“Screws fall out all the time; the world’s an imperfect place.” This was true when John Bender said it in The Breakfast Club (If this movie is before your time, it’s a classic – go watch it), and still holds true in the world of lacrosse. Every screw hole in every lacrosse head and shaft varies a tiny bit, making every head not always fit perfect on a shaft or the screw won’t be able to hold the head securely to the shaft. This creates head rattle, which is super annoying and affects your game as it makes your stick a tiny bit inconsistant. Also, if the hole gets worn out, it could make the screw loose, and no matter how much you try to fix this, the screw will never be tight. This could possibly lead to the screw falling out during a game, lead to a head dangerously flying off the shaft on a shot.
HeadLock fixes this issue with a very simple solution. They make a small device which goes inside the shaft which you screw the head into and it gives it a secure fit. It is made of a proprietary high-strength plastic which they call ThermoPlastic and is pretty easy to install. For my review, I put one of these on my East Coast Dyes Focus with Nike CEO.
Installation
Step 1: Insert the HeadLock device into the shaft with the “wings” pointing to the top of the shaft. (Optionally, if necessary put a layer of tape over the shaft to help the head fit on it without much rattle).
Step 2: Push the HeadLock into the shaft so the hole you are using on the shaft lines up with one of the holes on the HeadLock
(Tip: If you accidentally push the HeadLock too far into the shaft, use a pair of pliers to grip the tab at the top and pull it up gently)
Step 3: Put the head on the shaft.
Step 4: Screw the included screw (which is a little bit shorter than a standard lacrosse screw) into the head, shaft and HeadLock.
Performance
Overall the HeadLock is a fantastic, simple, little accessory that fixes a long time annoying issue in lacrosse. Although the installation may be a little bit frustrating for some (I had no issues but could foresee lining it up correctly to give some people a problem), the end result is fantastic. I’d recommend the HeadLock to anyone getting annoyed with these issues with their sticks.
