Equipment Cost/ Reselling

[quincy]

We have not invested much money into our DD’s softball equipment. We have other softball things to work on and she is going to grow out of any equipment we buy her fairly quickly. No siblings behind her to inherit.

Her current glove took us 6 months to find. It is something she likes and not expensive. (Knock on wood, no errors with the current glove)

If we were to spend a few hundred dollars on a new bat can we expect anything back from trying to selling it in a couple years? If so, like maybe 50%? So we would have $150 cost and a rolling $150?

 

[Coach JV]

I gave a composite bat that DD outgrew to a younger player.
This was well worth the cost of a replacement bat. Sometimes
it is best to not think dollars first. I watched the girl with dd's old
bat hit a solid double to LF in her first fall game--the smiles were priceless

 

[CPSBDad]

We give our outgrown gear to kids who need it. I would never think of resale value when purchasing new gear. In fact, this year xmas gifts consist of nokona gloves for DD and little leaguer son, and composite bats for both. The bats will be used for several years and the gloves will last a lifetime if taken care of.

 

[PAcoach]

I never intend on reselling any of DD equipment when we purchase it. If anything has any life left in it when she is done with it, i donate it.

 

[quincy]

I was hoping for a different answer.

We have a limited softball budget.

Our DD equipment is OK, not the best, but I would prefer to spend our softball dollars on lessons opposed to equipment.

We practice enough where she needs her own bat; she is very comfortable with it. If you gave her a choice between the best bat in the world and her bat, she would pick her bat because for her it is the best bat in the world.

We would like to do both but not in the cards right now.

 

[PAcoach]

Don't fret. The equipment doesn't make the player. The best investment is the time you're with your kid, not what equipment you buy her.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Bats are a little hard to re-sell, because some people want a warranty on any bat that they buy. Also, a used bat could have been altered and you wouldn't know it.

And as you know, little girls (and grown men) want their bats to be new and shiny.

But, you can re-sell them and get something. I re-sell 2004 RTs a few times a year.

 

[CPSBDad]

You don't have to spend $300 for a bat. My DD used a aluminum bat for two years and loved it. Cost was less than $60. Then she tried a Mendoza bat and liked that one too. Online cost was $99 just about everywhere and $49 on Amazon. Last I checked $39. It's a composite bat that does take time to break in. We practice alot together and I have a bucket of 36 softballs. Maybe around 300 hits the thing began to pop. Gloves--we've gone through a few since she started playing softball at age 5. Her current glove is a little small for a 12 inch ball, so I am looking into another. This is where I will spend more money this time around. I'm hoping this will be her last glove for years to come. BTW, my DD's a catcher and just recently bought her a catcher's mitt. Showing her three she picked the less expensive one and loves it. Go figure.

As PAcoach said, your time is the best investment you'll put into your DD's success.

 

[WARRIORMIKE]

I was hoping for a different answer.

We have a limited softball budget.

Buy what you can afford. Dont even sweat if its a composite bat or not. Also if she does hit a homer on the bat of choice, would you really want to sell memorabilia like that?