Which Shaft is Best for You?
Which ECD Lacrosse Shaft is Best for You?
Since the original Carbon launched in 2014, lacrosse shafts have evolved significantly. Today, players have more options than ever, with different materials, flex profiles, shapes, and grip technologies designed for different playing styles.
So, how do you choose the right lacrosse shaft?
Whether you're an attackman looking for fast hands, a midfielder who needs strength and versatility, a defender who puts equipment through the toughest tests, or a goalie who values quick reactions, ECD has a shaft designed with your game in mind.
In this guide, we'll break down the ECD shaft lineup, explain the differences between our models, and help you find the right shaft for your position and playing style.
Prefer to watch instead? Check out our video guide to ECD lacrosse shafts.
Before we dive into the details, here is a basic comparison to get you started:
Shaft |
Primary Use |
Key Characteristics |
|
All-Around Play |
Value, Color Options |
|
|
Attack, Offensive Midfield, Goalie |
Lightweight, More Flex, High Kick Point |
|
|
Midfield, SSDM, Physical Play |
More durable, Stiffer, Low Kick Point |
|
|
Defense, LSM |
More durable, Stiffer, Low Kick Point |
|
|
Goalie |
Lightweight, top hand grip |
|
|
Attack, Offensive Midfield |
TexTreme(R), Lightweight |
|
|
Midfield, Physical Play |
TexTreme(R), Increased Durability |
|
|
Box, Physical Short Stick Play |
Highly Durable |
|
|
Attack, Offensive Midfield, Goalie |
Scandium + Titanium Alloy, Lightweight |
|
|
Midfield, Faceoffs, Physical Play |
Scandium + Titanium Alloy, Increased Durability |
Carbon 4.0
These shafts are great for all players, specifically beginners, middle school players, or players starting in high school. This is the fourth generation of our Carbon line, and they are focused on performance and value. These composite shafts feature a standard, FLEX5 profile – not too flexible, not too stiff. They also feature our slightly concave, standard shape and our sandpaper finish.
Keys for the Carbon 4.0
- Available in short (30 inch) and long stick (60 inch) options
- Focused on value
- Multiple color options
- Standard shape
- Standard sandpaper finish
Carbon Pro 4.0
These shafts are designed for high-level players. The Carbon Pro line has always led the technological charge for our shafts. These composite shafts feature the latest in composite technology and are fine-tuned for specific playing styles. These are the shafts that are most popular with our professional players.
These shafts feature Kevlar in their improved Impact+ Layup to provide a higher strength-to-weight ratio when compared to the Carbon 4.0 line. The shafts also feature our new decal wrap system to improve the shafts' resistance to chipping. These shafts set the bar for composite shafts in lacrosse.
For short sticks (30 inches), there are two options: Speed and Power.
The Carbon Pro 4.0 Speed is built for attackmen and offensive middies, and has become a favorite among goalies. They feature a slightly more flexible (FLEX8) profile and a high kick point, making it perfect for fast hands and quick finishes. These shafts also feature our more concave Control shape and raised texture on the top 1/3 of the shaft. These features work together to give you more control when the stick is in your hand. This is the best lacrosse shaft for attackmen.
The Carbon Pro 4.0 Power is built for midfielders, SSDMs, and powerful attackmen. These shafts are very strong and feature a stiffer (FLEX3) profile and a low kick point. These shafts are perfect for players who mix it up on both ends of the field, shoot big outside shots, and are physical on defense. It also features a raised texture that covers the bottom 2/3 of the shaft for maximum grip. This is the best lacrosse shaft for midfielders.
Then we have options for goalies and defenders.
The Carbon Pro 4.0 Defense is built for close defenders and LSMs. This shaft is a beast. It is incredibly strong and features a stiff (FLEX3) profile. It also features a raised texture that covers the bottom 2/3 of the shaft for maximum grip. This is the best lacrosse shaft for defenders.
The Carbon Pro 4.0 Goalie is, as the name suggests, built for goalies. As goalie shafts go, this shaft is lightweight, and it features raised texture on the top 1/3. These features lead to a shaft that will keep your hands moving fast as you are facing big-time shots. This is the best lightweight lacrosse shaft for goalies.
Keys for the Carbon Pro 4.0
- Four versions available, fine-tuned for different playing styles
- Most advanced composite shafts in our line
- Improved strength-to-weight ratio
-
Improved resistance to chipping
- Standard sandpaper finish
- Available in black and white
Carbon LTX 2.0 and Carbon MTX 2.0
These are our highest-end composite shafts that feature TeXtreme®, a remarkable material that allows you to use 20% less material while keeping durability the same. That translates into a lighter shaft that is way more durable than you would expect. These shafts are very stiff (FLEX1 on our 10-point scale). You can think of these shafts like the Carbon Pro 4.0 Speed and Power. The LTX 2.0 is extremely lightweight and built for fast hands – like our Speed shaft, while the MTX 2.0 is slightly heavier and much more durable for more physical players – like our Power shaft.
Keys for the Carbon LTX 2.0 and Carbon MTX 2.0
-
Uses TeXtreme®
- Only available as a short stick (30 inches)
- Only available in one color
- Very stiff
Carbon Box
These shafts are monsters built for the most physical short stick players. We made this because we're an NLL sponsor, and the player feedback was that they wanted the most durable shaft out there and that weight wasn’t a concern. It’s heavy, but it's extremely durable. It's going to stand up to cross-checks. So, for box players, this is perfect. It’s also perfect for big short stick d-middies who are extremely physical and tough on their equipment.
Keys for the Carbon Box
-
Heavy, but extremely durable
- Color Flip Design – allows you to have an all-black or all-white shaft depending on how you tape it
Focus and Focus Power
There will always be players who prefer the feel of alloy shafts, and these shafts are for them. These are our Scandium + Titanium alloy shafts. These shafts feature our control shape and again follow the same kind of position-specific design intent as the Carbon Pro 4.0 Speed and Power shafts. The Focus is our lightweight alloy shaft built for attackmen and offensive middies. To make the Focus Power, we increased the wall thickness, adding 20 grams and drastically increasing the durability.
Keys for the Focus and Focus Power
- Scandium + Titanium alloy blend
- Only available as a short stick (30”)
- Available in three colors
So what does this all mean for you?
Here are our lacrosse shaft recommendations based on the position you play:
Attack:
Midfield:
Short Stick D-Middies:
Defense and Long Stick Middies:
Goalie:
Faceoff:
Box Lacrosse:
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is the difference between the Carbon 4.0 and Carbon Pro 4.0?
The Carbon 4.0 is focused on performance and value, with a standard FLEX5 profile. The Carbon Pro 4.0 line is more durable thanks to an improved Impact+ Layup featuring Kevlar, and it offers position-specific options with different flex profiles, kick points, and grip placements.
Which ECD shaft is designed for attackmen?
The Carbon Pro 4.0 Speed is designed for attackmen and offensive midfielders. The Carbon 4.0, Carbon LTX 2.0, and Focus are also great options.
For ECD Lacrosse's Composite Shafts, what does the flex rating mean?
The flexibility of composite lacrosse shafts can be fine-tuned during engineering, allowing a shaft to be specifically designed for different play styles. Our composite shafts are all rated on a 10-point scale, with a FLEX1 being the stiffest shaft we make and a FLEX10 being the most flexible shaft we could make.
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