How long will a composite bat last?

[starsnuffer]

I think it also depends on how people define a "season". Some kids practice pretty much year round, using their bat 4-5 days a week in practice and tournaments. Other kids don't practice much and use their bats on the weekends during the summer. I'm sure the latter have bats that last longer.

-W

 

[JAD]

this topic comes up from time to time. Half of the people believe that a composite bat will go dead after about a year of use, and the other half insist that composite bats just keep getting hotter and hotter with use and that the whole "going dead" thing is just a myth. I have absolutely no idea which side is correct.

Older composite bats did get hotter with use as the resins in the barrel began to down, increasing the "trampoline effect" of the ball coming off the bat. That is why some older bats sell for 2-3X their original prices on Ebay. It is also how the bat rolling industry got it's start. Bat manufacturers were forced to address the issue or rish their bats being placed on the ASA "banned bat list". New bats are supposed to be as hot out of the wrapper as they will ever be.

http://www.asasoftball.com/about/build_batlist_one_page.asp

 

[Greenmonsters]

Older composite bats did get hotter with use as the resins in the barrel began to down, increasing the "trampoline effect" of the ball coming off the bat. That is why some older bats sell for 2-3X their original prices on Ebay. It is also how the bat rolling industry got it's start. Bat manufacturers were forced to address the issue or rish their bats being placed on the ASA "banned bat list". New bats are supposed to be as hot out of the wrapper as they will ever be.http://www.asasoftball.com/about/build_batlist_one_page.asp

My understanding is different.

The ABI (accelerated break in) testing requirement first went into effect for the 2008 bats (nb – the ABI doesn’t apply to metal bats). The protocol involves hitting to failure i.e., repeated impact testing to confirm that the bat will break before it exceeds a pre-determined institutional performance limit. The trampoline effect in conventional composite bats improves as the fibers break down and the ball flies faster/further over time. Some, but not all pre-2008 composite bats, once broken in could and would surpass the performance standard before they failed (i.e., broke); this is why there is a premium for certain “high-performing” bats, most notably the Demarini Phenix, blue or yellow LS Catalyst, several Eastons, etc. For this reason, many/most/all of the pre-2008 hot bats, while legal for NFHS, ASA, USSSA, PONY etc have been removed from the NCAA approved bat list.

For conventional composite bats (e.g., non-Xeno) it still is true that the performance of a new, out of the wrapper bat will improve as the fibers/resin begin to break down and the trampoline effect increases. The Xeno and other recent LS models have an internal governor that physically limits the compression so that it can perform at just less than the allowable ABI performance limit from swing one until the day it breaks. Many umpires are quick to remove these bats from game play due to any sort of a rattle, which could be an indication that the integrity of the governor has become compromised.

All this said, IMO/IME a kid will hit better with a bat that they think will help them hit better and a good hitter will hit well and can hit the ball over the fence with a Walmart special.

 

[SCDad]

"All this said, IMO a kid will hit better with a bat that they think will help them hit better and a good hitter will hit well and can hit the ball over the fence with a Walmart special."

Exactly ... except the Wallmart part ... but any recognized good bat will do. My DD used to like really stiff bats, having been a baseball player. Until she suffered a brutal stinger thumb bruise. We changed to a "softer" bat (Xeno), and make sure to wear gloves. A bunch of factors come into play when you are a serious power hitter. Though I have seen her power (distance) get longer (hit 280 this weekend), I think is her weight lifting at school, and just getting older (Jr.) that is the difference.

 

[LPF4]

Thanks everyone for your replies. As usual I've learned something from this site.