Warrior Rabil 2 Lacrosse Head
LGR Review
NLL and MLL athlete Paul Rabil has worked with Warrior once again to produce the Warrior Rabil 2 Head.
Being based off of the design of the original Warrior Rabil head, the Rabil 2 has been updated to be a sleeker and lighter, yet stiffer and more powerful offensive weapon.
Having been designed by one of the best all-around lacrosse players, the Rabil 2 head is purposed for advanced play.
Everything you're going to want out of an offensive head, you're going to find it with this one. There won't be a need to worry about it breaking down or having weak points.
The original Rabil head used a two-shot molding process, but the Rabil 2 utilizes a one shot mold. This means the head is made out of only one piece, and less pieces equals greater strength.
Scoop
The scoop of the Rabil 2 head much resembles that of the original Rabil head. It comes standardly rounded on the outer and inner sides.
When going for groundballs, or just pushing the ball around on the ground, you're going to get a solid feel and consistent performance.
The thickness of the material is going to be enough to give it a relatively strong design. You're not going to have to worry about it wearing down.
Now on both the universal and high school versions of the head, the width of the scoop sits at 6-5/8". This is going to give you ample room to catch well without adding too much material.
Sidewalls
An outstanding feature immediately noticeable is the multitude of sidewall holes on the head. This head was designed for advanced play by a pro lacrosse player, so you know right off the bat, it's made as versatile as possible.
Many different players prefer a different style or type of pocket, and the higher up you go in playing level, the more specific people will be with what they like. Having as many stringing holes as this head (19 on each side, 6 on the top) makes catering to this multitude of preferences an extremely workable task.
Along with this great feature, the sidewalls of the Rabil 2 are infused with a Sym-Rail Twist. This method maximizes the strength of the sidewall while minimizing the weight by actually twisting the rails.
To add yet another notable trait to the sidewall design, the Rabil 2 has been made with a slightly wider pinch than the original Rabil. It's going to sit at about 3-1/8" for the universal version and 3" for the high school version. These are both going to give you a well enough pinch to keep the ball in, without being too tight for situations like face offs or catching.
Throat
The throat of the Rabil 2 serves as the perfect transition from the sidewalls to the neck. It takes the traits of both the sidewalls and neck to make for a strong reliable section.
The lower rails especially are often a weak part of the head, but that's not a problem with this throat because of the long neck combined with the Sym-Rail Twist sidewalls.
Neck and shaft fit
The neck of the Rabil 2 takes on a very strong and effective design. The neck is more so elongated, so you'll have a very strong connection with the shaft, and the lower part of the head is going to be exponentially stronger.
A weak part of a head and where it'll often end up cracking or breaking is the lower area of the head. Having a strong neck will prevent this, allowing the head to last for a much longer time.
But while the neck is strong, it wasn't designed to be bulky. Paul and Warrior took out as much material as possible without compromising strength with this part of the head.
You won't have any trouble fitting the Rabil 2 head to a shaft. It's going to be a standard fit like any modern warrior head and shouldn't give you any trouble.
Warp Factor
The warp factor is going to affect all heads, but heads can be more resistant to it by being strong. Especially in the points of stress. The Rabil 2 covers these areas very well.
The sidewall, throat, and neck all work together to create a very stable system. It is naturally designed to flex, and typically heads that flex are more prone to warping, but that's not going to be as much of an issue here. This head should last you a long time.
Field position
To understand what field position this head is designed for, you can really just look at its designer.
Paul Rabil is regarded as one of the best all-around players in the modern game of lacrosse, AND as one of the most talented players to have ever played the game. So not only was this head designed for the most elite of all levels of play, but also to dominate at all positions of play.
A lot of people know Paul for his insanely fast shot, and his amazing dodging skills, but he has also been known for his great defensive plays. He plays as though he's absolutely desperate to get the ball, run it back, and score. This head has been designed to go along with this style of play.
Given all of this, it's fair to say it is most intended for midfielders. As a definition of the position, they should be skilled at all positions and situations. However this isn't to say it couldn't be used as an attackman's or defender's head.
It's going to be very durable although still being light, which are favorable traits for attackmen. And there are quite a few defensemen out there that prefer a more offensive orientated head on their poles, especially when they're going to be doing a bit more ball handling.
And of course, it's a given the head would be perfect for LSM's as well (Goalies of course, as usual, are going to have to be left out).
Summary
Overall, this is a durable reliable, multipurpose head that can be used in any scenario. Paul Rabil and Warrior took what was already a great head, and forged it into an elite piece of lacrosse equipment. As a player, it'd be really hard to be disappointed with the Rabil 2.
The Rabil 2 lacrosse head was made to compete and perform. Any player will love having this in their arsenal.
Warrior guarantees a replacement of the head for 6 months after its original date of purchase. You can purchase this head in a wide array of classic colors as well.