Rise Lacrosse Stick
Brine
Women's Mantra Rise Lacrosse Stick
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Bottom Line

A complete women’s lacrosse stick that helps players maintain a high level of control over the ball.

Pros

A reasonably priced stick that’s made for inexperienced female players who are seeking to gain better skills. Uses Brine’s TruOffset technology in the design to help players create a faster ball release motion with precise control. Matches specifications for most recreational and competitive league rules. Has both a stick and a head, which means you can begin using it immediately after you receive it.

Cons

Some players will want a higher-quality head design.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

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Buying guide for best women’s lacrosse sticks

Lacrosse is a game that can be played by men or women of any age. The game involves players trying to score a goal using a stick with a catching net at the end of it. After advancing the ball down the field by passing and running with the ball in the net, players shoot at a goal.

In lacrosse, players other than the goaltender cannot touch the lacrosse ball with their hands. This makes the stick a key piece of equipment. Finding a stick to match a player’s skill level allows for successful game play.

Additionally, sticks have different capabilities. A longer stick works better for defensive play, when trying to stop the other team from scoring. A shorter stick is an offensive player’s stick, allowing them to precisely control passes and shots at the goal.

Because women’s lacrosse has slightly different rules than men’s lacrosse, the women’s version of the sport requires a different type of stick than men use. Read on for more information.

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A women’s lacrosse stick is sometimes called a crosse.

Key considerations

Unlike the men’s game, women’s lacrosse sticks all fit within a certain length.

In men’s lacrosse, offensive players use much shorter sticks than defensive players. For female players, all sticks (other than the goalie’s stick) must be 35.5 to 43.25 inches in length. A goalie stick for women is 35.5 to 52 inches in length.

When shopping for a women’s lacrosse stick, it’s helpful to know what position you’ll be playing. Different stick designs work better for certain aspects of game play.

Attackers

An attacker in women’s lacrosse is an offensive player. The attacker has a shorter stick. This allows the player to precisely control the ball and shoot accurately.

Attacking sticks have the most flex, which ensures the maximum amount of ball speed.

Defenders

Defensive players want a stick that has plenty of stiffness to it. This way, the defender can play the ball without having the stick bend awkwardly causing a loss of possession. The stiffness also helps with scooping the ball off the ground successfully.

Defensive sticks are longer. This provides the defensive player the ability to reach and try to steal the ball from an attacker.

Midfielders

A midfielder stick works for both defensive and offensive play. Midfielders need to transition from offense to defense quickly, so they need a versatile type of stick.

Midfielders want a stick with a slight flex to it so they can generate power on shots while also maintaining a firm stick for playing defense.

Goalie

Goalie sticks are available in a variety of lengths. You should match the length of the stick to the height of the player so they can block shots and control loose balls successfully.

The biggest difference with the goalie stick versus other sticks is the width of the head. A goalie stick has a wide head for shot blocking and ball control.

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Did you know?
Players in women’s scholastic, recreational, and professional leagues cannot cut or bend the stick to change its size or flexibility or the stick will be deemed illegal.
STAFF
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Features

Pay attention to the material used in women’s lacrosse sticks. The materials provide different levels of durability and flexibility, allowing you to match the stick to your game skills.

  • Aluminum: An aluminum stick has plenty of durability, allowing it to maintain its integrity when placed under stress. Aluminum may dent when struck hard with another stick, but this doesn’t happen often in women’s games. Aluminum is affordable for less experienced players.

  • Carbon fiber: The lightest stick material is carbon fiber. Players who need to move the stick quickly like carbon fiber, but it can be expensive.

  • Scandium: Scandium is a lightweight and durable type of metal that’s expensive. It’s popular among high-end players seeking the highest quality in a women’s lacrosse stick.

  • Titanium: Intermediate and advanced players often select titanium sticks. This material is lightweight but remains stiff, which is important for defensive players.

  • Wood: Wood once was the primary material in women’s lacrosse sticks. However, it’s heavier and less durable than the other materials we’ve listed. Some leagues don’t allow wooden sticks anymore.
     

The grip of the shaft is important, too. Some sticks have a grip pattern or a sticky material on them to help the player maintain control. With non-grip sticks, you may want to add tape to help with creating a steady grip.

Women’s lacrosse stick prices

Inexpensive: An entry-level stick costs $25 to $50. These sticks don’t consist of durable materials, so they’re really only designed for those new to the game. Recreational play should be less physical and rough than competitive play, which means these sticks are good for beginners.

Mid-range: An average women’s lacrosse stick costs $50 to $125. Mid-range sticks have a mix of durability and design quality for beginning to intermediate players. These sticks stand up to some stick checking.

Expensive: The priciest women’s lacrosse sticks are made for advanced players. These sticks give you a high level of durability while delivering maximum control of the ball and excellent ball speed.

When purchasing a complete stick — which has both the shaft and the head — you pay $25 to $50 more than purchasing the stick alone.

Expert Tip
STAFF
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Tips

So your lacrosse stick lasts as long as possible, it’s important to care for it properly. We’ve put together some tips to help you maintain your stick.

  • Inspect the stick after each use. After a practice or a game, you should inspect your stick and head. Cracks in the stick indicate the material may fail soon. However, it’s more common to notice significant wear in the head than in the stick. You can replace or restring a damaged head and continue using the stick.

  • Don’t store the stick in direct sun. The material in the stick may heat up and expand if exposed to excessive direct sunlight. This can cause the stick to fail more quickly than it should with normal use. Store the stick in a dry, cool location.

  • Avoid leaning the head on the ground. When storing the stick, lay it down flat on the ground in an area where no one will step on it, or lean it against a wall with the base of the shaft on the ground. Don’t lean your weight on the stick with the head on the ground while resting during practice or a game.

  • Clean the stick after a game or practice. Most materials in women’s lacrosse sticks can be cleaned with warm water and a little bit of dish soap. You maintain a better grip on the stick if it’s clean.

  • Inspect the head’s attachment to the stick. The head attaches to the lacrosse stick with a screw. This screw can become loose over time, so inspect it occasionally and tighten it if necessary.
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Some women choose to play with a stick that has no grip material on it, which allows them to quickly transition or spin the stick to a new position.

FAQ

Q. How does the less physical women’s game affect stick choice?

A. Women’s lacrosse does not allow body contact as in the men’s game. Women wear less padding and they don’t need to wear helmets. However, women can make stick-to-stick contact (called stick checking) on another player at advanced levels of the game. Sticks in women’s lacrosse need to be durable pieces of gear for advanced players. Recreational players can use a less durable stick as stick checking is not allowed.

Q. What kind of stick is best for the draw in women’s lacrosse?

A. During the draw that restarts play in the women’s game, opposing players hold the ball between the heads on the sticks. As play starts, the players move their sticks to try to gain control of the ball. A stiff type of stick provides the best opportunity to gain control of the ball.

Q. Do I have to buy my women’s lacrosse stick with a head attached to it, or can I buy the stick alone?

A. The majority of women’s lacrosse sticks are sold as a complete lacrosse stick. This means the shaft of the stick and the head are sold together. You can also purchase a stick separately and attach a head that you buy later. This is the preferred method for advanced players, who may need specific features in the head not found in a complete stick.

Q. How do I know which stick length is best for me?

A. Longer sticks are a bit more difficult to control than shorter sticks, but they provide greater power and ball speed. You want a stick size that you can handle easily for the best ball control. As a general rule, experienced female players can handle a longer stick better than inexperienced players. Taller female players can handle a longer stick better than shorter players.

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