What Advantages do Composite Bats have over Aluminum Bats? And are they worth the extra cost?

Composite bats do offer distinct advantages to aluminum bats but they will certainly have a shorter life as they can, and probably will, break. They're also much more susceptible to the cold. All bats warn you to not use them when the temperature is below 50 degrees. For aluminum bats it’s just a safety valve for the manufacturer. For composite bats it’s the real deal.

Here’s the short version of the advantages composite bats offer. For a detailed, in-depth analysis click here Composite-vs-Aluminum.

- The Swing Weight is More Easily Controlled: The closer the bat's balance point is to the handle; the easier it is to swing. Composite bats make it easier to shift mass around from barrel end to handle to control the location of the balance point and thus the swing weight.

- Bending Stiffness May Be Tuned: Higher bending stiffness means that the frequencies of the bending vibrations for the lowest bending mode fall into the range where the hands are most sensitive to vibration. Composite materials, however, give the manufacturer the option of lowering the bending stiffness of the bat, without changing any of the stiffness properties in the barrel which affect performance. This means that one might be able to design a bat which would "feel" better or sting less by adjusting the bending stiffness.

- Trampoline Effect May Be Tuned: Composite materials have a distinct advantage over aluminum in that they are anisotropic, which means that the elastic properties of a composite material are not the same in all directions. The stiffness in the longitudinal (along the length of the bat) and circumferential (around the barrel of the bat) directions can be modified pretty much independently of each other. This means that you can make the barrel of a composite bat soft while still maintaining the stiffness in the handle.

- Bending vibrations Are More Highly Damped: The damping rate dictates how quickly the amplitude of a vibrating object decays. The damping values for all-composite bats or bats with composite handles are at least twice as high as aluminum bats, and some composite bats have as nearly 10 times more damping than aluminum bats. This is partly why composite bats are advertised as having a "more forgiving sweet spot."

- No "Ping" Sound: Oddly enough kids have become so accustomed to hearing the ping their initial thought is this bat sounds like wood. Hence they think it has no pop. Don't be fooled. Plus the sound will remind the "old-timers" of their youth baseball days.

For everything you need to know about baseball bats visit Baseball Bat Reviews.



By: R. Nelson

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Rolling your bat is done by rolling the bat through two rollers which will increase the trampoline effect of the bat. This will improve the batted ball speed by approximately 10%. This equates to 30-40 feet. One commonly used method that is used along with shaving is end loading. By adding weight to the end cap when it\'s removed you will change the balance point of the bat. This extra weight in the end allows the barrel get through the hitting zone quicker.

Bat Rolling Summary

Bat Rolling is done with a Bat Rolling Machine.  When you roll your bat you are breaking down the glue that binds the composite fibers that make up your bat. Rolling accomplishes what would normally take 300-500 hits on the bat. The advantages are you don\'t have to spend hours of batting practice and you eliminate the wear and tear on your bat. Bat Rolling is the preferred altering process as it does not effect your warranty and there is not way to tell the bat has been rolled.

Effect of Bat Doctoring

On average you\'ll see improvements anywhere from 5-15mph on the batted ball speed. This equates to 30-50 feet more distance. It doesn\'t stop there. The improved batted ball speeds will allow those infield hits get to the outfield quicker. When you shave your bat you are thinning the walls out and this will effect the durability of the bat greatly. It will also void the warranty of your bat and you will not be able to send it back should you have any issues with it. Rolling a bat does not effect the durability of the bat and you will maintain your warranty. For this reason I recommend rolling a bat vs. shaving. Most associations have rules regarding altering and we recommend that you contact them regarding the specifics.

Bat Doctoring Results

Generally, doctoring your bat will make it perform at a significantly higher level than it normally would. This allows you to concentrate on your swing vs. having to worry about swinging hard and maintaining the proper swing mechanics. A doctored bat will provide about 10% more batted ball speed and this equates to 30-40 feet of additional distance. In case you didn\'t know most higher level players have ALL of their bats doctored in some fashion. If you want to compete at a higher level you must have a doctored bat. It\'s like going to a gun fight with a knife.



By: Michael Wilcox

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When rolling a bat, it\'s placed between two rollers of a Bat Rolling Machine and then pressure is applied to the rollers like a vice. As the bat passes through the rollers the bats fibers are stretched out and the glue holding the layers together is broken down. The is the same thing that happens as you take hours of batting practice. This causes the fibers to become more flexible which greatly improves the bat\'s trampoline effect. This trampoline effect is what produces the batted ball speed and distance. It will also widen the sweet spot of the bat which will make you a more consistent hitter.

Types of Bat Rolling Machines

There are 2 types of Bat Rolling Machines that are currently being used. Those types are Perpendicular and Parallel. Perpendicular Bat Roller roll your bat perpendicular to the barrel and the Parallel rollers roll parallel to the barrel. The perpendicular type is the preferred method of rolling. Bats are designed to be compressed in small areas similar to hitting a ball. Parallel rolling machines allow you to roll the entire barrel all at once. The only benefit to doing this is to be able to roll your bat faster. It is not recommended to roll via the parallel method as it puts too much stress on the barrel of the bat. 

Bat Rolling works

Composite bats are made from carbon fiber and polymer resin. It is an excellent manufacturing material combination and they are used to make a number items in every day use, including car and boat parts. However; for a bat, the finished product is slightly more rigid then is optimal for maximum distance on a hit ball

Currently legal

Currently rolling is legal in only 1 slow pitch softball association. This association (ISA) clearly state in their rule book that rolling is legal. In another association (ASA), they have recently adopted a bat certification process that requires all bats to be tested after they have been rolled. This ensures each bat that is certified by them does not exceed their performance factor after being rolling. You can interpret this as rolling being legal even though it doesn\'t specifically say so. In USSSA, they do clearly state rolling is against the rules. Rolling your bat is doing nothing more than taking 500 BP swings. You\'re just doing it in a more controlled fashion and in a shorter period of time. Please check with your local association or league and find out what their stance is on this subject.



By: Michael Wilcox

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Higher Performance from a Composite Bat

When rolling a bat, it\'s placed between two rollers of a bat rolling machine and then pressure is applied so that as the bat passes through the rollers the bats fibers are stretched out and the glue holding the layers together is broken down. The is the same thing that happens as you take hours of batting practice. This causes the fibers to become more flexible which greatly improves the bat\'s trampoline effect. This trampoline effect is what produces the batted ball speed and distance. It will also widen the sweet spot of the bat which will make you a more consistent hitter.

Make your bat hotter by having it rolled or shaved by juicing

A juiced bat is just another name for a bat that has been altered in some fashion. Typically a bat is juiced by either shaving or rolling. When you juice your bat you are improving the performance of the bat. When shaving a bat you are thinning the inner walls out. By doing this you allow the barrel of the bat to flex more and this increases the trampoline effect which will increase the batted ball speed and open up the sweet spot. When rolling a bat you are breaking down the glue that binds the fiber together. In both cases the bat may exceed the design specifications of the bat and this could effect whether or not the bat is legal in your particular association. It is recommended that you contact your local association or league official to ensure you are not in violation of any rules. If you participate in any outlaw leagues or home run derbies then you most likely don\'t have to worry about this.

Risks associated with rolling or juicing

Currently rolling is legal in only 1 slow pitch softball association and shaving is not legal in any associations. Rolling,  is legal one association (ISA), they clearly state in their rule book that rolling is legal. In another association (ASA), they have recently adopted a bat certification process that requires all bats to be tested after they have been rolled. This ensures each bat that is certified by them does not exceed their performance factor after being rolling. We interpret this as rolling being legal even though it doesn\'t specifically say so. In USSSA, they do clearly state rolling is against the rules. Our opinion is that rolling your bat is doing nothing more than taking 500 BP swings. You\'re just doing it in a more controlled fashion and in a shorter period of time. Our advice to you is to check with your local association or league and find out what their stance is on this subject. Shaving your bat is without question illegal in ALL associations and you will get in allot of trouble if you are found to be using a shaved bat. This includes possible law suits and being banned from the association.



By: Mike Wilcox

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Everyone Is Doing It

Have you ever been to a tournament and gotten beaten by a team that you shouldn\'t of? Well this is the norm nowadays. Almost every competitive traveling team uses either a rolled or shaved bat. Since early after the release of composite bats it was determined that they get better and perform at a higher level as they get broken in. A typical bat takes 300-500 hits to start to loosen up and perform at it\'s highest level. Once this was determined some people began using bench vices to break their bat in quicker. This was a bad way to compress a bat and people found themselves breaking bats by over compressing them. It was then that the bat roller was designed. It is a much better way of compressing your bat and breaking it in quicker. After a typical roll you\'ll bat will perform like one that has 300-500 hits on it and you don\'t have to spend hours of batting practice.

Perform Increases Are Incredible

The typical performance increases range from 30-50 of additional distance after having your bat rolled or shaved. Batted bat speed will increase to over 110mph vs. the designed performance level of either 98mph or 100mph (depending on the type of bat). If you\'ve ever seen a 5\' 6\" guy hitting 350ft bombs you know how juicing your bat can help you out.

Benefits And Downfalls Of Bat Juicing

When having your bat rolled or juiced you will see the performance increases after having the work down. The increases are 10-15% better performance. The one thing you can\'t see right away is how this process can effect the durability of your bat. When having your bat rolled you will not have any issues with decreased durability. This is why bat rolling is the preferred method of juicing. Shaving is another process that can be done to your bat to improve performance. A small amount of material is removed from the inner wall of the bat and this allow the barrel to flex more. You will get slightly better performance vs. have it rolled but when you have your bat shaved you will drastically shorten the life of the bat. A typical bat may last you 2-3 years before breaking but if you shave your bat it will only last approximately 1 season if you are lucky. Another problem with shaving is that you will not be able to send your bat back for warranty replacement once it breaks. All manufacturers are checking bats when they are returned to ensure they have not been altered. It is very easy to identify a shaved bat but there is no way to identify a rolled bat.

Bat Rolling Companies

There are several rolling companies out there and it\'s recommended that you find a company that only offers the rolling process. They most likely have an established reputation and have the experience you need to get your work done properly. As them questions about their process and make sure they are using the perpendicular rolling process. That is currently the best rolling process.



By: Michael Wilcox

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As bats go, composite bats are relatively new on the market, considering wooden bats have been around for well over a hundred years. While there are a number of prohibited ways to juice baseball bats, with corking of wooden bats being one of the oldest, the fact is that not all of them are prohibited.

Not Banned

Bat rolling is one method of enhancing a baseball bats hitting ability and it is most commonly done to composite bats made from graphite fiber. In fact, it is virtually impossible to tell if a bat has been rolled or not, so banning composite bat rolling would be a moot point.

A Rigid Product

Composite bats are made from graphite fiber and polymer resin. It is an excellent manufacturing material combination and they are used to make a number items in every day use, including car and boat parts. However; for a bat, the finished product is slightly more rigid then is optimal for maximum distance on a hit ball.

Duplicates the Natural Seasoning Process

Bat rolling duplicates the natural seasoning process that takes place in a composite bat that has experienced heavy use. It is accomplished by repeatedly passing the bat between two rotating rubber wheels. The result is that the graphite fibers are stretched and the polymer bonds are loosened as well on the interior of the bat.

A Better Way to Go

Is there a benefit that bat rolling has over the standard seasoning process which is done by hitting 500-600 balls with a bat? You bet there is, because when a bat is rolled it is a far more controlled process that leaves the entire bats hitting area equally treated, which means no bad spots in the bat and far more predictability. Also, its a lot cheaper too when you consider the time and effort it takes to hit a ball so many times.



By: Josephine Maxten

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