Best Slowpitch Softball Bats

No. Aluminum does not require any break-in. Theoretically, you want to use your aluminum bats as little as possible because they get less hot over time. We once asked a bat engineer this question, and their response was after “thousands and thousands of hits,” it will start to lose its pop.

Some composite bats, like the ASA Miken Freak Platinum above, do not require a break-in period. This is because they use a double barrel structure where the outside barrel is hot from the wrapper. However, single-wall composite bats often require at least 200 hits around the barrel to get worked in. Some bats need much, much more.

Composite is a more technical term for plastic. In other words, composite softball bats are generally made up of plastic material. The fibers are structured to give the bat maximum durability and a barrel trampoline effect that fits within the standard.

BPF, or bat performance factor, measures how well a ball bounces off a bat. A higher number means more trampoline. 1.20 BPF is the maximum standard many softball bats can perform at. It does not imply that the bat performs strictly at that standard, but that it has been verified to perform at or below it.

Impedance matching is a complicated subject. But, in large measure, the reason the ASA vs USSSA standard is an unanswerable question is because the balls are different in each league. ASA bats are meant to perform to a certain standard on ASA balls. USSSA bats are designed to perform to a certain standard on USSSA Balls. The bounciness of the ball and bat play off each other to create a maximum exit speed. This relationship is called impedance matching.

Single-wall composite slow-pitch softball bats usually require at least 200 well-hit balls to start to coming into their own. Some claim that the number is well over 500. Either way, you break it in by hitting the bat on regulation balls several times around different barrel spots. You can do this off a tee or in live batting practice. Check the product page of the bat you buy, as some composite softball bats, like those with dual walls, sometimes do not need a break-in.

Expensive is a relative term, no doubt. But few think that top-end slowpitch bats are cheap. Indeed, at $300, most take serious research and resources to solve the riddle of the best slowpitch softball bat. In the end, the answer as to why they are so expensive is because people will pay that amount. Like all products in a free market, they are a function of supply and demand.

Bats with the most hype, and many on this list, range in price between $180 and $300. That is the general price of a good slowpitch bat directly from a manufacturer. That almost always includes a warranty price along with some customer service support.

There is no easy answer to this question. Depending on the bat’s durability, some significant bats can last 2 to 3 years with considerable use. Others often don’t last an entire season in terms of maximum pop. Composite bats can lose their pop before breaking, but in many instances, they will break when their pop is gone. Aluminum is harder to determine as it rarely fails and dents instead.

Shaving a bat is an illegal practice that removes the end cap of a bat and then uses a lathe to remove material from the inner walls. The end cap is then replaced, and the bat looks perfectly normal. However, the bat now produces a greater trampoline effect with thinner walls. Of course, this also voids the warranty, considerably decreases the life of the bat, and is, frankly, a bit of a punk move.