Equipment Guidance
Choosing a D-Pole Back to Top

By Mike Cignarale, ComLax of Franklin, MA

I am an Upstate NY native and I grew up 40 minutes east of Syracuse in Rome, NY. I played my College ball in Syracuse, NY at Lemoyne College where I was fortunate enough to experience a National Championship win in 2007.  In my four years at Lemoyne we appeared at all 4 National Championships playing 2 years in Baltimore, MD and 2 over at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro.  College lacrosse was a great experience and I’m looking forward to staying involved in the sport as long as I can. Recently, I accepted a postion as a sales manager at Commonwealth Lacrosse here in Franklin, MA. As always feel free to swing through our store, say hello or drop me a line at franklin@comlax.net

Picking a D-Pole

For someone in the market for a new D-Pole they may want to consider a few factors before they make their purchase.  A long stick typically ranges from 52-72 inches, depending on a players size and experience, and has some specific characteristics that make it a “defensive stick.”
 
First is the head, which should be a stiffer model to withstand all of the wear a head undergoes when a defender is throwing checks constantly. For a beginner, a stiffer, wider head would be a good choice. Example include the Brine Edge or the STX Proton + which provide a wider face for catching the ball and scooping ground balls.

As players grow with the game they can experiment with some of the stiffer defensive favored heads. The STX X-Caliber or the STX Proton U also fall under this category, along with the Maverick Rize. As players get more advanced they may also use stiffer heads that have a more pinched face, like the Brine Clutch x6, Brine Clutch 2x, Brine Cyber Pro, or STX Super Power - all stiff heads with good ball handling.
 
Second is the shaft, which along with the head should match the players experience and, in this case, size. Most beginners can get away with using an Aluminum shaft because they are usually just learning and may not want to spend the big bucks for a Titanium shaft. Aluminum shafts are perfect for someone who is learning the basics of handling a long pole. They are basically just as light as Titanium and come at a fraction of the cost. When players reach a point in their career where they need a stronger, lighter shaft, moving toward a Titanium material is usually a good idea. It is far stronger than Aluminum and will flex rather than bend when throwing an aggressive check.  Listed below are a few suggestions for a titanium lacrosse shaft:

WARRIOR ALLOY 6000  - BEGINNER/ YOUTH
WARRIOR KRYPTOLYTE -  HIGH SCHOOL/ COLLEGE
WARRIOR KRYPTO PRO - COLLEGE /PRO
WARRIOR TITAN PRO )OR CLASSIC) ALL LEVELS
STX SCANDIUM PRO - HIGH SCHOOL/ COLLEGE/ PRO
BRINE SWIZZBEAT DEFENSE - ALL LEVELS