Different Types of Softball Bats - How do You Choose?

Back in the day you went up to the plate toting a piece of wood, or nothing else. Then along came aluminum softball bats that offered more durability and slightly less weight, with maybe a bit more pop for the ping. Things have changed. Today’s softball bats feature the best lightweight durability and strength that modern technology can produce.

Let’s first look at the most common materials used in today’s clubs. And let’s start with old-fashioned wood. It seems that retro is in everywhere we look today, from fashion to automobile design, and the softball diamond is no exception. Nostalgia and safety are the driving forces in the return to wood bats in open leagues and in wood-bat-only leagues that are beginning to crop up. Ash, hickory, birch and maple are the woods of choice, just as they’ve always been.

Composite bats are made from materials ranging from aramid (Kevlar) to high-density plastics. Great power at low speeds is being generated by composite softball bats. Each manufacturer seems to be searching for the perfect proprietary composite today, but all seem to produce about the same performance. The handle, the barrel, or the entire stick may be composite. Check the specs before you buy to know what you are getting.

Today’s aluminum bats are a lighter weight alloy than was once used. Surprisingly, today it is the more affordable bats that feature aluminum alloy, and they still deliver plenty of lightweight pop in every stroke. Players up to average or good ability will not be at any disadvantage using aluminum alloy versus the higher prices composite softball bats in vogue today.

Moving to types of bats, most are designed for game usage, but some specialty bats are being manufactured for practice, and are called “training bats.” Some of these have a flat side to help novice players make better contact, increasing encouragement while consistent practice increases hand-eye coordination. Other training bats have an especially large barrel, again, to maximize contact until the player can master the mechanics required to hit the ball consistently well. Shorter training bats have the player employ only one hand, something like you might have with a tennis racket, to help the player develop consistent hand-eye coordination and the repetitive muscle memory required to do any physical activity well. On the opposite end of it, “log” or “strength” bats have a positive weight to length ratio, meaning that they are much heavier, and serve the purpose of strengthening the hands, wrists, and forearms during practice swings in the cage or with live pitching.

These days, when you’re in the game, your choice of bat to take to the on-deck circle is greater than it used to be, assuring you of the right weight and length for your hitting style.