What Are Lacrosse Pinnies? Uses, Sizes & Color Tips

Lacrosse pinnies are lightweight training vests designed to help coaches quickly separate players during practices, drills, scrimmages, camps, and team training sessions. Unlike official game uniforms, pinnies are mainly used as an easy-to-layer practice garment that makes different player groups immediately visible on the field.

For lacrosse teams, clubs, schools, academies, and sports organizations across the USA, Canada, the UK, Europe, Australia, and other international markets, choosing the right pinnie involves more than selecting a team color. Fit, fabric, breathability, reversible construction, sizing, number placement, and color contrast all affect how useful the garment will be during training.

This guide explains what lacrosse pinnies are, how teams use them, how to choose the right size, when reversible pinnies make sense, and how to select practical colors for team training. It also covers customization considerations for teams ordering lacrosse apparel in bulk.

What Are Lacrosse Pinnies?

Lacrosse pinnies are lightweight training vests worn over a player’s regular uniform or protective equipment during practices, drills, scrimmages, camps, and other team activities. Their main purpose is simple: make player groups easy to identify without requiring a complete second uniform.

A typical lacrosse pinnie has a sleeveless or open-arm construction, a relaxed fit, and lightweight performance fabric. Some are designed in a single team color, while reversible lacrosse pinnies provide two different color options in one garment.

For coaches, that color separation can make practice organization much easier. Players can quickly recognize teammates and opponents during small-sided games, tactical drills, transition work, and scrimmages.

Pinnies are therefore best viewed as practice apparel rather than a replacement for official game uniforms.

What Is the Main Purpose of a Lacrosse Pinnie?

The primary purpose is player identification.

Instead of asking players to remember which group they belong to during a fast-moving drill, coaches can assign one color to one group and another color to the opposing group.

Common uses include:

• Team-versus-team scrimmages
• Offensive and defensive drills
• Small-sided games
• Position-specific training
• Camp and clinic activities
• Warmups
• Tryouts
• Youth practices
• Tactical exercises

A pinnie can also provide a practical layer over a player’s existing jersey or protective equipment.

Why Identification Matters During Practice

Lacrosse practices can involve multiple groups moving simultaneously. Clear visual identification helps coaches organize drills and allows players to recognize teammates quickly.

Use Color to Separate Practice Groups

For example, a coach might assign:

• Dark pinnies to the offensive group
• Light pinnies to the defensive group
• A third color to goalkeepers or a special drill group

Keep the System Consistent

If a team regularly uses the same color system, players can understand drill assignments more quickly without additional explanation.

What Are Lacrosse Pinnies Used For?

Lacrosse pinnies are primarily designed for training and practice, but their usefulness extends across several team activities.

Practice Drills

Pinnies are especially useful when coaches divide players into groups for passing, shooting, defensive positioning, transition, or possession drills.

Because the garment is lightweight, players can generally put it over their existing training apparel without changing into a separate uniform.

Scrimmages

Scrimmages are one of the most common situations where pinnies become essential.

A reversible pinnie can allow a coach to create two visually distinct teams without distributing separate garments to each group.

Camps and Tryouts

For larger camps, clinics, and tryouts, color-coded pinnies can help staff organize participants into groups.

A team may use different colors to identify:

• Age groups
• Skill levels
• Training stations
• Position groups
• Scrimmage teams

Warmups and Pre-Game Activities

Although pinnies are primarily practice gear, they can also be useful during warmups or pre-game activities when players need an additional identifiable layer.

They should not, however, be confused with official game jerseys when league or competition rules require specific uniforms.

What Is a Reversible Lacrosse Pinnie?

A reversible lacrosse pinnie has two usable sides, usually featuring contrasting colors.

For example, one side may be navy and the reverse side white. Turning the garment inside out immediately changes the visible team color.

This makes reversible pinnies particularly useful for coaches who regularly divide one roster into two teams.

Why Do Teams Choose Reversible Pinnies?

The biggest advantage is flexibility.

Instead of purchasing and distributing two separate sets of practice vests, one reversible garment can provide two color options.

This can be useful for:

• Scrimmages
• Small-sided games
• Training camps
• Youth programs
• Multi-team practices
• Tactical drills

The two sides should be designed together, though. A color combination that looks good individually may not provide enough contrast when both groups are playing against each other.

Reversible vs Single-Color Pinnies

For programs that need maximum flexibility, reversible construction can be a practical choice. For teams that simply need one consistent training color, a single-color pinnie may be enough.

What Fabric Is Best for Lacrosse Pinnies?

Fabric selection affects how a pinnie feels during practice, how easily it layers over equipment, and how well it handles repeated training sessions.

Lightweight polyester and mesh constructions are common choices for sports pinnies because they can support breathability and movement.

The exact fabric should be selected according to the team’s climate, training intensity, desired fit, and customization requirements.

Mesh Lacrosse Pinnies

Mesh is a popular choice when airflow is a priority.

An open or textured mesh structure can help create a lightweight training layer without adding unnecessary bulk.

Teams comparing sportswear materials can also read Sports Jersey Fabrics Explained: Polyester vs Mesh for a broader explanation of how polyester and mesh constructions differ.

Polyester Performance Fabric

Polyester is widely used in team sportswear because it can be engineered into different lightweight constructions and is suitable for many customization methods.

It is also particularly relevant when teams want detailed sublimated designs.

For a deeper explanation of how sublimation works on suitable polyester materials, see What Is Sublimation Printing? Complete Guide for Teams.

Match the Fabric to the Practice Environment

A hot outdoor practice may require a more breathable construction than an indoor or cooler training environment.

Consider Layering Over Protective Equipment

Lacrosse players may wear shoulder pads and other protective equipment underneath their apparel.

A pinnie should therefore provide enough room for the intended layers without becoming excessively loose.

Avoid Choosing by Appearance Alone

A fabric may look good in a product image but still be unsuitable for a team’s actual training conditions. Review fabric composition, weight, stretch, breathability, and intended use before approving a bulk order.

How Should Lacrosse Pinnies Fit?

Lacrosse pinnies generally need a relaxed fit because they are often worn over another jersey and, depending on the player and position, protective equipment.

The right size should therefore not be selected only by looking at a player’s normal T-shirt size.

Should a Lacrosse Pinnie Be Loose?

It should normally provide enough room for comfortable layering and unrestricted movement.

However, being oversized does not automatically mean better.

A pinnie that is excessively loose can:

• Move around during drills
• Catch on equipment
• Interfere with movement
• Look untidy
• Make numbers or logos harder to read

The goal is a practical training fit rather than an extremely tight or extremely oversized silhouette.

How to Choose Lacrosse Pinnie Sizes

Start with the manufacturer’s size chart and compare it with the player’s actual measurements.

For team orders, collect sizes in a roster sheet rather than allowing each player to estimate independently.

A useful process is:

1. Record each player’s name.
2. Record youth or adult sizing.
3. Compare chest and body measurements with the size chart.
4. Consider whether the pinnie will be worn over pads.
5. Identify players who may need a different size for layering.
6. Review the complete size list before production.

Deuka Wears‘ broader lacrosse uniform offering also considers different athlete builds and equipment requirements, which is important when developing a complete team apparel order.

Pinnie Sizing for Youth Teams

Youth rosters can have significant differences in height and body proportions even within the same age group.

For that reason, age should be treated as a starting reference rather than the only sizing method.

Collect Measurements Consistently

If measurements are required, give every parent or player the same instructions and use the same measurement points.

Keep Youth and Adult Sizes Separate

Do not mix youth and adult sizing terminology in the final roster. Clearly record the size category alongside each player’s selected size to reduce ordering errors.

What Colors Should Lacrosse Pinnies Be?

Color selection is more important than simply matching the team’s logo.

A good lacrosse pinnie color system needs to provide clear visual separation between groups.

Choose High-Contrast Colors

If one practice group wears dark navy and another wears black, the difference may not be obvious enough from a distance.

Instead, consider combinations such as:

• Dark navy vs white
• Black vs bright yellow
• Red vs white
• Royal blue vs bright green
• Dark green vs light gray

The exact combination depends on the team’s existing identity and the playing environment.

Consider the Existing Team Uniform

Pinnie colors do not have to duplicate the colors of the game uniform.

In fact, a contrasting practice color may be more useful when the main objective is group identification.

For example, if the official uniform is primarily navy and white, a bright training color can make practice groups easier to distinguish.

Check Number and Logo Contrast

If the pinnie includes player numbers, team logos, or other graphics, those elements need sufficient contrast against the base color.

A number that looks clear on a computer mockup may become difficult to read when players are moving across a field.

Build a Simple Color System

A practical team color system can include:

Check Colors in Real Playing Conditions

Review colors under the lighting and field conditions where the pinnies will actually be used.

Prioritize Recognition Over Decoration

The purpose of practice colors is identification. A simple, high-contrast design can be more useful than an elaborate pattern that becomes difficult to distinguish during a fast drill.

Should Lacrosse Pinnies Have Numbers?

They can, but numbers are not always necessary.

For basic practice identification, a team may only need different colors. Numbered pinnies become more useful when coaches want to identify individual players during drills or when the same pinnies are used across multiple training groups.

When Numbered Pinnies Make Sense

Numbering can help coaches:

• Call out specific players during drills
• Track tactical assignments
• Identify players during scrimmages
• Use pinnies across multiple sessions
• Organize larger training groups

However, numbering also adds another production and roster-management requirement.

If names or numbers are included, verify every player’s information before production.

Number Placement Matters

Numbers should be positioned where they remain visible during normal movement.

For a reversible pinnie, the number treatment may need to be considered on both sides.

The design should also account for:

• Number size
• Number color
• Font
• Outline
• Background contrast
• Front and back placement

This is particularly important for teams ordering custom practice gear in bulk.