The one year anniversary for USA baseball bats is approaching and with a full spring season in the books, we’ve received a lot of feedback about the new USA Bat Standard. Players and parents all over the country have submitted their reviews on the regulation change at JustBats.com. Some positive, others not.
But in the end, the intentions of creating the USA stamp are in the right place and over time should benefit the game. Here's how we've gone about evaluating USA Baseball bats.
In today’s game we see youth players having to swing bats that are performing more similar to what wood bats perform like. This does two things. First, it creates a more safe playing environment for younger players who haven’t fully developed their skills. Second, it levels the playing field at that level.
A common question we get at JustBats.com is what USA Bat performs the best? So, what better what to answer that than to break down how we evaluate each bat.
Pop
Most customers looking for a USA Bat bat want to know which one has the most pop. USA bats are designed to have thicker barrel walls. This creates less of a trampoline effect and ultimately less pop, which a lot of USA bat swingers have experienced. However, even with the new bat design, we’ve seen a handful of bats stand out above the rest in terms of pop. (Based on player/parent reviews with at least 10 reviews)
- 2018 Axe Element -8 USA Baseball Bat (5 stars)
- 2018 Louisville Slugger Solo 618 -11 USA Baseball Bat (4 stars)
- 2018 Louisville Slugger Select 718 -10 USA Baseball Bat (4 stars)
Vibration
Vibration is the second big piece of the evaluation process when reviewing USA baseball bats. Typically, two-piece bats own this category. But, with new technology, we’ve seen one-piece bats accomplish similar vibration reduction capabilities. Anti-vibration bats are extremely important for younger players and a huge factor for bat manufacturers. Here are the top bats for anti-vibration. (Based on player/parent reviews with at least 10 reviews)
- 2018 Louisville Slugger Select 718 -10 USA Baseball Bat (5 stars)
- 2018 DeMarini CF Zen -10 USA Baseball Bat (4 stars)
- 2018 Rawlings Quatro -10 USA Baseball Bat (4 stars)
Durability
The last big piece of the evaluation comes down to durability. How long will my bat last? This typically depends on bat usage. For example, you can expect a longer life-span if you have a cage bat, if you keep your bat indoors, or if you avoid teammates using your bat. One-piece bats tend to be more durable than two-piece bats, but, with new connection technology, there have been big improvements. Here are the top bats for durability. (Based on player/parent reviews with at least 10 reviews)
- 2018 Louisville Slugger Solo 618 -11 USA Baseball Bat (5 stars)
- 2018 Easton Beast X -5 USA Baseball Bat (5 stars)
- 2018 DeMarini Voodoo One -10 USA Baseball Bat (5 stars)
USA certified bats are approved for play in AABC, Babe Ruth, Cal Ripken, Dixie Youth, Little League, and Pony. Always check with a league or tournament official before choosing a bat to make sure your bat is legal for that style of play. 2019 USA Baseball bats are starting to be released and we will update the reviewing process as more reviews come in. Check out the 2019 selection here!
If you ever have any baseball bat related questions, don’t hesitate to give our Bat Experts a call at 866-321-2287 , send us an email atexperts@justbats.com or click here to live chat with our bat experts. And remember, we are always here for you from Click to Hit!
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