How do you break in a new composite softball bat?

A break-in period consists of 150-200 swings. It's important to work your way from 50% to full power as you approach the 200 swing mark. The best way to transition slowly into full power is to take the first 100 swings off of a tee, the next 50 swings off of short or soft toss and the last 50 off full-length pitching.

How do you break in a composite softball bat?

Composite Bat Break-In Guide

1. Hit 50 balls off a tee using about 50% power. ...
2. Hit 50 balls off a tee using about 75% power. ...
3. Hit 50 balls from soft-toss using about 75% power. ...
4. Hit 50 balls from soft toss using 100% power. ...
5. Hit 50 balls off a pitching machine or live pitching using 100% power.

How many hits does it take to break in a composite bat?

Breaking in your composite bat is fun, easy, and can be done in less than an hour. To properly break in your composite bat, we recommend taking 150-200 swings playing soft toss or off a tee using real baseballs. Start off by swinging at about 50% of your typical swing.

What is the best way to break in a composite bat?

Do

1. Take your time – The best way to break in your composite bat is with a 3-step process. ...
2. Use a regulation ball – Make sure you use baseballs or softballs that you would hit in a game. ...
3. Turn your bat after every swing – To ensure you are evenly breaking in your bat, turn the bat a quarter turn with every hit.

How do you break in a composite slowpitch softball bat?

Slow Pitch Bat Break-In Period

Composite Slow Pitch softball bats require around 100 - 150 hits on them to start performing up to their potential. When breaking in a composite bat, it is important to start off at about 50% power and gradually increase as your swing count rises.

How do you crack a softball bat?

To complete the break-in process, face live pitching with a pitcher who is throwing at least 40 miles per hour. Take 50 swings of batting practice and rotate the bat a ¼ turn with each swing.
...
To break in your bat, you're going to:

1. Hit the ball off a tee.
2. Soft toss against a fence.
3. Have a teammate pitch to you.

How long does a softball bat take to break in?

However, most aluminum bats do not require a break-in period and are hot straight out of the wrapper. To break in your composite bat, the process is almost effortless and should take no more than one hour.

Do composite bats break in cold weather?

Cold weather cracks are maximized on composite bats, and dense balls (which are nearly all cold baseballs or softballs) will cause these cracks. Dents are the most common form of damage to aluminum bats in cold weather, but these bats won't break like composite bats.

Why do composite bats crack?

This tends to be a sign of the composite material being fully broken in and at its peak performance. The more fibers that are broken down, the greater the trampoline effect and the bigger the bounce off the bat is. That is until it eventually fails and the web turns into a crack.

Do composite bats hit farther?

The spring-like effect has a lower exit velocity than in prior seasons. The design behind the USA Bat Standard inadvertently impacts composite bats much harder than aluminum. The main reason youth players swing composites is to hit the ball harder and further.

Do composite bats lose Pop?

A composite bat doesn't last forever, and can lose its pop with time just as any other bat can. A composite bat which has lost its pop may indicate that they are coming close to becoming dead, or already dead. However, a large number of composite bats only lose their pop after they break or are dead.

What temp should you not use a composite bat?

For the following steps make sure you are using leather cover baseball or softballs and not heavy dimpled balls as the extra weight from these could cause damage to your barrel. Also with all composite bats, its it wise to only hit with them in temperatures of 50-85 degrees.

Is it OK to hit baseballs with a softball bat?

Using a softball bat to play baseball would most likely result in cracking or breaking your bat. Softball bats are not designed to withstand the forces resulting from an impact with a baseball.

Why does my composite bat rattle?

Breaking in means that the composite bat's inner walls are flexing, which can cause a small piece to come off and produce a rattling sound. Now that you know why a softball bat can rattle, it's important to know whether it is bad in any way?

How cold is too cold for a composite softball bat?

Do not use in temperatures below 60 degrees Fahrenheit (or 16 degrees Celsius). Beware of any extreme temperatures ~ avoid storing bats in very cold or very hot places.

What temperature is too cold for softball?

In general, temperatures below 32°F (0°C) are too cold for softball, and the games should be canceled. In addition, softball manufacturers don't recommend playing softball below 50°F (10°C), as the bats can get damaged from cold temperatures.

How do I know if my softball bat is broken?

For those softball players who use a composite bat, you should hear a loud crack after properly breaking in your bat. It is important to know how your bat initially sounds at peak performance so that you can recognize if it has faded over time. If over time your bat loses sound, it is probably time to get a new one.

How long will a composite bat last?

In general, a composite can last up to one to three years or more. However, several factors will need to be considered before giving an accurate answer on a composite bats life expectancy. Some of the factors are frequency of use, batting style, types of pitches hit and if you broke the bat in or not.

How do you tell if my composite bat is cracked?

A composite softball bat should last approxitmently 18 months with normal wear and tear. Besides, obvious cracks and dents a bat is considered broken if it rattles when shaken, knob is pushed in or loosen, or has a significant performance decline.

How many swings does it take to break in a softball bat?

You can take more than 100 swings if you desire. However, don't do less than 100, since the bat needs to be broken in gradually. Moving to a full-speed swing too quickly could damage the bat. The more you hit the bat in 1 spot, the quicker it will break.

How cold is too cold for a bat?

Generally, while sometimes it may be unavoidable, we do not recommend using your bat in cold weather. Be careful not to use a performance bat in cold weather. Instead, use aluminum or wood barreled bats if temps are below 60 degrees and above 50 degrees.

Is it bad to leave a baseball bat in the cold?

Aluminum or Composite? Per our industry conversations, we suggest you tend towards aluminum in cold weather months (sub 55/60 degrees). Hitting an aluminum bat with a ball too dense (cold) is a possible dent. The result of a ball too dense on the composite is a crack and, then, the bat's ultimate failure.