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By Bat Digest | Last Updated November 17, 2022
For 2021, Victus adds a USSSA and USA version of the Vandal. The BBCOR version of the bat released in the 2020 and our review of it can be found here. The USSSA and USA versions are, like the BBCOR, single piece bats with a big barrel, variable wall thickness, an extended composite end cap and light swing. Our swing weight measurements put it on the light side in the drop 10 space. Our performance measurements, including head to head against the CAT 9, showed the Vicuts can hang with the best of them.
Our hitters like the big barrel and light swing of the USSSA and USA Vandal. They were also pretty excited about the very tack grip. They responded well the sound—a pretty sizeable ping. The parents like the wide range of sizing. The price could always be cheaper, but it is what it is. At $279 for a single piece aluminum, they are pushing the limits, for sure. (The USA version of the bat is $249 at release).
Generally, we recommend the USA and USSSA Victus Vandal for smaller players that like a loud ping and a single piece feel. Most players in the drop 10 space (from 9 to 11) tend to prefer two-piece bats. As such, the Vandal usually isn’t their first choice. However, there are enough that like the CAT 9 where the Vandal–with its more unique look and off the beaten path option—could make sense. We do like the light swing and the grip is hard to beat.
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| MOI | Tech | Drb | Flx | Prof | ReSl | PlaRa | ExVe | Relv | Dmnd |
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| 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| MOI | Tech | Drb | Flx | Prof | ReSl | PlaRa | ExVe | Relv | Dmnd |
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The most comparable bats to the Vandal are the CAT 9 and Solo.
The 2021 Vandall in USSSA and USA is first run. For 2020, the bat did come in a BBCOR, but nothing else. These USSSA/USA bats are the same as the BBCOR but made for those leagues. It has the same material, extended composite end cap and handle as the USSSA and USA versions of the bat.
The Victus Vandal for 2021 is a single piece aluminum bat with a long barrel made possible by differing wall thicknesses. As well, the bat uses an extended composite end cap to help drive down the swing weight.
The overall rating uses seven different weighted metrics to determine our overall score. Half of total rating comes from the player and our exit speed tests (Player Rating: 25%, Performance: 25%).The other categories are Relevance (20%), Demand (10%), Durability (10%), Resell Score (5%), and Tech Specs (5%).
*: When a bat is denoted by a star (*) it is a preliminary rating. Expect it to be updated as we learn more about the bat and gather more data.
(PlaRa) Player Rating: We measure player rating from user reviews. Those users include our own hitters that we test at the lab as well as reviews we find online.
(ExVe) Performance: Performance measures the exit speeds and distances we capture in our hitting lab with HitTrax using these bats.
(Relv) Relevance: We measure the number of sizes and the MOI of the bat. Bats with a wider range of options get a better score.
(Dmnd) Demand: Demand is measured by consumer sentiment and the buzz around the bat.
(Drb) Durability: A bat’s durability is measured by user reviews as well as feedback from manufacturers.
(ReSl) Resell Score: Based on the price the bats go for used. Higher prices mean greater user demand which means, generally, a better bat. A resell value closer to its original price means a higher score.
(Tech) Tech Specs: We rate the bat on its technological advancements from previous years and compared to the industry at large. This is our chance to reward companies who are trying to innovate.
MOI
MOI or Mass Moment of Inertia is a measurement of bat swing weight. This quantifies how difficult it is to swing a bat. The industry often refers to this as things like End Load or Balanced but those words have been overused to the point of meaninglessness. We measure the actual swing weights of each bat we test using the industry-standard pendulum period, balance point, and scale weight. You can read more about that here.
Price
The price is the original MSRP price of the bat.
Type
The types of bats are single-piece alloy (SPA), two-piece composite (TPC), single-piece composite (SPC), hybrid (Hyb.), and wood (Wood). Hybrid bats are made of composite handles and alloy barrles.
Date
The estimated date the bat began distribution.
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