Lacrosse Archives | Sports Unlimited Blog

Best Mouth Guards – Top 5

When preparing for participation in a contact sport, one thing you certainly don’t want to go light on is protection. If its football you’re gearing up for, you wouldn’t want to run onto the field without a helmet and shoulder pads. And while some protection is obvious, one the most important pieces of equipment across all sports comes in a small package. The mouth guard, mouthpiece, gum shield, or whatever you want to call it, is essential in protecting athletes heads and their beautiful smiles.

We’re all familiar with $1 yellow mouthguard that you would boil the morning before the game and probably lose before the day was over. They were bulky, uncomfortable, and you couldn’t speak with it in your mouth. But like most articles of sports equipment, the mouth guard has continued on a path of development, making it safer and more comfortable than ever. Today’s mouthpieces are lighter, allow for easy breathing, come in flavors, and can even be a fashion statement with their wide range of colors and patterns. Athletes everywhere, from basketball, football, rugby, lacrosse, hockey, and more are protecting their grills with one of these new mouth guards. With a multitude of options, we wanted to highlight our top 5 standouts that have taken mouthguard protection to the next level.

Battle Digi Camo Oxygen Lip Protector

There are two types of mouth guards, those that provide lip protection, and those that don’t. Many sports, such as football, prefer the lip coverage given the physical natural of play. One disadvantage to lip protection used to be that it was difficult to breathe with. But with Battle Sports new Digi Camo Oxygen, and its 293% larger breathing hole, that problem is no longer relevant. Now you can perform at your highest level with maximum protection. Available in three colorful digital camo patterns, the Battle Digi Camo Oxygen Lip Protector is a great addition to any player’s game day protection.

Shock Doctor Double Braces Mouthguard

One issue that many youth players run into when search for the right mouthpiece is the addition of braces to the equation. Often uncomfortable on their own, adding a mouth guard to the mix is never a simple solution. But with metal braces covering the teeth, it’s more important than ever that an athlete have this layer of protection. The last thing you want is those expensive braces breaking and cutting the inside of the mouth. Among the leaders in the mouth guard industry, Shock Doctor has developed a product that solves this predicament. The Shock Doctor Double Braces Mouthguard uses an innovative Ortho-Channel to fit around both the upper and lower brace brackets. It will also adapt to changing tooth positions as the braces are adjusted and features a breathing channel in the center to allow for air flow. Now players (and parents) can rest assure that they have full proof protection.

Nike Hyperflow Flavored Mouthguard

Leave it up to today’s minds to design a mouth guard that tastes as good as it protects. Among other brands, Nike has developed their Hyperflow Flavored mouthpiece to provide long lasting flavor game after game. But this mouthguard isn’t just tasty, it also delivers excellent protection with its Dual-Density construction. The Nike Hyperflow also features its O-Flow breathing channels that allow for maximum oxygen intake on the field or court. Available in several different flavor options, the Nike Hyperflow Flavored mouth guards is perfect for anyone’s tastes.

Shock Doctor Gel Max Convertible Mouthguard

Shock Doctor has been at the forefront of advancement when it comes to mouth protection. Offering a range of options that suit any athlete’s particular needs. The Gel Max Convertible mouthpiece is a perfect example of the best they have to offer. Firstly, it comes with an Exoskeletal shock frame that provides excellent protection and durability. A triple layer design with integrated breathing channels allows for breathability when you’re out performing. The Gel-Fit liner makes for a comfortable fit and the convertible tether lets you use this mouthguard with or without a strap. This all-around mouth guard is available in four different colors, and at a value that is sure to be appreciated.

Sisu NextGen Max Mouthguard

Sisu is a relatively new name to the mouth guard industry, but don’t let that fool you. They have offered a revolutionary design to the moldable mouthpiece that is changing how we think of mouth protection. The one complaint many athletes shared, was that face that a mouthguard was bulky, breathing restricting, and limited the ability to communicate on the playing field. In some cases, players wouldn’t wear them at all because of this, putting their safety in jeopardy. Sisu has designed a mouth guard that is as functional as it is protective. Offering a solution to these previous complaints and providing a protection option to those who refused to wear a mouthguard before. The NextGen Max is incredibly lightweight but built to handle even more impact. The best feature is that this mouthguard fits so securely in the mouth, that it allows athletes to talk, drink, and breathe as if it wasn’t even there. This is possible from a combination of its innovative molding process and the 2.4 mm thick design. Making it 30% thinner and up to 50% stronger than your traditional mouth guard. This new way of thinking is what makes the Sisu NextGen Max our number on pick for best mouth guard.

-Written By Dylan Hamilton, Sports Unlimited

Cascade R Lacrosse helmet arrives at Sports Unlimited

The Cascade R has a distinctive look, wide field of vision and the most advanced protection Cascade has ever offered.

There are many ways to measure a great helmet, but few metrics are more important than the eye test.

Maybe the best part about the Cascade R Men’s Lacrosse Helmet is that its visual appeal applies to both the player wearing the helmet and the one looking at it from afar.

Yes, the protection is space-aged in its advancement and we’ll get into that, but one of the major advantages of this helmet is a wider field of vision, particularly when looking down for ground balls. The new R-series mask offers improved sight lines, especially in the peripheral, where a wider cutout allows you to see more of the field. Thin bars that are angled down open up your vision even more so you’ll have the best view of anyone.

Launched in July 2013, the R is built to stand out. With 18 customizable colors in seven different parts of the helmet, you can easily get any look you want.The most distinguishing feature of this helmet is an extended molded chin that can be spotted from anywhere on the field. That chin piece runs through the ear, offering a more rigid jaw line for added safety.

The rest of the protection comes from within, where years of research went into creating this helmet. The R features a dual liner, combining two technologies from Cascade – SevenTech and PoronXRD – built to protect you from both high impacts, mainly from another player, and lower impacts, like an errant stick to the head. PoronXRD is noticeable on the inside of the helmet thanks to its yellow color. It’s a new kind of foam that’s not only comfortable but helps dissipate linear force on those lower intensity impacts. The material is soft and pliable against the head, but stiffens up on impact.

SevenTechnology is a liner system that also helps to manage energy transfer on hits. The liner can be seen through the vents on the top of the shell and assists with high-energy hits. SevenTech, found in the CPX-R helmet from Cascade, laterally displaces the energy from an impact and then resets to prepare for the next blow. By combining SevenTech and PoronXRD, the Cascade R helmet features never before seen protection.

Fit is of utmost importance when talking about protection, and the R can be customized in a variety of ways to make sure you get the fit that’s right for you. The helmet includes three sizes of jaw pads to ensure your head is securely in the helmet laterally. Cascade’s HardTail SPR fitting system, found in the CPX-R, allows the helmet to fit all sized heads. The clickable fit system, found in the back of the helmet, allows you to tighten the helmet to your specifications and can be easily adjusted on the fly.

The Cascade R helmet has swept through the lacrosse world, as it’s been used by college and pro teams, along with high schools and clubs across the country. If you want the look the top players are sporting – or have any more lacrosse equipment needs – be sure to check out Sports Unlimited.

Black Friday – Cyber Monday at Sports Unlimited

It’s that time of year again! If you can hear the Jingling Jingle of Jingle Bells then you might want to see a specialist because your ears probably aren’t meant to be experiencing sensation like that, but no matter! This is the Black Friday/Cyber Monday post that you’ve all been anxiously waiting for…

BFCM is usually a mad scramble for the best deals in stores and on the internet, but hopefully you’ll at least spend a little time with your family.

Here’s a crazy idea: Get all of your shopping out of the way at one place, save a bunch of dollars, and have the ENTIRE day or weekend to spend with your family and friends.

Apply these limited time saving to anything in the store from lacrosse equipment to baseball gloves to football cleats.

Well, with that said, check out the image below for details on our BFCM sale and click anywhere on it to get to our store and take advantage of the deals.

By Isaac ClarkIsaac is a Turkey Elf at SportsUnlimited.com

Win $25 with a Lacrosse Gear Video Review

Win $25 when you shoot and submit a video review of your favorite Lacrosse gear from Sports Unlimited!

Now at Sports Unlimited, shoot a video review of your favorite lacrosse gear from SU, and you’ll win a $25 gift card!

Got a new lacrosse head from Sports Unlimited? Or how about a pair of lax gloves or shoulder pads for Christmas? Whatever it is, we want to hear what you have to say about it! Whether you like it, love it, or absolutely despise it and will never use it again…we want to tell the world what it’s really like to use our lax gear. So shoot a short video of you talking about, and using your new lacrosse equipment, and if we dig it, you’ll win $25 to Sports Unlimited!

To get it done, follow these simple rules:

1. Grab a buddy, a camera (or camera phone), and your favorite lacrosse rebounder, lax stick, gloves, or whatever! Then shoot a short video review, talking about your experience with the product. Use it a little bit. Get creative if you want! We’re looking for something personal and useful, so it should probably be a product you’ve used for at least a few weeks, and it should still be available at SportsUnlimited.com.

2. Click here, read the full rules and regulations, scroll to the bottom of the page, and then submit a few pieces of information to us, including your email address.

3. You’ll immediately receive an email invitation to our shared DropBox folder. When you do, follow the directions to create a free DropBox account, which will allow you to easily upload your video review directly to our shared server!

4. We’ll take a look at your video review, and if we use it on the site, we’ll email you a $25 gift card to Sports Unlimited!

We’re excited to hear what you have to say! So be real, tell us what it’s like, and we’ll tell the world right here on Sports Unlimited!

By Brandon Porter.Brandon is a product specialist at Sports Unlimited.

5 Things to Know About New 2013 NCAA Lacrosse Head Regulations

Know the latest NCAA lacrosse rules for stringing your lax head in 2013.

In September of 2012, the NCAA announced plans to update and change a number of lacrosse regulations, all of which go into effect at the start of the 2013 season. For some, this might be old news, but I’ve found that many parents and players are still unaware of, or confused by the changes.

So here’s what you need to know;

1. Shooting strings can no longer extend more than 4″ from the top of the crosse.

Basically, this rule attempts to prevent really low shooters, and makes any V or U shooting strings illegal, restricting players to two basic two cross shooting strings. This ruling may seem frustrating, since most players are used to stringing their lacrosse heads with a V or U shooting string, but the NCAA’s aim was to prevent unfair pocket hold, and not directly outlaw V stringing.

2. Only one sidewall string is allowed on each side of the head.

This rule keeps additional strings off the sidewalls, reducing excess hold on the ball.

3. All lacrosse sticks are subject to a reverse pocket test.

Reverse Pocket Stick Check

When any pocket is stick-checked, in addition to tipping the crosse forward and backward, referees must also ensure that the ball can come out of any pocket, when placed in the back of the pocket, and pushed in to create a reverse pocket.

Refs will hold the lacrosse shaft parallel to the ground, face down, and then push the pocket through to create a reverse of the pocket. With the ball in the deepest part of the reverse pocket, the ball must come out when turned 180 degrees.

4. Any lacrosse stick deemed illegal during a game cannot be used again in the game.

If any lacrosse stick fails a random stick check, the team gets a 1 minute foul, and the stick is kept at the scorer’s table until the game is over. This is different than previous rulings, which allowed a player to fix his pocket, to meet regulations, and then return the stick to play.

5. All of these rules currently only apply to NCAA men’s lacrosse, or any high school league, club, or team that follows NCAA rules.

It’s important to note though, that while the new rules may not directly apply to all high school lacrosse players, many clubs and colleges across the country are now encouraging younger players to re-string their heads to meet these NCAA rules, to prepare them for upper levels of play.

In all, these new lacrosse rules make it easier, or at least more reasonable, to knock the ball out of the pocket, with the aim of maintaining fair play, retaining the merit of the game, and keeping players safe.

The NCAA and other officials noticed that attackers and middies were continuously running through traffic without ever losing the ball, despite significant pressure from the defense. It quickly became obvious that ball handling lacrosse skills were not solely to blame for this, and that some modern stringing methods were basically making it nearly impossible to dislodge the ball from the pocket.

What these new 2013 NCAA lacrosse rules attempt to accomplish is a game that focuses more on moving the ball than moving with the ball, while at the same time, trying to prevent escalation as defenders learn to check harder to get the ball out of deep pockets.

Reactions:

As with most rule changes in sports, there are people on both sides of the argument. Some players and coaches find the changes erroneous and arbitrary, and believe they will do little besides slow down the game and confuse players and parents. Others see this as a step forward to making the game fairer, and faster with more ball movement.

However, there are still others who have almost no opinion at all, and have simply changed and moved on, understanding that rules change and players adapt. Most believe, that at some point, master stringers and kids will find news ways of stringing their heads within the new rules, to develop the same solid hold they could get from low shooters and multiple side wall strings. For them, it’s only a matter of time.

But how about you? What do you think of these new lacrosse rules, and what do they do for the game as whole?

By Brandon Porter.Brandon is a product specialist at Sports Unlimited.

Licensed Lacrosse Rebounders Bring the Big Game Home

Brine LAX Wall licensed lacrosse rebounders from teams like the North Carolina Tar Heels and Duke Blue Devils let you train like your favorite players!

In the world of lacrosse, success means staying two steps ahead of the competition. That’s why serious players of all ages are always looking for the latest and greatest lacrosse gear. It’s also why players train year round to develop their skills and keep them razor sharp.

But let’s be honest, it’s near impossible to get the entire team together every day for a full practice. That’s why the lacrosse gods, aka “Brine,” developed the ultimate lacrosse rebounder to let you train on your own time, anywhere you can. Lacrosse rebounders, also known as lacrosse walls, are the best lacrosse training aids around.

Simple, yet ingeniously designed, they feature a durable target mat, tightly strung onto a lightweight metal frame. Like playing wall ball, lacrosse walls bounce any shot right back to you with plenty of force, keeping you moving, and practicing your shooting accuracy, power, and catching abilities, all at once. But unlike stable walls, Brine Lacrosse rebounders are light and a heck of lot easier to move! That means you can take them anywhere, and get your game on without having to scuff up any walls…especially the ones in your Mom’s house. Rebounders also easily adjust to almost any angle you need, and toss shots up to 30 feet, so shots you throw at the target get sent up high or dropped down low, keeping you on your toes and making for some versatile sessions.

Brine LAX Walls are the 1# best selling lacrosse training aid, used and trusted by over 25 college lacrosse programs across the country! Now, thanks to Brine and SU, you can train like your favorite college team, with a series of licensed lacrosse rebounders! Sharpen your passing accuracy, improve your shooting power, and stay two steps ahead with Brine lax rebounders from the North Carolina Tar Heels, Syracuse Orange, Johns Hopkins Blue Jays, or Duke Blue Devils. They also make incredible gifts for the lacrosse fan in your life!

The licensed team thing not for you? Don’t fret! We’ve still got you covered with Brine LAX Wall rebounders in Carolina blue and black.

Perfect for outdoor drills, but complete with rubber pads for indoor practice, Brine Lacrosse Wall Rebounders are the ultimate training aids for a reason! Grab one today and don’t fall behind!

By Brandon Porter.Brandon is a product specialist at Sports Unlimited.

New Easton Lacrosse Helmet Debuts Adjustable Tilt

If you’re a lax fanatic, then you know how it feels to get the perfect tilt out of your lacrosse helmet; to hit the field with your helmet sitting low, like an ancient gladiator staring down a hoard of enemies…and maybe a tiger. You strive for it, rip apart your helmet for it, and adjust chin straps, buckles, and padding to get it to sit just right for the perfect tilt…that sick, intimidating look.

Thankfully though, some lacrosse players grow up to design lacrosse gear. If not for that, then Cort Kim, Blake Kim, and Doug Appleton would never have inspired Easton Lacrosse and lead designer Genia Harbenova to finally create the world’s first lacrosse helmet with adjustable tilt!

Enter the Easton Raptor Helmet! This baby is the end result of decades of lacrosse experience meeting genius design skill, blended together with Easton’s ridiculous resources and a drive to flip the game on its rear. And we have to say, they did one hell of a job! The Raptor is everything lax players have been dreaming of in lacrosse helmets. Its shell is made of a single piece of polycarbonate, with a single-piece, impact-absorbing EPP foam liner heat-bonded to the inside. What does all that jargon mean for you? Well basically, the Raptor Helmet is the lightest lacrosse helmet in the world (1.8 lbs / 28.8 ounces). That’s feather light. Leaf-in-the-wind light. Obscenely, should-be-illegal, outright ludicrously light! And that’s just the first thing you’ll notice when you pick up the Easton Raptor Lacrosse Helmet.

Put it on, and you’ll feel the difference immediately. First, you can barely feel it on your head. Second, it’s crazy comfortable. Let me repeat that, because it bears repeating. There’s actually a comfortable lacrosse helmet out there!

The difference with the Raptor, over any other helmet in the game, comes down to fit. Since the dawn of the modern game, lacrosse helmets have come in one size, with adjustable buckles, straps, laces, and maybe a micro-adjuster in the back…maybe. Easton Lacrosse threw that tired old model in the wood chipper and designed three different sizes (S/M, M/L, and L/XL). Then they went ahead and made each helmet completely customizable and adjustable…in every dimension. Get the best fit around your head with an In-Form Fit micro adjuster, the easiest-to-use fit band in the game. Adjust the helmet up and down, for the first time, with an innovative tilt system, to get the perfect helmet tilt, and avoid middle bar syndrome…all without going crazy adjusting chin straps and whatnot, or exposing the back of your head and chin to injury and impact. Heck, even the cheek pads come in two different thicknesses to give you that perfect, customized, comfortable fit!

But don’t think it’s all style and no substance here! When it comes to strength and performance, this Easton helmet doesn’t hold back either. Inside, the EPP foam liner delivers the maximum amount of thickness without adding weight. This way, it distributes impact energy over the widest possible area, reducing the risk of concussions and injury.

The chin bar is a separate piece, made of rigid fiberglass-filled nylon, for a stiffer, stronger construction than other injection-molded bars.

Easton tapered back the sides and top of the visor as well, intentionally shifting the steel facemask back and away from the face to improve facial protection, giving it a strikingly different look than other helmets out there.

We know it’s new, we know it looks cool…but trust us when we tell you; it’s so much more than that! The Easton Raptor Lacrosse Helmet is the future of lax gear, finally giving players the style, the tilt, and the safety they’ve been screaming about for years now. Also check out our lacrosse bags to store you new helmet, along with the rest of your lacrosse gear.

By Brandon Porter.Brandon is a product specialist at Sports Unlimited.

New 2012 Baseball and Lacrosse Gear is Here!

We know what it’s like. While most people are counting down the seconds to New Years, you’re counting down the days to the release of the latest and greatest lacrosse heads. While others are making new years resolutions, you’re already resolved to buying the lightest, strongest, and sickest looking new lacrosse shaft. And while all of your friends are bundling up against the winter cold, all you can think about is spring, when you get to break out that brand new 2012 baseball glove! Others may not get you, but we understand the itch for new gear. And unfortunately, there’s no ointment or cream to cure it. To trounce the competition this season, you’re going to need the edge, and that means getting the coolest, most advanced and technological gear for the New Year…before anyone else can get their hands on it.

That’s why we’ve already got all of the new 2012 lacrosse and baseball gear you’ve been jonesing for in stock and ready to go at Sportsunlimited.com! No pre-orders, no waiting around. In stock, ships to your door the next business day, in your hands and ready to rock, fast! You’ve waited all year for this stuff…why would we make you wait any longer?

New 2012 Lacrosse Gear

Ready to take your lacrosse game to a new dimension this year? Check out the brand new 2012 lines of lacrosse heads, shafts, gloves, and gear from Brine, Gait, STX, and Warrior.

Gait EXO CET Lacrosse Shaft

For insane checking and strength, look into the 2012 Gait EXO CET Mens Attack Lacrosse Shaft, enhanced with carbon fibers for extra checking power and protection from dents and dings.
We’ve also got the long anticipated 2012 Brine Swizzle Scandium Mens Attack Lacrosse Shaft, with the strength and lightweight speed of scandium, and a dominating new grip pattern, in every color imaginable.
To top that shaft, there’s the new M80X lacrosse head from Warrior, built with a durable scoop and perfect channel for incredible performance, plus double x sidewalls for crazy stiffness and strength, great for delivering serious poke checks!

In 2012, a few new players have entered the lacrosse game, and we’ve got ’em all! Under Armour and Easton have thrown their hats into the ring, and brought their decades of sports experience, knowledge, dedication, and resources to the game of games! See all of the new styles and technologies Under Armour Lacrosse, and Easton Lacrosse have brought to the table, and find what your game’s been missing.

New 2012 Baseball Gear

Wilson A2000 Pro Stock Josh Hamilton Glove

If you’re like us, and can’t wait for spring training to get here, then you’re in luck, because we also have all of the coolest 2012 baseball gloves, bats, and gear to fill that void in your life until baseball season. As expected, Wilson has outdone themselves again with new lines of the Wilson A2000 and A2K baseball gloves, including the new Wilson Pro Stock gloves from players like Evan Longoria, Brian Wilson, and Josh Hamilton. Rawlings and Mizuno have also stepped their games up, with brand new glove styles and technologies, including the latest 2012 Rawlings Playmaker Series Softball Gloves!

To help you slug like never before, Demarini, Easton, and Louisville Slugger have all developed new bats for 2012. Loaded with space-age technologies, enhanced with futuristic alloys, and wrapped in slick styles and graphics, new bats like the Easton Power Brigade BBCOR bat will get you off to a great start in 2012.

Behind the bag, 2012 Easton, Under Armour, and Mizuno catchers gear takes comfort, protection, and performance to the next level. The new Mizuno Samurai G4 Mens Baseball Catchers Set and Samurai G4 Pro Youth Catchers Set capitalize on the popularity and success of last year’s models, upping the ante with new strategic ventilation, more comfortable padding, and an innovative construction to keep you light on your feet and quick to the ball.

Whatever your game, we’ve got the sweetest new gear for the new year right here at Sports Unlimited. So since 2012 may be the last year we have left, why play with anything else but the greatest and most advanced equipment on the planet? And hey, if those pesky “end of the world” rumors turn out to be false, at least you’ve got new gear right?

Maverik Monster Urban Camo Lacrosse Bag

The boys at Maverik have done it again. You’ve seen Paul Rabil rockin’ it, and now you can too. Introducing the Maverik Monster Urban Camo Lacrosse Bag. The massive lacrosse bag that fits all your gear is now fully styled in “urban camouflage,” and is currently available in 6 different handle colors: Red, Royal Blue, Black, Green, Navy Blue, and Orange. Don’t miss out, these guys will not be available for long.

New for 2011: Maverik Lacrosse

This year, we will be welcoming plenty of new brands, ranging from Baseball to Tailgating Games, to the Sports Unlimited line. First up for 2011: Maverik Lacrosse

Get a sense of what Maverik is all about by watching the following video, featuring lacrosse superstar Paul Rabil:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOsBJ9gg8oM&feature=player_embedded

Maverik operates by the saying, “For the Players, by the Players,” as it was founded and continues to this day to be run by world-class lacrosse players. Dissatisfied with the quality and performance aspects of existing lacrosse equipment, they began designing it themselves, with the mindset that he best players never settle for anything but the best equipment. They make it, test it, use it in practice and games, and they even are the ones that box it up and ship it to you. It’s that commitment that pushes Maverik to deliver the highest quality lacrosse equipment onto the market.

Maverik uses a performance level indicator for each of its products, as each product is labeled using this four-tiered system: Expert level; Advanced level; Intermediate Level; Beginner Level. This allows you to choose the appropriate equipment that suits your level of play.

One of Maverik’s many highlights is the Maybach Lacrosse Gloves. The Maybach Gloves are superior-quality, top-of-the-line men’s lacrosse gloves that feature seamless palms, sharkskin, and shark gel for elite performance, feel, and protection. These incredibly comfortable gloves are both compact and lightweight, giving the ultimate combination of both protection and comfort.

The Maybach Gloves are just one aspect of Maverik’s impressive set of lacrosse gear. From gloves to shafts to apparel, Maverik has what it takes to be an elite player on lacrosse fields everywhere.