Each player has his own feelings about the bat that performs best for his game. Each X BAT can be ordered in a length and weight commensurate with each player's size, weight, age and strength. We frequently get asked how to choose the right wood bat for players switching over from aluminum. Aluminum bats have been designed to be easy to hit with. They are weighted with the majority of the weight in the handle so they feel light for the mere 3 sizes and one shape they come in. Wood bats are made of a natural material so the weight is where the wood is, at the end. A player who swings a 33 inch 30 ounce aluminum bat usually finds a 33 inch 30 ounce wood bat much heavier. The closer a weight is to your body the more manageable it is to hit with. Pick up a wood bat and swing it. Now hold it by the barrel end and swing it again. It feels much lighter, right? Same length, same weight, same bat but it "feels" lighter to swing because the weight is closer to you.

To get the right feel for the type of hitter you are there are factors such as handle shape, handle thickness, knob shape, barrel shape and balance that can be adjusted to find the right combination for each player. Players first switching from aluminum usually want a better balanced bat. For these players we have designed the Model 73 to have the best balance, the extra weight acting as a counter balance to the weight at the barrel end of the bat. This has been our most popular model for this reason. Other bats with good balance are the Model 27 and Model 11 followed by the Model 2, 15, 20, 35 and 72. Other players who have been swinging wood for a while like an end loaded bat, that is, they want to feel the weight at the end of the bat so they can generate more power. These players select the Model XX, 13 and 24. The Model 98 is similar to the shape of an aluminum bat. An aluminum bat has a large long barrel and a thin handle but since it the weight is in the handle it generates power and balance. This is not achievable with a wood bat. The Model 98 has a large long barrel so it is quite end heavy. It is an end loaded bat with a large hitting surface. Although it shares the same shape as an aluminum bat, it does not have the same feel or balance. Thin handled bats are the Model 2, 13, 14, 15, 24, 35, 72 and 98. Thick handled bats are the Model 16, 11 and 20. Small knob bats are the Model 13 and 27S. Large knob bats are the Model XX and 73.

Selecting what is right for you is an exercise in combining the shape that feels best in your hands with the balance that suits your swing and experience. This is part of the fun of swinging a wood bat. You can tailor the bat to your style of game and become a better hitter using wood to practice daily. Wood bats make your swing shorter, more direct to the ball and more efficient. The sweet spot is smaller and the accuracy necessary to swing a wood bat is far greater than with aluminum. Swinging a wood bat will make you a better hitter with aluminum and teach you to play the game the way it was designed to be played.

The weight differential is the difference between the length and the weight. So a 34 inch bat with a –3 would weigh 34-3=31 ounces. Subtract or add the weight differential from the length and that will give you the weight in ounces.

Best Balanced Bats
End Loaded Bats
Thin Handled Bats
Medium Handled Bats
Thick Handled Bats

Buying a baseball bat is a personal decision.  Players should choose their baseball or softball bat by their individual strengths, body configuration, skill level, height, and weight.

The following information serves as a guideline to selecting the right bat for you.

Determining the Bat Length
One of the better ways to selecting the right bat length is by cross-referencing your weight and height to arrive at the bat length.

Determine Your Bat Length by Weight and Height

	Your height (inches)
Your weight (pounds)	36-40	41-44	45-48	49-52	53-56	57-60	61-64	65-68	69-72	73+
	Bat length
less than 60	26"	27"	28"	29"	29"
61-70	27"	27"	28"	29"	30"	30"
71-80		28"	28"	29"	30"	30"	31"
81-90		28"	29"	29"	30"	30"	31"	32"
91-100		28"	29"	30"	30"	31"	31"	32"
101-110		29"	29"	30"	30"	31"	31"	32"
111-120		29"	29"	30"	30"	31"	31"	32"
121-130		29"	29"	30"	30"	31"	32"	33"	33"
131-140		29"	30"	30"	31"	31"	32"	33"	33"
141-150			30"	30"	31"	31"	32"	33"	33"
151-160			30"	31"	31"	32"	32"	33"	33"	33"
161-170				31"	31"	32"	32"	33"	33"	34"
171-180						32"	33"	33"	34"	34"
180+							33"	33"	34"	34"

Determining the Bat Weight