Fastpitch Bats 101

Buying a softball bat can be a confusing and expensive experience. It's tough to know what bat to buy and with some bats in the hundreds of dollars range it's important to get it right the first time. We have put together the most important information to help you understand all the different terminology and what it means to you as you browse for a new bat.

When buying a bat, you need to consider the size of the bat, the material, the construction, whether it is balanced or end-loaded and what certifications it has. Don't worry, we'll walk you through all that and you'll be a bat expert in no time.

Sizes

Clearly the biggest concern when buying a bat is getting one that's the right size. Bats are measure by length and weight, with the difference between them being the drop that you will sometimes see when a bat is advertised. The drop is usually represented by a negative number on the size or knob of the bat. For example, if a bat is 32" in length and weighs 21oz, it is considered a drop 11 (-11). A bat that is 31" long and weighs 22oz is a drop 9 (-9). Sometimes a bat will only display it's length and drop so you just need subtract the drop from the length to determine it's weight.

You should generally get the heaviest bat that doesn't affect the swing speed of the batter. Since bat speed is the most important factor in the physics of batting, you don't want to add weight to a bat if it slows down the batter's swing. Adding weight with an identical swing speed will add to the force transferred to the ball and will generate more speed and distance.

What size is right for me?

JustBats.com has a great video you can watch here to help you find the right size bat.

Material

Fastpitch softball bats come in one of 3 flavors: Alloy, Composite or Hybrid.

• Alloy bats are constructed with a one-piece design and a single material (usually aluminum). Alloy bats are usually entry-level bats.
• Composite bats are made out of a mixutre of materials. These materials could be graphite, carbon fiber, fiberglass or kevlar. Composite bat construction allow for the bat to be made lighter, allowing for greater bat speed, while increasing the trampoline effect that occurs when the bat hits the ball. Composite bats are generally higher-end bats and for most competitive players the difference is noticeable.
• Hybrid bats are a two-piece design that features alloy parts and composite parts. These bats are usually mid-tier bats since they are not a fully composite material.

Construction

One-piece softball bats are made of the same material through the entire bat. The biggest advantage of a one-piece bat that it results on a stiff bat that flexes less. These types of bats are usually favored by power hitters.

A two-piece softball bat has a handle that is separate from the barrel allowing the barrel to flex at the point of contact which creates a trampoline effect off the barrel. Two-piece bats also have less vibration in the handle since it is made of two pieces. This should help reduce sting in the hands when a ball is hit.

Balanced/End-Loaded

Bats can have their weight distributed in a couple of different ways. They can be balanced, which means the weight is distributed more or less evenly throughout the bat, or they can be end-loaded, which means more of the weight is concentrated in the end of the bat. The balanced vs. end-loaded choice is a much more personal one.

Typically, end-loaded bats required more strength to get up to full speed on the swing, but since more of the weight is in the barel, there is more distributed to the ball on contact. Balanced bats, on the other hand, are easier to swing, but since less of their weight is in the barrel, less of the bat's weight is distributed to the ball. It's all about the physics of the individual batter's swing and for this reason, we absolutely recommend you should try a bat before you buy. It's a very personal decision and there are no cookie cutter answers.

Certifications

Last but not least, when purchasing a bat for a competitive team, you need to be aware of what certifications it has. Different tournament governing bodies require different certifications and some bats are not stamped for all tournaments. Making sure your bat is legal in the tournaments you play in is important to avoid tournament day surprises.

Compare Bats

Since bats and the certifications they have can change as new models are released each year, we won't go into specific bats here, but you can see all the details for each bat on our Compare Bats page. Check it out for detailed specifics about top-tier bats and make sure your next bat purchase is the right one.