How important is the bat actually?

[kibadbo]

I used to pour over all the details of every major bat company. Reviews, sales literature the DFP database etc. I gathered info on length, weights (listed vs actual) durability and "pop" whatever that means. My kid has owned all the major brands in all sorts of lengths and weights and she always says the same thing "I love my new bat. It hits bombs."

So now I don't do so much research. Oh, and the durability info has been completely useless. She's had Ghosts that have lasted a long time, and a Xeno -8 she snapped in half in less than a month.

 

[CoachCeetar]

I've thought about upgrading my daughter, almost 10, swinging a 29/17 Rip-It Spark bat that's apparently an aluminum alloy? (Durable 6061 Aluminum Alloy)

But she doesn't really make enough solid contact (in games) that I'm worried about getting the extra distance right now
Was looking for various used bats but didn't really find anything under $100 that seemed better, and they all just were other various aluminum alloys and I figured consistency of weight/length was better than trying something new mid-season.

I feel like there's probably a lot of pricey bats going to waste on 8 year olds waving at crappy pitches.

 

[chinamigarden]

Spend $100 or $500. But there is a great chance you are buying that bat for a soccer or volleyball players.

 

[LEsoftballdad]

Spend $100 or $500. But there is a great chance you are buying that bat for a soccer or volleyball players.

At that age, I would agree. And if you're from where I live, you're buying it for a lacrosse player.

 

[chappellestherobot?]

I think the only reason my daughter carries 2 bats is to hold a pair of cleats.

My youngest had an illegal bat in his bag and I freaked out he'd use it and he's like this is just a second one so I have one for each shoe dad

 

[Canadadad]

My DD has the Meta 2024 and completely changed her swing . Came down to length and balance I suspect but a longer bat sure made a huge difference, and the Meta has great pop !

 

[claudecw3]

This is a great discussion. Unfortunately, the bat really does matter. When your daughter (1) is committed to softball, and (2) starts making consistent solid contact it is time to make the switch. You don't, however, have to pay $500 dollars for it, especially when they are young. Go to sideline swap and get one that is practically new for $200 bucks. Also, Demarini's website does "Bat Day" once a year, and all bats are half off. Louisville Slugger does something similar as well. The ball does travel noticeably farther when hit on the sweet spot of a top tier bat as opposed to a "ting ting."

The second reason that it matters is when they start doing regular cage work. I have seen so many young kids tell their parents that they want to leave the cage after hitting about ten balls in a row with a "ting ting" (that is what my daughter calls aluminum bats). The parents/coaches that force their daughters to continue to stay and hit saw their girls swings slow down significantly, so their hands would not hurt anymore. That being said, I would recommend starting off with one of the vibration dampening bats when they are young, and then switching to a stiffer bat when they get older if that is a better fit for them.

 

[Bob Ullman8]

Every girl seems to have their own preference of bat brand/model. I mean if you’re a good hitter with a Ghost then using a CF shouldn’t hurt you as a hitter correct. Well at least that what I try to explain to my two daughters.

Marucci has done a tremendous amount of research on the bat as in pertains to each individual hitter. It’s called BPI, balance point index. I would recommend everyone do their research on this study.

 

[stox]

This is a great discussion. Unfortunately, the bat really does matter. When your daughter (1) is committed to softball, and (2) starts making consistent solid contact it is time to make the switch. You don't, however, have to pay $500 dollars for it, especially when they are young. Go to sideline swap and get one that is practically new for $200 bucks. Also, Demarini's website does "Bat Day" once a year, and all bats are half off. Louisville Slugger does something similar as well. The ball does travel noticeably farther when hit on the sweet spot of a top tier bat as opposed to a "ting ting."

The second reason that it matters is when they start doing regular cage work. I have seen so many young kids tell their parents that they want to leave the cage after hitting about ten balls in a row with a "ting ting" (that is what my daughter calls aluminum bats). The parents/coaches that force their daughters to continue to stay and hit saw their girls swings slow down significantly, so their hands would not hurt anymore. That being said, I would recommend starting off with one of the vibration dampening bats when they are young, and then switching to a stiffer bat when they get older if that is a better fit for them.

Agree here. Those 11" hard softballs can ring up the girls hands, making them reluctant to swing hard. Walmart bats have really tiny sweet spots and can really make the experience poor for the batter.

With some careful planning, parents can wait for good deals to pop up, like Demarini bat day or closeout deals when new bats are released, or they can buy used for a good discount. Never need to purchase a bat at retail price.

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

 

[CoreSoftball20]

Never need to purchase a bat at retail price.

I didnt know retail was a real thing