Slow pitch softball bats: advice for a novice shopper?
April 8, 2011 4:59 AM   Subscribe

Help me buy a slow-pitch softball bat! I play on a very non-competitive co-ed slow-pitch softball team (we're mostly there for the beer) and I'm not looking spend a ton for the latest and greatest. I hesitate to just buy the cheapest thing around but part of me wonders "Is there really any reason to go above the basic box-store bat for a team that can barely be bothered to track the score?" So, is there a middle of the road option I should be looking into? Is there a minimum level of crappy-bat I should avoid? Budget tops out around $100-$120. Bonus points for gender specific recommendations. Thanks!
posted by Sharakov to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (5 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
For a slow-pitch beer league, I would just get the heaviest, longest bat that you can comfortably swing with some velocity. I wouldn't worry about quality at all.

Gender-specific, for a woman? Well, Jennie Finch has a line with Mizuno that uses cool pink and black colors. With a pink bat, you probably wouldn't have to worry about the dudes on your team borrowing it.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 6:41 AM on April 8, 2011


Best answer: There are lots of things to consider when buying a bat. Does your league allow composite bats? "Half & half" bats? Doublewall aluminum? Singlewall aluminum? Wood? Are any bats illegal?

You want the heaviest bat you can swing hard enough to hear a "wooosh" when you swing it with maximum effort.

Since you're just a recreational player, don't go crazy buying the most expensive bat out there.. But I've found there is a big difference in distance between high performance bats and the $39.99 ones you get at a big box store.

Composites are out of your price range, but you can find a decent doublewall bat in your range. Your best bet is to try a second hand sporting good store to check for a good condition used bat. If it's used (but not cracked or dented) it will already be broken in, and provide more pop right from the beginning.

I'll be happy to answer any more specific questions. I've played softball in both co-ed and competitive leagues and I umpire both ASA and USSSA leagues.
posted by LouMac at 6:58 AM on April 8, 2011


I agree with SuperSquirrel. For a beer league, I wouldn't worry about quality.

If you do end up wanting a little better bat, you may be able to find last year's models discounted significantly. Though at this time of the year, just before the season starts, they might be a little hard to find.
posted by aloysius on the mixing boards at 7:53 AM on April 8, 2011


Best answer: Buy the heaviest bat you can hold stable for 5 seconds in one arm, with your arm fully extended and you holding the bat at the end. Quality doesn't really matter for a beer league - I'd probably visit a "Play Again Sports" and buy used if there is one nearby.
posted by COD at 3:03 PM on April 8, 2011


When you do look for your bat, make sure it's designed for slow-pitch. Most will be clearly labeled so there shouldn't be too much confusion, but if you look through Craigslist or second-hand stores they may not be properly categorized.

Typically I've found that adult bats standardize at 34" in length, with a "barrel" (the fat part of the bat) at 14.5" length and 2.25" diameter. After that the difference lies in weight, which you've already been advised on how to determine what's comfortable for you.

Also, if you do go the Craigslist or second-hand route, double-check the legality requirements of your league. I've sometimes seen an influx of reasonably cheap bats that are for sale purely because the owner's league determined they were illegal. Of course, I've also noticed that most casual and informal beer leagues, particularly those that don't adhere strictly to ASA rules, tend to be very lax in caring about that.

I think the only reason you would look to get one of the "better" bats is if you wanted as much power transferred to the ball as possible. Stiff material like aluminum have less "whip" than the composites, hence less energy transfered upon impact (I'm not a physics person, so I could be wrong). Since it doesn't seem like you're really interested in that, double- or single-wall aluminum is a very good choice.
posted by CancerMan at 10:42 PM on April 12, 2011


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