ECD DNA 2.0 Head Review
The "Swiss Army knife" of the ECD lineup: one head built to work at every field position except the faceoff dot and the cage.
LaxDrip verdict: a great all-around head with a great look. A good mix of offensive and defensive qualities, built tough enough to last.
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Overview
The “Swiss Army knife” of the ECD head line. Designed to be effective for any position on the field (other than faceoff and goalie).
That's the kind of head every two-way middie wants: one stick you can trust taking a run down the alley, picking up a ground ball in a scrum, and sliding to a dodger on the back end. Whether you're running the box for a Section III team in upstate New York, playing summer ball around Virginia Beach, or bringing box-lacrosse hands from Ontario to the field, a head like this doesn't make you pick a side of the field.
Key Details
- Brand
- ECD (East Coast Dyes)
- Position
- Midfield
- Cost
- $99.99
- Level
- Intermediate | Advanced
- Legality
- All levels of play
- Year released
- 2023
- Colors
- White
- Black
- ECD Blue
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Weight | 5.5 oz |
| Plastic | FlexForm |
| Best for mid (max offset in the middle) | |
| Stringing holes | 6 top, 20 sidewall per side, 4 bottom |
| Face shape | Versatile, slightly tighter than the original DNA |
Heads up: the DNA 2.0 was showing out of stock at Battle Lax when we last checked. If it's still sold out, the ECD Delta ($109.99) is the in-stock ECD option for poles, and the Maverik Tactik 3.0 ($109.99) is a strong two-way middie head.
Shape, Material, & Scoop
The face shape is not super tight because of the versatile nature of the head, but ECD made some adjustments to make the face shape a little tighter than the previous DNA. This, along with the decrease in weight from the first DNA, makes this head slightly more offensive minded.
The head is still on the heavier side of elite heads, weighing in at 5.5 oz. As a two-way middie myself, I personally like my heads to be a little heavier, as I get more durability when checking and little to no flex when shooting. It's probably a little heavy for an attackman, but it can still be used if you like a heavier head.
The scoop is good. It seemed like you could scoop well at many different angles of attack.
The new FlexForm plastic passed the ECD “torture test” with flying colors. You can watch it on ECD's YouTube channel (it's in the See it live section below).
Stringing
The DNA 2.0 has a good amount of stringing holes. With the head being versatile, pocket customization is really important, as different positions like different pocket shapes. There are 6 top string holes, 20 sidewall holes per side, and 4 bottom string holes.
The top sidewall holes are rectangular and pretty large, so you can fit multiple wraps to tighten the mesh to the top. The other sidewall holes are oval-shaped and a good size to easily fit a sidewall string through.
The head's shape is more tailored to a mid pocket, as the max offset is in the middle of the head, but with so many stringing holes, any pocket can be used well. (Here are the different types of lacrosse pockets and our pick for the best lacrosse mesh.)
Aesthetics
The look of the head is great. It's sleek and glossy, which looks really good in all 3 colors. The ECD Blue was a new color for this release, and a lot of players were excited about it.
The throat is very eye-catching. The design is modern, and the crab medallion on the front really draws attention to it.
Pros & Cons of the ECD DNA 2.0
- Plenty of sidewall holes: there are many options to string this stick, with 20 sidewall holes available.
- Durable: the head is ultra durable. Most heads don't do well in the “torture test,” but ECD's new FlexForm plastic is incredibly durable.
- Heavy: it's on the heavier side of elite heads. This could be perfect for an offensive-minded defenseman, a defensive middie, or an offensive player who likes a little heft to their head (like me).
Who is the ECD DNA 2.0 for?
This head is made for pretty much every field position. It's tailored for the more all-around player, so two-way middies, defensive middies, and LSMs would thrive with this head.
Attackmen and defensemen could definitely use this head, but there are plenty of better options for those specific positions. See our best attack lacrosse heads, best defensive lacrosse heads and best heads for middies.
See it live
Want to see the DNA 2.0 and the FlexForm torture test? Here's ECD's own breakdown on YouTube.
More DNA 2.0 videos:
Conclusion
This is a great head with a great look. It's definitely an all-around head with a good mix of offensive and defensive qualities. That can make it relatively niche, as it's good at many things but master of none.
It's a very durable head, as shown by the torture test in the ECD video, so it should last you a while. Overall, I'm a fan of the head and would definitely use it in a game myself.
Buy the DNA 2.0 at Battle Lax Shop all ECD
Battle Lax: ECD DNA 2.0 Unstrung Head$99.99
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