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Discussion: Durable Bats

Posted Discussion
Oct. 12
Hail Ragna!
Men's 55
40 posts
Now that Vegas is over, what bat would you say is the most durable with great performance. I was able to buy Dudley off of EBay at a real good price. Like the bat but I am not crazy about the way it swings. Not enough end load for me. I wish it had a little bit more end load. I tried one of my friends who had an Adidas but that was short on the end load department as well. He said he bought that bat from a snake oil salesman from North Carolina that was in Dalton a couple of weeks back.

So I know I have a few weeks of winter to look for something new. I heard that Adidas was coming out with a new bat with 4 players signatures on it. Said it was going to be called the 4 Horseman or something on that effect. The difference he said was the endload was going to be heavier. So I will wait and see. Like endloaded bats. I like that golf swing effect.

Heard great things about the AD Starr Nightmare from Bruce out of Georgia at the one tourney. I was going to call AD Starr and see what price it was. I went to their web site today and it said 139.99.. Anyone have any good info on that bat.

Thanks in advance. Just bored and wanted to rant about the bats.

Thanks.

Hail Ragna!
Oct. 12
tattooball

774 posts
Give me a call I have some thing you may like to try.
Oct. 12
tattooball

774 posts
sorry 845 532 2668
Oct. 12
Tri18

352 posts
Hail,
Call me because it sounds like you need a bat with a different balance point than what you are swinging.
AT18
Team 1 Sports
Oct. 12
DOERBAUM
Men's 55
86 posts
AFTER USING JUST ABOUT EVERY BAT OUT THERE FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS (AND BREAKING EVERY BAT BUT ONE) I CAN VOUCH FOR THE NIGHTMARES DURABILITY. I HAVE ABOUT 750-800 SWINGS ON MINE AND IT IS AS HOT AS ANY OTHER BAT I HAVE WITH NO RATTLES AND NO STRESS CRACKS SHOWING. THE MAIN THING WITH A NIGHTMARE I HAVE FOUND IS NOT TO GET IN A RUSH BREAKING IT IN. EVERY BAT I HAVE HAD IN THE LAST 2 YEARS OTHER THAN THE N-MARE I HAVE BLOWN UP IN 850 SWINGS OR LESS. (11 BATS) MOST I CONSIDER BROKEN IN TO GAMER CONDITION IN 50 OR SO SWINGS. THE NIGHTMARE HAS DONE NOTHING BUT GET BETTER WITH EACH SWING ONCE I REACHED ABOUT 250. ONE WORD OF CAUTION ABOUT THE END LOAD, CALL KEVIN AND TALK TO HIM ABOUT WHAT YOU SWING NOW, BECAUSE THE N-MARE SWINGS MORE END LOADED THAN ANY OTHER BAT FOR THE SAME MARKED WEIGHT. ALL THE BATS OUT KNOW ARE GOOD. I HAVE 3 DUDLYS, 2 ADIDAS, 1 MIKEN, AND EVEN A COMBAT. I WOULD BET ALL OF THOSE BREAK BEFORE THE NIGHTMARE. HOPE THIS BLATHERING FROM A SELF CONFESSED BAT JUNKIE HELPS !!!
Oct. 13
AllTournyPit

18 posts
The Big Cat has a 1 0uncertain end load. If you can get ahold of last year's model, they are very durable.
Oct. 13
rlspls1974
Men's 65
120 posts
Hail, I will also vouch for the Nightmare.
Two full seasons of league and tournament ball and as Doerbaum says, no cracks or rattles....not to mention they are $139 right now!
Oct. 13
pete from nj

6 posts
I have been swinging the Nightmare for 3 years. One of my bats has 8500 hits on it and I still am very happy with the great performance. If you can swing an end loaded bat get the original now for 139.Pete from New Jersey.
Oct. 13
rlspls1974
Men's 65
120 posts
If you like to swing an end loaded bat try the Nightmare, $139
Oct. 13
rlspls1974
Men's 65
120 posts
Sorry wrong thread.
Oct. 13
SilverGhost

32 posts
I thought everyone knew that the Nightmare and the Miken Big Cat had the best and most endload.
Oct. 13
Benji4
Men's 55
292 posts
Louisville Hyper Z. Some have 1000 swings on them and it seems to work for us Sommerville guys.
Oct. 14
lb16
Men's 60
201 posts
Benji4, are you guys swinging last years or this years Parnell version? Which one do you prefer pro's and con's for both. Thanks!!
Oct. 14
Benji4
Men's 55
292 posts
lb16

We are swinging this years model the green and blue signature bat. One guy still swings last years yellow Hyper Z but that is because its a mental thing for him.

I still have a yellow one that I swing playing on my 40's team but I like the new green/blue one a little better.

I have only seen one of the new ones break this year and it was a guys bp bat that had more than 1000 swings on it.

I just feel the performance on the new one is a little better. The ball seems to knuckle a little more when you square it up and the distance is a little better.

If you are interested in getting one send me an email and I will give you some info on getting one.

keithb289@msn.com
Oct. 14
CaliBraves
Men's 40
18 posts
I was cracking 3 or 4 bats (Miken, Demarini) a season and usually play a minimum of 2 times a month. When Dudley sent me the Lightning endload to use, I was of coarse impressed with the pop and tacky barrel, but more important, I am going on two plus years and still have the same bat. Not a crack or anything lose within the barrel. "I probably just jinxed myself"

This is generation one Dudley and although it should not make a difference, I have heard from others saying theirs cracked within one season. Please note, I do not use mine in batting practice, so if you are complaining about how your bat does not last, get a good 50 swings on it then put it in your bag and leave it for games only.
Oct. 14
E6 in AZ
Men's 50
91 posts
I am a fan of the Dudley Lightning.
I went through two Mikens, the first lasted less than 6 weeks when it blew.
Bought a Dudley during the 2015 season and have flat abused it. Bought a second in preparation for breakage late in 2015. The first lasted until two weeks ago (Vegas Worlds) and I now see a crack in the sweet spot. I have no idea on swing count, but it would easily exceed a thousand.
I will be buying another Dudley as a back up pretty quick.
Just my 2 cents.
Oct. 15
garyheifner

653 posts
What nobody adds, when talking about durability, is what is their Ht.-Wt.Age and how hard they swing. I have teammates who are in their 3rd and 4th season with their Mikens. They are placement singles hitters.

Also, after the bat is broken in, do they still use it for batting practice??

Also, is it a bat that multiple players use????

I do find it interesting that a guy can drop a $1000 or more at the tables in Vegas and not blink an eye, but go crazy if they have to buy another bat to finish the season.
Oct. 15
CaliBraves
Men's 40
18 posts
Gary Heifner,

To answer all your questions:

Age: 52
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 250lbs

I play 40 Major Plus & 50 Major's.
I am told I hit the ball hard. See post "Who is he" under General & Misc.
I only take 50 to maybe 100 swings on a senior bat then it stays in my bag
Rarely do I let anyone else use my bat.
I play twice a month sometimes more.
Average about 800 to 900 swings per year.

I hear guys saying they have over 2000 swings on a bat that has been out for a year. Only if they are sharing or using for batting practice.

Oct. 18
DOERBAUM
Men's 55
86 posts
HEIFNER,

TO ADD: 6'2" - 230 LBS - 56 YEARS OLD -

PLAY TWICE A WEEK IN LOCAL LEAGUE IN WINTER HAVEN, FHC ONCE A MONTH,

BIG TOURNEYS ABOUT 6-7 TIMES A YEAR, HIT 100 BALLS BEFORE EVERY LOCAL

LEAGUE GAME, SOMETIMES GO TO WOODLAWN HITTING CLUB IN ST PETE. (ONCE OR TWICE

A MONTH) EVEN HIT IN MY FRONT FIELD OFF OF MY SOFT TOSS MACHINE (100 TO 150)

MOST OF MY B.P. SWINGS ARE WITH A COUPLE OF BATS I DRUG OUT OF RETIREMENT. AN OLD

C405 WORTH DUAL SHELL (1996) AND A MIZUNO ZN1 (2001? I THINK) I MAY TAKE THE LAST 10 OR SO

SWINGS WITH THE GAMER BAT JUST TO GROOVE THAT BAT. IT DOSNT TAKE LONG TO PUT

1000 ON A BAT. I DO IT EVERY MONTH. IF I DIDN'T, I WOULD TIGHTEN UP LIKE A RUBBER BAND....LOL!

TRY TO FIND AN OLD ALUMINUM, AN ASA, OR USSSA THAT SWINGS APPROXIMATE TO YOUR GAMER,

(READ "SOMETHING WITH A WARRANTY!) AND LIKE CALIBRAVES SAYS, ONCE YOUR SEINOR STICK IS

BROKEN IN, PUT IT IN YOUR BAG FOR GAME USE ONLY!!
Oct. 19
bkb555

303 posts
I am 6'1" 185lbs, 54yrs old and have never broken a bat....I swing hard and use my bats in BP too....some guys are just bat breakers.....some guys hit squarely and some guys cut the ball.....bkb555
Oct. 19
blue leader

11 posts
Hi Gary, How's things in Huntley?
Good luck Gray Sox in Ft Meyers.
I break at least 2 bats a year.
I'm 6'0" 225lbs 66yrs old.
Play year round, 6 months indoors.
Tried them all, Mikens seem to break faster, at least the red ones do.
Have had good luck with Combats.
I think the next one will be Addias Melee 2, although the nightmare
sounds interesting with a better $$.
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