looking for a new bat - recommendations?

[obbay]

DD is 14 (8th grade) about 5'-1"/110 lb currently using a 32" CF3 (I don't recall the weight)

In another thread, I noted that she used to like a heavy bat (Rockettech) but outside of Rec ball, can't keep up with faster pitching. Last year she started using her sister's old CF3 and likes that. Last year, a girl who used to like borrowing DDs CF3 got a Xeno and was seeing some serious improvement in pop. She is a year older, bigger and stronger than DD. DD#1 was bigger and stronger too and she could never hit the ball as far with the CF-3 as she could with her doublewall Aluminum ".375", so I was thinking maybe the bat never had pop.

Without trying one, she's interested in a Xeno because of all the talk she hears about it, but I'm thinking that's an end-loaded bat and may be too heavy for her. I have an old 32" Rockettech - would that be similar swing weight?

Last year she tried a CF-5 or 6 (don't know what number they are up to) and liked it, so I'm thinking of maybe going that way. I'm also thinking of going with balanced rather than end-loaded.

In my inbox I'm getting advertisements for bats at least every week and I'm not sure where to start. Can anyone educate me about the Xeno? any/all recommendations are appreciated.

 

[rdbass]

My DD's 15 (soph) about 5'2'' 110 Ibs. I just bought her the Louisville LXT 32' 22 oz. I liked what I read. Have not used the bat yet. First chance DD will get to use bat will be Sun. at practice. The Xeno was my second choice because I also like the reviews I read. Not sure I helped with your 'edumacation'

 

[Chance42]

We had a 20% team discount event at Dick's Sporting Goods last weekend, so we let my daughter pick out a new bat for the upcoming season. She is 15, 5'2"/105lbs, but extremely strong for her size. Last year she used an Easton FS1 (32" -10). She swung the new Xeno and an Easton Mako. She really liked the feel of the Mako. She first swung the 32" (it only comes in -10), and said it swung lighter than her current FS1. So, we went ahead and moved her up to the 33" to get a bit more plate coverage, and even though it is an ounce heavier than her FS1 she still thinks the Mako feels about the same, weightwise.

Most of the other players on her team that bought new bats went with the Xeno, but that may have been due to the price differential more than anything. Not to mention that most of them had good results with Xenos last season, so there's probably a bit of loyalty involved.

 

[wichita]

Just bought DD a 2013 Demarini Insane 32/22 end loaded for $178 on eBay full warranty pretty hot bat out of the box

 

[crystlemc]

14u DD won't swing anything but her Xeno. It is a balanced bat. Not end loaded unless you buy the -9. She has had it since last January. Uses it in the cage, on tee, on TCB balls, under 60* and it is still going strong. She hit 4 HR's over the summer, and a few others that would have been out had there been a fence.

 

[fballchgup]

Picked up the new cf6 insane 32/22 at the coaches convention at mohegan sun last month, 20% off. Slightly different feel than her 31/21 cf5. Maybe a little stiffer, and a slight end load, but dd loves it and can't wait for games to start! (Although with another blizzard last night it is definitely going to be awhile.)

 

[YOCOACH]

(Although with another blizzard last night it is definitely going to be awhile.)

And you have another one coming tomorrow

DD loves her Rocketflex but they no longer make it. She's using 33/24 Xeno right now which she likes well enough but she'll be moving to the new Worth 454 Sick 34/24 shortly.

 

[Little Angels Softball]

The absolute best thing to do is have your DD hit with as many of these bats as she can. Ask her friend if she can borrow the Xeno for a few rounds of front toss. Ask other girls on the team if she can do the same with their bats.

If there are a couple of bats she's interested in that are not represented on her team, then go down to the local indoor training facility and ask when some of the 14U travel teams training times are. Rent an adjacent cage for DD during that time and ask some of the girls if she can hit a round with their bat. Almost all girls I've known who play travel ball will be happy to comply and will even tell you what they like and don't like about their bat.

If she has trouble catching up to some pitchers, that pretty much says "balanced" bat to me and I'd even go a step further and say she needs a balanced bat that "swings light," meaning one that feels lighter than others in the same weight class.

The Xeno is not an end-loaded bat in any weight class (-10, -9 or -8). It is listed by LS as a "balanced" bat in all categories and I would agree with that assessment. However, its balance point does tend to feel a little more toward the barrel than some other bats.

In addition to the Xeno 32/22, a couple I would try if I were her are the DeMarini CF6 in 32/22 and the Louisville Slugger LXT in 32/22. Both of these bats "swing light," have great pop and are preferred by many girls on my team and some of the others in our organization who have yet to reach adult strength. They both seem to spread the weight out over the entire bat and therefore feel lighter to swing than other bats.

I have a good-hitting 12U team with many strong hitters. Of the 12 girls on the team, six use the CF6 and four use the LXT. We have two girls using Eastons (a Mako and a SRV4B); the two Easton bats are listed as -10 but both swing noticeably heavier than either the CF6 or LXT.

In all honesty, I was rather ambivalent about the LXT the first couple of times I saw one of my girls using it. However, after seeing the entire team use it now for a couple of months, I am a believer. I even bought my own DD an LXT as a result.

 

[obbay]

Thank you all for the great advice/recommendations!
looks like we will tryout the Xeno, CF-6 and LXT! That's good, we have a place to start!

 

[JAD]

Have your DD try some of her teammates bats to see which one she likes. Some stores have demo cages where you can try several bats before you buy one. I recommend a balanced bat for everyone except players with a BIG STICK (think Crystal Bustos)!