Lacrosse Gear: Helmets, Chest Protectors, Goggles, Sticks and More

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Warm-ups before a high school game: the goalie stands in the cage while teammates rip shots at him from 10 yards, and every one that hits the chest protector makes a sound you can hear in the bleachers. Lacrosse balls are solid rubber and sticks are hard, which is why lacrosse gear is built to tested safety standards and why the rules now name those standards. This guide is a lacrosse equipment list with the reasons behind each item: NOCSAE helmets, the ND200 chest protection that guards against commotio cordis, girls’ goggles and the optional headgear standard, sticks, gloves, balls and the recovery gear for after.

Prices change often. The prices below are what we saw at the maker or a major retailer in October 2026; check the current price before you buy.

The checklist: what the rules require

Player	Required	Optional
Boys’ and men’s field players	Stick, NOCSAE helmet, lacrosse gloves, ND200 shoulder pads, arm pads, mouthguard, protective cup, cleats or athletic shoes	Rib pads
Girls’ and women’s field players	Stick, mouthguard, ASTM F3077 eyewear	ASTM F3137 headgear, close-fitting gloves, ND200 compression shirt
Goalies (both games)	Helmet with face mask, throat protector, padded gloves, ND200 chest protector, mouthguard (plus a cup for boys; thigh and shin padding in girls’ youth play)	Extra arm and leg padding

Certified gear carries a mark from the Safety Equipment Institute (SEI), which keeps the list of products that meet NOCSAE and ASTM standards. Look for it on the box and on the product itself.

Our top picks

Helmets: NOCSAE certification and fit

Every boys’ and men’s player, and every goalie, wears a helmet designed for lacrosse that meets the NOCSAE lacrosse helmet standard (ND041) at the time it was made and is SEI certified. College rules add that the helmet must carry the maker’s warning label, and reconditioned helmets must show recertification. Since 2024, high school rules require the chin strap to stay attached at every point it was made to attach, and since 2026 a helmet coming off during play is a foul. USA Lacrosse’s fitting tips:

• Measure the head (helmets are sized in inches) and use the maker’s chart.
• The padding should give firm, even pressure; the skin of the forehead should move when you turn the helmet side to side and front to back.
• Use a four-point chin strap that sits right on the chin with no slack.
• Refit after a haircut; a proper fit should never cause headaches; replace a bent facemask.

The Cascade CPV-R (about $175) comes in four sizes from youth XXS to adult M/L with a ratchet fit system, a good choice for growing players. The STX Aero (about $280) is a lighter, one-size helmet for teens and adults with heads up to 24 inches. For players under 12, see the youth helmets in our youth lacrosse guide. No helmet prevents every concussion: if a player shows signs after a hit, take them out and keep them out until a healthcare provider clears them (the CDC’s HEADS UP rule).

Check the Cascade CPV-R price on Amazon

Chest protectors and NOCSAE ND200 (commotio cordis)

Commotio cordis is cardiac arrest from a blow to the chest right over the heart, at a precise moment in the heartbeat. A lacrosse ball or stick can cause it, and the blow doesn’t have to be hard or fast. Many athletes who died were wearing chest protection that wasn’t designed for this risk. So NOCSAE, with USA Lacrosse and the Louis J. Acompora Memorial Foundation, developed ND200, the world’s first performance standard against commotio cordis, finalized in 2017.

• Since January 1, 2021: boys’ and girls’ goalies must wear chest protectors designed for lacrosse that meet ND200 (USA Lacrosse youth, NFHS and NCAA rules).
• Since January 1, 2022: boys’ and men’s field players’ shoulder pads must be designed for lacrosse and meet ND200, covering the top of the shoulder, the collarbone and the sternum.
• Girls’ field players aren’t required to wear chest protection, but college rules allow an ND200 compression shirt.
• Check the label: to be legal, chest protectors and shoulder pads must show the NOCSAE logo and the SEI mark on both the packaging and the product. Older pads without it aren’t legal.

Gear lowers the risk; it doesn’t remove it. Immediate CPR and an AED are what bring a player back, so teams need an emergency action plan and an AED nearby. For a young field player, the STX Stallion 75 shoulder pad (about $55) is sized for elementary-age players with adjustable fit and modular bicep pads. For goalies, the STX Shield 200 (about $75) is an entry-level chest protector with a hard plastic chest plate and shoulder caps and an optional stomach pad. STX says both meet the NOCSAE chest-protection standard. A goalie chest protector should cover the front of the torso from the neckline to below the navel, with straps snug.

Check the STX Shield 200 price on Amazon

Girls’ goggles and headgear

Eyewear is required for every girls’ and women’s field player and must meet ASTM F3077, marked on the box and product and listed by SEI. The STX 4Sight+ S (about $60) is a popular wire goggle with oval openings and silicone padding that meets F3077-17 and is SEI certified.

Headgear is optional at every level, but any headgear worn must meet ASTM F3137 and be marked that way; if it has built-in eyewear, that part must also meet F3077. USA Lacrosse names Cascade and Hummingbird as the main makers of integrated headgear. Cascade’s LXP headgear (about $175 at Cascade) is one size for heads of 19.5–23 inches with an adjustable closure; confirm the F3137 marking before you buy. Research on headgear is mixed: Florida, which requires it in high school, had fewer concussions in one study, while a video study saw more head contact. Our youth lacrosse page sums it up.

Check the STX 4Sight+ S price on Amazon

Sticks, gloves, pads and mouthguards

• Boys’ sticks: short sticks are 40–42 inches and long poles 52–72 inches in high school and college; youth players can use shorter sticks (37–42 inches through 10U). The STX Stallion 200 (about $50) is a beginner complete stick with a soft mesh pocket that STX says meets NCAA and NFHS rules.
• Girls’ sticks: 35½–43¼ inches in college, with pocket rules the officials check. USA Lacrosse keeps a list of legal women’s sticks, and from 2027 high school sticks must be commercially available and on that list. The STX Exult 200 is a girls’ complete stick (about $50 from Lacrosse Unlimited on Amazon).
• Gloves and arm pads: must be designed for lacrosse, with no cut-out palms or fingers. The STX Stallion 75 gloves (about $50, for ages 12 and under) and Stallion 75 arm pads (about $45, with elbow and ulnar-nerve padding) are built for new players.
• Mouthguards: required in both games. College men’s mouthpieces may be any color and must cover the upper teeth; women’s must be professionally manufactured, fully cover the upper teeth and have no protruding tabs. High school boys’ rules dropped color limits in 2026 but ban add-ons that don’t protect the mouth. The Shock Doctor Gel Max is a boil-and-bite guard in youth (10 and under) and adult sizes.
• Balls: game balls must meet the NOCSAE ball standard (ND049). From January 1, 2029, high school boys’ game balls must be fluorescent green or yellow. For practice, Champion Sports lacrosse balls meet NOCSAE and are NCAA and NFHS approved.

Check the STX Stallion 200 price on Amazon

Recovery gear for the bag

After two games on a tournament Saturday, the cleats come off and comfort takes over. Many players carry a small massage gun like the Hypervolt Go 3 (about $149, 1.6 lb, up to 4 hours of battery) for tight calves and hamstrings, a TriggerPoint GRID 1.0 foam roller (about $40), and recovery slides like the OOFOS OOahh (about $60, with the APMA Seal of Acceptance). These are comfort tools, not treatment; pain that lasts more than a few days needs a sports medicine doctor, physical therapist or athletic trainer. Our best massage guns, best foam rollers and best recovery shoes guides compare more options, and the lacrosse recovery page covers the routine.

Check the Hypervolt Go 3 price on Amazon

How to choose lacrosse gear

• Check the standard first: NOCSAE (helmet, ND200 chest, balls) or ASTM (goggles F3077, headgear F3137), with the SEI mark on box and product.
• Buy for the game your child plays: boys’ and girls’ sticks and gear aren’t interchangeable.
• Fit beats features: use makers’ size charts, and many say to size up when between sizes for pads and gloves.
• Don’t alter equipment: rules require gear to be worn as the maker designed it.
• Ask your program first: find out what the team provides before buying the most expensive pieces, such as goalie gear.

Back to the lacrosse hub, or see lacrosse rules, lacrosse injuries and the best lacrosse wearables. Playing two sports? Our football gear guide covers helmets in another sport.

Lacrosse gear questions

What is NOCSAE ND200?

It’s NOCSAE’s performance standard for chest protection against commotio cordis, finalized in 2017. Lacrosse goalies must wear ND200 chest protectors (since 2021) and boys’ and men’s field players ND200 shoulder pads (since 2022). Look for the NOCSAE logo and SEI mark.

Do girls need a helmet for lacrosse?

Only goalies must wear a helmet. Girls’ field players must wear ASTM F3077 goggles and a mouthguard; headgear is optional unless state rules require it (Florida does in high school), and it must meet ASTM F3137.

Are old lacrosse shoulder pads still legal?

Only if they meet ND200. Since 2022, boys’ field players’ shoulder pads must be designed for lacrosse and show the NOCSAE logo and SEI mark on the product and packaging.

How should a lacrosse helmet fit?

Snug, with firm and even pressure, so the forehead skin moves with the helmet; a four-point chin strap on the chin with no slack; no headaches. Refit after a haircut and follow the maker’s sizing chart.

What does a beginner need to start lacrosse?

For Flex6, USA Lacrosse’s beginner format, little or no protective gear beyond a stick. For boys’ league play: helmet, gloves, ND200 shoulder pads, arm pads, cup and mouthguard. For girls: goggles and a mouthguard.