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By Bat Digest | Last Updated June 15, 2022
Worth has claimed they addressed the durability issues from 2015 in the 2016 model by stiffening up the handle. There is some evidence out there to suggest it worked. However, we’d suggest, due to the amount we read on the bats durability issues in previous years, to make sure you buy this bat new with a receipt (and warranty). This may not be a great second hand bat and even at a steep discount it may not be worth the risk. Although our several hour and several hitter event in the cage didn’t appear to show any signs of wear on the 2016 version that is hardly the sample size needed to verify durability.
Aside from the several concerns we read about the bat’s durability, we believe the bat to be a truly high performance softball bat. By way of feel, the bat is remarkably smooth on contact and gives a great driving feel on solid contact. The balanced swing (like the 2015 model) is built right in the wheel house for great fastpitch players: just enough weight to feel the barrel but not too much to slow down swing speed. All we experienced and read was the bat’s hot out of the wrapper performance was universal.
We spent a total of ten man and woman hours researching and using the 2016 Rawlings 2 Legit Fastpitch bat (Amazon $299). Seven of those (wo)man hours were spent in the batting cage comparing the bat’s feel and pop to other bats in the performance softball bat space. Two were spent researching (and finding) online reviews without manufacturer or vendor bias (these are nearly impossible to find, by the way). The last hour was spent finding player experiences with the bat (and previous versions) in player forums. All in all, we feel the 10 total hours was well spent.
Other things that may keep you away are the lack of a drop 11 or drop 12 since many younger and smaller players need as much bat speed as possible. But stronger players who want top shelf performance and have the budget would be perfectly happy with a correctly sized 2016 Worth 2 Legit fastpitch bat.
By way of construction, the bat 2 legit will have, like the 2015 version, a unique design that includes four pieces. The first two are found in a double walled barrel. The outer shell of the barrel has more flex which allow for even the smallest and weakest of hitters to compress the barrel and get some trampoline from stick. The inner barrel is much more rigid and keeps the bat from going over the allowable limit. The other two pieces of the bat include the fully composite hand and the transition piece which help limit sting and vibration on the hands—in theory making for a very smooth swing.
A similar bat in the 2016 market is the LXT from Louisville Slugger. Both are a two piece composite bats with a double walled barrels, a transition piece and the composite handle. The Worth 2 Legit uses the double walled barrel to give maximum distance to any type of hitter. Both are top end performance fastpitch bats and it’s hard to say one is really superior to the other. If anything, the 2 Legit is hotter out of the wrapper while the LXT has better durability but, those claims are so unique to the actual bat you are holding that it’s hard to say that with much conviction.
The drop 10 will come in several lengths (30, 31, 32, 33 and 34 inch). The drop 10 is the recommended bat for smaller players or those who need as much bat speed as possible. The drop 9, which is made for bigger hitters and the collegiate scene, is only found in a 33 and 34 inch. Choosing the right size 2 Legit will make your hitting experience much more enjoyable—if the ball isn’t zooming off the bat on squared up hits, consider getting a different size.
Other than the additional strength in the handle, the upgrades to the 2016 version are all purely cosmetic. These cosmetic changes are found in a new colorway and a more rounded knob.
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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