True Temper Lacrosse: Open Letter to the Community

Members of the Lacrosse Community:

My name is Ryan Harrington and I was a senior captain at Hampden-Sydney. I was recently put in charge of the lacrosse operations at True Temper, a company that I strongly believe will change the way you think about lacrosse shafts. I’d like to take this opportunity to quickly introduce both myself and True Temper Lacrosse; its identity, technologies and values. Please take some time to read this open letter and give us some feedback–your opinions and views will not go unnoticed.

You may not have heard of True Temper before, but we’ve certainly heard of you. We’ve been manufacturing lacrosse shafts for several companies for many years now, and we recently made the decision to give the lacrosse market our undivided attention. We currently have a 92% market share of the golf shaft market, and our technical expertise, materials engineering knowledge and manufacturing abilities are second to none. We want to bring all of those competitive advantages to lacrosse, and ultimately, right to your hands.

We’ve been watching product development and advertising in lacrosse from a distance for a while, and it seems that a lot of products promise many things but don’t necessarily deliver. I made the decision to spend our advertising dollars reaching out to you, the players, instead of big-time photo shoots and expensive endorsements. In fact, we’ve never had to pay anyone to use our products, yet look at how often our products are used in the PGA and NHL. There’s a reason for all of this: we don’t serve up any gimmicks, and we let our products do all of the talking.

You may have noticed some of our technology prototypes in the hands of the top college and pro teams this season (we can’t keep up with the re-order demands!), but our superior design and manufacturing process begins with all of you guys. We want to be a company that listens to its customers and delivers a home run time after time. As this season goes on, I will start introducing different aspects of True Temper Lacrosse right here on Lacrosse Playground, and by Memorial Day weekend, I hope that you will all have a good idea of who we are and what we stand for. Most of all, I’d like for everyone to understand the performance benefits of our technology and R&D. It’s not all smoke and mirrors, folks…I promise you that.

We are a company built on our aerospace engineers, metallurgists, composites experts and design staff, but more importantly, we are a company built upon our customers. To that effect, I’d like to open up the table and give you guys a chance to give us some feedback:

– What are the current pains you experience with lacrosse shafts?
– Do they shatter, bend or break prematurely?
– Are they too expensive for the duration of their lifecycle?
– What kinds of things would you like to see in shaft technology?
– Which shafts out there do you like and why?

I look forward to speaking with and hearing from as many of you as possible. This is a brand that I love, and one that the lacrosse world needs. Please leave your feedback in the comments section.

Sincerely,

Ryan Harrington #9
True Temper Lacrosse

for more information on True Temper, check out their website

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68 Comments

  1. What is True Temper Lacrosse on May 4, 2011 at 1:34 pm

    […] they’re all about. Lacrosse Playground got the chance to sit down with TTL program director Ryan Harrington and he had a lot to […]

  2. Kevin on April 2, 2011 at 1:55 am

    This season I’ve been using an a prototype Epoch long stick. Epoch is an MN based company that works with True Temper. I’m a player for the University of Minnesota-Duluth’s Men’s team and have only good things to say about the titanium prototype. Strength/weight ratio is among the best I’ve encountered. Guys at Epoch and True Temper, keep up the great work, and thanks for letting our team test out some prototypes!

  3. Kevin on April 2, 2011 at 1:55 am

    This season I’ve been using an a prototype Epoch long stick. Epoch is an MN based company that works with True Temper. I’m a player for the University of Minnesota-Duluth’s Men’s team and have only good things to say about the titanium prototype. Strength/weight ratio is among the best I’ve encountered. Guys at Epoch and True Temper, keep up the great work, and thanks for letting our team test out some prototypes!

  4. Kevin on April 2, 2011 at 1:55 am

    This season I’ve been using an a prototype Epoch long stick. Epoch is an MN based company that works with True Temper. I’m a player for the University of Minnesota-Duluth’s Men’s team and have only good things to say about the titanium prototype. Strength/weight ratio is among the best I’ve encountered. Guys at Epoch and True Temper, keep up the great work, and thanks for letting our team test out some prototypes!

  5. Kevin on April 2, 2011 at 1:55 am

    This season I’ve been using an a prototype Epoch long stick. Epoch is an MN based company that works with True Temper. I’m a player for the University of Minnesota-Duluth’s Men’s team and have only good things to say about the titanium prototype. Strength/weight ratio is among the best I’ve encountered. Guys at Epoch and True Temper, keep up the great work, and thanks for letting our team test out some prototypes!

  6. Lacrossecampfinder on April 1, 2011 at 6:40 pm

    Always good to see new products. I know the California boys would like to learn more about new shafts. If I get a chance to see one I will mention it ala lacrossecampfinder.com

  7. Lacrossecampfinder on April 1, 2011 at 6:40 pm

    Always good to see new products. I know the California boys would like to learn more about new shafts. If I get a chance to see one I will mention it ala lacrossecampfinder.com

  8. Lacrossecampfinder on April 1, 2011 at 6:40 pm

    Always good to see new products. I know the California boys would like to learn more about new shafts. If I get a chance to see one I will mention it ala lacrossecampfinder.com

  9. Tim on March 31, 2011 at 4:03 am

    I have a stx scandium shaft stamped with the true temper logo for 7+ years. It has been used consistently, and while it is showing its age, its still performs flawlessly. I did not pay much attention to it until now, but I will keep a look out for your logo in the future

  10. Eeiannaccone345 on March 31, 2011 at 3:19 am

    All shafts should be made like the Warrior Titan Pro. The only things i could knock on is that it is a tiny bit heavy and its pretty expensive. It is the sturdiest shaft out there while not sacrificing too much in wait. I find it to be very easy to use and brings the pain on people when i play d with it.

  11. Superstango on March 30, 2011 at 11:15 pm

    i personally like the krypto pro Diamond. the main problem i find is its a little heavy but the grip the stick has is unparalleled. if their was a way to make a shaft as sturdy and as nice of a grip that the krypto pro Diamond has with the weight of a Gait DB803 that would be perfect

  12. Will Holley on March 30, 2011 at 10:36 pm

    I play close D and use a Scorpion Tyrant, OG Brine F55 and Talon Beast. My favorite aspects of the Tyrant and the F55 are that they are pretty light, don’t bend or dent. (I’ve had the Tyrant for 2 years and I play year round and i’ve had the F55 for one year). My favorite thing about the shafts is that the metal is unpolished and uncoated so it gives a really smooth feeling. I don’t like the grip on most new shafts and prefer to just tape my shafts. As for my Talon, I don’t mind the weight because it really packs a punch. I wouldn’t want to be on the other end of that thing.
    So to summarize, shafts that are smooth un-coated metal and that pack a punch.
    Keep up the good work!

    • Pipe City on April 28, 2011 at 11:32 pm

      Yeah all the new grips on the shafts are just annoying. I prefer smooth anyway, i have hardly any tape on my stick at all

  13. Mjrhino24 on March 30, 2011 at 12:54 pm

    I deal with the women’s market and I can tell you that the True Temper designed Flex handle and the best of all time STX Afterburner are two of the best handles going or that have been out there for women’s lacrosse. The Afterburner was a composite core that was then wrapped with what appeared to be sheet carbon so you could see the weave in the top layer. And the Afterburner had a great texture. I think the largest problem with composites is that the screw hole becomes elongated when it has been checked quite a bit as the screw begins to work like a file when the impact occurs. I would suggest filling in the top 1″ of the handle with either a composite resin or wood blugto make sure the screw has a valid place to attach to when the head is mounted.

    • Waps on March 30, 2011 at 10:18 pm

      Great idea with the screw plug. I have wedged other materials in the end before to give the screw more bite.

    • Anonymous on April 4, 2011 at 1:50 am

      If you get a chance, check out the handles we did (Men’s/Ladies) for Combat Lacrosse. Took our first steps toward making stripped screws a thing of the past. Posted a picture on our Facebook wall.

      Would love to know what you think if you’re able to check one out …

  14. Piotr on March 30, 2011 at 8:52 am

    Hi! I’m from Poland and I’m a bit of a gear junkie 😉 I thought that needed to be pointed out beforehand 😀
    When I first started out here, and met my current coach for the first time, he came out with a banged up STX Laser Lite. I remember him complaining that the shafts of today are so thin. He’s gotten used to them being this thin, but I’ve actually gone the other way. I have a hickory shaft from hikstik. I barely manage to fit the heads on usually. I also have a cut down shaft from an original Brine Edge complete stick. it’s also very thick, no BS octagonal shaped. Really comfortable in the hands. Both of these shafts DON”T feel like a twig in my hands. I bet a larger diameter would do more good than all the fancy grip-finishes. Plus it will make the shafts more durable, right?
    Also in my opinion just like electric piano makers try to make their instruments sound like a real wooden grand piano, shaft manufacturers could be looking to make their shafts feel and play more like wood.
    Weight isn’t really all that important IMO. Lightweight shafts will always be weaker, but people will use them because it’s the easy way out: you don’t need that much strength to use them (noodle arms as one LPG blogger stated before). A no-grip shaft will also make you use your fingers more because you have to hold the shaft tighter.
    All in all, I’d like to see the shafts of yesterday back: large diameter, thick walls, regular octagonal shape (although I do like the butterfly shape) and just plain old 6000 series aluminum, which would hopefully reduce the ridiculous pricing. That’s what I think is needed, at least in developing countries. We’re not going to complain that it’s heavy if it lasts five seasons.
    Take Care!

  15. Bg205 on March 30, 2011 at 6:55 am

    I play Lacrosse in the UK. I’ve been playing for 6 years in close D/LSM, I’m 6’5 and about 220lbs. the UK season runs from October through to April, with a few summer tourneys before a break from July to September. I’ll chop your 5 Q’s into sections to answer them:

    – What are the current pains you experience with lacrosse shafts?
    – Do they shatter, bend or break prematurely?

    The problems I experience with current lacrosse sticks is that most of them seem to be made out of tinfoil, light, shiny and as durable as paper. I’ve used an old (3rd hand from a visiting American 5 years ago) titan classic which I bent into a corkscrew in under 6 months (bent prematurely and repeatedly). I’ve also broken 2 Scorpion genysis shafts in the last 2 seasons, one on and attackers stick(cracked) and another between 3 players (clean snapped). Owing to how hard the sticks are to get in Europe (I’m a student so the import tax is a bit prohibitive to importing frequently from the US) I would like a stick that lasts at least 2 seasons.

    – Are they too expensive for the duration of their lifecycle?

    In short, yes. If they only last half a season then I wouldn’t buy another one. I would expect at least a full season, preferably 2 or 3. If I knew something was going to last that long I wouldn’t mind dropping $300 dollars on it as it works out as $100/year (~£60/year).

    – What kinds of things would you like to see in shaft technology?
    – Which shafts out there do you like and why?

    I really like the amount of flex and spring in the genysis, I also like how it stays straight, no matter how much you throw at it, until it snaps. I dislike asymmetrical shafts (I started off borrowing a flip grip from the club captain as a freshman) as if it dents in one side and bends, you can’t simply turn the head round and use it for a few games to straighten it out again. I’m not too fussed with the grippy surfaces as unless they were applied by somebody who plays with their hands in exactly the same place as me, they don’t tend to be in the right place/adds weight (bubbles or dimples) or they shred the palms on your gloves(sand blasted), this is probably to do with wanting my kit to last alot longer than a season. I had a quick mess around with a mates Maverick H2 and the shape felt pretty good, along with the bubbled grip felt good when my hand happened to be on it. Could the grip be applied like heat shrink wrap, post purchase, if you supplied them on a sheet? I like the fact that you can remodel titanium sticks, but not the frequency with which they bend.

    My ideal shaft would be something like a hybrid between a H2 shape, durability of an Sc-Ti alloy shell around a hammer type, vibration tuned and cross spared, carbon fibre/kevlar core to keep it straight and without the genysis’ ‘windows’ that you can see the carbon fibre through. Also the rules here permit poles to be ‘between 52″ and 72″ ‘, please make them the full 62″ long (full length minus the length of the head) so that when I repeatedly ding the top 4″ of the stick on stick checks I can cut it off and not have something that looks like a tweener in my hands.

    sorry about the essay

  16. Jack Scott on March 30, 2011 at 6:09 am

    I used a couple of these down at Hampten-Sydney. I love these things.

  17. SoCalLaxer on March 30, 2011 at 5:53 am

    To me, like many others, the most important things in a shaft are the shape of it and the weight. I like the feel of my 803 ice as far as shape and grip, but the durability of it could be improved on. My ideal shaft would is the 803 ice with more strength. Based what I have read about true temper, I feel that if anyone can achieve this, they can.

  18. Stegs on March 30, 2011 at 3:41 am

    I play LSM in Master’s leagues and am happy with my Krypto Pro…light AND durable.
    I know I am not the player you are marketing to. I will not buy a new shaft every year. In the old days aluminum was great. The graphite fad quickly came and went with the shattering of shafts. I never bought into the price of titanium especially since I seen ’em bend on the first day of use.
    Us Masters guys may not run as fast, but we make up for it with hard checks, and the krypto pro is the only new technology shaft I’ve had that hasn’t broke or bent. It may ding up, but no bends.
    As far as grip, I still prefer tape compared to the new finishes.

    • Anonymous on March 30, 2011 at 6:27 am

      I like you’re style. We appreciate talking with any lacrosse player, parent, or enthusiast. This is the difference we are able to bring to the industry because we don’t: sell/distribute/market the handles. Our plan is to keep 100% focus on what we’re great at: engineering and manufacturing.

    • Nobody on April 14, 2011 at 5:47 am

      I’m coming back to the game after having played in college (graduated in mid-nineties). Straight up I’m a bit of a gearhead. I think it’s great that you guys who are so well-known in golf are getting into lacrosse.

      So I’m an old guy, live in Hong Kong and am therefore completely out of touch, but a few quick observations (based on my online shopping over the last week or so to gear up for a league here):
      1) There’s a ton of choice on shafts
      Aside from what the materials are made of, there is little obvious differences except in the graphics. I think someone mentioned below that graphics aren’t that important. I tend to agree. That said, if you are laying fiber nicely, show it, but know that it will probably get taped over anyway.

      2) The marketing teams are forgetting the simple stuff
      a) Note how there’s a lot of marketing like “this is the lightest handle we make.” I think a manufacturer would be wise to weigh their shafts AND the competitions shafts and provide that data to the retailers. In golf equipment, people sweat it down to the gram and I would want to know that my $300 true temper composite shaft is 100 grams lighter than the scandium from so and so and 120 grams lighter than the 7000 series aluminum from so and so.

      b) do a demo reel of a titanium (or whatever) shaft show the brand and model snapping on contact with one of your carbon fiber shafts.
      I don’t know if you’ve seen the video from I want to say Trek bikes demonstrating an aluminum pipe (picking on Cannondale) bending like a wet noodle over one of their carbon frames when struck by hand. (Obviously not a fair comparison as bike tubes aren’t meant to be as strong on the side, as they are “butted” to reduce weight by making the walls thinner). But I was like wow OCLV or whatever they call it is legit.

      3) From a marketing spend perspective, why not continue to pitch your shafts to the established brands so that there marketing teams can be out there pushing it and you guys get an “Intel inside” or “Powered by Honda” nod via a decal on the graphics and a contract in writing that says that they need to mention you guys as their manufacturer in all their materials. Piggy back on the branding.

      4) Someone mentioned below about a plug on top to make sure the screw stays put.
      BEST idea EVER.

      Keep up the great work!

    • Nobody on April 14, 2011 at 5:47 am

      I’m coming back to the game after having played in college (graduated in mid-nineties). Straight up I’m a bit of a gearhead. I think it’s great that you guys who are so well-known in golf are getting into lacrosse.

      So I’m an old guy, live in Hong Kong and am therefore completely out of touch, but a few quick observations (based on my online shopping over the last week or so to gear up for a league here):
      1) There’s a ton of choice on shafts
      Aside from what the materials are made of, there is little obvious differences except in the graphics. I think someone mentioned below that graphics aren’t that important. I tend to agree. That said, if you are laying fiber nicely, show it, but know that it will probably get taped over anyway.

      2) The marketing teams are forgetting the simple stuff
      a) Note how there’s a lot of marketing like “this is the lightest handle we make.” I think a manufacturer would be wise to weigh their shafts AND the competitions shafts and provide that data to the retailers. In golf equipment, people sweat it down to the gram and I would want to know that my $300 true temper composite shaft is 100 grams lighter than the scandium from so and so and 120 grams lighter than the 7000 series aluminum from so and so.

      b) do a demo reel of a titanium (or whatever) shaft show the brand and model snapping on contact with one of your carbon fiber shafts.
      I don’t know if you’ve seen the video from I want to say Trek bikes demonstrating an aluminum pipe (picking on Cannondale) bending like a wet noodle over one of their carbon frames when struck by hand. (Obviously not a fair comparison as bike tubes aren’t meant to be as strong on the side, as they are “butted” to reduce weight by making the walls thinner). But I was like wow OCLV or whatever they call it is legit.

      3) From a marketing spend perspective, why not continue to pitch your shafts to the established brands so that there marketing teams can be out there pushing it and you guys get an “Intel inside” or “Powered by Honda” nod via a decal on the graphics and a contract in writing that says that they need to mention you guys as their manufacturer in all their materials. Piggy back on the branding.

      4) Someone mentioned below about a plug on top to make sure the screw stays put.
      BEST idea EVER.

      Keep up the great work!

  19. AJ on March 30, 2011 at 2:34 am

    Ryan, as a new entry (okay, not really new but under your own brand name), I think it is important to gain a share of the market with introductory prices. I’ve noticed Easton coming into the lacrosse market lately and maintaining their higher prices that they’ve carried through their baseball lines.
    Lacrosse is expensive enough as it is with the cost of helmets ($200+), shoulder pads ($50-120), elbow pads ($35-80), gloves ($35-200), shafts ($35-150), heads ($25-150) and cleats. It’s expensive to get new players into the sport and outfit them properly. I’m on the west coast and although I am not a player, I am a parent of twin boys that are playing high school club lacrosse. Our player fees for the season is about $250 each not including travel. That keeps a lot of kids from being able to learn such an awesome game full of tradition, honor and spirit.

    • Anonymous on March 30, 2011 at 6:19 am

      AJ – thanks for your input, I think you raise a number of good points in here.

  20. HeyUVA on March 30, 2011 at 1:07 am

    God, you guys are in for such a treat. Ryan is about to drop some knowledge on you guys that will blow your minds. I’ve talked to him before (I think) about some of the technologies that they have at True Temper and I was speechless. Light, strong, grippy, fantastic shapes–maybe you can have it all. I’m pumped to see this thread develop.

    I’ve been lucky enough to get one of the TT technology prototypes this season, and this thing is lighter than air and has been rock solid. Plus, everyone asks where they can get it–yeah, I like the attention.

  21. HeyUVA on March 30, 2011 at 1:07 am

    God, you guys are in for such a treat. Ryan is about to drop some knowledge on you guys that will blow your minds. I’ve talked to him before (I think) about some of the technologies that they have at True Temper and I was speechless. Light, strong, grippy, fantastic shapes–maybe you can have it all. I’m pumped to see this thread develop.

    I’ve been lucky enough to get one of the TT technology prototypes this season, and this thing is lighter than air and has been rock solid. Plus, everyone asks where they can get it–yeah, I like the attention.

    • Anonymous on March 30, 2011 at 5:23 am

      Thanks for the shout out … It’s awesome to hear the hard work from everyone at TT beginning to make a difference.

      We’re relying on you guys, keep it coming.

    • Anonymous on March 30, 2011 at 5:23 am

      Thanks for the shout out … It’s awesome to hear the hard work from everyone at TT beginning to make a difference.

      We’re relying on you guys, keep it coming.

  22. George Rohonczy on March 30, 2011 at 1:03 am

    So i think my biggest problem, being from the Northeast is that lax goes year round and you can almost always find an outside league. That being said, Spring leagues start while there is still snow on the ground and I go through multiple shafts a year between Spring, Fall, and Winter leagues. If there was a way to strengthen the shafts so that they were not as brittle in the cold, i’m sure laxers would be in heaven. I know I have gone easy on checking a stick because I couldn’t afford to break another shaft or dent it. I am a finance guy and have little to know idea how this could be made possible, but cold weather and stick checks rarely end up going well.
    The only other thing that my buddies and I talk about with shafts are the designs. It may be something that attracts younger players which is fine but for example, the Warrior KryptoPro design has gotten longer and more prominent. We love the shaft, but not the logo as much so we used to just scratch off the logo, but now it appears that it’s imprinted or something where it cant come off. I know it defeats the purpose of the logo, but by the time you play lax outside of high school and college, you know what shaft fits your game best and a logo doesn’t matter as much. I think a lot of this lies in the fact that we love the game and don’t look to be super showy which is how a lot of the newer shafts are coming off as.
    Good luck going forward.

    • Anonymous on March 30, 2011 at 5:18 am

      You’ll appreciate my answer to your first suggestion … cost. Where we have been able to quickly advance many aspects of performance through materials, design, structure, etc.; weather directly affects the raw material properties. This cannot be changed, but it can be improved … but the costs ultimately relayed onto to you make it impractical. We’re not giving up on it, just need to find alternatives or process improvements to what we currently have.

  23. cuseClub on March 30, 2011 at 1:01 am

    As an attackman at the college level, my two most important features are shape (profile) and weight (as light as possible). I tape my stick top to bottom so the finish, polish, and graphics are unimportant. I actually like a blank shaft because a chipped/peeled graphic looks terrible.

    I have never experienced a shaft breaking. I have had 1 dent (7075 aluminum) and stopped using that material. My current 2 game sticks are a C555 alloy and a Scandium alloy. Many players prefer different shape geometries, so i believe offering a reasonable variety of grip shapes is smart.

    good luck, look forward to seeing the product on the market

    • Anonymous on March 30, 2011 at 5:07 am

      I’m loving all of the feedback and emphasis on shape tonight! Our engineering team is all over this from a structural durability view, and I stricktly from a lacrosse player view.

      • Thomas on March 31, 2011 at 3:46 pm

        In terms of shape. I am a fan of the Brine Powergrip shape that was out when I was playing in college through the 2004. Good grip without needing much tape.

  24. Jgephart on March 30, 2011 at 12:52 am

    I prefer a shaft that dents (like the warrior Krypto Pro), but does not bend (like titanium tends to) or shatter (like the gait db803 ice). The shape in the hand is very important, but the lighter and stronger the better. All of that grip and texture non-sense either makes the shaft heavy (and wears off quickly to the point you end up just taping it anyway out of habit) or its so grippy (like the warrior diamond shaft pre-2007) that it tears your gloves apart. LIGHT, STRONG METAL, DENTS BUT DOESN’T BREAK OR SHATTER, AND FITS WELL IN YOUR HAND WITH GLOVES ON. Thats all that matters and that’s all i have to say about that.

    • Anonymous on March 30, 2011 at 4:57 am

      I take it you’ve given this some thought? We’ve gotten a lot of feedback over the past few month and yours takes the boat on being the most concise and descriptive. Nice work.

    • Anonymous on March 30, 2011 at 4:57 am

      I take it you’ve given this some thought? We’ve gotten a lot of feedback over the past few month and yours takes the boat on being the most concise and descriptive. Nice work.

    • Anonymous on March 30, 2011 at 4:57 am

      I take it you’ve given this some thought? We’ve gotten a lot of feedback over the past few month and yours takes the boat on being the most concise and descriptive. Nice work.

    • Anonymous on March 30, 2011 at 4:57 am

      I take it you’ve given this some thought? We’ve gotten a lot of feedback over the past few month and yours takes the boat on being the most concise and descriptive. Nice work.

  25. Guest on March 30, 2011 at 12:11 am

    Well let me first say that im in my fifth year of lacrosse.
    iv had a 2010 brine swizzle scandium for the majority of this season and its a good stick
    the only cons i would say about it is that it chips easily and i believe they could have made it lighter
    so the perfect stick (for me atleast) would be light and strong, having a simple but good looking design, and little paint chipping.
    I dont care much for the sticks that come out with the crazy designs, and i think that many would agree with that.
    Also some people dont care for the grip that is already on the swizzle i personally dont mind it.
    SO, in short
    -Lightweight (obviously)
    -Strong (obviously)
    -Minimal chipping
    -Basic Designs (but not too basic ie. all red or something)
    those are all what i tend to look for in a shaft, hope it helps, good luck

    • Anonymous on March 30, 2011 at 4:45 am

      Definitely helps!

      PS – is the “all red” a hint?? We’ve had a few comments like this, so we’re creating 3-4 new cosmetic designs. When Armando & Matt (Lead Graphic Artists) have them done, we’re going to have you guys vote to decide what our new standard design is. It will be soon, keep an eye out.

  26. Stephen on March 30, 2011 at 12:07 am

    I think that shafts are too expensive because two years later, if your shaft even lasts that long, it is outdated because lacrosse technologies are advancing so quickly. Also there is nothing worse then having a stick shatter or break. I think the shape of sticks should be explored more too.

  27. Gtsting77 on March 30, 2011 at 12:07 am

    I think that shafts are too expensive because two years later, if your shaft even lasts that long, it is outdated because lacrosse technologies are advancing so quickly. Also there is nothing worse then having a stick shatter or break. I think the shape of sticks should be explored more too.

    • Anonymous on March 30, 2011 at 4:36 am

      Thanks for the feedback. If you have any thoughts on what shapes you would be interested in, let me know or send us a sketch drawing. I’ll get meet with our engineer’s and we’ll see what we can make happen.

  28. shields on March 29, 2011 at 11:24 pm

    i’ve been thinking about this for some time
    why did brine discontinue the flip-grip? and as far as the power grip goes, its extinct as well.
    some of the younger players i’ve spoken to have never heard of those shafts, and they’re sophomores at a good CNY lacrosse high school! (so its not like they have never been around the game before)
    i think investing on different grip technologies would truly set you apart. nowadays the only difference between shafts are weight, texture and color; the actual shape of the shafts are mostly the same.
    if you brought back the flip-grip, with a stronger and more durable technology than brine had, or a grip like the Ti power-grip, i guarantee you’ll have a purchase from this guy

    • Anonymous on March 30, 2011 at 4:31 am

      I’m right with you on this one…these were my 2 favorite handles from high school thru college.

      Needless to say, taking what you and I loved about these and advancing the design/performance was one of TTL’s first development projects. You won’t be waiting long…

  29. Natesplace1 on March 29, 2011 at 10:58 pm

    after playing for 7 years, i have found my preference towards light shaft thats dont bend as u check or thow, i also like the rough sand blasted feel of the kryptopro, stx scti, and stx scandium.
    also, sharply concave edges on a shaft SUCK, they hurt and ruin gloves. examples? stx force, ouch

    • Anonymous on March 30, 2011 at 3:44 am

      Nate – what position do you play? We worked with Gait & Combat Lacrosse on some of their current handles. Per what you’re looking for … some of these are right up your alley.

  30. Devin LaPorte on March 29, 2011 at 10:50 pm

    STX Sc-Ti Pro. If you can mock the performance, weight, and durability of it, while substantially reducing the price, that would be FANTASTIC

  31. Devin LaPorte on March 29, 2011 at 10:50 pm

    STX Sc-Ti Pro. If you can mock the performance, weight, and durability of it, while substantially reducing the price, that would be FANTASTIC

    • Guest on March 30, 2011 at 12:15 am

      Maverik H2 its barely over $100 its a scandium titanium blend, lighweight, strong, cheap…

      • Anonymous on March 30, 2011 at 3:25 am

        Lets take price out of the equation and assume price stays the same … Is there anything that could make that handle better?

  32. anonymous on March 29, 2011 at 10:36 pm

    I play middie with the stx katana, and other than the paint scratching off like a week after i bought it (not a big deal) the only real problem i seem to have with it is its really versatile in all climates… any for that matter. when its wet it gets really, really slick, and when its cold outside my shaft is freezing. if i put it in the trunk even for the car drive to the game then it gets hot to the touch… also ive seen some shafts out there that have like… bubbles? almost? like small plastic gripping i guess. i think it was made by brine. it was the most amazing thing ive ever felt… possibly look into something like that? great to have yall around. best of luck!

    • Anonymous on March 30, 2011 at 3:23 am

      I’m glad you brought the ‘bubbles’ up. There have been a few companies to come out with this recently, in both men’s and ladies. We have made some prototypes in metals and composites but haven’t pushed it forward until we hear feedback like this. I’ll let you know if/when we move on this.

      Anyone else a fan of an asymmetrical or disproportioned shape? If there’s a big enough interest we’ll release some designs for you all to make the final call …

  33. anonymous on March 29, 2011 at 10:36 pm

    I play middie with the stx katana, and other than the paint scratching off like a week after i bought it (not a big deal) the only real problem i seem to have with it is its really versatile in all climates… any for that matter. when its wet it gets really, really slick, and when its cold outside my shaft is freezing. if i put it in the trunk even for the car drive to the game then it gets hot to the touch… also ive seen some shafts out there that have like… bubbles? almost? like small plastic gripping i guess. i think it was made by brine. it was the most amazing thing ive ever felt… possibly look into something like that? great to have yall around. best of luck!

  34. Waps on March 29, 2011 at 10:34 pm

    Pains? I think it is a combination of many of those things. The more expensive lighter handles are not always stronger or have a longer lifecycle. Personally I have been using composites lately which do not dent or permanently bend. Playing box I look for something I can have confidence in for cross checks that is stiff and reliable. Currently this means having something slightly heavier than desired.

  35. Waps on March 29, 2011 at 10:34 pm

    Pains? I think it is a combination of many of those things. The more expensive lighter handles are not always stronger or have a longer lifecycle. Personally I have been using composites lately which do not dent or permanently bend. Playing box I look for something I can have confidence in for cross checks that is stiff and reliable. Currently this means having something slightly heavier than desired.

  36. Waps on March 29, 2011 at 10:34 pm

    Pains? I think it is a combination of many of those things. The more expensive lighter handles are not always stronger or have a longer lifecycle. Personally I have been using composites lately which do not dent or permanently bend. Playing box I look for something I can have confidence in for cross checks that is stiff and reliable. Currently this means having something slightly heavier than desired.

    • Waps on March 30, 2011 at 12:04 am

      As for shape I prefer the traditonal shape. I have never like the concave versions or non-symetrical shafts.

    • Anonymous on March 30, 2011 at 3:01 am

      Something all of us know the meaning of, but define very differently is the definition of “reliability” or “strength.” How long do you expect a high-performing handle to be your gamer?

      • Waps on March 30, 2011 at 10:54 pm

        At a minimum I would expect 12 months.
        I had a Harrow Box shaft that I used on and of for both field and box that went for almost 6 years. I had a very pricey STX Scandium that lasted 6 games (Not value for money). I still have a dead straight original Brine F15 that is easily 10+years old that makes an appearance occasionally.

  37. Box goalie on March 29, 2011 at 10:22 pm

    I play box lacrosse goalie and I like to set picks but my shafts are always bending, they also dent when I check my post. I’ll admit I’m hard on my gear. Can you guys make a light shaft that doesn’t dent in a goalie length?

    • Anonymous on March 29, 2011 at 10:38 pm

      I think they’ve got something *just* for you. These are all GREAT comments guys–keep them coming, you’re only helping yourselves!

    • Anonymous on March 29, 2011 at 10:38 pm

      I think they’ve got something *just* for you. These are all GREAT comments guys–keep them coming, you’re only helping yourselves!

    • Anonymous on March 30, 2011 at 2:14 am

      If avoiding dents and bending is most important to you … switch materials. Composite handles won’t dent, and they wont bend.

    • Anonymous on March 30, 2011 at 2:14 am

      If avoiding dents and bending is most important to you … switch materials. Composite handles won’t dent, and they wont bend.

    • Anonymous on March 30, 2011 at 2:14 am

      If avoiding dents and bending is most important to you … switch materials. Composite handles won’t dent, and they wont bend.

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