A modified form of a lacrosse net provides increased adherence, integrity, and “give” as a result of a
coating applied to the fibers. In one form, the fibers are manually coated by brushing them with a natural latex mixture followed by
evaporation of the volatile components, which gives the coated fibers a tacky and energy absorbent nature. The soft nature of the
coating may also aid in dissipating energy during
impact with the ball, and this could contribute to the sense of increased “feel.” There are many natural and synthetic polymers that might be capable of delivering similar benefits, including conventional synthetic elastomers, e.g.,
butyl rubber.
Thermoplastic elastomers are a growing field of interest in
coating technologies, and with the appropriate tuning, they can be made with all of the same properties as the
natural rubber coating. A
brush-on method delivers the desired coating thickness and properties, but other methods, such as
dip coating and
spray coating, may increase feasibility for scaling-up the process. In one arrangement, the entire
fiber is composed of a rubbery material. The resulting properties may not be exactly what is desired, however, because the underlying integrity of the
nylon fiber would be absent, and this might result in netting with a “springy” feel.