There’s a good old debate inside the lacrosse community about whether you should choose a carbon fiber or a metal lacrosse shaft. After playing lacrosse for many years and experiencing different types of shafts, I must say there isn’t a definite answer to the debate. Which is why it’s a recurring topic we hear every year.
I have seen players who hold very strong opinions about either carbon fiber or composite shaft. So are carbon fiber lacrosse shafts good at all? And what are the types of carbon fiber shafts? In this post, we will address all the questions you have about carbon shafts so be sure to read till the end. I hope this post will help you make an informed decision you can find the most suitable shaft for this upcoming season.
If you are looking for the best carbon fiber shafts of 2022, here are the top 5 options on the market to check out today:
| Product Image | Lacrosse Shaft Name | Recommendation | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Maverik Hyperlite Attack Shaft | Best Carbon Lacrosse Shaft | Check Price |
 | Maverik Hypercore Attack Shaft | Best Beginner Friendly Carbon Shaft | Check Price |
 | Warrior EVO QX Attack Shaft | Newest Carbon Shaft in 2022 | Check Price |
 | ECD Carbon Pro 3.0 | Most Popular Carbon Shaft | Check Price |
 | Epoch Dragonfly Elite 2 | Best Professional Carbon Shaft | Check Price |
To see more options, click here to learn more
What are the pros of carbon fiber lacrosse shafts?
First let’s understand what the hype is all about. Carbon shafts started to make a scene during my freshman year at college. I remembered STX was one of the first brands to manufacture composite shafts that were touted to be stronger with improved shot speed.
In general, carbon fiber shafts are more expensive than metal or wooden shafts because of the more advanced technology and materials involved. They are designed structurally to be stronger by layering the material to make the shafts. What’s even more brilliant is that carbon fiber lacrosse shafts are both more durable and lighter than metal shafts. In addition, you need not worry about dents and bends with a carbon shaft. They will still break but compared to metal shafts, they last longer.
Another signature characteristic you need to know about carbon shafts is it carries more flex. Having more flex gives you more power on your shots and hard passes. Especially for offensive players, you will find carbon shafts give extra miles per hour on your average shot speed. Most brands nowadays also put a flex point on the side of the shaft to indicate how much flex you are getting. The technology has gotten so advanced now that you can choose low, medium or high flex depending on your preference.
The last point you should know about carbon fiber shafts is gripping. Because companies are able to put different textures to the shafts, I find them to be easier to grip with better hand control. And this saves a lot of headaches (in my opinion) because you no longer need to tape it up to add extra grip.
Read also: Best way to practice shooting without a lacrosse goal
What are the cons of carbon fiber lacrosse shafts?
Now enough is said about the good things. What about the weakness of a carbon fiber shaft? As a fan of carbon fiber shafts, although I could be biased there are still some weaknesses that come with carbon shafts you should be aware of. Nothing is perfect after all.
We mentioned carbon shafts aren’t perceptive to dents and bends but that doesn’t mean the shafts will not break. In fact, carbon shafts are more likely to have catastrophic failures, like snapping in half. Which means once a carbon shaft breaks, it will become useable most of the time. In contrast, metal shafts are less likely to render unusable apart from dings and dents.
Another thing is that it will take some time to get used to them. Especially if you have been using metal shafts your entire career, transitioning to carbon shafts will require some patience and practice in the beginning. That said, I haven’t really had much of an issue after a few days of warming up to it. Playing a few rounds of wall ball is the best way to get familiar with a new shaft.
So are carbon fiber lacrosse shafts good?
Well, I am not a fan of making a blanket statement to say carbon shafts are good or bad because lacrosse is a game that largely depends on preference and position. Someone who looks for better durability for checking will love a carbon shaft whereas someone who prioritizes a cheaper shaft will likely choose a metal shaft. So I would say you should list out your priorities first and match those qualities with the type of shaft that overlap the most. For example, if you would rather have a durable shaft that lasts for a few years because you are playing lacrosse long-term, I think a carbon shaft is a great option. So before making a purchase decision, run through this exercise first.
Based on my own experience, I definitely think carbon shafts are generally stronger. Especially for d-poles who like to throw aggressive checks, carbon shafts will hold up quite nicely. And a pro tip for you is to look for the shaft that has the longest warranty within your budget. If you want to try out a carbon shaft, look for an old model so you can save money upfront. If it’s something you like, then consider purchasing a higher-quality one down the line.
Great Carbon Fiber Lacrosse Shaft Brands
Before we go into the best carbon shaft brands, in case you want to see the best carbon shafts I picked out for you, here are the top 5 carbon shafts you should check out.
| Product Image | Lacrosse Shaft Name | Recommendation | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maverik Hyperlite Attack Shaft | Best Carbon Lacrosse Shaft | Check Price |
| Maverik Hypercore Attack Shaft | Best Beginner Friendly Carbon Shaft | Check Price |
| Warrior EVO QX Attack Shaft | Newest Carbon Shaft in 2022 | Check Price |
| ECD Carbon Pro 3.0 | Most Popular Carbon Shaft | Check Price |
| Epoch Dragonfly Elite 2 | Best Professional Carbon Shaft | Check Price |
Because carbon shafts still compose a segment of the market, it’s not yet as mainstream as metal shafts. But there are definitely a few brands that have been making a stride in carbon shafts worth checking out. Right off the bat, Epoch and STX are making some great carbon shafts, such as Epoch’s dragonfly and STX’s fiber.
In addition, don’t forget to check out ECD, StringKing and Maverik. ECD is coming in strong with their ECD 3.0 both for the price and weight. Maverik has some great options for beginners and players who never used carbon shafts before. So overall I am really excited to see more brands developing higher qualities carbon shafts both at premium and affordable price points.
In Conclusion
So are carbon shafts really worth it? I will say yes but subject to your own preference of course. I definitely had a lot of great experience using a carbon shaft myself. They are powerful, durable and provide better hand control.
I hope this post helped you clear out some confusion and solidify your opinion on carbon shafts. As I mentioned in the previous section, before making the buying decision, understand first if the carbon shaft is really what you want.
Read also: What’s an alley in lacrosse? Let’s find out
