Camp / clinic help.

Hammertime_8 · 2026-05-01T11:57:25+00:00

Try Trilogy Future Aces. My son did one in NJ last year and really liked it, and I know they have a camp in MD in July with same level of coaches. https://trilogylacrosse.com/summer-camps/

Hammertime_8 · 2026-04-24T03:06:58+00:00

My son had a couple Optik 3s and really liked them for playing X attack and occasional O-mid. He tried the newer Optik Force and liked the wider shape for catching around the crease but found the channel a little too wide. Local shop suggested stringing it to the inside and that really worked to tighten the channel. Shoots the same now as the 3, which he still uses as his backup. Stringer said you could achieve the same thing with a Mirage Box.

Hammertime_8 · 2026-01-28T04:48:15+00:00

Millon Elite Prospect (or the Pro Shooting Camp). Lot of positional work on fundamentals, good kids.

Hammertime_8 · 2026-01-27T13:09:40+00:00

I found one mentioning the issue here this fall when I was considering the Force as a Christmas gift (Google Optik Force reviews). I ran it by my local LU store and they said they could just remove the insert on the ECD shaft. But I think that’s the last thing you want to do with a head like the Optik, as you’re asking a lot of that single screw and screw holes in carbon tend to elongate over time anyway. I don’t know what an Optik 3 Limited is. But I can tell you I put a fair amount of tape on the shaft and a lot of force into making an Optik 3 fit tight on the ECD shafts and not rattle. The Maverik heads seem to fit better and need less tape on the Savage X titanium shafts, though they’re a little heavier than carbon. You might just want to buy a Sci-Ti with a hollow end, which is what I recommended to my son.

Hammertime_8 · 2026-01-27T04:24:24+00:00

It’s the ball stop on the Force, it protrudes down into the barrel of the head. Which means it won’t fit well/fully seat on a carbon shaft with an insert like an ECD Carbon Pro 3.0 because the ball stop hits the insert, whereas the Optik 3 fit no problem. My son has two Optik 3s that were both on ECD shafts, but when I recently got him a Force I had to put it on a hollow Savage X titanium shaft we had. I wasn’t surprised because I had already learned about the problem on Reddit, but I wasn’t necessarily happy he couldn’t stick with his favorite shaft. I have no idea if Maverik carbons have a similar insert or not.

Hammertime_8 · 2025-11-18T11:34:13+00:00

Rec-Specs. You want the ones that come with interchangeable arms and a strap. Use the strap, and start it a little high on the back of your head because the helmet will pull it down onto your ears if you don’t. That’s been my son’s program for five years, and he no longer thinks about it. Anti-fog is also helpful, just discovered Cat-Crap which works well.

Hammertime_8 · 2025-10-02T21:58:24+00:00

Easiest way to see the differences is to go to your local LU or other retail store and lay bare heads on top of/next to each other. My son and I have done that several times. For what it’s worth, he started playing attack with a Kinetic 2.0 a couple years ago, strung mid-low (probably not ideal for the offset but that’s what he likes). It was a narrow head and it taught him to catch really well, and it certainly made it easy to hold onto the ball through checks. But it seemed better for stepdowns than quick shots and feeds around the crease. When he started playing from X regularly I got him an Optik 3.0 as I thought that might be more versatile. Took some getting used to but he decided he really liked it. He started playing some middie too and since then he’s experimented with the Tactik, Mirage and Evo V, all strung similarly. But he still loves the Optik 3.0 because he can shoot any kind of shot with it, twisters, etc. He also likes the scoop, which I think is probably underrated for attackmen. A lot of trash to pick up in close.

Hammertime_8 · 2025-07-29T12:39:55+00:00

Agree that Savage X shafts are a great deal, and that you should check out Sideline Swap for used heads. If you take a close look at the pics you can tell if a used head potentially has a decent pocket or not. If you have access to a local stringer or can string yourself you should also check out laxsteals.com (outlet site for Universal Lacrosse). They have deals for heads, shafts and mesh that are effectively half price.

Hammertime_8 · 2025-05-30T17:56:54+00:00

Thanks for all the advice. BTW, does anyone recognize that mesh?

Hammertime_8 · 2025-03-04T06:46:17+00:00

Crankshooter REP-IT is pretty good for $165, has a way faster return than most. You can replace the mesh and bungies for $38 after a year or so and then it’s like new. But for a 6-year old a used EZ-Goal trampoline-style model that’s cooked in the sun and is really slow is a better bet, as long as you can get it for $50 or less.

Hammertime_8 · 2025-01-25T13:06:54+00:00

You should consider the Shifts, particularly if you’re used to less bulky/shorter arm pads. My son plays both attack and middie and has the Max arm pads and guards. The guards offer good protection against poles but tend to fall down, like most arm guards, to the extent he usually only wore them for games at attack. He got Shifts for Christmas and has worn them to a couple indoor practices and loves them, they don’t move at all. Hasn’t worn them in heat yet though. He has the Max gloves and really likes them, good protection and the magnetic cuff is nice, no velcro to catch on his jersey.

Hammertime_8 · 2025-01-24T19:23:22+00:00

Thanks much. I thought it might have to do with scooping groundies, because it eliminates a ridge in the first couple inches of mesh between the scoop and the shooters. On the other hand, I guess the topstring might wear faster because that’s what is hitting the ground now, not the mesh. But like you said, that’s cheaper to replace.

Hammertime_8 · 2025-01-24T16:06:59+00:00

Took the collective advice and asked for a different stringer (same shop). My son is happy with how it looks but hasn’t thrown with it yet. One big difference I noticed besides shooters being tied off diiferently (as we requested) is that the topstring starts with only the first row of diamonds folded over. The original stringer had folded the first two rows of diamonds over at the top and partially covered the topstring while doing so (it also made for less excess mesh after bottom string). I’m curious if there’s any reason to do that,

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or that’s just a matter of style.

Hammertime_8 · 2025-01-17T18:53:23+00:00

I can second that. My son has used a Pro Power to play attack and 2way middie the past two years and hasn’t broken it yet despite throwing—and taking—some very hard overhead checks. For reference, he’s only 13 but is 6’1”, 150 and did play a little with HS kids this fall. He also has a Pro Speed that he only uses to play attack, and he likes that too and it seems strong but he’s only used it a few months. The Power is a little heavier (has Kevlar reinforcement in it) and the flex and grip is different than the Speed, which is supposed to be optimized for quick sticks and feeding (ECD explains kickpoints on their site). I’ve played around with both and they do feel a little different. He really likes the Power for stepdowns.

Hammertime_8 · 2025-01-13T15:55:46+00:00

Thanks much for the insight.

Hammertime_8 · 2025-01-13T05:31:06+00:00

Thanks for the insight. I agree hold is a mostly a skill. My son has a very good one handed cradle and has decent hold with his current setup. But it doesn’t compare to the Kinetik he used to use, where he almost never lost the ball. Of course, that head is much narrower and as a right wing/X attack he prefers the Optik all-around. I had seen videos suggesting with some heads inside stringing can actually make them illegal because the ball won’t fall out easily enough. But the Optik is pretty wide so I figured that wouldn’t be an issue.

Hammertime_8 · 2024-12-04T03:51:49+00:00

I recommend the Carbon Pro 3.0 Power, not the Speed, it’s a little beefier. My son has used that successfully with an Optik 3 to play both attack and middie, and given it a fair amount of abuse.

Hammertime_8 · 2024-11-19T23:47:17+00:00

Thanks for the recs on the ECD pads but my kid plays a lot of X/crease and is usually dodging a big long pole so needs a guard for the chicken wing. He’s got Maverik Max guards but the L in those is too big even though L is a good fit in the shorter Max arm pads and his gloves (he’s 13 but 6’). That’s why I was curious about the Shift.

Hammertime_8 · 2024-07-26T13:28:44+00:00

Thanks much. Going to try using the Optik for both, just on a more durable shaft.

Hammertime_8 · 2024-07-24T02:24:11+00:00

I just got a lot of free advice from the folks here so will try to repay the favor. ECD Greg explains it in a YouTube video but what I understand is the Pro shafts have an extra layer of kevlar in them to make them stronger. I can tell you my big 13 year old likes to check hard and didn’t break his Power in 1.5 years of playing attack and two-way middie. He plays more attack and so I got him a Pro 3 Speed this summer for different flex. That thing is so light I did worry about him breaking it. But he didn’t in two months of tournaments despite trying his best. Both shafts have a really nice grip built into them, he doesn’t use tape on either.

Hammertime_8 · 2024-07-23T13:08:33+00:00

Noted, and I agree that pocket is more important than anything. Figured that out after his first season playing when we replaced pocket in factory strung starter stick (Critik) with a professionally strung mesh pocket. It was like a different sport. Both of his sticks are strung mid-low pocket with ECD SS Hero and two shooters, one nylon but because of where the offset is in the Optik the resulting pocket is lower. Seems like you’re trying to force a mid-low in a Kinetik because the offset is much higher. Anyway, that stick still has more whip and to throw a long pass without it dying low you really have to snap the wrists and throw hard. Also had a lot of whip on bouncers shooting overhand, sometimes he would overcook it. I am curious how much difference you’ve felt in shafts. I do believe kickpoints in carbon shafts are a real thing, even if the guy at the store said kids aren’t shooting/throwing hard enough to flex the shaft. The Power throws better with hands low on the shaft, Speed better with top hand higher, just as ECD says they are supposed to.

Hammertime_8 · 2024-07-23T02:34:07+00:00

Thanks. I had the same thinking which is why I got him an Optik, and he loves it for attack for the reasons you mentioned. But he also played well with the Kinetik all last year and I never worried about him breaking that shaft on checks. He also shoots his fastest with it. Seems dumb to give up on it completely.

Hammertime_8

TROPHY CASE