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.
Posted by Team Express 
