Women's Lacrosse Equipment

Equipment selected for the women's game - a non-contact sport with its own distinct gear requirements. Goggles, gloves, mesh, and stringing kits built specifically for women's lacrosse rules and the style of play they produce.

Women's lacrosse prohibits deliberate body contact, and that single rule reshapes the entire equipment list. There are no shoulder pads, no arm pads, no heavily padded gloves - the women's game is built around speed, stick skill, and quick ball movement, and the gear reflects it.

What women's field players do need is straightforward: certified goggles, lacrosse gloves, a legal stick, and a mouthguard. The goggles aren't optional and not all eyewear qualifies - they must be ASTM/SEI certified specifically for women's lacrosse (look for ASTM F3077). Women's gloves are a distinct product from men's, built for feel and control rather than impact absorption. Picking up a men's glove thinking it'll do the job means carrying unnecessary bulk that works against you.

Stick setup is where women's-specific gear matters most. Women's lacrosse mandates a shallower pocket than the men's game - the ball must remain visible above the sidewall when viewed from the side. This means mesh and stringing kits are women's-specific: men's mesh strung into a women's head produces an illegal pocket. Getting the right string kit for your head is a legal requirement, not a preference.

Women's Lacrosse Equipment FAQs

Why does women's lacrosse require goggles instead of a helmet?

Women's lacrosse rules prohibit deliberate body contact, which changes the head injury risk profile compared to the men's game. Without legal body checking and with tighter restrictions on stick checking, the level of head contact is significantly lower - goggles provide the necessary eye protection without the full head protection a contact sport demands. The one exception is the goalie, who faces hard shots at close range and wears a full helmet, making it the only position in the women's game that does.

What makes women's lacrosse gloves different from men's?

Men's gloves are built to absorb stick checks - multi-layer foam, reinforced thumbs, hard backhand protection. Women's gloves use thin foam or neoprene for basic coverage and prioritize ball feel and stick control instead. They're lighter, more flexible, and designed for a game where hand protection means shielding against incidental contact, not deliberate slashing. They're not a lighter version of men's gloves - they're a different product built for a different game.

Does pocket depth actually matter for women's lacrosse, or is it just a rulebook technicality?

It matters practically and legally. A pocket that's too deep in women's lacrosse is a penalty - officials check it during equipment inspection and can call it during play. Beyond legality, women's pocket depth rules are designed to encourage quicker passing and catching, which defines the tempo of the women's game. A deeper pocket makes it easier to hold the ball through contact, which isn't part of the women's game by design. Women's mesh and stringing kits are built to produce the correct depth automatically - using men's mesh creates both a legal problem and a style-of-play mismatch.