A few decades ago aluminum bats replaced wood bats in every league from t-ball through college ball. About 10 years ago composite bats were introduced to diamond sports and they began to gain market share with players who liked their performance. Today the top makers of fastpitch softball bats offers a lineup that includes both composite models and metal alloy models, and some have combined the two into hybrids. Which should you choose? Let’s take a look at the qualities of metal and composite bats so you can select the material or combination that is right for you.

Metal Bats

metal batWhile aluminum was the primary metal used for quite some time metal bats are now also crafted from lithium, scandium, magnesium and chromium.

Durability: There is one area in which metal bats won’t be surpassed and that is in durability. They are water and cold resistant and their one-piece form offers little chance of them breaking. They show up season after season without any reduction in performance – they are essentially ageless. Composite bats are believed to have only so many hits in them before performance drops. The durability means that some composite fans also carry a metal bat to use in batting practice or for casual fun, saving the somewhat temperamental composite bat for game conditions.

Performance: First there was aluminum 7046, innovative in its time and a metal that still generates good hitting in very affordable bats. Research and development have given rise to a whole new generation of metals with aluminum alloys still popular but joined by cousins like lithium and chromium that offer high strength and excellent transfer of energy into the ball. Most players at all levels will notice very little difference in performance between very good to excellent metal bats and composite bats of comparable price.

Value: If you’re looking for a very good bat for youth and casual players metal bats offer outstanding affordability. While few composites cost less than $100 new, you can find many metal bats at a cheap price – bats that will still perform very well at the plate.

Composite Bats

composite batsComposite bat technology is rapidly advancing and each new generation offers a step up in hitting ability. Here are keys to their increasing popularity.

Better bat design: Designers are working to overcome the weaknesses of composites including the fact that they need a “break-in” period of 100-200 hits before they reach optimum performance. Aluminum bats are ready to rip right out of the wrapper. Early composites were also susceptible to breaking in cold weather and the incidence of this has been greatly reduced through new carbon weaves that are less brittle.

Performance: The main reason players use composite bats is that they believe they get more bang out of each swing. Composite bat technology in the handle offers flex that produces a whip-like effect that speeds up the bat at contact. The same swing will generate more speed with a composite than it will with a metal bat.

Secondly, composite barrels are designed to store and release energy on contact, creating a springboard effect that puts more drive into the ball. These innovations will add perhaps 5% to distance and to ball speed off the bat.

Conclusion: Metal and composite both have their advantages. If you need a bat right now then a metal model is a better choice since it requires no break-in period. If you spend a lot of time honing your hitting in the batting cage a metal bat is also tough to beat because it will last nearly forever.

On the other hand, if you are trying to boost your game by hitting the ball a little bit harder, a little bit further you might find  composite bats will give you a slight edge.

Perhaps of equal or greater importance is finding a bat, regardless of material, that will suit your game. Key features include the weight and length of the bat as well as the size of its sweet spot and the diameter of the handle. See other guides on these pages that will help you customize your bat selection for a perfect fit this coming season.

Resource Material

Which is Better

Louisville Slugger Story

Jump in with your story. Add a few lines below. Let us know if you prefer

metal bats or composite bats

Tagged with: • • •

Filed under: Buying Guides

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!