The LacroCity Post-Black Friday Gift Guide
I live on the internets, so you don’t have to.
People love to say what they are thankful for this time of year. They named the holiday after that concept allegedly. But, I wanted to take the opportunity to say that I’m sorry.
I’m sorry for wanting to take advantage of the capitalist spirit that courses through everyone’s veins when they wake up after Black Friday. So I made a list of things for you to buy.
Know that I present these products to you with zero kickback, which is probably stupid of me since I should have sold out many months ago. I can't bring myself to do it. Just like I can't leave [Lacrosse] Twitter even as I watch it burn to ashes in real time.
These are some of my favorite things that I have discovered in the last year. I’m a [lacrosse] nerd at heart, so trust that my gear guide is actually going to be equal parts functional and esoteric.
Thank you for subscribing. Thank you for being a part of this special community of lacrosse dorks. I appreciate you.
Do you have a bunch of leftover helmets that just will not sell on SidelineSwap? I have the perfect thing. These metal stands miraculously display a lacrosse helmet on a shelf in the most majestic of ways. No shelf? Perhaps a table that is far enough away from the entrance to your abode to make the smell unoffensive to others? These stands are for motorcycle helmets, so they can easily take the shape and the weight of a lax helmet. They’re available with wall mounts as well.
These two chargers have saved my electronic life multiple times. The first is a Three-Charger system for Apple fanboys. I know, I know - how gauche.
For everyone else, here is a charger that plugs in, doesn't weigh 8 pounds and has the cables already attached. Micro USB, Lightning, and USB-C. It’s a monster.
When the gyms closed because of COVID I began to embark on a wholly unsuccessful journey running on my local trails in Hooksett. I’ve tried all the big trail shoe brands, but this pair is from an independent small business in Austin, Texas named after the horse in the Neverending Story. Maybe.
They are squishy underfoot, but somehow still stable and have a reflective weave throughout. If you’re looking for some new kicks with good traction and a decent price, I would give these a look. Just be ready to swap out the hideous yellow laces.
This is the only true lacrosse item on my list. I am very set in my ways when it comes to my sticks, so when a piece of equipment comes along that forces me to change - I make a note.
I used to fishing pole tape my sticks but stopped when I realized that was a waste of tape and noobery. Now I just tape the top and the bottom. I love the ECD cap because it has allowed me to get a more secure - and elevated - hold a little higher from the bottom of the shaft, which was a game-changer for my hand placement. Now I crease crank with the best of them. If you play, you know; if you know you play.
I’m not an audiophile, but you wouldn't know that judging by the number of wireless headphones scattered across my living room and office. Some were overpriced and some were severely underpriced. The difference between those headphones and the Shokz is that the Shokz are for when I want to listen to a podcast or music and still want to know what is happening around me.
I don’t know how to explain how these things work, but basically - they shoot sound into your ear canal through your cheekbones. It’s sort of like an alien controlling your playlist and shooting it into your brain telepathically. Except, you’re the alien. Super weird feeling, but now you can hear the car that is about to hit you if you run on the road.
The Midcoast: a Novel by Adam White
This item is lacrosse adjacent via the author being the head coach at St. Sebastian’s, Adam white’s debut novel is awesome. Especially if you’re a New England lacrosse person or a fan of true crime. Although I guess it’s not technically true crime since it’s a novel. It feels real and plausible - that’s the most fun thing about it. Also, if you close your eyes you can hear the awful Maine accents at work in this story.
Ayuh. Sounds, good - see yah uptacamp.
Are you a nerd? Oh. Well. Like, neither am I, but if I WAS - I would check out this Etsy store where you can get prints of every superhero and/or fantasy sci-fi character imaginable. You can also get them printed on metal sheets so you can attach them with magnets.
In the immortal words of the Insane Clown Posse: “Magnets…How do they work?”
For the gym bros out there, you know the struggle of having your protein and pre-workout shakers explode or get moldy. This shaker could hypothetically fall prey to those fates. But yours probably won’t because you will be amazed at how well it actually does its job and keep it safe and clean. Stop being an animal.
It mixes any powder into water or milk with incredible consistency and no silver whisk thing or plastic ball to pop lose/get lodged in your gullet. The cap shuts with a satisfying “click”. The shaker itself is beefy and hard to break. It’s the Rolls Royce of supplement accoutrement. Discount codes are everywhere for this thing, too. Shop around.
Do you coach a sport? Do you play a sport? Do you work at a school in the US? Oh, man. - I bet you’ve seen a LOT of poorly designed gear. Well, what if you could design it yourself?
Now you can with - and please forgive the titling of this site - PrepSportsWear.com. You don’t need to buy 12 pieces to fill your order. You can make a one-of-one hat, shirt, sweatshirt, polo, sweatpants, or hoodie for yourself or as a gift for someone else and not pay out the nose for it.
Just search the state, then the town, and specify the activity. I have made my own stuff for the past two years and gladly paid for it myself. Look good; coach…well? Or rather, look better than any other coach that dares to rock anything with crossed sticks.
You deserve better than crossed sticks on your dad hat.
We all do.