What was initially the child of Gait/Laxpocket now has a replica at every brand. STX Lock Pocket, Maverik Hex...you get the idea.
To clarify, I don't hate this pocket, and I see why so many players love it. Right out of the box, it feels great. The string is super soft and doesn't require much break-in. The stringing pattern makes for a great hold. It's undoubtedly the most used pocket right now.
However, I want to talk about a few things and why I'd opt for a hand-strung version of flex mesh over the manufactured pocket piece.
First, a little background on what factory stringing is. Lacrosse companies are mass-producing these sticks. It would be impossible to hand-string them all with high-quality materials. So, they create these factory-strung pockets.
Factory stringing is designed by people who know lacrosse, but strung by people who know nothing about lacrosse. Therefore, factory pockets tend to be somewhat shapeless and lack the right tension in the right places. They're just installing pocket pieces.
Additionally, the reason factory stringing is so soft and feels so great right away is that the string is thinner and of cheaper quality. Higher quality string = thicker and stiffer. Cheaper string = thinner and more flexible.
Players get a nice honeymoon phase with the cheap string. It feels great until it starts to give out. The string stretches over time, which causes the pocket to bag out, and since premade pocket pieces aren't the most adjustable, players are stuck with perpetually illegal pockets.
I've also seen flex mesh string rip. This sucks because there's not much you can do besides get a whole new pocket.
Disclaimer: I am not here to slander any brands. I like all of these brands a lot for other reasons. I don't blame them for having factory stringing; when you're mass producing lacrosse sticks, that's really the only way to string them efficiently. However, that doesn't mean you can't opt for different stringing.
Enter independent custom stringers (like myself).
We don't hate flex mesh! We just want to make it more durable and adjustable. Here's what I've done in the flex mesh pockets I've strung by hand.
- High-quality crosslace. Initially, it doesn't feel as soft as the flex mesh string, but over time it breaks in and softens (rather than breaking in and bagging out).
- Strong outer leathers (or synthetic leathers). The outer leathers of a pocket are the backbone of that pocket. The sweet spot is important, but the channel is equally as important. Leathers create that channel. Unfortunately, the synthetic leathers in the flex mesh pocket don't have much shape of their own. The pocket gets by without strong leathers (because of its deep and flexy pocket that hugs the ball), but it would be next level if it had its guardrail leathers.
- Varying crosslace patterns. We want single twists up top, double twists at the bottom. This creates a tapered pocket that keeps the ball in the sweet spot. Each company's version of flex mesh is different, but some have the same crosslacing in the center piece the whole way down. Without a difference in tension throughout the pocket, the ball sits lower than we want it to.
You can check out my version of the flex pocket on my store or contact me with more questions.
For the love of the game,
Grace