About Zander Berlinski Expertise I can answer all questions concerning lacrosse. I am the founder of ZB Lacrosse Company so I am an expert on all different types of equipment and sticks as well as custom stringing. I am also an avid player of the game so I can answer most technical questions about rules.
Experience Player for 15 years, founder of ZB Lacrosse Company, advanced custom stringer, extreme knowledge of the game and everything around it.
Question hi
I play defense without a d-pole and I have some questions about the Gait
torque and Gait torque pro
What are some differences?
Also which can provide a better pocket? (6 diamond, hardmesh, duramesh,
ultramesh, soft mesh, 7 and 8 diamond mesh)
Also Which Do You Reccomend for defense?
Also if you can, can you give me some pictures of good pockets of both
heads
Answer Eric,
Sorry for such a delayed response. The Gait Torque Pro is made for a 10 degree offset shaft and is a little less stiff than the original Torque. It also has a different top string setup which many people have come to dislike. When choosing between the two I would definitely go with the Torque. It is stiffer, has a nicer pinch, better stringing hole setup, and is just a better overall head.
For mesh, it really depends on what you are looking for but I would suggest going with a hard mesh pocket. It will provide a nice pocket with solid hold and a nice smooth release. Hard Mesh is by far and away the most popular mesh on the market. It is fairly easy to break in yet will hold its pocket in poor weather. It offers good hold as well as good shot speed with a quick release. It is an excellent choice for any player at any position because of its versatility. Although it may not have as much hold as some of the smaller diamond meshes its great versatility and nice release makes it an overall great mesh.
With that being said, here are some descriptions of the other types of mesh you asked about:
8 Diamond Mesh
8 diamond mesh is the most popular of the diamond meshes because it is the diamond mesh most similar to regular hard mesh, the most popular mesh of all. 8 diamond mesh offers the smallest diamond size of the diamond family. Like all the diamond meshes, it is durable and holds its pocket in the face of adverse weather. On account of its small diamond size, it may be difficult to break in. 8 Diamond offers great shot speed but suffers in its hold. A great mesh choice for those looking to balance the properties of Traditional mesh and Diamond mesh.
7 Diamond Mesh
7 Diamond mesh begins to bridge the gap between the lower numbered Diamond mesh and Traditional mesh. Its diamond size is moderate to small, so 7 Diamond mesh offers excellent shot speed at a slight loss of hold. It is not as easy to break in as most of the other style attack/defense mesh, but once broken in it is extremely durable and will hold its pocket through cold and wet weather. 7 Diamond is a good choice for scorers looking to maximize shot speed.
6 Diamond Mesh
6 diamond size is neither large nor small which makes 6 Diamond mesh the perfect compromise between hold and shot speed. 6 Diamond is fairly easy to string, durable, and will hold its pocket through cold and wet weather. 6 Diamond is a good choice for any kind of lacrosse player. The people have spoken, and 6 Diamond mesh reigns supreme over the Diamond family.
5 Diamond Mesh
5 Diamond mesh offers the largest diamonds of any Attack/Defense mesh. As a result, 5 Diamond tends to be the easiest of the diamond styles to break in. 5 Diamond offers a solid hold, but the trade off comes at loss somewhat of shot speed. 5 Diamond is also notable in being easier to string that other mesh styles due to the large hold size. Overall 5 Diamond is an excellent choice for beginner players and stringers, but its unique properties make it a suitable choice for players whose playing style it compliments.
However, one huge factor on how a stick preforms is the stringing it has. One big suggestion I have is to buy the stick unstrung and have it custom strung. Factory stringing is terrible and can really affect your play. I would send the stick to be custom strung by the professionals at ZB Lacrosse Company. You can visit their website at www.zblax.com to see all the different types of pockets they offer (click on the stringing styles/dyes tab). They also offer dyes if you want to customize your stick further. Their customer service, pocket quality, and prices are unmatched anywhere else on the market. Before purchasing your head, you may want to email them at zblaxcompany@gmail.com as they do sell select heads and may have a Clutch in stock.
Also, in terms of pictures of the pockets I unfortunately do not have pictures of Gait Torque Pro stringing but if you go to zblax.com and visit the photo gallery and search Torque you will be able to see pictures of great Torque string jobs.
Sorry again for such a delayed response. I hope this helps and feel free to ask if you have any further questions.
