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Online now: 2 members: TABLE SETTER 11, readytoplay; 77 anonymousDiscussion: Original gray Miken Ultra (without center rod insert) VS. current MIken 2 piece endloads
| Posted | Discussion |
| Sept. 23, 2015 CAT 200 posts | Original gray Miken Ultra (without center rod insert) VS. current MIken 2 piece endloads What started as a casual discussion among teammates but ended heated was over these two types of bats....Issue in question- it was stated that the very first and original Miken gray Ultra (without the inserted rod) is NOT as "Hot" for distance as the more current Miken 2 piece end-loads. Those of you who can remember those bats, what do you think?? thank you.... |
| Sept. 23, 2015 Enviro-Vac Men's 65 489 posts | Original = better but I was 16 years younger |
| Sept. 23, 2015 Omar Khayyam 1357 posts | Watched a longtime fellow player hit the ball farther with the gray Ultra than he ever did at a younger age (he was in his 60s), and once it was banned, he never reached that distance again, although he switched to the Ultra II. As Enviro-Vac notes, it is no good comparing his swing now to what it was a dozen years ago. |
| Sept. 23, 2015 chico senior Men's 60 134 posts | The original Miken would hit the ball at least 25-30 feet further then any bat on the market today. Funny story. We were in Salem, Oregon in about 2002 or 2003 for some kind of big tournament. Managers meeting was about one hour before first game of tournament. Tournament director announced that that Miken had been banned from the tournament. There were at least 2 teams that were sponsored by Miken and those were the only bats they had. Someone asked the TD what they were supposed to do for bats and the TD said that Big 5 was open and they could go buys bats there. Needless to say there was total chaos. |
| Sept. 24, 2015 Tri18 352 posts | Guys, This is a fun discussion. I have been asked to compare many bats to the original grey Ultra II. I have never thought so far that anything compared to it. One thing you guys might consider though....remember that when it was originally introduced, the balls being used at the time were 47 cor and 525 compression . MUCH different than the 44/375 balls of today. So do a fair comparison....go get a few Dudley Stadium balls which are 44/450 and not quite as good as the balls we hit in yesteryear. Take one of the NEW Ultra II Black bats from Miken and hit 12 balls with it.....Then let all of us know your opinion. Some good content for a fun message board conversation will arise...! My ordinal Grey Ultra story: I was under a exclusive bat contract with a different bat company when the grey bat came out. One of my buddies got one and hit with it. He immediately called me and said I want to see you hit with this bat. I took my endorsement contract seriously and politely explained that I was not allowed to do so. He persisted and said what about we go to a field where nobody is so you can just test it out so you can let your company know about it? I agreed as long as it was just him and me and it wasn't in a game so I went to meet him. I warmed up and took my first swing. Line drive and what a different feeling off the bat. The second swing I hit decently again on a line and it left the park in about 2 seconds and went over the fence about 30 or 40 feet. The third swing I took was a flush line drive that was through the infield faster than I thought at the time: than a golf ball. I looked at the bat and shook my head. The 4th swing I took I connected well and the ball easily cleared a full grown row of pine trees and carried on deep into the woods farther than I had ever hit a ball. I stopped, gave him the bat back and told him I'll never swing that bat again. He asked why and I simply said, " I'm afraid I will kill an infielder with that thing." I never swung one again and about 3 weeks later it was banned. So....get with me if you want to try out my test from above, I think you may be surprised.... Alan Tanner Team 1 Sports Tricoach18@att.net |
| Sept. 24, 2015 Pull My Finger 81 posts | It is beyond me why hitting the long ball is such a big deal. The vast majority of hits at most every playing level, is line drives that are in the 150-250 foot range. When I see outfielders playing at or near the warning track when I'm batting, I know they are making it much easier for me to get the line drive hit. While the long ball is nice, the high average hitters get the majority their numbers from line drives. |
| Sept. 24, 2015 DCPete 409 posts | Original Gray Ultra 1 was at least 10% longer/hotter and was banned the same year it came out (2002?) so Miken put out the Ultra 2 in 2003 to take its place. Tri is right, there would have been some serious injuries if the Ultra 1 hadn't been outlawed. |
| Sept. 24, 2015 LeeLee50 140 posts | I sorry but this sounds like the Ambush story all over again, not judging the new Miken but hype story is the same as the Ambush story. JMHO |
| Sept. 24, 2015 Turbo 34 Men's 50 47 posts | Tri18 is right that the biggest difference was the ball back in 2002 when the grey Miken hit the market. Another big difference was the metal rods placed in the bat handle that made the Ultra II less end loaded. Several players from the U.S.Vinyl Miken team told me that removing the bolt and replacing it with a rubber stopper added between 20-40 feet to your distance and created faster line drives through the infield. |
| Sept. 24, 2015 CAT 200 posts | So you guys are possibly saying that the composition of the original Miken and the new ones may pretty much the same and it may just be with the lower compression of the ball we now use? IF that be the case, then why the hype on every new bat that enters the market!! Durability maybe? |
| Sept. 24, 2015 Tri18 352 posts | Lee, No hype, just trained observation. As I've always said...hit a good quality bat that feels good in your hands and you will hit it best. Not every bat is for every player. And besides...this comparison is purely for fun guys! It will be interesting to see guys who will have a chance to hit both of these bats and again...a fun comparison. And....CAT, you are correct here on your thought. Durability is a BIG difference maker with the new U2 Black as compared to other models. Whatever you swing remember we are blessed to be playing a kids game at our age... AT18 Team 1 Sports |
| Sept. 25, 2015 JDub Men's 60 206 posts | STOOOPID BATS ! ! ! I know this is/was supposed to be a "Fun Post" but there's a Very Specific Reason I continue to Post my STOOOPID BATS Statement ! ! ! Have Fun, Be Safe, Jeff White #7 AZ Elite 50/55M+ |
| Sept. 25, 2015 JDub Men's 60 206 posts | Team 1 Sports/Miken -vs- Arizona Elite/DeMarini in Game 1 of R/R Friday. Alan, didn't we play against each other last year in our first game too? Coincidence Mr. Dowell ? ? ? |
| Sept. 26, 2015 Tri18 352 posts | Dub, I did play you last year but I was playing with Kevitt as my team was unable to go. This year it will be my team that beats you....lol :) AT18 |
| Sept. 27, 2015 bkb555 301 posts | I took 2 swings with the original Miken...I put it down and said, this bat is unfair...a few weeks later it was banned......now I am older and "wiser", I use the best technology I can and everyone is on the same page as me...I have used Miken 2 piece U-trip bats all season and am looking forward to swinging the senior Miken.....I cannot compare a whole season to the original Ultra but I think it might be pretty close...I hope |
| Oct. 3, 2015 fmathis242 Men's 50 1 posts | I took two swings with the original ultra on a windy night in Albuquerque when the wind was blowing in so hard no one could hit It past the co-ed line. I hit one out over the lights the 1st time up and the 2nd time up I hit it past the 1st baseman and he said he didn't see. it.Scared me so bad I gave it back to the Miken rep and told him I can't use it because I'm afraid someone's gonna get killed. It was banned the next week. Still by far the "hottest" bat I've every swung |
| Oct. 4, 2015 CAT 200 posts | thank you for your responses....again, do you think it was the bat or the higher compressed ball we used at that time...would like to see a comparison with the same balls being used, eh? |
| Oct. 5, 2015 DCPete 409 posts | CAT; all you need to know is the original Ultra was banned & never made again while the current 2-piece end-loads are Legal & still being used. Doesn't matter what ball is used, the original Ultra was a weapon of deadly force . . . |
| Oct. 5, 2015 Pull My Finger 81 posts | Can somebody explain to me how the original Ultra came in different weights? If I remember correctly the Original Ultra could be bought in 26-30 ounce versions. So where were the weights located in original Ultra if not in a rod? Were the weights put in the end cap? |
| Oct. 14, 2015 CAT 200 posts | Not to possibly beat a dead issue, here but here is my question - If the original gray ultra was only "hot" because of the harder compression ball, then are these new bats being offered, the same composition material as the original, but only under a different name?? Or, again, which is hotter, the original or the newer ones...thank you. |
