Short answer: This page is the single source for every figure First Grain publishes. A solid hickory lacrosse shaft weighs about twice a carbon shaft, damps vibration about 10× better than aluminum alloy, pulls heat from bare hands about 3× slower than aluminum, and is legal under NCAA and NFHS rules. If another page disagrees with this one, this one is right.
Weight
| Shaft, 30″ (attack/middie) | Weight | Source |
|---|---|---|
| First Grain Hickory | 250–285 g | Calculated from Wood Database density; to be confirmed by weighing |
| First Grain White Oak | 235–270 g (est.) | Estimated from density |
| First Grain Hard Maple | 220–250 g (est.) | Estimated from density |
| First Grain Red Oak | 220–250 g (est.) | Estimated from density |
| First Grain Black Walnut | 190–215 g (est.) | Estimated from density |
| Aluminum alloy shafts | 135–195 g | Published manufacturer and review specs |
| Carbon composite shafts | 130–165 g | Published manufacturer and review specs |
60″ poles weigh about twice the 30″ figure: Hickory 500–570 g, Black Walnut 380–430 g (est.). Black Walnut is about 24% lighter than Hickory by density (610 vs. 800 kg/m³).
What the weight means: at the same stick speed, a 280 g shaft carries roughly twice the momentum of a 140 g shaft (momentum = mass × velocity). That is the case for wood on defense. It is also why wood is not the shaft for a player whose game depends on the lightest possible stick.
Vibration damping ("sting")
| Material | Damping ratio | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Wood (hickory/ash class) | 3.4–6.7% | Russell, Penn State, bat damping measurements |
| Aluminum alloy | 0.5–1.3% | Russell, Penn State |
| Carbon composite | 4.0–6.4% (with engineered damping inserts) | Russell, Penn State; published shaft specs |
Approved phrasing: "Wood damps vibration about 10× better than aluminum alloy, and as well as the best composites — naturally." Never say wood damps better than carbon.
Heat in cold weather
| Material | Thermal conductivity | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Hickory | 0.16 W/m·K | Engineering Toolbox / Wood Database |
| Carbon composite | ~0.35 W/m·K | Engineering Toolbox |
| Aluminum alloy | 130–167 W/m·K | Engineering Toolbox |
Approved phrasing: "Aluminum pulls heat from bare hands about 3× faster than wood." This is the contact heat-flow figure: what skin feels depends on each material's thermal effusivity (√(conductivity × density × heat capacity)), not conductivity alone. Aluminum ≈ 24,000, hickory ≈ 470, skin ≈ 1,100 W·s½/m²·K, which gives roughly 3.2× more heat drawn from the hand by aluminum at the same temperature. Aluminum conducts heat roughly 1,000× better than wood; do not say it "pulls heat 1,000× faster." First Grain test T3 (The Cold Snap) will publish measured grip temperatures.
Strength and hardness
| Species | Janka hardness | Stiffness (MOE) | Break strength (MOR) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory | 1,880 lbf | 2.16M psi | 20,200 psi | Wood Database |
| Hard Maple | 1,450 lbf | 1.83M psi | 15,800 psi | Wood Database |
| White Oak | 1,350 lbf | — | — | Wood Database |
| Red Oak | 1,220 lbf | — | — | Wood Database |
| Black Walnut | 1,010 lbf | — | — | Wood Database |
| Ipe (not milled by First Grain) | 3,490 lbf | — | — | Wood Database |
How they fail: grain-controlled hardwood fails progressively — cracks you can see coming. Aluminum dents and bends. Carbon can crack suddenly under extreme impact. Never say carbon "shatters in the cold"; it is unproven for shafts.
The Grain Spec (every blank)
| Item | Standard |
|---|---|
| Slope of grain | ≤ 1:20, running the length |
| Lumber | Straight-grained American hardwood, clear faces |
| Knots, pith, splits | None |
| Moisture | Kiln-dried, 6–8% (to confirm against signed spec sheet) |
| Profile | Octagon, 7/8″ × 1-1/16″, true end to end |
| Finish | Oven-cured catalyzed conversion varnish |
| Traceability | Species, batch and serial number stamped |
When Major League Baseball and the U.S. Forest Service tightened slope-of-grain and density controls on bats, the rate of shattered bats fell by more than half. The Grain Spec applies the same idea to every First Grain blank.
Legality
| Level | Status | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| NCAA men's | Legal | Rule 1-18: the crosse "shall be made of wood, laminated wood or synthetic material" |
| NFHS (high school boys) | Legal | Rule 1-7-1, same material language |
| Box (Canada) | Approved | Canadian Lacrosse Association technical bulletin approving wooden ash and hickory shafts |
| Pro field | Not prohibited | Pro rulebooks do not restrict shaft material |
Women's and girls' rules are written separately; players should check their own rulebook.
Product facts
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Species | Hickory, Hard Maple, Red Oak, White Oak, Black Walnut |
| Lengths | 30″ short stick, 60″ defense pole |
| Price, 30″ / 60″ | Hickory, Hard Maple, Red Oak $99.99 / $214.99 · White Oak $149.99 / $322.99 · Black Walnut $179.99 / $386.99 |
| Engraving | Up to 18 characters, +$10, all species |
| Team orders | 12+ shafts, team stamp available |
| Guarantee | 30-day check guarantee |
| Made | Milled in America in small batches; ships from Idaho |
| Give-back | 2% of every shaft to Indigenous youth lacrosse |
Sources
- Wood Database — Shagbark Hickory
- Wood Database — Hard Maple
- Russell, Penn State — Damping measurements (ISEA 2006)
- Engineering Toolbox — Thermal conductivity of common materials
- NCAA Men's Lacrosse Rules, Rule 1-18 · NFHS Boys Lacrosse Rules, Rule 1-7-1 · Canadian Lacrosse Association technical bulletin
- The Proof — First Grain's full comparison and test program