How to String a Lacrosse Head: Step-by-Step

Stringing a lacrosse head means installing five parts in the right order: the mesh, a top string, two sidewall strings, a bottom string, and two or three shooting strings. You start with the top string across the scoop, run the sidewalls down each side to set the channel and depth, anchor the bottom, then add shooters to fine-tune the release. A first attempt takes 30 to 60 minutes, a full DIY kit costs $20 to $35, and paying a shop to do it runs $35 to $60.

The reason to learn it yourself is control. A pocket is personal, and once you can string your own head you can retune it in ten minutes instead of mailing it off. Here is the whole process.

What you need to string a head

Everything comes in a stringing kit, or you can buy the parts separately. This is what each piece does and roughly what it costs.

Part	What it does	Approx. cost (US)
Mesh piece (10-diamond)	Forms the pocket that holds the ball	$15–30
Top string	Attaches the mesh to the scoop	Included in kit
2 sidewall strings	Set the channel, depth, and shape	Included in kit
Bottom string	Closes the base of the pocket	Included in kit
2–3 shooting strings	Tune the release and hold	$2–5 each
Full DIY stringing kit	Everything above, matched	$20–35
Professional restring	A shop does it for you	$35–60

A StringKing or similar performance-mesh kit is the simplest starting point because the parts are already sized to work together. Grab a lacrosse ball too; you’ll test the pocket against it as you go.

The order to string a lacrosse head

Follow these steps top to bottom. Keep even tension the whole way, because loose knots are what make a pocket bag out and throw inconsistently.

1. Prep the mesh. Find the top, bottom, front, and back. The top row has nine diamonds; fold that row onto the ten-diamond row beneath it so the top is doubled and reinforced.
2. Tie the top string. Run it through the top diamonds and the scoop holes, left to right, keeping the mesh centered and even. This anchors everything else.
3. String the sidewalls. Start at the top of one side and work down. The first two diamonds should be tight to build the channel; as you move toward the bottom, spacing the diamonds closer together deepens the pocket. Match both sides so the channel runs straight.
4. Tie off the bottom string. Thread it through the last row and the base holes to close the pocket. With performance mesh, use a shooting-string lace here rather than thin nylon, which can saw through the mesh.
5. Add shooting strings. Lace two or three across the upper pocket to tune the release. In men’s field lacrosse, all shooters must sit within four inches of the top of the scoop, so keep them high.

Is your pocket legal?

This is the check most beginner guides leave out, and it will get your stick pulled in a game if you miss it. In men’s lacrosse, a pocket is illegal if the top of the ball, resting in the deepest part of the pocket, sits below the bottom edge of the sidewall. In plain terms: drop a ball in, look at the head from the side, and the top of the ball should stay visible above the lowest point of the sidewall.

Both the NCAA and World Lacrosse rulebooks enforce this. Women’s lacrosse pockets are far shallower and pocket-legal by a different, stricter standard, so never string a women’s head to men’s depth.

Which mesh and how to break it in

The mesh you pick changes how the finished pocket feels and how long the break-in takes. A semi-soft performance mesh breaks in fastest; a firmer mesh holds its shape longer but takes more work up front. Our guide to the best lacrosse mesh walks through the types so you string the pocket you actually want.

Once it’s strung, break it in with reps, not shortcuts. Pound a ball into the pocket, throw against a wall, and cradle it constantly. If you’re building a backyard setup for that, a lacrosse rebounder gives you the volume. Stringing a specialty head such as a faceoff lacrosse head follows the same five steps with a lower, tighter pocket, and once you can string one head you can string them all.