Category Archives: Buyer’s Guide

JustBats.com Buyer’s Guide: Ash Wood Baseball Bats

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Ash is the first ever type of wood used in a baseball bat. This first known ash bat was crafted by John Andrew “Bud” Hillerich from Louisville, Kentucky in 1884 and then swung by Pete Browning a three time batting champion who played primarily for the Louisville Eclipse from 1882 to 1894. Now other players noticed this type of bat that Browning was using and they too wanted to use an ash bat.Most ash baseball bats come from white ash trees growing in the U.S. Trees are no younger than 50 years old before they are cut down. They are then dried out from anywhere between 6 to 9 months before they are shaped into bats. We have seen some changes over time in ash bats. They didn’t taper quite as much as they do today and the barrels were smaller while handles are thicker in the earlier days.White ash is known most for its light weight and smooth feel which most players often prefer. The lightness allows them to swing faster and harder resulting in further hits while the smooth wood offers soft comfort. The top 10% or the best part of the wood is saved to make bats for the pro-players ash is very reputable wood that has been used in making bats for a very long time. While they do tend not to be quite as strong as maple or bamboo they have proven to provide a very quality and durable baseball bat. Ash bats are baseball’s first ever wood bats. They are still in use today by many ball players in many different levels of play. Ash bats have a different sound than maple or bamboo bats. They offer that traditional crack of the wood sound heard in the old days.Cost efficient, durable and game changing so check out JustBats.com for your next ash bat and remember from click to hit.

JustBats.com Buyer’s Guide: Adult Baseball Bats

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By now you have been playing ball for years and most of you know what size bat fits you the best, but it’s always good to be reminded of some basics. Let’s take a look. It is important to get a bat that fits you so that you can have complete control and maximum performance in every swing. All adult bats have a -3 drop weight and have a 2-5/8 inch barrel. These sizes vary from 29 inches to 35 inches in length. You want to make sure to get a bat that has the perfect size so you are squarely making contact every time up. Adult bats can either be wood or metal. Most players prefer using a metal bat because they tend to be lighter and they are easier to control. Some leagues along with professional baseball have to use wood bats. Wood bats are great training tools to improve your swing. If you miss-hit a ball you will know it. Wood gives you a great understanding of where to make contact with the ball and if you swing a wood bat consistently you can definitely swing a metal bat. High school and college players must use BBCOR certified bats. Just look for the BBCOR certification stamps on the bat to be sure that it is legal for play. For more information check out JustBats.com and remember from click to hit.

JustBats.com Buyer’s Guide: Bamboo Wood Baseball Bats

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Bamboo bats hit the baseball scene in early 2000 placing strips of bamboo wood together and forming billets to make bamboo bats. After the billets are made the bat is formed. Bamboo shoots are hollow, so they cannot be made with just one piece of wood. Bamboo is a very strong and durable wood, it is a fast growing wood and is very cost effective. It only takes five years to grow to its usable maturity whereas ash and maple, they take much, much longer. Bamboo is thought off as the greener choice. Bamboo bats are quickly becoming more and more popular as the need for stronger, lighter wood bats are becoming a trend specifically in youth leagues. Check out the bamboo bats at JustBats.com and remember from click to hit.

JustBats.com Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Right Size Baseball Bat

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Buying the correct size and weight bat can be difficult, but we are going to make it easy for you. We will help you answer these simple questions; what size barrel you need, how long should it be, how heavy should it be, drop weight, what’s that? JustBats.com is going to help you answer all these questions because we know there is a lot that goes in to find the correct bat. Lets dig a little deeper. First, finding a bat that fits you will help give you control in your swing while hoping to make contact and be more consistent at the plate. You don’t want to struggle bringing the bat through the hitting zone, if this happens the bat is probably too heavy for you and will cause you to pick up bad habits. Heavier doesn’t always mean more power if you can’t properly swing the bat. If the bat is too light you may swing harder than the density of the bat is made for. You might be able to swing hard but you are not getting the maximum power out of your swing that you would with a slightly heavier bat. A good rule of thumb is to find the heaviest bat that you can swing comfortably and most effectively without any trouble. Height, weight and age all factor in the— what size bat to get depending on what leagues you are playing in. A quick look at this chart will help you know what length bat to look for. This chart is available to you at JustBats.com. Okay, what league do you play in? Tee ball bats are for ages 5 through 7 and are used in tee ball and coach pitch leagues. These bats have a 2-1/4 inch barrel and range from 24 to 27 inches. Youth bats are for ages 7 to 12 the barrel is also 2-1/4 inches and range from 26 to 32 inches. Big barrel youth bats are for all ages that are allowed to swing a big barrel typically ages 10 to 14. The barrel usually ranges for 2-3/4 inches or 2-5/8 inches and ranges from 26 to 32 inches.Adult bats have a 2-5/8 inch barrel and range from 29 to 35 inches in length. These bats are approved for high school and college play all adult bats are minus 3 drop weight. What is drop weight? Don’t let drop weights confuse you. It is merely just the length of the bat subtracted by the weight of the bat. This gives us the ratio between the length and the weight of the bat. To find the drop weight simply take the length of the bat and subtract the weight, this will give you the drop.You should now have a good idea of what size bat would suit you. Let’s recap, first, weight; how heavy should the bat be? Second, length; what size should it be? Third, what league do you play in? Hopefully, you can now answer these three questions. For more information, check out JustBats.com and remember from click to hit.

JustBats.com Buyer’s Guide: About BBCOR Baseball Bats

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There have been many questions raised in baseball with the new rule changes, but here at JustBats.com we are going to make it easy for you to understand high school and college baseball starting fresh and adopting a new set of guidelines to follow. The National Federation of State High Schools or NFHS and the National Collegiate Athletic Association or NCAA have released new guidelines for bat certification. BBCOR is the new set standard for high school and college baseball.  What is that? It is basically a detailed test that insures the bats will not exceed a set performance standard throughout its entire life. All other specs remain the same. Bat size and length have not been changed in any way. Changes lie only in the production. It is as easy as that and baseball is still the same great game we have always loved.Just look for BBCOR certification stamps on your bat to be sure that your bat is legal for play. For more information, check out JustBats.com and remember from click to hit.

JustBats.com Buyer’s Guide: Fastpitch Softball Bats

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How long of a bat do you need? How heavy should it be? The key to finding a good bat is getting the perfect size and weight that fits you. JustBats.com is here to help. Fastpitch bats range from 26 to 34 inches long and have a drop weight ranging from -8 to -13. The drop weight indicates the length to weight ratio. It is a really simple concept, so don’t let it confuse you.Basically, you are just taking the weight minus the length to come up with a negative number that is called the drop. For instance, a 34 inch bat that weighs 24 ounces is a minus 10 drop weight. There are many different sanction leagues such as ASA, USSSA, NSA, ISA and ISF. Leagues may require a certification stamp so be sure to check your league’s listings to see what specs are necessary. For more information, check out JustBats.com and remember from click to hit.

JustBats.com Buyer’s Guide: Maple Wood Baseball Bats

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Maple bats quickly became a phenomenon largely impart to the 2001 showing of Barry Bonds who had 73 homeruns in a single season, while swinging a maple bat. In early production maple bats seemed impossible to make due to the amount of moisture in the wood. The wood was merely too heavy to make into an effective baseball bat. Time passed and technology grew. In the 90s new ways of drying the wood to create bats with lower moisture content for effective use was in place and maple soon took off. Maple bats tend to cost more than ash wood bats, but they also tend to last longer. They are much stronger wood and give you more durability. Maple is preferred by many players. It can be used in amateur and pro leagues everyday. Check out JustBats.com for your next maple wood bat and remember from CLICK to HIT.

JustBats.com Buyer’s Guide: One Piece vs Two Piece Bats

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Personal preference plays a big role in finding a bat with the right feel for you, but let’s take a look at the differences in one piece and two piece bats. The main difference of these bats is that one piece bats are made as one continuous piece while two piece bats are developed in two sections. The handle and barrel are separate pieces that are eventually bonded together. Two piece bats give you more flex in the barrel on contact which causes more trampoline effect.  By trampoline effect we are referring to the spring-like effect the bat has when making contact with the ball. Contact hitters tend to prefer two piece bats for this extra give. Two piece bats can also reduce vibrations in your hands which can allow you to swing more comfortably. Two piece bats also give you the option to combine materials, for instance an alloy handle and composite barrel. All one piece bats are going to feature a stiff handle. They are very hard and don’t have much give in them. Most power hitters typically prefer a one piece bat over a two piece bat due to the stiff solemn feel. Power hitters generally have more success with one piece bats because they have enough power to control the bat. They usually don’t need the extra flex or give that two piece bats offer. A strong player with fast bat speed can flex a one piece bat as much as a player with a slower swing speed flexes a two piece bat. The best way to achieve the ideal fit for you is to test both out. What feels better to you? What do you make better contact with? Which helps you drive a ball? Take some cuts and see what is most comfortable for you. For more information, check out JustBats.com and remember from click to hit.