The Importance of End Caps

Which style do you prefer? Every stick needs one. We wouldn’t be able to play without them. Butt-ends, also known as end caps, are necessary to play lacrosse mainly for safety reasons. Without them, the sharp metal end of the lacrosse stick would be exposed, posing a harmful threat to other players. But besides safety, butt-ends are great to help you keep your hands on you stick and to even get some extra power on shots. There are different varieties of butt-ends from many different manufacturers: STX, Brine, Warrior, Maverik, Under Armor, and Gait. Most of them take on the same shape, the standard end cap that a lot of sticks come with, while others are more unique. The Gait Cork end cap is special because instead of sitting over the shaft it locks in from the inside. It also features a ring-like molding along the bottom; it gives your hands something to push against when you’re shooting so you can get a little more torque! gaitendcork Under Armour also has a similar product but with more a flared out molding. It also locks from the inside when you tighten the screw. The rubber molding covers the bottom of the shaft from the outside. endcap Back in my playing days, we didn’t have sophisticated end-caps like this. I was always stuck ripping and wrapping tape around my shaft so I could get the ring-like butt-end. Only problem with this is that it took awhile and it was very annoying. Also, once you put that tape ring on you’d have to take it ALL off if you want to adjust it. It made me never want to re-tape my stick, which is actually very important. ByOPxz4CUAEf9sp.jpg-large But now, we’re in luck! Maverik just released their new Adjustable Butt-End, or ABE for short. Currently only available on their new 2015 shafts, the ABE features a movable plastic ring that tightens with a mini screw! You can slide this ring anywhere you want to so you can get the most out of your stick. Ring type butt-ends aren’t for everyone and that’s all right. Everyone’s different. But if you’re like me and want a little something for some extra power, the ring butt-ends are probably your best bet.

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