Do not underestimate just how important to it is to have a well strung and well maintained pocket in your stick. The mesh is the one thing that has direct contact on the ball. Think of it like the tires on a car, cheap tires or tires that are poorly maintained are going to let you down badly when you need them most.
As with every other piece of equipment in lacrosse the past couple of decades have seen massive advancements in technology. Our game has been evolving at a rapid rate and men's mesh has come on leaps and bounds, my fingers hurt just thinking about some of the mesh on the market when I first started stringing 30 years ago.
There are a many different styles of mesh to choose from various brands but they can be broken down into two distinct options: semi-soft mesh and semi-hard mesh. Although there is a wide variety of diamond sizes and shapes now available the most common and widely used is 10 diamond mesh.
- Semi-Soft Mesh – A head with semi-soft mesh creates a shiftier pocket that can move with the ball, which can lead to improved control, hold and responsiveness. Break in time for semi-soft mesh is very short. Without doubt the most popular semi-soft mesh on the market is ECD Hero 3.0.
- Semi-Hard Mesh – Semi-hard mesh can help create consistency and a smooth release. It can also perform well in wet weather. It does typically take a little longer to break in than semi-soft mesh. Our best selling semihard mesh is Stringking 4X.
So which mesh is right for you? It really is a personal preference and it tough to say which one is better. As mesh has become more hydrophobic over recent years, semi-soft mesh has proven to be the more popular choice.