Lacrosse Helmet Sizing Guide & Chart | LacrosseMonkey

The lacrosse helmet is the most important piece of equipment in the game. It is the one area of equipment you do not want to overlook because you need to protect the player’s head in the safest way possible. This article will be going over all of the ins and outs to lacrosse’s most important piece of equipment and what to look out for when buying your next helmet.

Lacrosse Helmet Components

  • Shell - Hard plastic exterior of the helmets which every piece is attached to. It also has ventilation holes in order to keep the player’s head cool during use.
  • Internal Padding - The foam and cushioned internal component of the helmet. Provides a large portion of protection for a player’s head.
  • Visor - Plastic above the facemask that helps block the sun and creates a more angular design in the helmet.
  • Facemask - Metal cage that protects the player’s face against lacrosse balls and stick checks.
  • Chin bar - Sits below the facemask and is attached to the shell in order to protect the throat and jaw of a player.
  • Chin Strap - The leather strap that sits on your chin and attaches to the buttons on the helmet under the facemask. This is the primary way of tightening the helmet onto the player.
  • Back tightening device - Usually a pinch or knob used to provide additional tightness in the back of the helmet. Brings the back half of the padding closer to the player’s head.

Lacrosse Helmet Fitting

Do's

  • Select the correct size that fits snug with no movement.
  • Place the helmet on to the player and move it to be looking through the first or top set of bars of the helmet.
  • Tighten the chinstrap and the back of the helmet (Cascade pinch, Warrior BOA etc) so it is fitting snugly and evenly on the player.
  • The top chin straps (typically with the brands name on them) attach to the top snap buttons of the helmet and should be even in how tight they fit. The bottom straps should also be even in length and snap onto the bottom or side snap buttons.
  • Always unbuckle the bottom or side snap buttons when taking off the helmet. Typically, once you have them set, you will never need to unbuckle the top straps.
  • Replace your helmet every few years to stay up-to-date on the latest and safest helmet technology.

Dont's

  • Buy a helmet that is too big to “grow into”.
  • Look through the second or third set of bars.
  • Have uneven levels of chinstrap tightness.
  • Buy old, used helmets. The plastic wears down after years of use and they are not made to be hand-me downs.

Lacrosse Helmet Tilt

“Tilt” is used to describe how a helmet should sit on a player’s head. You should be looking through the top set of bars right in the middle of the middle dividing bar. The helmet should sit higher on the back of the head than most people expect. Lacrosse helmets are designed to protect the player’s throat, face, and top of the head more so than the bottom of the head and the neck area. If you do not properly “tilt” the helmet, you are going against how lacrosse helmets are designed and it is much less safe and effective. You can adjust the tilt by loosening the helmet all the way (chin strap and back tightening device) and pulling the facemask down lower until you are looking through the top set of bars and the center of the middle bar. After this, you can tighten the chin strap and back tightening device until it fits nice and snug with no shake or rattle when moving the head.

Lacrosse Helmet Sizing Chart

Helmets are going towards more One Size Fits Most models. However, some still use sizes and below is an approximate size chart for most lacrosse helmets:

SizeCircumference (in.)Circumference (cm.)Hat Size
X-Small/Small21" - 22.5"53.34 - 57.156 - 7
Medium/Large22" - 24"55.88 - 60.967 - 8

Shop Lacrosse Helmets at LacrosseMonkey!

Proper helmet shopping and fitting is crucially important to the safety of lacrosse players. Make sure that your helmet fits correctly and tightly enough before using in a live lacrosse setting. One of the best ways to figure out the right helmet for you is to visit a store location for in-person advice. We have a well informed staff who can help you make the right decision on which helmet is best for you. You can also shop lacrosse helmets online on LacrosseMonkey.com.

 

This article was originally published on January 31, 2020, and has been updated with new information.