|
Use
our guide to help you select the bat and glove sizes and materials that
are right for you.
How
To Buy A Softball Bat
No
matter the softball league you play in, buying a bat is a personal decision.
New technology has delivered bats that not only enhance performance
but also are tailored to an individual player's strengths. It is essential
that you select a bat that fits your unique body configuration and skill
level--height, weight, and hitting strength.
Understanding
Bat Materials
The
world of bats now offers a large variety of choices in materials. These
can be broken into two primary categories--aluminum
and Graphite/Titanium lined. Virtually no softball
bats are made of wood any longer. Each provides its own unique characteristics.
Aluminum
- This has been
a player favorite for several years now
- Aluminum bats
provide a lighter weight for increased control and bat speed
- Aluminum and
the other metals also offer durability
- Despite generally
higher costs, players can save money since the bats are extremely
difficult to crack or break
- Aluminum bats
come in a variety of alloys, each with a different weight. Generally,
lighter aluminum alloys are thinner and more durable. These lighter
weights also increase the "sweet spot," the
hitting zone on the bat's barrel that gives the maximum place to put
metal to ball.
- Aluminum bats,
and those enhanced with other alloys, also come in single-layer or
double-layer construction
- Double-layer
bats offer more durability and power, since the ball rebounds off
the bat with more authority
Graphite/Titanium
lined
- Technology has
enabled bat makers to use lighter, stronger materials. Graphite and
titanium are just two of these.
- Both are usually
added to thinner-wall aluminum bats, enabling bats to be lighter and
increasing a player's swing speed
- These materials
also increase durability and the batter's sweet spot
- Graphite and
titanium also help reduce vibration and the sting of ball shock, the
tingling feeling sent to the hands usually when you miss hitting the
ball in the bat's sweet spot
Return
To Top
Determine
What Bat Fits Your Body
There
are some standard rules of thumb in selecting the appropriate bat length.
The charts below offer some guidelines based on age and weight and height:
Age
Using
your age as a guide, use the chart below to determine the bat length
that fits your body.
|
Determine
Your Bat Length by Age
|
| Age |
Bat
length |
| 5-7
years old |
24"-26" |
| 8-9
years old |
26"-28" |
| 10
years old |
28"-29" |
| 11-12
years old |
30"-31" |
| 13-14
years old |
31"-32" |
| 15-16
years old |
32"-33" |
| 17+
years old |
34" |
Height
and weight
- Height and weight
are usually better ways to determine what bat length may work best
for you
- Once again,
use the height and weight chart to give you a general idea of the
length of bat that fits your body
|
Determine
Your Bat Length by Weight and Height
|
| |
Your
height (inches) |
| Your
weight (pounds) |
36-40 |
41-44 |
45-48 |
49-52 |
53-56 |
57-60 |
61-64 |
65-68 |
69-72 |
73+ |
| Bat
length |
| less
than 60 |
26" |
27" |
28" |
29" |
29" |
|
|
|
|
|
| 61-70 |
27" |
27" |
28" |
29" |
30" |
30" |
|
|
|
|
| 71-80 |
|
28" |
28" |
29" |
30" |
30" |
31" |
|
|
|
| 81-90 |
|
28" |
29" |
29" |
30" |
30" |
31" |
32" |
|
|
| 91-100 |
|
28" |
29" |
30" |
30" |
31" |
31" |
32" |
|
|
| 101-110 |
|
29" |
29" |
30" |
30" |
31" |
31" |
32" |
|
|
| 111-120 |
|
29" |
29" |
30" |
30" |
31" |
31" |
32" |
|
|
| 121-130 |
|
29" |
29" |
30" |
30" |
31" |
32" |
33" |
33" |
|
| 131-140 |
|
29" |
30" |
30" |
31" |
31" |
32" |
33" |
33" |
|
| 141-150 |
|
|
30" |
30" |
31" |
31" |
32" |
33" |
33" |
|
| 151-160 |
|
|
30" |
31" |
31" |
32" |
32" |
33" |
33" |
33" |
| 161-170 |
|
|
|
31" |
31" |
32" |
32" |
33" |
33" |
34" |
| 171-180 |
|
|
|
|
|
32" |
33" |
33" |
34" |
34" |
| 180+ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
33" |
33" |
34" |
34" |
Return
To Top
Determining
the Right Bat Weight
- Most bats are
weighted in ounces
- Manufacturers
have done a great job in balancing the bat's weight to its length
- Many bats have
a weight-to-length ratio, often shown as -4, -6, etc.
- This basically
means a 34-inch bat with a -6 ratio weighs 28 ounces
- Selecting weight
really depends on two critical factors--your strength and your hitting
style
- It also depends
a lot on your personal preference in weight and length, so the following
are simply guidelines to follow:
- Bigger, stronger
players prefer a heavier bat since they get the benefits of both
the heft and swing power
- Smaller players
with less strength should consider a lighter bat to generate a quicker
swing
- Younger players,
too, should consider that a lighter bat increases control, great
for singles hitters, while also reducing the risk of injury
Return
To Top
Understanding
Bat Technology
Bat technology
may seem a little confusing but it's not rocket-science. There are three
essential elements to a bat: barrel size,bat taper
and grip.
Barrel
size
- This includes
both the length of the barrel--top part of the bat--and its diameter
- The longer the
barrel, generally, the larger the sweet spot for hitting the ball
- The standard
softball bat diameter is 2 1/2 inches
- Fast pitch softball
barrel standard is 2 3/4 inches
- Many players
prefer a smaller barrel that lightens weight and provides more swing
speed
Bat
taper
- This is the
diameter of the bat's handle
- Standard bats
are tapered 31/32 of an inch but can be slightly larger or smaller
depending on whether you want a lighter or heavier bat
- Some players
like a narrower taper for the lighter weight and to rotate their wrists
faster when hitting
Grip
- The grip is
simply the covering that bat manufacturers use on the handle of aluminum
bats
- Leather or
synthetic leather gives a tackier feel for a surer grip
- Rubber grips
absorb more of the shock
- Some bats come
with a cushioned grip to decrease the shock even more
Return
To Top
|
