The composite baseball bat is here to stay, so know them, live them and love them.
Stronger and lighter than high-grade aluminum, they are either made of a graphite-fiber composite material or have an aluminum core with graphite lining.
The main advantage is it’s lighter than aluminum and hence provides for a larger barrel and sweet spot within the designated drop ratio. They give a whole lot more forgiveness for the imperfect swing, and have the potential to make the average hitter a clean-up hitter.
They have been used and accepted in softball for the last ten years. They were introduced in baseball about the same time but were rejected in the baseball community for two reasons. First the early bats were much more susceptible to break and were considered flimsy. Second, and amazingly more important, was that they do not produce the trademark “ping” of an aluminum bat. We’ve all become accustomed to hearing the ping that we believe a bat has no pop when we don’t hear it. I remember a high school player telling me they’re terrible because they sound like a wood bat. Because of this the manufacturers gave up on them.
Fast forward to 2008 and things have dramatically changed. Composite bats were reintroduced into baseball a few years ago and have finally been embraced by the community. They’re becoming very popular in baseball and will undoubtedly dominate the bat industry moving forward.
There are some differences you’ll need to understand about a composite baseball bat. To start off with, composite bats have a much longer break-in period than aluminum bats. You’ll need to hit 100 to 150 baseballs to correctly break in the bat (baseballs not batting cage balls). At first, the ball will sound like it came off a wooden bat but with proper effort and care you can break them in to the point where it sounds more like a rifle shot.
Then you’ll need to realize you’re not swinging a hunk of metal anymore. Composite bats need some tender loving care and are slightly more susceptible to cold weather. Banging them on the concrete and fence posts is not a good idea.
Finally, you need to understand the most expensive bats on the market are composite. So if you want one you’ll need to pay top dollar in most cases. Manufacturers have started to offer some lower priced options such as the Louisville Omaha Comp and I’m sure more are on the way.
These bats are a great option for today’s baseball player from the youth to college level. As mentioned, they’re here to stay so know them, live them and love them.
Here’s a great segment from the show “How It’s Made” that explains how a composite baseball bat is made. The show highlights a softball bat but the process is the same for a baseball bat:
I still believe they are hype . If they were better , you would see college players using them . Look around and you will see that most college players swing metal . I believe that it cost less to make the composites , and they can mark them way up ( more profit ) . Since all bats are BESR , you are basically paying big bucks for a paint job . My son can smash the ball . He is 16 yrs old 6’4 230lb. He has used every bat out there and the only difference is balance . Save your money , buy a last years model for half price , and buy a batting tee .
The composite bats are the best invention EVER in baseball.
I have the Stealth IMX 33/30 and it’s simply the greatest bat I’ve ever used. Distance, sound, vibration.
No longer are do you have to hear the loud *PING of aluminium
No longer will you ever have your hands rattle and sting if you miss the sweet spot
The distance once broken in is shocking… The review of the bat describes it best…
“At first, the ball will sound like it came off a wooden bat but with proper effort and care you can break them in to the point where it sounds more like a rifle shot.
That’s what it sounds like off of the good composites… A rifle shot! If you’ve never used one DO IT!
It was totally worth the money and I always feel I have the greatest bat ever made in my hands when I am in the box.
I HAVE A CF3 AND A STEALTH IMX, TRITON AND A ALLOY STEALTH ALSO A COM BAT ALL OF THESE WHERE BIG BUCKS BUT I ALL HIT THE BALL SO FOR WITH ALL OF THEME BUT THE BEST I GOT TO SAY IS THE COMBAT THE BALL JUST POPS OF THE BAT IT WAS VERY HARD TO BREAK IN THIS BAT BUT IT WAS WORTH IT I ALSO LOVE THE CF3 TRY TO GET A SINGLE WALL BAT IT GOES FARTHER
i love my composite softball bat. it cost 330 dollars but it was worth it. I went from being an average hitter to batting triples 50 percent of the time
Pingback: Louisville Slugger TPX EXOGRID SL9X5 Review | The Baseball Bat Reviews Blog
Composite bats are composed of lots of money for sports equipment companies. True that they make an average hitter a good hitter as seen in my son’s leagues where mis-hits and what look like routine ground balls dart through past infielders and what looks like long fly balls become HRs. At the same token, flares and soft liners that would’ve dropped for base hits of aluminum bats, are also reaching outfielders for put-outs. Pay more for the nice pop / rifle sound of a composite, but don’t get too used to it as after all the hard work of breaking in a composite bat, it’ll be that much closer to plain ol’ breaking your bank. Seriously.
If money weren’t an object, go composite all the way, unless you live in a cooler climate like the San Francisco Bay Area, where the cooler ( <60 degree) weather will shatter your kid’s bat and your bank. In the end, the winners are Easton, Worth, DeMarini, Miken, Anderson, and Louisville Slugger.
I’m just an average dad who loves my kid and the game (and one who’s tired of reading dads’ reviews where their 6’2″ 15 year old kids have become power & extra-base hitters after getting hold of their new $400 bat, and going 4 for 4, where 5 of the 4 hits were monster 300 foot shots…).