Where it all started

[Orange Socks]

Y'all have it so good today! Did you ever spend $35 on an aluminum bat like I did? Today my kid would have been laughed out of complex when she wielded these bad boys. 29" Drop 13.

She had to earn every hit back in the day.

 

[Strike2]

$35??? Big spender. When my kids were little, I was always on the lookout for the clearance bin. Found several good ones for less than $20. I bought a red Easton for $10 that was one of my 10U kid's favorites until it got left on the field at a practice. I bought aluminum bats throughout DD's time for use when it was really cold or when hitting TCBs or machine balls.

 

[Orange Socks]

The bat on the left was the very same model DD used in 8U. As she got taller I went to Academy and bought the bad boy on the right. The following year the Demarini Bustos made it's debut. Her first almost $100 bat. Then I stumbled across DFP doing research on the Demarini CF4. When I saw kids hitting with that bat at a UH camp, I felt as though my kid was at a severe disadvantage.

 

[Rule#6]

When my kids were little they used the bats that came in the managers bag, for team use!

 

[Orange Socks]

When my kids were little they used the bats that came in the managers bag, for team use!

Heck, all of us kids growing up shared bats and helmets. That bat bag was always heavy.

 

[_MIA_]

We still have DD's first t-ball bat. It has been passed down to my middle son and now to my youngest..Luckily my kids are not really too influenced by what everybody else on their team uses..

 

[Orange Socks]

We still have DD's first t-ball bat. It has been passed down to my middle son and now to my youngest..Luckily my kids are not really too influenced by what everybody else on their team uses..

DD's T-ball bat become the one handed batting drill bat.

 

[_MIA_]

DD's T-ball bat become the one handed batting drill bat.

DD's second bat (first softball bat) is used for that

 

[Dabears17]

I made a point when my DD was in 8u and 10u rec of buying the cheapest aluminum bat I could find to make her earn her hits.

 

[LEsoftballdad]

The bat on the left was the very same model DD used in 8U. As she got taller I went to Academy and bought the bad boy on the right. The following year the Demarini Bustos made it's debut. Her first almost $100 bat. Then I stumbled across DFP doing research on the Demarini CF4. When I saw kids hitting with that bat at a UH camp, I felt as though my kid was at a severe disadvantage.
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My older daughter still has her CF4 Hope bat, and it has the best exit velocity of any bat she's owned. It has a stiff connection, but it is a beast. It's still going strong after 8 seasons. I think I paid $165 for it on clearance back in July, 2015 at a local sporting goods store.