Over the past few years, Maverik has become known to pump out a really good flagship head every year, including the very popular Optik and Centrik heads. This year with the new Tactik, Maverik took what they already had with the Optik and Centrik and refined it for an elite head offering.
With the rule changes for high school coming in 2018, Maverik like most other lacrosse companies, only released the Tactik in one universal spec. The Level 3 bottom rail, which is right between the Optik (Level 2) and Centrik (Level 4) helps form a mid to mid low pocket. Maverik switched to using larger square sidewall holes instead of round holes, allowing you to wrap strings multiple times. The six top string holes are evenly space and large enough for leathers or easily fit a triangle topstring. The four bottom string holes are large enough to fit leathers without issue. I strung up a shifty mid-low bag with Throne Fiber along with some Firethreads.
Maverik kept the face shape of the Tactik head similar to the face shape of the universal spec versions of the Optik and Centrik. The Tactik has a gradual pinch to it which works well for an attackman or a middie. Maverik cut a good amount of weight from their previous heads in the Tactik, as well as giving it a more aggressive design with lots of cutouts.
The biggest change the Maverik made with the Tactik was increasing the stiffness and durability of the head. Using a new technology that Maverik refers to as Xrail technology, each strut is made up of two parts that go in opposite directions to disperse stress through the head, which works quite well. Maverik also switched to their new Duratough material, which made the head stiffer and more consistent in the heat and cold. I noticed with the Optik and Centrik that in hot weather the heads would get a bit soft and flimsy and they would get a brittle in the cold. These problems are gone with the Tactik.
Maverik made a few more nice refinements with the Tactik. One of these changes was changing the offset a bit on the top half of the head. Laying this farther back gives you a bit more feel and hold on the ball and a bit quicker release. They also rounded out the scoop, making ground balls a bit easier at different angles.
Overall, I really like the Tactik and would highly recommend it to anyone who wants a consistent, high quality head and likes a mid to mid-low pocket. The changes Maverik made to the Tactik are great and I’m looking forward to seeing what other new heads Maverik churns out as they have been constantly improving the past several years.