Best Attack Lacrosse Shafts (for Attackmen & Middies)

How to Choose an Attack/Middie Lacrosse Shaft

1) Weight

Arguably the most important thing for attackmen and midfielders is to find a lightweight shaft that won't slow down their shot and other movements crucial to offense.

I generally recommend looking for a shaft that's at least under 7 ounces and preferably under 6 ounces. Most of the best lacrosse shafts for middies and attackmen nowadays weigh between 4 to 6 ounces. Once you get much higher than this, your shaft may be noticeably heavy.

2) Durability

While it's important to find a lightweight shaft, you don't want to sacrifice durability. Your shaft will be no good if it breaks or has massive dents in it that make playing with it awkward.

The easiest way to judge durability is by reading reviews from customers that have used the shaft for awhile (like I have done to create this guide) to see if there are any issues with breaking or denting.

You can also check to see what kind of warranty the shaft comes with. Most shafts come with a 6-month warranty—which is decent—but now some companies offer up to an entire year which can be a huge difference maker, especially since you'll get a few seasons out of it if you play year round.

3) Material

The main types of lacrosse shafts are metal and composite/carbon fiber. 

Once lacrosse shaft manufacturers moved away from wood, most shafts were made of metal alloys. In the past decade or so, however, companies have started developing carbon fiber shafts that typically perform just as well and, in a lot of cases, better than metal shafts.

So which is better?

There’s no right answer. It really depends on your personal preference.

Composite and carbon fiber shafts typically have a higher strength-to-weight ratio and flex more than metal shafts. The flex, especially, can take some getting used to when switching to a composite shaft from a metal shaft. It can feel a little odd when first shooting with one, even if the flex isn't noticeable to the naked eye. As you see above, companies even offer shafts with different flex points allowing you to find a shaft tailored to your game.

Metal shafts, on the other hand, don’t flex much and switching from one metal shaft to another should feel pretty natural. Metal shafts get dings and dents in them more easily than composite shafts—but these don’t make them unusable like composite shafts once they crack. 

Composite shafts are more prone to catastrophic failure than metal shafts because they shatter instead of just getting a few small dings. So while an average carbon fiber shaft may hold up better, once they break, they are pretty much useless.

4) Shape

As you may have also noticed above, lacrosse shafts are made in a variety of shapes. Most of them are some variation of an octagon. Some are strict octagons with straight sides while others may be curved inwards (concave) or rigid with multiple curves on each angled side.

Like the material of the shaft, there is no one best shape. It all comes down to your preference. 

I recommend testing out some of your teammates' shafts with you gloves on to see which feels the best to you.

5) Grip/Finish

Another thing that changes from shaft to shaft is the outer material of it.

The finish or grip of the shaft, for example, may be smooth, sandblasted to make them a little rougher, or have a kind of rubber grip.

While you can always add tape to a shaft to give it more grip, finding one that feels good with no tape can be helpful incase your tape comes off during the game or you need to put your hand on a spot of the shaft with no tape.

6) Cost

Last but not least, you always have to factor in your budget when deciding on a shaft. While there are certainly elite shafts that perform better than the rest, your game won't be severely impacted by using a cheaper shaft.

If you have to decide between choosing a cheaper shaft or head for your attack stick, I recommend going with a cheaper shaft. 

At the end of the day, all shafts are generally the same shape and size. In addition, the weight difference between one shaft to the next is less noticeable since you are directly holding it in your hands, as opposed to a head that is further away from your hands.

The best lacrosse heads, on the other hand, are noticeably different than mediocre heads. They often have better face shapes, are more durable and stiff, and have superior scoops.

With that being said, if you are trying to find a cheaper lacrosse shaft, I recommend looking at older models. Often these are discounted as new versions come out despite there being little difference from generation to generation.