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Whether you want to work on throwing and catching, shooting, facing off, or anything else, you need lacrosse balls to do it.
There are just two problems: lacrosse balls aren’t usually cheap and they often lose their grip quickly.
Shelling out hundreds of dollars for balls each season gets expensive fast and practicing with greasers (what the cool kids call balls that lost their grip) can make passing and shooting nearly impossible when using a brand new ball in a game.
To help make sure you don’t have to go through the pain of searching for cheap lacrosse balls like I’ve done countless times in the past, I’ve created this guide that goes over some of your best options including both small amounts of balls and bulk lacrosse balls.
9 Best Lacrosse Balls
I’ve scoured the lacrosse ball market to find the cheapest, yet quality, options available today.
Below you will find my choices for the best lacrosse balls including the estimated cost per ball. Note that many of the sellers below offer varying quantities of balls. The estimated cost per ball is based on the largest amount each seller offers—typically a bulk amount of 30, 60, or 120.
Additionally, prices may change as of the time of the last time this article was updated, so be sure to check the current price before buying.
Generally, the more balls you buy, the lower the cost per ball will be. For this reason, it may make sense to buy lacrosse balls in bulk and use them over time so you can save money.
Finally, any balls used in official high school (NFHS) and college (NCAA) games need to meet the standards set by the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE). I have marked below whether each option meets the NOCSAE standards.
9 Best Lacrosse Balls:
1) Velocity Lacrosse Balls
- My #1 Choice
- Overview: Velocity offers some of the cheapest lacrosse balls available today and they come in bulk amounts up to 120. They come in multiple colors and the balls meet the NOCSAE standards.
- Estimated cost per ball: $1.33+
- Meet NOSCAE standards?: Yes
- Counts: 6, 12, 18, 24, 36, 60, 120
- Colors: White, black, blue, green, yellow, red, purple, pink
2) Guardian Innovations Pearl LT Textured Lacrosse Balls
- Overview: If you're looking for balls that will last, look no further than these Pearl LT Textured balls from Guardian Innovations. Made here in the USA, these balls are designed to stay grippy much longer than the average ball. You will pay a bit more for the quality of these balls compared to other options.
- Estimated cost per ball: $2.50+
- Meet NOSCAE standards?: Yes
- Counts: 10, 20, 30, 50, 100
- Colors: White, yellow, orange, pink, green
3) CrankShooter Lacrosse Balls
- Overview: CrankShooter ties Velocity for having the cheapest lacrosse balls, though there are fewer colors and quantities to choose from. You can order by the dozen or a bulk order of 120.
- Estimated cost per ball: $1.33+
- Meet NOSCAE standards?: Yes
- Counts: 12, 120
- Colors: White, yellow
4) Gladiator Lacrosse Balls
- Overview: Gladiator Lacrosse—known for being on Shark Tank—offers lacrosse balls in a variety of quantities and colors. They are very affordable compared to some other options and are NOSCAE certified.
- Estimated cost per ball: $1.67+
- Meet NOSCAE standards?: Yes
- Counts: 1, 3, 12, 120
- Colors: White, yellow, orange
5) Champion Lacrosse Balls
- Overview: If you are looking for 24 lacrosse balls or less, Champion offers some of the most popular lacrosse balls in the industry. Though they are a bit more expensive, they have great reviews and seem to hold up well.
- Estimated cost per ball: $1.67+
- Meet NOSCAE standards?: Yes
- Counts: 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, 24
- Colors: White yellow, orange
6) Champion Lacrosse Balls + Bucket
- Overview: If you were hoping to get a bucket of lacrosse balls, then this is your best bet on this list. Not only do you get 36 balls, you always get a quality bucket with a handle to make transporting them easier.
- Estimated cost per ball: $3.06+
- Meet NOSCAE standards?: Yes
- Count: 36
- Colors: White, yellow
7) Signature Lacrosse Ball Set
- Overview:
- I’ve heard many players rave about Signature’s lacrosse balls. They are supposed to last twice as long as a normal ball and are cheaper than most others, especially when buying in bulk.
- The only problem with Signature’s balls is that they don’t currently meet NOSCAE standards. Though it isn’t entirely clear why they don’t meet the NOCSAE standards, they take a fall in our rankings since they are ineligible for official game use.
- Estimated cost per ball: $1.25+
- Meet NOSCAE standards?: NO
- Counts: 4, 8, 12, 120
- Colors: White, yellow, orange, pink, green, blue
8) Lacrosse Sak Lacrosse Training Balls
- Overview: If you are looking for a soft training ball that is still the same size and weight as a normal ball, then you need to get a Lacrosse Sak. This creative product looks similar to a hacky sack but is more firm and round like a real lacrosse ball. Whether you are looking for a ball to play inside or want to teach your child with a softer ball at first, this is a great choice.
- Estimated cost per ball: $7.33+
- Meet NOSCAE standards?: NO
- Counts: 1, 2, 3
- Colors: Many designs and colors
9) Champro Sports Foam Lacrosse Ball
- Overview: If you are looking for a lighter foam lacrosse ball to practice with, Champro Sports offers just what you need. Their balls are around 30 times lighter than a standard ball making them great options for indoor play or for teaching beginners.
- Estimated cost per ball: $1.60
- Meet NOSCAE standards?: NO
- Counts: 12
- Colors: Pink
Bonus Product Worth Considering: Greaser Gripper Lacrosse Resurfacing Tool
Most players throw greasers aways once they’re finished with them.
Not throw them away in the trash but literally throw them as far away from themselves as they can.
Either that or grant the ball a new life as a dog toy or massager.
No matter what you do with your greasers, there is one tool that could give them a new life as a lacrosse ball: the Greaser Gripper Lacrosse Ball Resurfacing Tool.
This product fits into power drills on one end and has a cup-like opening on the other end that you can place your lacrosse ball into.
All you have to do is hold the abrasive pad against the ball, pull the trigger on the drills, and you’re on your way to a like-new lacrosse ball.
The Greaser Gripper works by removing the top layer of the ball’s rubber, leaving a more rough and grippy ball. While your new degreased ball may not last as long as a brand new ball, you should be able to squeeze a good bit of life out of it before turning it over to the dog.
How to Choose Lacrosse Balls
Since lacrosse balls are all very similar, it can be hard to distinguish which is the best to buy. But since they are essentially all spheres of rubber, there are only a few things you need to consider:
Standard balls vs. practice balls: First you need to decide if you want a normal lacrosse ball or a softer practice ball. I recommend using a real ball as much as possible so you can practice with what you will play with in a game.
If they meet NOSCAE standards: As explained above, both the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) require lacrosse balls to be approved by NOSCAE. While you can still practice with any ball, it’s usually worth using a NOSCAE-approved ball so you know it will be the same shape, size, and material as the balls you will likely be using in games.
Color: Though the shape never changes, lacrosse balls do come in a variety of colors. Official games typically use white balls (though sometimes yellow or orange balls will be used) so you should go with those if you want to practice with what you play with. If you don’t care about that, then go with whatever ball you think looks the coolest!
Durability: Last but definitely not least, you should try gauging the durability of the lacrosse balls you are considering. The easiest way to do this is by reading customer reviews to see how they liked them. Alternatively, you could take a trip to your local sporting goods store to see how grippy they are in person.
Tips for Using Your Lacrosse Balls
There are a few important things to keep in mind when using your lacrosse balls, including:
Clean them if they get dirty: I’ve found that by cleaning my lacrosse balls after every couple of uses, I am able to extend their life by at least a couple of months. This is especially important if they get very dirty or muddy.
Practice with real balls as much as possible: Training balls are good if you’re just starting out or if you’re playing inside, but I recommend playing with real balls as much as possible. My coach always said “practice like you play” and the type of lacrosse balls you use is no exception.
Use protective equipment: Lacrosse balls are hard. If you’ve ever gotten hit by a hard shot or pass, you can attest to that. Wearing your helmet and pads can help ensure that you stay safe while practicing—especially beginners.
Be careful with where you use them: As I just explained, lacrosse balls are hard. They can break windows, other glass, bones, and a lot of other things that you probably don’t want to break. Be careful with where you use your lacrosse balls so you don’t have to have any tough conversations with neighbors about breaking their windows.
Use them as a massaging tool: For the third time, lacrosse balls are hard. In this case, though, it’s actually a good thing. Because of their hardness, they make a great massage tool. By placing your body weight against a lacrosse ball, you can get out knots in muscles in your back, legs, arms, chest, and more.
Donate greasers to your pup: If your ball gets too greasy to use, giving it to your dog (or a neighborhood dog if you don’t have one) is a great way to give it a new life instead of throwing it away.
Now Go Ball Out
I hope this guide helped you find affordable, quality lacrosse balls to practice with and gave you some ideas on how to use and manage them.
You may be interested in some of our other guides of other lacrosse training aids that you can use alongside your new balls:
- Best Lacrosse Heads
- Best Lacrosse Goals
- Best Portable Lacrosse Goals
- Best Lacrosse Rebounders
- Best Lacrosse Backstops
- Best Lacrosse Nets
- Best Lacrosse Helmets
