The great thing about this lax head is that it is built with STX Forward Cant for simple ball release, quicker passing and quicker shooting. This head is highly recommended for forwards and is NFHS certified.
Good
Tight fit for STX shafts
In general, I’ve observed that the STX heads attach more tightly on lacrosse shafts than heads made by other brands. The head barely fit on a STX shaft, and I could hardly get it on a Maverik handle. The Maverik shaft was a little larger. The rule is that all lacrosse heads fit on all handles, but more brute force or tape might be needed if you mix the brand of head and shaft.High and mid pocket, great for shooting
I strung a mid-pocket that was very easy. The ball felt great and it was incredibly smooth when transitioning from cradling to building up for a shot. The pinch is very nice and resulted in pretty good ball retention. A shooters pocket would also function very well too. Do not insult this lacrosse head by stringing a low pocket. This lax head was designed to shoot, string a mid or high pocket.The scoop is a little flexible, but this is to provide the flex for shooting. This, combined with the STX Forward Cant, results in you getting great hold and you can even feel the “whip” while shooting.
Great channel, accurate passes
One glance at the face of the head you can see it’s not NCAA certified. The lacrosse head does not include the longer parallel sidewalls stretching out from the throat. The steadily diverging opening works nicely and the mid-pocket I’d strung was great. All my feeds and cranks were very accurate.The rounded top of the Proton Power scoop makes for a nice combination of being ground ball friendly and accurate. Some heads have got a very pointy tip that results in an awesome pocket channel but you can’t grab a ground ball. While other lacrosse heads feature a tip like a spade, making ground balls a cinch, but your feeds are all over the place. This head is okay, although if the top were any flatter I don't believe the pocket would be anywhere near as accurate.
Great for ground balls
The rear of the scoop is sleek enough so that there’s no ridge to raise the top of the lax head off the ground when picking up ground balls. The catching area is broad enough so you get a bigger area to scoop up the ball with. You could get some bend if you go strongly at a ground ball.Produced for forwards
The Proton Power is created for shooting and feeding and thus is seriously suitable for attackers and midfielders. If you’re not primarily a goal scorer, there are better midfield heads to select from.A fantastic option for faceoff
If you do take the odd face-off here and there, this lacrosse head should perform well. The streamlined sidewalls sit near to the ground, which definitely is a nice bonus. The lack of firmness means you won’t be able to take the most aggressive face-off, but slicker face-off techniques should be ok. The lacrosse head isn't likely to hold its shape for long in a faceoff, but the lacrosse head is quite easily forced back into shape, if it won't revert naturally.Bad
Relatively easy to string, but tricky to make legal
My very first try at stringing this head happened to be illegal. The ball couldn't roll out of the pocket when held vertically and tilted forward. I needed to adjust the side-wall laces near the throat to be certain they didn't hinder the ball and also alter the bottom laces to be sure the ball didn't get lodged at the rear of the ball stop. These were trivial modifications, but with the possibility of pinching from common wear and tear this might prove to be something you will need to address on a regular basis. Stringing up a low pocket isn't advised.For those who love traditional stringing, you'll be a little bit annoyed to discover that there are only two openings at the bottom. You will have to double up the leathers or devise another alternative. The stringing holes are really small so you need to work to get the laces through many of them. If you're burning the lace ends you will have to ensure that they’re thin because if you have a fat knob it will not fit into the slots. But once your pocket is set in and the nylons are tied up, they don't move.
What is up with the ball stop?
I'm unsure exactly what the specific goal of the island ball-stop is. I wasn't able to identify any real benefit. STX say it’s intended to make this lax head more lightweight, but it’d be only a few grams at the most.Keep an eye on the pinch
As a rule with heads which have a defined pinch, you'll want to make certain it won't pinch excessively, causing it to be non-compliant. You could position a piece of wood just a bit broader than a lacrosse ball between the side walls where they pinch to keep it compliant. Field hockey balls work well.Not necessarily the firmest head on offer
The STX Proton Power lacrosse head is not the stiffest head on offer. The scoop is actually designed to flex, so if a somewhat inflexible head is what you feel will suit, this isn't the lacrosse head for you.Isn't ideal for defence
This head is way too flexible for defense. You get no real effect throwing a poke check, aside from the tip hour-glassing right out. But it is not created for defence therefore I don’t consider this to be an issue.Summary
If you’re a forward, how could you not love this lacrosse head? There are other heads lighter, stronger, stiffer and all that. But the STX Proton Power head captures the essence of what lacrosse is about. It is a goal-scoring machine.It isn't produced with All Climate Performance so take care in case you are playing in the heat or cold. The heat mainly, as the lax head already bends to some extent. The lightweight aspect and the extra flex may affect its longevity, however this is a fantastic lacrosse head.
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