SLOW PITCH BAT BREAKDOWN Everything you need to know before buying your slow pitch bat.
Sizing Guide
JustBats wants to help you purchase the correct size of slow pitch softball bat! Use the information and resources below to determine the correct length and weight for your next slow pitch bat!
And if you need some additional assistance, you can always seek help from the Bat Coach -or- from our very own JustBats' Bat Experts via email: experts@justbats.com, Live Chat or by phone: 1-866-321-2287!
LENGTH
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Nearly every single slow pitch bat that exists will be 34” in length. There will be some exceptions if you are playing slow pitch with wood bats. However, most players will only have the 34” length to choose for their bat.
WEIGHT
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For slow pitch softball, there will really only be 6 weights from which to choose: 24 oz, 25 oz, 26 oz, 27 oz, 28 oz and 30 oz.
GENERAL POINTERS
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If you are uncertain about the weight of the bat, consider trying teammates’ bats of different weights to determine the correct weight for you.
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Buying for a recreational team of adults? The 26 oz or 27 oz size will be best.
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Really concerned about the bat being too heavy for you and your team? Look for bats in the 24 oz and 25 oz weight (but these weights can be hard to find at times).
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Shopping for a team of serious adults? Consider a heavier 28 oz or 30 oz to achieve top power!
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Learn the league certification that your bat will need before you begin shopping. There are 3 main groups that govern slow pitch softball and they are the following: ASA/USA, USSSA, and Senior Softball. Chances are that you will need a bat with certification for one of these leagues.
YOU'VE CHOSEN YOUR BAT! WHAT'S NEXT?
Use your bat as much as possible. Take it to the sandlot, to batting practice, or shoot you can even take it to bed with you! Just make sure that you are confident in it from the moment you step into the box for your first at-bat. And if you want to give your bat some extra care, check out our Bat Care page to keep your bat game-ready for the whole season.
*Our Bat Experts at JustBats want to help! They can be reached through EMAIL at experts@justbats.com. You can CHAT with them through the LIVE CHAT feature. And lastly, they can take your TOLL-FREE CALL at 1-866-321-BATS (2287)!
Leagues
There are going to be 3 main governing bodies that overlook slow pitch softball leagues throughout the nation. Those three governing bodies are ASA/USA, USSSA and Senior Softball. Nearly every league in which you might play will be governed by one of these 3 groups.
ASA/USA
Barrel Diameter: 2 1/4"
Style of Play: Recreation or Tournaments for adult men and women
USSSA
Barrel Diameter: 2 1/4"
Style of Play: Recreation or Tournaments for adult men and women
Senior Softball (SSUSA)
Barrel Diameter: 2 1/4"
Style of Play: Recreation or Tournaments for men aged 50+ and women aged 45+. (These bats are the highest performing bats available and don’t have warranties)
Bat 101
This section will help you learn about the different parts of a bat. Including bat materials, overall construction types, swing weights, and barrel diameters.
BAT COMPONENTS
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KNOB: Allows a place for the batter's bottom hand to rest when swinging the bat.
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HANDLE: Where a batter will grip when swinging. Typically, the handle will be covered by a bat grip or tape.
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TAPER: This section of the bat is where the barrel thins into the handle.
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BARREL: The largest area of the bat, specifically designed to create the best results on contact with a softball.
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END CAP: Meant to seal the barrel from the outside. New innovations allow some end caps to deliver more balance and reduce vibrations.
LENGTH & WEIGHT
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LENGTH is the measurement (in inches) from the bottom of the knob to the top of the end cap. Nearly every slow pitch softball bat will measure 34 inches in length. Some exceptions will exist for wood slow pitch bats.
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WEIGHT in bats is measured in ounces. Bats may vary slightly from their listed weight as a result of cosmetic additions during the manufacturing process.
BARREL DIAMETER
This measurement (in inches) is recorded by measuring the total distance through the thickest part of the barrel of the bat. Luckily, for slow pitch softball, the only diameter available will be 2 ¼”.
ONE-PIECE VS. TWO-PIECE
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ONE-PIECE bats feature a single piece of material from the knob to the end cap.
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It provides a stiff feel when connecting with a ball.
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This is the most traditional style of bat.
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TWO-PIECE bats feature a barrel portion and a handle portion that are fused together at a connection point.
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These bats display barrel flex and limit vibration when hitting a softball.
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BALANCED VS. END LOADED
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BALANCED swinging bats are going to be bats that have an even weight distribution from the end cap to the knob. These bats are the easiest to control and are excellent for contact hitters (or if you are buying one bat for an entire team to use). They can also be used by power hitters if a balanced feel is desired by the hitter.
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END-LOADED bats have extra weight put into the barrel. These bats are intended to be used by power hitters who will benefit from the extra barrel weight by achieving higher exit velocities and more distance on contact.
BAT MATERIAL
Be sure to first check with your league to see if there is material requirement. Once you know the material you need, be sure to read up on the most popular Slowpitch Bat Materials:
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COMPOSITE
Pros:
Composite slow pitch bats will outperform alloy slowpitch bats and wood slowpitch bats.
Because weight can be placed precisely throughout the bat, these bats can be made to be balanced or end-loaded.
Typically, these bats can feature longer barrels (bigger sweet spots) that don't feel extra heavy.
Cons:
Since composite material is the most difficult bat material to create, these bats are usually the most expensive.
The layered material usually requires a little bit of a break-in period to allow it to perform at the highest level.
Composite bats seem to break down a little easier when compared to alloy barreled bats (especially when temperatures sink to near 50-60 degrees fahrenheit).
SHOP COMPOSITE BATS
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ALLOY
Alloy bats are built from walls of material put together to create the bat. Traditionally, these bats have felt more end-loaded when compared to composite bats. However, in recent years, manufacturers have found the ability to make these bats feel pretty balanced. As well, alloy bats are most commonly made in the one-piece design.
Pros:
Alloy material is easier to make than composite material and alloy bats can be sold at a lower price in most cases.
Sometimes these bats are referred to as "cold weather" bats. Although, it is hard to say that any bat is truly a "cold weather" bat, alloy bats do seem to hold up when temperatures drop to around 50-60 degrees fahrenheit.
No break-in period is required. Alloy bats are ready to perform at the top level on day one.
Cons:
Alloy slow pitch bats do not perform as well as composite slow pitch bats.
If you play in a league requiring alloy slow pitch bats. You will need to ask if you need a single-wall alloy bat or double-wall alloy bat and then buy accordingly.
SHOP ALLOY BATS
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WOOD
Wood slow pitch bats are most commonly built from a single piece of wood or bamboo.
However, Some wood slow pitch bats are built with a combination of two types of wood. As well, some have "man-made" materials incorporated into the construction. These types of wood slow pitch bats are generally more durable than traditional single-piece wood bats and are often called "composite wood bats".
Pros:
They're a blast to swing! It is always fun to go back to the origins of baseball and softball and swing a wood bat.
Great for playing within small areas! (i.e. a park with lots of folks around)
Cons:
Wood bats are the lowest performing bats out there. You'll still be able to hit the ball hard and experience a great feel when you connect on the sweet spot, but hits typically don't travel as far or as hard as what you see with aluminum or composite bats.
These bats can break much easier than both aluminum or composite bats.
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