Nike L3 Lacrosse Head
The Nike L3 Lacrosse Head is a premium choice for midfielders, succeeding the iconic Lakota line. Its tight face shape enhances control and accuracy, while the deep bottom rail allows for a mid-to-high pocket for quick releases. Made from PowerForm material, it offers increased stiffness and durability, making it ideal for advanced players looking for versatility in passing, dodging, and ground balls.
Key features include:
| • | PowerForm material for increased stiffness and toughness. |
| • | Tight face shape for control and accuracy. |
| • | Optimal shape for ground ball play. |
| • | Stringing favorite, deep mid-angle pocket setup. |
| • | Short round throat allows you to get your hand very high on the lacrosse shaft. |
Top Competitors
The L3 prioritizes a lightweight design and a shallower pocket, making it ideal for quick transitions, ground ball pickups, and facilitating checks. The STX Hyper Power leans towards a stiffer pocket and wider face shape, excelling at generating powerful shots and holds for offensive plays. The StringKing Mark 2V takes a middle ground, featuring a mid-depth pocket and a balanced face shape, offering versatility for both offensive and defensive contributions, with good pocket customization options.
Progression of the Nike L3
The Nike L3 is a rebranding of the Lakota 2 with a material upgrade. While the L3 retains the core features of the Lakota line, some players might not perceive a significant difference in feel or performance between the Lakota 2 and the L3. All three models are designed for offensive players and excel at quick release and accurate shooting.
- Lightweight and compact design provides extra ball security.
- Reinforced lower sidewall offers increased stiffness.
- Multiple stringing holes for a variety of setups.
- Built to universal specification for all levels of play.
- Lightweight and compact design provides extra ball security.
- Reinforced lower sidewall offers increased stiffness.
- Multiple stringing holes for a variety of setups.
- Built to universal specification for all levels of play.
- HyperLite™ Technology reduces the overall weight of the head.
- Secure Lacelock Technology along the sidewalls helps reinforce pocket tension.
- Narrow pinch face and offset enhance accuracy for pinpoint passes and shots.
- Optimized rounded scoop ensures easier groundball pick-up performance.
- Redesigned sidewalls boast greater stiffness for added durability and consistency.
- Changed from Lakota to L3, potentially signifying a new era for the design, but retaining the core features of the Lakota line.
- Exclusive PowerForm material for increased stiffness and toughness.
- Tight face shape for control and accuracy.
- Stringing favorite for its deep mid-angle pocket setup.
- Short round throat allows you to get your hand very high on the lacrosse shaft.
| 👍 Pros |
|---|
| Super versatile head that works for attackmen, middies, and defensemen. |
| Incredibly light, and a cinch to string. |
| One of the best middie heads in the game. Face shape is ideal for shooters. |
| 👎 Cons |
|---|
| Sidewall holes could be larger. |
| Too much pinch for me. |
| Too versatile, imo. Jack of all trades, master of none. |
The Nike Lakota 3 is a part of 13 year lineage of the Lakota family that is known for its reliability across multiple playing styles, such as both Attack and Midfield. I have also seen some LSM’s use it for the offensive and ground ball advantages that the head encompasses. The 2023 Tewaaraton Award Finalist and 1st team All-American CJ Kirst has been using this head at Cornell since the Nike Lakota 3 was released in 2021.
Jake Caldwell
