What To Look For
Aluminum bats outperform wooden bats, according to physicist Daniel A. Russell of Kettering University. When buying an aluminum bat baseball players need to consider the bat's weight and length, the alloy of aluminum, its center of gravity, and the trampoline effect.
Common Pitfalls
Consumers should be aware that the safety of aluminum bats has been questioned by "Consumer Reports" among others. California, New York City and North Dakota have all banned them from high school play. There may be more bans in the future by other leagues, local and national, so be sure that the bat you choose is not banned or about to be banned by your league. You should also be aware that there are certain length-to-weight ratios and bat performance factors, or BPS, that are allowable in various leagues, especially for youth. Bats built from thinner alloys provide hitters with more control and power by "giving" like a tennis racket upon contact then springing back. This "trampoline effect" causes the metal to weaken.
Where To Buy
Dick's Sporting Goods has a selection of 130 different aluminum bats ranging from kids to adults, and from baseball to slow-pitch softball. There may be cheaper places to buy a bat, but Dick's is not only reasonably priced but offers the expert help you need.
Cost
Aluminum bats range from about $50 for a child's bat to $300 for an adult's or youth's. Almost all bats come with limited warranties from the manufacturer covering cracking, bending or denting. So keep your sales slip and warranty so you can get a new bat or get your money back should things go wrong.
Comparison Shopping
The major considerations when buying a bat are height and weight. Dick's Sporting Goods' website has a precise chart. Other important considerations are the type of aluminum alloy used and whether the weight of the bat is "end-loaded," which means the sweet spot is more toward the end than the middle.
Cheaper bats are often made of thicker alloys, such as 7046 or 7050. They are built for endurance as well as performance. More expensive bats have thinner alloys and are built for specific "trampoline effects." Efforts have been made to combine endurance and performance through "double-wall" bats, which have an internal and external wall with material in between to create spring. Examples include rubber or metal arches. As far as end-loaded bats are concerned, Ed Stiles, Ph.D., has determined that such bats do create more momentum than evenly weighted ones. However, they work for only some hitters with specific types of swings, usually long-ball hitters. The only way to know if they work for you is to field test them.
Accessories
Bat rolling is an extra process many players use to make their bat more responsive quicker. If you decide to have your bat rolled, you first need to make sure that you are going to a reputable company. According to The Bat Rolling Blog.com, you should make sure that your company uses the perpendicular process and not the parallel one, since the perpendicular more closely mimics actual hitting. You should also be sure that the rollers work up to the final compression level in 3-4 steps rather than doing it in one simple step, which can significantly weaken the bat. The bat should also be turned by 1/4 after every of its 300 turns through the roller.
Insider Tips
For most children, there is no need to go much higher than $50 when buying an aluminum bat. They don't swing hard enough to create much of a trampoline effect. As the children grow into teenagers, then competitive young people should invest in more expensive, more responsive bats. They will be able to take advantage of the extra control and power offered by the more advanced bats with more of a trampoline effect.
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