What's Hot right now for Lacrosse Equipment?

Hey LAX players and fans-

What's hot right now for Lacrosse Equipment?

(point system is based out of 10 being best)

The STX K18 line of product is HUGE again this year and I have been very impressed with the RBK products as well.

Lacrosse Arm Protection-
I think there is really only 3 companies to look at in this category this year:

K18 arm guards - unmatched for comfort. Everyone who tries them on ends up buying them!
If they are good enough for Kyle Harrison to wear them and put his name on them, they must be awesome. $84.99
http://www.thetotalathlete.com/SHOP/STORE/viewItem.asp?idProduct=63
Comfort: 10
Protection: 8

K18 arm pads -great for middies that are looking for light arm protection that are comfortable and stay put. I hate having to adjust my arm pads during the game. I personally wear these and I play defense. I love them! $54.99
http://www.thetotalathlete.com/SHOP/STORE/viewItem.asp?idProduct=62
Comfort: 8
Protection: 10 (remember these are arm pads not guards)
Price: 10

Reebok - took their knowledge of making hockey arm guards and brought some of that into their lacrosse product line. They have diagonal cross over straps that make the fitting on your arm unmatched. The 5K, 7K, and 9K arm/elbow guards will fit perfectly. They also have plenty of velcro to adjust them as needed. Price depends on which K you are looking for.
http://www.thetotalathlete.com/SHOP/STORE/listCategoriesAndProducts.asp?idCategory=111
Comfort: 8
Protection: 9
Price: 10

Gait Identity arm guards - I was a little skeptical on these when they 1st game out. Now that I have them in the store and have tried them on...WOW! Gait made custom coloring arm guards easy and affordable. These arm guards are very comfortable and you can change the color of the pads to match your home and away uniform or if you change teams...just change the pads. These are also very inexpensive for a top of the line arm guard. The shell is 100% hard plastic. They also have a plastic wrap around guard for your forearm. There things look sweet! I would rate these as being the best arm guards for the price point $69.99.
http://www.thetotalathlete.com/SHOP/STORE/viewItem.asp?idProduct=57
Comfort: 9
Protection: 8
Price: 10+

Lacrosse Gloves-

K18 gloves - No other glove on the market feels as nice holding a stick. They have a light grippy palm for better stick handling. These gloves also break in nicely. They aren't big and bulky like the Brine Deft or the Warrior Super Fly gloves but they still have plenty of protection.
http://www.thetotalathlete.com/SHOP/STORE/viewItem.asp?idProduct=142
Protection: 9
Comfort: 10
Price: 10

RBK 9K Glove - Reebok also has some really nice equipment out there! Reebok has done a great job making their 1st attempt at lacrosse equipment a success. They actually tested the product in the NLL for a year before the equipment became available to the public. I have a few friends that play in the NLL and they really like the 9K gloves. The 7K and 5K and also very nice for the price.
http://www.thetotalathlete.com/SHOP/STORE/listCategoriesAndProducts.asp?idCategory=132
Protection: 9
Comfort: 10
Price: 9

Maverik Dynasty Glove - I think Maverik is the next big company waiting to explode on the market. The company is run by all Professional Players. S0 you know that they test their stuff themselves before it hits the market. My men's team that I play for are getting custom Dynasty gloves next year. They are light weight and super comfortable. They also come in a ton of colors! No other company stocks as many colored gloves as Maverik.
http://www.thetotalathlete.com/SHOP/STORE/viewItem.asp?idProduct=132
Comfort: 9
Protection: 10
Price: 9

Maverik Fox Glove - Just as comfortable as the Dynasty glove at a cheaper price. These are priced $89.99. You can't go wrong there. I think these are the best gloves for under $100 in the game right now. They also come in a bunch of colors! You'll love these gloves!
http://www.thetotalathlete.com/SHOP/STORE/viewItem.asp?idProduct=135
Comfort: 10
Protection: 9
Price 10+

Lacrosse Shoulder Pads-
There are really only 3 that come to mind when I am asked about what are the best Shoulder pads on the market.

Maverik Dynasty - I don't know how Maverik does it but these things are so light. They have upgraded the Dynasty series from last year. They are very protective. They have a neck pad that protects you from high checks to the throat and a sternum shield to protect your heart from being hit with shots. Both of these features are great to have on your shoulder pads. I also think these are priced perfect $76.99. You shouldn't have to pay $100+ for this type of protection. Also if you decide to take the arm shields off (as most players do) you won't "flap" around the field looking like a bird with wings. The shoulder caps are strapped down with elastic bands to keep them in place. My opinion...best shoulder pads for under $100.
http://www.thetotalathlete.com/SHOP/STORE/viewItem.asp?idProduct=467
Protection: 10
Comfort:10
Price: 10+

RBK 9K Shoulder Pads - These are top notch in every way. They have a 3 piece shoulder pad on each shoulder. This allows the pads to fit to the contour of your shoulder better that any other style on the market. These are extremely protective and cover your upper body very well. They also come with a sternum shield and even come in size XL for you bigger players. You'll be very impressed once you try these on. My opinion... best shoulder pads over $100.
http://www.thetotalathlete.com/SHOP/STORE/viewItem.asp?idProduct=479
Protection: 10
Comfort: 10
Price: 10

Warrior Hitman Shoulder Pads - I'm a firm believer in that you should get what you pay for. You don't need to keep up with all the Warrior number size increases. Most of which is just a change in the color of the pad liner anyway and they want to charge you $15 more than last years model for doing so. If you can find an older model like the 5.5 ones...go for it. They are the exact same thing. With all that said...the hitman series is still one of the best shoulder pads in the game today. It offer lots of protection and comfort. They also stay put if you take the arm shields off, no bird wings here.
http://www.thetotalathlete.com/SHOP/STORE/viewItem.asp?idProduct=472
Protection: 9
Comfort: 9
Price 10 (if you find last years model, I stock them)

Lacrosse Helmets-
When you think of lacrosse helmets only one company should come to mind: Cascade.
Brine has had recalls on every helmet they have ever maid and the Triumph is no exception.
Warrior helmets(aka: Stryke helmets) come to narrow and there is no adjusting them. They don't fit most players well.

Cascade has come out with the PRO 7 helmet that is incredibly comfortable not to mention safe. As a coach I am always worried about my players being hit in the head and I push this helmet on anyone that can afford to be in it. It is more expensive than most of the helmets on the market but how much do you put a price tag on head safety? I'll be wearing this helmet this year when I play. I've seen to many concussions in my day not to. This helmet is also a 1 size fits all. It is completely adjustable in width, length and circumference. You must try this helmet on to get the full feel of what I am talking about.
http://www.thetotalathlete.com/SHOP/STORE/viewItem.asp?idProduct=250
Comfort: 10
Protection: 10+
Price:10

Well I hope this little bit of info helps some of you in your decision making process. If you have questions about these products or any other products on the market...feel free to call me.

I'm a Lacrosse Coach/Player and Lacrosse Store Owner, I'll give you the honest truth of what is actually out there.
Buying the right lacrosse equipment shouldn't have to be a nightmare and you should have to break the bank in doing so.
Check my store on the web http://www.thetotalathlete.com/ or give me a call. I'll be happy to talk you through your buying process.

Thanks for your time
Mark
616-396-9751
http://www.thetotalathlete.com/