LAXFU: Lacrosse Infused Style

(Syracuse, NY) – Lacrosse has hit the mainstream. After years of living in the shadows, it’s now front and center in the sports world and growing at exponential rates from the youth level upward. The rapid growth has led to the formation of many new companies, mainly equipment manufacturers and retailers. However a new company has come on the scene and taken a new angle on the lacrosse market – in fashion.

LAXFU 'Elements' Shirt Light Navy

LAXFU 'Elements' Shirt Light Navy


LAXFU is a clothing company that has decided to infuse the sport of lacrosse into its styles, hoping to catch the interest of the ever-growing number of players and fans. It was founded by Syracuse natives and lacrosse veterans Mike Dolan and Brett Strait. Both played at perennial powerhouse West Genesee High School, and went on to have impressive NCAA lacrosse careers.

Now that they’ve both been in the corporate world for over a decade, they have diverted their energy and resources into their new clothing lines. “We were originally looking to get into the equipment retail business, but soon discovered that there were some significant barriers to entry,” said Brett Strait, co-founder of LAXFU. (Most of the major equipment companies will only distribute to people with brick-and-mortar storefronts.) “Since some of the distributors made it difficult for us to get involved, clothing was an easy transition for us. We always wanted clothing to be a major part of the company, so we diverted all of our resources into apparel.”

LAXFU Flexfit Logo Hat Red

LAXFU Flexfit Logo Hat Red


LAXFU is not the first to dabble in the lacrosse clothing arena. Other companies have had success with clothing for younger players, with some exotic designs that many would call “alternative”. LAXFU’s direction is more mainstream, and they describe their styles as “clean and stylish”. (The name “LAXFU” is derived from “lacrosse” and “fusion”, as in their company slogan, “lacrosse infused style”.)

“We felt that lacrosse players were an underrepresented market in the clothing area,” said Mike Dolan, co-founder of LAXFU. “There’s some stuff out there, but most of it is active-wear – clothing that you would wear to the gym or to practice in. We wanted something stylish and high quality enough that you would want to wear out on the town, and we couldn’t find anything on the market that met our standards.”

Historically, lacrosse players would often gravitate towards styles inspired by other activities, like skate and surf wear, along with the more popular brands like Abercrombie and Hollister. “We have always felt that lacrosse deserved its own focus and was capable of supporting a high-quality clothing line,” said Dolan.

LAXFU Zip-front Hoodie Navy Blue

LAXFU Zip-front Hoodie Navy Blue


LAXFU has also brought in some industry experts. Dolan, who now lives in Boston, MA, is working with designers to assist LAXFU with creating high-end designs for their clothing. They’re also in talks with professional lacrosse players who they plan to enter into endorsement deals with to help elevate brand awareness. With the growth of the sport and the success at the pro level, many lacrosse companies have employed pro players to promote their products.

Lacrosse is certainly here to stay, and this year alone we’ve seen the introduction of numerous new companies. With growth comes innovation and expansive product lines that all lovers of the sport will surely enjoy.

More information on LAXFU and their products can be found by visiting their website, LAXFU.

Lacrosse Playground

In 2009, Adam O’Neill, Harry Alford and Thomas Alford launched Lacrosse Playground as the preeminent site for lacrosse gearheads. For years Lacrosse Playground provided lacrosse fans with tutorials and tips on how to string a lacrosse head, up-close looks at the gear the top players used and sneak peeks at equipment and uniforms before they were released. More than 10 years and millions of visits later, Lacrosse Playground has relaunched with a focus on storytelling. Our mission is to provide comprehensive coverage of the latest lacrosse news, share insights into the sports betting and fantasy lacrosse world and showcase the lifestyles and personalities of the sport of lacrosse through articles, videos and podcasts.

11 Comments

  1. Doug on October 4, 2009 at 11:29 am

    lol… the clothing looks like something you would buy at Khols, it’s just way to cheap looking

  2. Nathan on September 30, 2009 at 11:06 am

    Although it seemed a little expensive for a t-shirt, I took a gamble an purchased on based solely on the the design. It was well worth it, can’t say I own a more comfortable shirt and fits nicely too…”

  3. georgialax on September 30, 2009 at 6:12 am

    just bought a hoodie…design is awesome. Ordering from the site is a breeze.

  4. John on September 29, 2009 at 4:00 pm

    I get these guys Friday Lacrosse fights emails. I didn’t know it was an actual company. Pretty cool gear.

  5. ben duncan on September 29, 2009 at 1:13 pm

    great write up guys! keep up the good work, and look forward to wearing a complete line next year in placid!

  6. Soda17 on September 29, 2009 at 12:46 pm

    I bought a hat last week – the red one pictured above – I had a question about the sizing and the customer service guy was actually really helpful. (I’m size 7-1/8 and the way the flex-fit sizing goes I could have gone either way, small or large. I went with the small.) The hat arrived and fits great – nice and snug, like I like it. Their style is good too – crisp, clean, which is why I bought it in the first place.

  7. EscobarCeasr on September 29, 2009 at 12:46 pm

    the stlyes look kind of weak. just not for me

  8. Tim on September 29, 2009 at 12:42 pm

    High quality stuff, the shirt is great looking and the most comfortable t-shirt I have ever worn.

  9. Ryan on September 29, 2009 at 10:54 am

    I just bought a hat from LAXFU, it’s top notch! Fits well (flexfit) and has a clean look to it. Highly recommend

  10. G White on September 29, 2009 at 10:36 am

    It’s great to see a company dedicated to expanding lacrosse into the mainstream market. I love the designs and the concept. Keep up the good work on your Laxfu blog, lacrosse will surely benefit from the exposure it is receiving.

  11. cpow22 on September 29, 2009 at 10:11 am

    ordered a shirt and hat from these guys a few weeks ago. pretty sweet stuff and way better than expected. the hats fit awesome.

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