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Online now: 1 member: TABLE SETTER 11; 100 anonymousDiscussion: New Dudley Lightning
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| July 15, 2014 Mark 44 Men's 60 88 posts | New Dudley Lightning 2 weeks ago I was privileged to receive the new Dudley Lightning Senior bat. WOW It has about a 100 swings on it. I got the balanced model in 27oz. The first thing I noticed is that the barrel feels tacky. After swinging it, I simply love it. I'm a line drive hitter & the ball explodes of the barrel. The 2nd swing I took was a line drive home run, hit in the Modesto Senior League. Last weekend I played in the Cal Cup in Hemet. I had a great weekend hitting the Lightning. I'll admit that I didn't hit any home runs, but I did dot the fence a few times. I'm not a home run hitter, I never profess to be. I'm 60 with bad knees & love this bat. I brought it home & checked it on my ASA bat compression tester. It isn't even broke in yet... Squeezed at 1300, the hottest Senior bats squeeze at about 1050, anything softer than that & it's ready to break. When this bat breaks in, it is going to be a Monster...... From what I understand, the engineer behind developing this bat , is the same engineer that helped develop the Reebok Melee. Correct me if I'm wrong. Buy the new Lightning, you won't be sorry. |
| July 16, 2014 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | I received mine yesterday and will hit it this weekend. I'm expecting big things! lol |
| July 16, 2014 Longhorns 51 posts | Mark the bat has been great for us. The mtc 55 team had one for a couple of months. It's performed very well as a many of fact we have 10 of our players ordering the bat. The bat was hot out of the wrapper for us great durability too. |
| July 16, 2014 shortstopchic10 Women's 40 61 posts | Watched the 50's Aftershock hit the hell out of the ball with these bats. Definitely interested in one for my women's 40s group |
| July 16, 2014 AJC Men's 60 218 posts | Hey Mark, that's just what you need, another senior softball bat ! How many does that make now.....50 , 60? Lol. Thanks for the post, now I have to get a new bat. Dudley should send you a bat just for the post, I'm sure this thread will generate A fair amount of bat orders. Hope all is well! Tony O's |
| July 16, 2014 Mark 44 Men's 60 88 posts | SSChic, Rick Bass from Aftershock was crushing the ball with the new Lightning. No doubt this is "the HOTT bat" You know me to well Tony. |
| July 17, 2014 surf88 Men's 65 1000 posts | Tony/Mark/Western US: I will have them in stock soon. Hope all is well. Ed ea@andrewsdev.com |
| July 17, 2014 AJC Men's 60 218 posts | Ed, I assume you won't get them until September 1st. I went to order one last night and a few sites were taking pre orders and they had that above mentioned date as time of delivery. If 6 out get them before that, please post. Mark, I see you got the 27oz. I know you swing a 26, how does the swing weight feel at that weight for you. On a balanced bat, I prefer a 28 oz. Does it swing light like a Ultra II one piece. I see they are offering these in a 29oz. Thanks, Tony |
| July 17, 2014 AJC Men's 60 218 posts | Ed, sorry, a typo. Meant to say, if you get them in before September 1st, please post. Thanks, Tony |
| July 17, 2014 mnmasters38 Men's 60 19 posts | I got my Demo's June 20th, 27 bal & 27 el. Had them at the Rochester tournament and let guys swing them. Finally got to use in my games an sunday. Ball just explodes off them, very smooth swinging bat. Can't wait to get them broken in. Used in the Midwest Championship in Shawnee and had the same results. I have 4 guys ready to order but have been told I can't get in until Sept. gary Bennett xtreme custom apparel garyb@xtreme.us.com |
| July 17, 2014 shortstopchic10 Women's 40 61 posts | Mark 44 ... is Rick their pitcher/catcher? #5? He was the one we were watching ...he was attempting to help me with my hitting... I need more help the way I hit this weekend! :) |
| July 17, 2014 Mark 44 Men's 60 88 posts | Tony, The 27 I got actually weighs 26.3oz, it actually swings heavier, I would say like a mid load. I hit the longest ball that I've hit in the last 7 or 8 years tonight. A no doubter, I knew as soon as it left the bat. The more I hit this bat, the more I love it. SSChic , Rick doesn't pitch. & I'm not sure what number he is. I actually talked to him today. He wants one for his own & has a bunch of guys that wants them too. I'm betting that you will really like the Lightning. |
| July 18, 2014 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | I was given a 27 by mistake. It weighs 26.9 but the swing weight is 17.4, swingly extremely heavy, much like my MM 30. I'll be exchanging mine for a 28 today. |
| July 18, 2014 TexasTransplant Men's 70 516 posts | Bruce, could you elaborate on how you go about determining the swing weight? |
| July 18, 2014 smooth01 Men's 50 128 posts | So you are going to get a 28 that swings like a 31 ? Not sure I understand this.But I would be interested in a used 26.9 |
| July 19, 2014 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | Will do TT. You would weigh the bat horizontally, resting the knob on a fixed, stationary object. Place the other end of the bat on the scale and read what the scale shows. In the past I have used something like a knob cuff. (don't forget to zero the scale if you use something like that.) You should be as precise and consistent as possible as even a 1/16 inch difference where the end is placed will make a difference. I went so far as to construct a wooden jig for holding consistently the endcap. Last night I returned from Dalton with my 28 and it weighs 27.9 oz and has a swing weight of 17.2. The difference may be because I wasn't consistent in weighing them or because I weighed the 27 with the wrappers and marketing card still attached. |
| July 19, 2014 TexasTransplant Men's 70 516 posts | Thanks, Bruce. I'm going to try this. I just received a balanced, 28oz Z3000 and a balanced, 28 oz Ultra II. The Z3000 feels significantly heavier than the Ultra II. I haven't weighed either of them, They may actually weigh differently, but it seems like swing weight might be a meaningful number for the manufacturers to put on the bat if there is a standard weigh of measuring it. |
| July 19, 2014 armiho211 Men's 70 449 posts | how does it compare with miken ultra 2 balanced ???? as far as i know, DUDLEY has not been a major seller with the senior softball community..... sure would like to see a demo in action. TEXAS TRANSPLANT: why are you screwing around with other bats ?? you have been wearing out the balls with the blue centenarian..... jim- when are your grandkids leaving to go back home ? we miss you in dayball. |
| July 21, 2014 rightrj1 Men's 55 286 posts | I just got back from Dalton Ga. SPA world, we played a team called Good Times from Florida and they were hitting the DOO Doo out the ball with this Dudley! I mean little guys hit em high and far....I want one! this looks to be a very nice piece of equipment that should be in my bat bag! The only bad thing was they ran out of gas hitting so many Bombs and Rated Athletics came out the winner of the SPA 50+ Major World division!! Congrats Vice and the rest of the team it was very Fun! |
| July 22, 2014 DBurke23 Men's 50 22 posts | Who were these "little guys" you speak of? |
| July 22, 2014 Dbax Men's 65 2101 posts | Stir it up! |
| July 22, 2014 Pinehurst 1 5 posts | I will take 10 more little guys anytime. Some of my guts really like this new bat. I love it when they hit the bombs with it. Had great time in Dalton hope everyone got home safely. |
| July 23, 2014 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | We put about 200 swings on my 28oz 12" Dudley. What you have heard is correct, it's hot out of the wrapper. We hit on a baseball field that was 315 down the lines and we hit from about 10' behind home plate. After two swings "to get the feel" I hit several in round one that one hopped the fence. I tried a full overlap grip for 5 swings an hit two between 360-375 feet. My bp partner took about 40 swings with it and was also impressed, hitting several over 330'. I did mishit some towards the endcap and although I could feel the mishit the ball still flew 300'. I believe Dudley has a winner in this bat!! |
| July 23, 2014 AJC Men's 60 218 posts | Bruce, I have to ask, if your launching 360-375 foot bombs with this bat, I'm sure you were hitting with other bats as far weren't you.? Next question, where did you find this bat? All the sites that I have checked are taking pre-orders on this bat and have a September 1st date as a time of release for everyone. |
| July 24, 2014 BruceinGa Men's 70 3233 posts | AJC, Yesterday the Lightning was the only bat that I hit. In the past my white and back Centenarians didn't have the distance that the Lightning has. The only bat that I have hit there with that distance was the Ambush but it only lasted about 100 swings. Some bats were given to players throughout the country and I was luck enough to be one of those. |
| July 24, 2014 AJC Men's 60 218 posts | Thanks for the input Bruce. It's helpful to be able to compare apples to apples. It looks like this bat is a winner and will have to added to my bag as soon as it's available. It's hard to imagine that a bat can be produced that is hotter than the ones already being produced..........kind of scary ! |
