Best Lacrosse Mesh

What Else You Need to String a Lacrosse Stick

As much as we’d love for mesh to just stick inside of a head by itself with the perfect pocket, we do not live in Neverland. Building upon your new mesh, the following is what you will need to make it operational within your stick head:

• Top and bottom strings
• Sidewall strings
• Shooting strings

Even though we list these elements separately, you may be able to use the same type of string across the board. Nylon sidewall string has become a catchall for stringers—it can be used on the top and bottom as well as the sides, and also be used as a nylon shooting string.

Ninjalax puts out a sidewall stringing spool that is worth the investment if you’re planning on upgrading your mesh.

I would also suggest purchasing a spool even if you initially string from a kit. The reasoning behind this is sidewall strings tend to be the first point of breakage for a pocket so having extra nylon on hand is a great fail-safe. Not to mention, you can also use the extra string to close up holes in goal nets.

When it comes to shooting strings, Ninjalax also has value packs of laces as well. Like the sidewall string, having extra laces on hand is a very smart investment as aside from breakage they can deteriorate with use. It’s best to keep those laces fresh especially if you play in inclement weather often.

Both products from Ninjalax also come with numerous color options to choose from so you can add some personality to your pocket.

Types of Lacrosse Mesh

Mesh was long-held as a pretty standard, unchangeable element of the game. Companies like ECD and StringKing, however, have begun to challenge that notion to advance mesh in areas like durability, weight, and, more recently, feel beyond just the contributions of hardness.

Ultimately, mesh and your pocket can be the Golden Gun you wield on the field or the Achilles’ heel to your performance. It all comes down to personal preference and this is generated through trial and error—do not fear experimenting with your pocket.

Even so, there are positions on the field that value certain types of mesh specifically. Notably, FOGOs should be looking at soft mesh options for their sticks as they are better suited for the rigors of face-offs.

Let's get into breaking down your options when it comes to mesh.

Hardness

This is the first element that is usually listed and the top thing to consider. Mesh is mainly split into either hard or soft categories as the default. But companies like ECD and StringKing helped usher in wider use of semi-soft and semi-hard mesh that share the values at each end of the spectrum without leaning too hard into their deficiencies.

We’re gonna give you a brief break down of each level of hardness:

• Hard.  The main positive is the consistency of shape and hold—the ball should always be relatively centered in your pocket and your pocket shape should remain consistent regardless of external elements. But, the rub is hard mesh tends to be more difficult to string and provides less feel for the ball not to mention the break-in time needed is much greater than other options.

• Soft. Out of the gate, soft mesh should be game ready after an easy string job in relation to a harder option as it does not have the same rigid coating as hard mesh. Although soft mesh provides a better feel for the ball, it does have a tendency to lose its shape faster and requires constant maintenance to keep your pocket up to snuff.

• Semi-hard. This shares much of the elements of the harder end of the spectrum but is a bit easier to break-in and provides a slightly better feel for the ball. This is a great mesh to consider for long poles, especially those at LSM, and more defensive-minded middies.

• Semi-soft.Also more closely resembles a soft option but is bit more resistant to changes in shape and boasts advanced durability in inclement weather. Semi-soft is a great option for more attack-minded midfielders.

Diamond Count

To put it simply, this is the number of diamonds stretched horizontally across your pocket. The rule of thumb here is the fewer diamonds, the better hold, BUT the more diamonds, the cleaner the shot/pass.

• 10-diamond is the standard for mesh currently. Most pre-strung heads default to this and it's the most widely available mesh on the market. The big reason behind this seems to be the accuracy of passing and shooting provided. Success on the field tends to be predicated upon quick ball movement and the 10-diamond is built for that.
• 8-diamond mesh most closely resembles the Vortex (although the Vortex is a base 10-diamond with a 9-diamond “SweetSpot”). It is a hybrid of traditional 10-diamond and larger 6-diamond construction. This should give you a pocket with better hold but a relatively clean escape when it comes to shooting/passing.
• 7-diamond or “mid-monster” mesh is the first primarily hold-oriented mesh that was relatively familiar to Brine products previously. It is a decent mesh for those transition middies that find themselves dodging from box to box.
• 6-diamond comes next of course and is the most popular of the big diamond meshes. It is harder to break-in but provides a really nice hold once you manage to do so. You get a lot more whip with the 6-diamond and these pockets tend to be much less customizable, especially for shooters.
• 5-diamond…yup, 5-diamond emphasizes hold over release making this an interesting possibility for an experimental LSM—one that finds themselves having to carry the ball from end to end more often than not.
• 4-diamond mesh cause why not…this is much less widely used and mostly appears as a core pocket element for those crazies out there that want to channel the original laxers with the use of leather strings.

Coating/Finish

Mesh has always had some sort of coating or finishing, often wax in nature, to help reduce friction in the pocket, promote shape, and prevent moisture damage to the weave.

Designer brands like ECD and StringKing employ advanced coating substances to their mesh that promotes feel and grip while still prioritizing those elements listed above.

Weave/Thickness

Now we’re really into the most basic level of mesh tech but we cannot understate the importance of the weave. Both ECD and StringKing promote their specific form of mesh weave as it was an area that was seen as advancing the weight (lightening) and feel/responsiveness of the pocket.

Hand-in-hand with the weave, the thickness of the mesh is also something to keep an eye on. Thinner mesh weaves can promote elasticity and control of the ball placement within their pocket.