Unbiased and comprehensive baseball bat reviews that cut through the clutter and hype. A must read for anyone who will purchase a baseball bat.

Selecting a baseball bat for you or your son can be an agonizing and expensive experience. I’ve purchased many bats over the years for my sons and have had okay, good, bad and horrific experiences. I love the game of baseball and have attended over 900 games my son’s have played in. But it frightens me to think of how much money I’ve spent on bats and how I wish I would have been more knowledgeable from the beginning.

This site is dedicated to help you become more knowledgeable about baseball bats, their construction, the terms and tricks used in the industry.

• The differences Composite and Aluminum Material
• Reviews of the major baseball bat manufacturers line-up
• The differences between one and two piece bats
• My baseball bat recommendations for each category (composite, hybrid, alloy)
• Will a $400 bat make any player a good hitter?
• Are the Brands really that different?
• Am I really swinging a bat made from the same aluminum on a MIG jet fighter? And will the other kids be calling me Maverick?

You can navigate through the site by clicking the links under the categories or recent posts tab on the right side of the page. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome. Enjoy!

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The Louisville Slugger TPX Omaha Comp baseball bat is Louisville’s second tier composite baseball bat (the Triton being their top composite bat). It is a one piece 100% composite bat with a stiff handle.

Louisville is wise to offer a two tier composite baseball bat strategy, as the Omaha Comp should compete well against 100% alloy and hybrid bats. It is priced correctly at $299 for the Adult -3 and $149 for the Youth -11. It is my recommendation for second tier composite bats.

I have a strong hunch the Omaha Comp is the same bat as the Louisville Catalyst X-1. The Catalyst was Louisville’s only composite baseball bat until 2008 when it was discontinued following that model year. Both the Omaha Comp and Catalyst was/is marketed with the identical statement of “features multiple layers of aerospace grade graphite and S-glass fibers which are embedded in a specially designed toughened epoxy resin.” I’d be shocked if these are not the same bats.

In my opinion, this makes the Omaha Comp even more appealing because it has a proven track record. Unlike the Louisville Triton we know what this bat can do. My son played his sophomore year of High School ball in 2007 swinging a Catalyst X-1 and loved it.

So if you’re looking for a quality composite baseball bat that does not come with a premium price tag the Louisville Omaha Comp is the bat for you.

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The Louisville Exogrid has been a popular baseball bat for the last three years. When introduced, it had a unique design that separated it from the pack. In the 2009 model year, with the reemergence of composite bats and introduction of hybrid technology, the Exogrid is no longer a novelty. Louisville is a strong proponent of the stiff handle. Their material says “the last thing you want at the moment of contact is for your bat handle to flex thus the barrel can not.  A stiff handle produces more barrel flex, resulting in maximum trampoline effect and greater performance.” The Exogrid is marketed as the premier stiff handle bat in their arsenal because of its design.

The Exogrid is a one piece bat with the trademark Louisville stiff handle. What makes (or made) it unique is that metal is trimmed from the handle in a grid pattern to reduce the overall handle weight. The metal is replaced with carbon (a.k.a. composite) inserts that are supposed to be several times stronger and lighter than the metal replaced.  This is supposed to increase the handle stiffness (even for a Louisville bat) and strength without increasing the weight. The first question about the Exogrid is what category is this bat in? Is it an alloy or hybrid bat?  In my opinion it’s a 100% alloy bat, and that’s how I classify it in my reviews. The carbon sleeve in the handle does not make it a hybrid bat. The proof is that Louisville has introduced a true hybrid bat in 2009, the H2. As mentioned, this was a unique design when it was introduced but has been surpassed by composite and hybrid bats. Unfortunately, Louisville is still pricing the Exogrid as a premium bat that incorporates the latest technology (Adult -3 retails at $370 and the Youth -11.5 at $230). It’s priced the same as their new hybrid bat, only $30 less (for the Adult model) than their top composite batTriton) and $70 more than their second tier composite bat (Omaha Comp). ( This makes absolutely no sense! Why would I purchase the Exogrid when the new technology costs the same or about the same? I’ve been a big fan of the Exogrid over the last two years and think it’s a quality bat that should be considered. But unless Louisville wakes up and prices this bat correctly it’s time to move on.

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Easton has been the leader in composite bats for the last several years and will undoubtedly continue this trend with the IMX, their new 100% composite bats for 2009. Easton is extremely smart to their approach in manufacturing baseball bats by not putting all their eggs in one basket. They leave no stone uncovered by making top notch models in every category and design. Their top priority is pushing the 2 piece design and flex handle which they pioneered some 6 years ago with the Connection introduction. But they also make and market quality one piece bats with stiff handles that directly compete with manufactures that rely on this design, most notably Louisville and Rawlings.

They say the IMX or Integrated Matrix Technology optimizes composite design, materials and process for maximum performance. With the IMX Easton offers two bats made from the same IMX composite material in two distinct designs. They are the:

• Stealth IMX 2 piece bat with a flex handle they say increases the trampoline effect. The flex handle has a rating of 75. This has been Easton’s traditional bread and butter design for the last several years.
• Synergy IMX 1 piece bat with a stiff handle. Easton added stiff handles to their Stealth Comp bats last year to combat Louisville. They upped the ante in 2009 by making the stiff handle IMX a one piece bat. The handle has a rating of 90. They claim this design provides increased balance and bat control through the hitting zone. The Synergy IMX is aimed directly at the heart of the Louisville baseball bat consumer. As mentioned, an extremely smart move by Easton.

Both are quality high grade bats that are by far the most popular new composite bats on the market. You’ll see these bats at every age level from youth to college. The Stealth IMX is more popular at the moment which indicates a preference for the 2 piece design. Last year the Stealth Comp stiff handle was more popular than the Stealth Comp flex handle, both Stealth Comp models were 2 piece bats.

The IMX is my top choice for those looking to purchase a high end composite bat.

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Louisville has finally responded to Easton and Demarini’s multi-piece bat designs with the Louisville Slugger TPX Triton, a unique 3 piece bat. What I find amazing about this bat is the size of the barrel. This is the largest barrel I’ve ever seen on a baseball bat. My initial thought is this thing looks like an oak tree!

The unique 3 piece design allows the barrel and the handle to be designed and built as individual units. They are then fused together via what is called the Bubble Transition Zone. Louisville claims this makes the bat function as a more advanced one piece bat (I’ll get to this claim in a second). The bat is made of 100% composite material and includes the standard Louisville stiff handle. The Adult -3 model retails for $399 and the Youth -12 at $249. Louisville has long promoted the benefits of the 1 piece design and stiff handle for baseball bats. The success of 2 piece bats from Easton and Demarini has finally forced them to manufacture a multi piece bat. Unfortunately, being stubborn, they won’t admit to the general public that their new multi piece bat is actually a multi piece bat! They claim it’s “really” a one piece bat that is fused together from 3 pieces. This is insane!!! Louisville’s entire marketing department should be fired immediately. Louisville has to either admit multi-piece bats have merit or stick to a true one piece design, we’re not fools. I’m skeptical to purchase a bat for $399 when the manufacturer is telling me little white lies. What’s next, saying they’ve developed a flex handle fused to act like a stiff handle? Having said all this about their marketing, or lack there of, I will say that I do think the Louisville TPX Triton is a quality bat. That huge barrel makes it very appealing and it seems to hit very well. But I can not recommend it now due to some doubts about the design and its durability. At the present time I recommend the Easton IMX (Stealth or Synergy IMX) or Demarini CF3 in this category. We’ll keep an eye on the Triton and report back in the near future.

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Reebok has entered the baseball bat arena with a unique bat design they hope will break through the clutter. These bats are just hitting the market (as of 10/15/08) so I have not held or used one. I therefore can only provide the published information at my thoughts at the present time. I hope to have my full review for the Christmas buying season.

Reebok’s new Vector O series of baseball bats unique feature is that the handle has three holes in it (called ports) that claim to do two things. First they say it can reduce drag and therefore increase bat speed. We all know bat speed is a critical aspect of hitting the ball farther. Second the holes offer the opportunity to redistribute the weight to the barrel making it longer. The longer barrel would therefore increase the sweet spot.

Although the premise seemed odd when I first say it and I’m skeptical as to how much drag it could eliminate, I was equally skeptical when I first heard of the Easton Connection or Demarini Half & Half technology (both being mainstream today).

The Vector O incorporates hybrid technology with the “holey” handle being made of composite and the barrel alloy material. I do not know who actually manufacturers the bat, but I’m sure it’s not Reebok (which is actually a plus).

These bats are pricey with the Adult -3 carrying a $379 retail price. This puts it at the high end of the hybrid bat market, competing with the Louisville H2 and Easton SV12. This is not a smart strategy for an unproven bat manufacturer like Reebok. In my opinion, if this bat has any chance of gaining traction it will be at the youth level. I can’t see this bat being used in Middle School, High School or College.

As mentioned, I hope to test the Vector O soon and provide you with my complete review.

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What is a Composite Baseball Bat?

Composite baseball bats are here to stay so know them, live them and love them.

Stronger and lighter than high-grade aluminum, composite baseball bats are either made of a graphite-fiber composite material or have an aluminum core with graphite lining.

The main advantage of composite is it’s lighter than aluminum and hence provides for a larger barrel and sweet spot within the designated drop ratio. Composite bats give a whole lot more forgiveness for the imperfect swing, and have the potential to make the average hitter a clean-up hitter.

Composite bats have been used and accepted in softball for the last ten years. They were introduced in baseball about the same time but were rejected in the baseball community for two reasons. First the early bats were much more susceptible to break and were considered flimsy. Second, and amazingly more important, was that they do not produce the trademark “ping” of an aluminum bat. We’ve all become accustomed to hearing the ping that we believe a bat has no pop when we don’t hear it. I remember a high school player telling me they’re terrible because they sound like a wood bat. Because of this the manufacturers gave up on composite baseball bats.

Fast forward to 2008 and things have dramatically changed. Composite bats were reintroduced into baseball a few years ago and have finally been embraced by the community. They’re becoming very popular in baseball and will undoubtedly dominate the bat industry moving forward.

There are some differences you’ll need to understand about composite bats. To start off with, composite bats have a much longer break-in period than aluminum bats. You’ll need to hit 100 to 150 baseballs to correctly break in the bat (baseballs not batting cage balls). At first, the ball will sound like it came off a wooden bat but with proper effort and care you can break them in to the point where it sounds more like a rifle shot.

Then you’ll need to realize you’re not swinging a hunk of metal anymore. Composite bats need some tender loving care and are slightly more susceptible to cold weather. Banging them on the concrete and fence posts is not a good idea.

Finally, you need to understand the most expensive bats on the market are composite. So if you want one you’ll need to pay top dollar in most cases. Manufacturers have started to offer some lower priced options such as the Louisville Omaha Comp and I’m sure more are on the way.

Composite bats are a great option for today’s baseball player from the youth to college level. As mentioned, they’re here to stay so know them, live them and love them.

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So what is a hybrid baseball bat and why would I want to buy one? A hybrid baseball bat is a combination of composite and alloy material. The handle is composite and the barrel is alloy.

Examples of 2009 Hybrid Baseball Bats include:

• Louisville TPX H2
• Easton SV12
• Demarini Voodoo
• Demarini Vendetta
• Demarini Vexxum
• Rawlings Rush Gold Lite
• Nike Aero Fuse (not to be confused with the Aero Fuse CF2)

The lighter composite handle allows the alloy barrel to be made longer than a traditional 100% alloy bat. This increases the “sweet spot” compared to an alloy bat and provides more leeway to the batter. In contrast, a 100% composite bat has both a composite handle and barrel making the barrel, and “sweet spot”, even larger.

Hybrid bats are a good compromise between spending top dollar on a composite bat or a lower priced alloy bat that doesn’t incorporate the latest technology, or offer advantages to the batter.

The cost of a top hybrid bat should be somewhere between a manufacturers top composite and alloy bats. Never pay the same (or about the same) for a top hybrid bat as a top composite bat. If the price is close you should absolutely take the composite bat.

Here’s an example: Demarini’s top Adult composite bat (CF3) has a retail price of $399 and its top hybrid bat (Voodoo Black) is priced at $299. Demarini has two additional hybrids priced at $249 and $199 respectively. On the other hand, Louisville and Easton charge $379 - $399 for their top Adult composite bats and $369 - $379 for their top hybrid bats. This makes absolutely no sense.

So, a hybrid bat is an excellent choice for those looking for new technology and a slight advantage on the competition. Just keep your eyes open and don’t fall into the trap of paying too much.

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Sorting through the vast number of baseball bats on the market, their retail price and composition can be an overwhelming task.

I’ve taken the time to provide an Adult -3 Bat pricing list for the 2009 baseball bats I’ve reviewed on this blog Baseball Bat Reviews and put them in a table below. This will help you put it all in perspective to make your decision. For instance why pay $379 for the Easton SV12 Hybrid when you can have the Easton IMX Composite for the same price?

You can view my recommendations at My Baseball Bat Recommendations By Category.

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