Armor Mesh was founded in 2022, but it was really born inside the heart, mind, and creative spirit of a kid in middle school 25 years ago. From a young age, our founder Chris Gilroy, was fascinated with the art of making traditional pockets. He loved the challenge of using his hands to string the leathers and nylons into new pocket designs for his brother, friends, and teammates. His imagination and restless drive for improvement led to a breakthrough pattern he crafted for his younger brother. Woven with free-flowing joints, the pocket shifted with and around the ball, creating a hold, feel, power, and control advantage. In this realization, Chris’ vision for creating The Modern Traditional Pocket was born, and his dream of designing the highest functioning art to ever grace the field began.

Chris has always been an artist, and as he continued his journey through life, his creative talents and ability to work, design, and build with his hands were cultivated through a multitude of creative mediums. He excelled quite naturally in pottery, glassblowing, metal sculpting, and culinary endeavors. When he wasn’t making art, he was deeply enjoying it in the form of music, painting, prose, and storytelling. Always designing with his mind and creating with his hands, Chris took an interest in handcrafted, patterned fashion. He learned the art of knitting and weaving, a skill that would serve him well as he refined his early Armor Mesh prototypes that would quite literally evolve to become art in action.

There is nothing that comes more naturally to Chris than sharing the joy of lacrosse. He has spent much of his life using the platform of lacrosse to build community while seeking to make a positive impact in the lives of young athletes. Chris has made (and continues to make) several extended trips to Jamaica supporting grassroots development efforts and the creation of a legitimate high school league. Among his many contributions, Chris championed a stick stringing initiative and mentored Jamaica’s first generation of stick doctors. The countless hours during these trips, and over a series of years volunteering for Relax Collections, helped serve as inspiration as Chris strung and tinkered his way toward the first refined Armor Mesh pockets.

Armor Mesh launched in January 2022. Since then, it has been embraced by many in the lacrosse world, including professionals in all major leagues, and is recognized as one of the most innovative lacrosse products to hit the market in years.

The Modern Traditional Pocket is here, a dream has become a reality, and the highest functioning art has taken the field.

OUR STORY IS...

JUST GETTING STARTED.