2011 Bat Guide: What’s better for me, balanced or end-loaded? Stiff or flex?

Now that you know your softball bat size and material, it’s time to look at some of the specifics.

First, let’s look at balance and swing weight.

Easton’s 2011 Synergy Speed Fastpitch bat
is balanced for a lighter swing weight

Balance refers to the distribution of mass in the softball bat. It’s possible to have bats with identical weights that feel different when you swing them, because they have different balance points. Balance point, in this case, refers to the center of mass on the bat.

Bats with balance points in their handles will have lighter barrels, and they’ll be easier to swing.

Bats with balance points closer to the barrel (“End loaded” bats) will feel heavier when you swing.

Which is better?

Stronger players and power hitters — we’re looking at you, slowpitch softball players — typically go for end loaded bats. Because those players are usually strong enough to get a fast enough swing on a bat that swings heavier, the extra mass in the barrel helps get more power behind the ball.

Most other players tend to gravitate towards evenly balanced bats. That allows them to produce a good swing speed, so they’ll still be able to get a solid hit on the ball.

Like many of the characteristics of softball bats we’ve talked about, this one comes down to feel and preference. Our best advice would be to visit a cage, borrow your friend’s bat or visit us in San Antonio and swing both types of bats — balanced and end-loaded — and go with what feels best.

One of the specifics that also gets mentioned a lot is handle flex.

DeMarini’s 2011 The One Slowpitch Bat is designed
with a stiff handle.

It’s not as prevalent in softball as it is in baseball, but manufacturers make different — and often contradictory — claims on bat stiffness.

Some say it’s better to have a stiff bat, because any extra vibration or flex in the handle means wasted energy. Other manufacturers tout the benefits of a flex handle, which they say allows players to make better contact with the ball, thanks to the bat’s “whip action.”

Who is right?

From research done on the subject by the applied physics lab at Kettering University in Flint, Mich., there isn’t enough evidence to prove that one type of bat is superior to the other. From their work, the researchers were only willing to conclude that there’s a chance flexible bats might not sting as bad on hits made away from the sweet spot.

So what does it mean?

If you have a preference toward one type of bat, then take it.

Otherwise, don’t pay much attention to stiff vs. flex. It’s not going to matter nearly as much as the size, construction and balance of your bat.

Related: Shop our entire selection of softball bats.

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2011 Bat Guide: What’s the difference between composite and aluminum softball bats?

Once you know the ideal size for your new softball bat, it’s time to look at materials.

Softball bats are made from either metal or composite. Composite bats are easily the most common, but both types of constructions have benefits and drawbacks, and finding the right type of bat will come down to balancing what you need out of your bat.

Here’s what each material has to offer.

Metal Softball Bats

Louisville’s two-piece 2011 TPS H2 Fastpitch bat
has an AC21 Scandium alloy barrel

The Breakdown: Metal bats are usually made with aluminum or multi-metal alloys. These bats are either solid-metal or are two-piece bats, in which the barrel and handle are formed separately.

There are also hybrid bats — two-piece bats made with a metal barrel and a composite handle — which are designed for different reasons like vibration reduction, stiffness or a way to extend the barrel for a larger hitting surface.

The Good: • Metal bats require no break-in time. In fact, they perform their best right out of the package. • Metal bats are often much less expensive than composite bats.

The Bad: • A metal bat’s performance will drop over time. • Metal bats do not perform well and can dent in cold weather.

One note: A higher-priced metal bat generally means it will perform at a higher level when hitting the ball — not that it will last any longer.

Composite Softball Bats

Easton’s two-piece 2011 Stealth Speed Fastpitch bat
has a composite handle and barrel

The Breakdown: The more popular of the two types of construction, composite softball bats are made by layering sheets of graphite and carbon, and they are held tightly together by a strong resin.

Much like aluminum bats, there are one-piece and two-piece bats. The two-piece bats can be designed for vibration reduction, stiffness or a way to extend the barrel for a larger hitting surface.

The Good: • Composite bats improve over time. • Because composite materials weigh less than metal, some composite bats have larger hitting surfaces, compared to aluminum bats of the same weight. • Unlike aluminum bats, composite bats perform the same in cold weather.

The Bad: • Because they require more labor to manufacture, composite bats generally cost more than aluminum bats. • Even though their performance stays the same, composite bats can crack when playing in very cold weather. • Composite bats require a break-in period.

Related: Shop our entire selection of softball bats.

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2011 Bat Guide: What’s the right size softball bat for me?

Need a hand looking for the perfect softball bat? We’re here to help.

Over the next two weeks, we’ll post entries to explain some of the basics of softball bats. Whether you’re picking out a bat for youth, recreational or competitive leagues — fastpitch or slowpitch — we hope it’ll help you find the ideal bat.

We’ll kick off our 2011 Bat Guide with the most fundamental aspect of finding the right softball bat.

Size.

It’s the first thing to consider when buying a new softball bat. With the right length and weight, you’ll have the best chance of making solid contact with the ball every time you are at bat. You want the heaviest, largest bat you can swing, while still keeping good control.

If the bat is too heavy, you’ll struggle with control and timing (i.e. lots of foul balls). If the bat is too light, you won’t be getting as much power as you can.

Or to put it another way:

Bat weight x Swing Speed = Power

We need to get the most possible bat weight and swing speed — while maintaining control — so where do we start?

We start with length

You can get a general look at where you should fall with this bat sizing chart, provided by our friends at Louisville Slugger. Match your height and weight, and it will give you the most common bat length for your body type.

Click for big

So, for example, a 5-foot-3, 115-pound player would most likely swing a 31-inch bat.

From there, you can tweak it. It comes down to the player’s strength, hitting style, experience controlling the bat and the bat rules of her league.

If the player is strong or a power hitter, and she’s able to handle a 32-inch bat without control problems, she should definitely use the larger bat. If the player isn’t so confident with a 31-inch bat — say, her role on the team is more of a pinch runner, not a strong hitter — she can move down to a 30 or 29-inch bat.

Contact hitters often play with bats that aren’t as large, in order to have more control on their swing. But when they do that, they sacrifice power.

In the end, it all comes down to the player’s personal style. Take a few cuts with different sizes of bats, and find what you’re most comfortable with.

What about weight?

The weight of the bat is often tied to the length of the bat. Youth level softball bats usually have drops between -12.5 and -11, while adult softball bats are usually between -10 and -8.

A drop is the bat’s length minus its weight. That means if the -10 bat is 33 inches long, it will weigh 23 ounces.

No matter what level of baseball you play, it all comes down to the same formula: Find the largest and heaviest bat you can comfortably control.

Thursday, we’ll take a look at aluminum bats vs. composite bats, explaining the benefits and drawbacks of each.

Related: Take a look at our selection of softball bats.