Breaking In Your Composite Bat
For the past two decades, batters have been on the lookout for the newest and best composite bats. Baseball bats are still split between alloy and composite (and sometimes both) materials, despite the fact that fastpitch softball bats are almost usually made of composite. Take a look at the remainder of our blog if you want to understand more about the differences between alloy and composite bats.
However, composite-barreled bats will require a break-in period, which is one of the key distinctions between the two materials. This is due to the fact that the bat’s intertwined microfibers must compress before it achieves its maximum performance threshold. While breaking in a new composite baseball bat isn’t an exact science, there are a few guidelines you can follow to get your bat ready for the season ahead.
Composite Bat Break-In Tips
Breaking in your composite bat is simple and can be completed in under an hour. To properly break in your composite bat, we recommend taking 150-200 swings with genuine baseballs while playing soft toss or off a tee.
Begin with swinging at around 50% of your normal speed. Over the first 100 swings, gradually increase your strength. After each swing, spin the barrel 14 inches to ensure the whole composite barrel is broken in. NEVER use a batting cage with yellow dimpled balls to break in your bat. Yellow dimpled balls are extremely dense, causing damage to your bat and shortening its lifespan. As you break in a composite bat, stick to soft throw, front toss, and tee work.
Breaking In Your Composite Bat
FAQ
What if you don’t break in a composite bat?
NEVER use a batting cage with yellow dimpled balls to break in your bat. Yellow dimpled balls are extremely dense, causing damage to your bat and shortening its lifespan. As you break in a composite bat, stick to soft throw, front toss, and tee work.
Do composite bats break easily?
Hitting composite bats at speeds that exceed their design limits can cause premature cracking and damage, preventing the bat from reaching its full performance potential.
Do composite bats lose their pop?
Composite bats that are “hot” yet don’t hit true could be dead or on their way to being so. Always keep in mind that aluminum and composite bats have a finite lifespan and, as a result, will ultimately lose their pop.