Does Dyeing a Lacrosse Head Affect Durability?
Does dyeing a lacrosse head make it weaker?
Not when it’s done with care. Dyeing has been part of lacrosse for decades, and dyed heads are routinely used in competition. A short dip in a dye bath is not known to make a modern head meaningfully weaker. Too much heat is the real risk: a rolling boil, a long soak, or bending the head while it’s hot can change its shape and how it plays.
StringKing has not run its own controlled tests on dyed heads. This page is based on how dyeing works, what the plastic does when it’s heated, and what players and dyers report.
Why players dye their heads
- Team and school colors
- Fades, splatters, logos and custom graphics
- Matching uniforms and gear
- Telling sticks apart on the sideline
- Personal style
What dyeing does to a head
Stiffness. Hot water softens lacrosse head plastic while it’s in the bath. A long soak or a hard boil can leave a head softer than it started.
Durability. A slightly softer head is not necessarily a more breakable one. Stiffness and toughness are different properties, and a change in one doesn’t predict the other.
Shape. Heat makes plastic easy to move. A head that’s bent, pinched or left resting against the pot while hot can keep that shape when it cools, which changes the face shape and the pocket.
Color. Results depend on the plastic, the starting color, the dye and the time in the bath. Some heads take color slower than others.
What can go wrong
- A rolling boil instead of a light boil
- Leaving the head in longer than the dye maker says
- Bending, pinching or reshaping the head while it’s hot
- Going straight from hot water to cold, or into a freezer
- Solvents, bleach or chemicals not made for lacrosse heads
- Dyeing a head that already has cracks
- Dyeing the same head again and again
How to dye a head with care
1. Use a dye made for lacrosse heads, and follow its instructions.
2. Take the mesh and strings out first.
3. Check the head for cracks before you start.
4. Keep the water at the temperature the dye maker gives — no hotter.
5. Keep the head in only as long as you need for the color.
6. Hold the head by the throat so it doesn’t touch the bottom or sides of the pot.
7. Don’t bend, pinch or reshape the head while it’s hot.
8. Rinse it in warm water, let it cool at room temperature, and wait until it’s fully dry before you judge how stiff it is.
Frequently asked questions
Does dyeing make a lacrosse head softer?
It does while the head is hot. Whether any softness stays depends on how hot the water was and how long the head was in.
Can dyeing warp a lacrosse head?
Yes. Too much heat, or bending the head while it’s hot, can change its shape.
Can I dye a StringKing head?
Players dye StringKing heads, but how well a head takes color depends on its plastic, and some dyes are made for harder plastics. Check that the dye is made for your head, and follow the dye maker’s instructions.
Does dyeing void my StringKing warranty?
No. Dyed heads are covered under the StringKing warranty.
Can I dye a head more than once?
You can, but every bath is another round of heat. Keep each one short.
Will dyeing change how my head throws?
Not on its own. A head that warped during dyeing will throw differently, because the pocket sits differently.
Is a professional dye job safer than doing it myself?
An experienced dyer controls the heat and time more tightly. That lowers the risk; it doesn’t remove it.