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What softball bat do you recommend?

I

imported_chrisbtx

Senior member
I bought a cheap ($20) Nike slowpitch softball bat for use the intramural softball league at my college, and in the past two months have gotten pretty into softball. My teammates and I plan on joining up in the city league for the ummer and fall, as well as doing both the city league and the intramural leage again next spring. Two of my teammates have the Worth EST bats, one being the blue and the other the black one ($250 and $150, respectively I believe). Since using their bats, I have not picked mine up in the past month and a half.

Basically, I have decided to invest some money in a decent softball bat. It can be any slowpitch or softpitch bat that is ASA certified, but will only be used for slowpitch. I'm looking as something along the lines of a -7 bat, +/-1.

Two of the bats I'm currently interested in are the Miken Freak 98 and the Worth PST Max XPST5.

I heard the good DeMarini bats should only be hit in certain weather (in a certain temperature range) or else they will either dent badly (too hot outside) or basically shatter (too cold). I am open to suggestions for DeMarini bats if this is not the case though.

Basically, I just wanted to get some suggestions as to the best bat I could get for whatever cost (sporting equipment is one of the few areas I don't have a problem spending lots of money, so long as it isn't ridiculously high--i.e. >600). The three brands I have looked at so far are DeMarini, Worth, and Miken. Any suggestions are appreciated, especially from people who have used the bats they are recommending. Thanks!
 
Easton aluminum from any sports shop. Amazon has them pretty cheap in lots and lots of different models.
 
Originally posted by: Brackis
Can't you just use your teamates bat(s)?
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One of them will be graduating this May and the other will be gone until the fall semester, so I won't be able to use either bat for a good amount of time... that and it's easier to have my own bat and not have to worry about getting one of their bats if/when I need it and they are not around. Basically everyone uses my 2004 Omaha bat for baseball and I always have people trying to borrow that one and I definitely don't like lending it out, so I know why they like to only let people use their bats when they are around.
 
/me checks out milken freak 98... $300 for a softball bat? WTF? checks out Worth PST Max XPST5... $400? DAMN! You know the price of the bat doesn't make the man right?
 
Originally posted by: Baked
/me checks out milken freak 98... $300 for a softball bat? WTF? You know the price of the bat doesn't make the man right?
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Yeah, yeah....😛

Try hitting a softball with the Nike bat that I have, then hitting a softball with one of these and you'll know why I am buying a new bat.

Edit: wow... that is a pretty good price on that Worth bat....
 
Careful when buying a bat. Depending what league you join, ASA or NSA more than likely, some of the bats are banned. The Miken is hot bat, and so is the PST. The PST usually is not banned because it has a smaller sweet spot, but when you get it, the ball jumps like crazy. So it is definitly a good bat, but I usually let my teamates buy them and I just use them. Just call whatever league you are going to join and ask who they are through. Then jump on the ASA or NSA websites.

Edit: Most of the bats are only supposed to be used above like 60 degrees. The shell can crack if it is too cold. Personally one of my favorite bats for the money is the Mizuno Orange Crush. It used to run 200, which I say would be worth it, but that is something to look into.
 
Originally posted by: IrocZman223
Careful when buying a bat. Depending what league you join, ASA or NSA more than likely, some of the bats are banned. The Miken is hot bat, and so is the PST. The PST usually is not banned because it has a smaller sweet spot, but when you get it, the ball jumps like crazy. So it is definitly a good bat, but I usually let my teamates buy them and I just use them. Just call whatever league you are going to join and ask who they are through. Then jump on the ASA or NSA websites.

Edit: Most of the bats are only supposed to be used above like 60 degrees. The shell can crack if it is too cold. Personally one of my favorite bats for the money is the Mizuno Orange Crush. It used to run 200, which I say would be worth it, but that is something to look into.
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The Miken Freak Plus is banned by the ASA while the Freak 98 is ASA Certified. There are two Worth PST bats, one that is ASA certified and one that isn't.

I learned that in order to become ASA certified, a requirement is that the ball cannot have a velocity off of the bat faster than 98mph. The Miken 98 maxes out that rating without going over. The banned Miken and Worth PST bats both have 100+mph ratings for ball velocity and therefore are banned.

Thanks for being one of the only helpful posters so far though! :beer:😉

Edit: All leagues I will be involved in require ASA certified bats, even though one does not enforce the rule....
 
Sometimes it can be tricky. I know the park I play at is ASA, but some of the bats are banned by the park because people have a tendancy to die while playing ball there. Seems like someone dies every year so they try to keep some of the hotter bats out of the park. Another decent bat is the worth wicked, but I think there are a couple versions of it. One that is legal, the other is not. Just trying to give you a heads up on what I have used in the past.

J
 
Originally posted by: IrocZman223
I know the park I play at is ASA, but some of the bats are banned by the park because people have a tendancy to die while playing ball there. Seems like someone dies every year
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:Q Wow. I know broken noses and whatnot happen often around here, but I'm not aware of any leagues in the area that have had a death in... well... ever. Thanks for the heads up though. I looked at the Wicked bats before and they are nice... after I get some more recommendations I'm gonna head over to Academy in Conroe, TX (I live in Huntsville, TX) and see which of the recommended bats feels best and go with that one.

As an aside, do you know of any place on the net or wherever that you can get really good prices on bats? I've found some decent deals, but nothing to freak out over.

 
I don't know of any deals on the net. I looked around last year some, and the best I could find was at champs, I think. I think there was a 30% coupon or something that I found. They have some equipment on the site, but I'm not sure about how high end it is. I think they had decent stuff. I think all my friends bought their stuff locally. You may want to ask around at the park, and see if someone is selling one. I know some of the guys who are hard core buy new ones every year so they have no need for the older stuff. Just a heads up

J
 
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