Bushnell radar gun?

[MNDad]

I used the a Bushnell back when DD started pitching. I found them a little clunky, but every bit as accurate as PR when they came out.

I’n today’s environment a budget minded bucket Dad would be best served with a used red button PR. Should be able to find one pretty cheap. The size alone is worth it. I’d buy a blue button one today if she were still pitching.

 

[grmerrill]

If my daughter continues to pitch I'm sure I'll get a pocket radar eventually. What does integration with the phone provide?

It logs the speeds into an excel like format so you have record of the session, it also integrates into the camera so you can record the speed for each pitch on the video. And if you mount the pocket rador on the fence it allows you to remotely view the speed on your phone. Last pitching session with her coach it was set up on an ipad in front of him so he could look down and see the speed of each pitch she threw.

 

[Ken Krause]

The other big advantage of the PR Smart Coach is that it lets you power it with a power block rather than having to use batteries. If you have it set on "continuous" mode to capture an entire session you can go through batteries pretty quickly. That can get expensive. But with a power block, I was able to have it on for four hours continuously and there was still a charge left in it. Then I charged it this morning and it's ready to go for tonight. Much more cost-effective.

Great product overall, too.

 

[STRIKE3]

I have both the Ball Coach and the Bushnell. Bought the Bushnell first as it was cheap. Read it records much slower than true speed (not true). So bought the Ball Coach thinking it would give me a more accurate reading only to find out they read the same. So if your only box to check is accuracy, they both work. Ball Coach is more expensive but smaller and easy to use and has continuous mode which is awesome.

Of course technology gets better and now they PR Smart Coach is out. If you have the money and like the benefits like being able to see your pitch speed on an IPAD then it is the way to go. With that said.........

I, and am sure others, have figured out how to do the same thing with the Ball Coach. All you need is 2 tripods and 2 clamps that hold an Iphone and the Ball coach, and Ipad or something similar, and the free App APOWERMIRROR. Install the App on both your Iphone and Ipad. Now, you can take the 2 tripods and set up your Iphone right behind your Ball Coach so that it is shooting video on the continuous mode display of the Ball Coach. Now set the Ipad wherever you want ( I usually hold it or put it by the pitcher if she wants to see the speed for every pitch).

Yes, a poor man's version of the Smart Coach and doesn't have all the benefits but a cheap way to broadcast the speed of every pitch to an Ipad, monitor, or whatever you want in real time.

S3

 

[uncdrew]

It logs the speeds into an excel like format so you have record of the session, it also integrates into the camera so you can record the speed for each pitch on the video. And if you mount the pocket rador on the fence it allows you to remotely view the speed on your phone. Last pitching session with her coach it was set up on an ipad in front of him so he could look down and see the speed of each pitch she threw.

Thanks. Those are nice features.

 

[cvsoftball]

thank you all very much! one last question before I approach the Family Treasurer and head of the Oversight Panel for the Softball Infrastructure Committee, can I take readings with the Bushnell from both in front of or behind my DD?

 

[Laphoneman]

Ive never tried radar behind pitcher but I measure exit speed from behind batter and it works so it should work from behind pitcher. I have pr and another pitcher dad has Bushnel his is usually 3-4 mph faster and has to set up directly behind catcher to get consistent reading. With pr i can be farther above or off to side and still get consistent reading. Accuracy is important once they are 14 because 1-2 mph increases are hard to achieve. If it says 54 2 days in a row then show 51 next day you can have a meltdown on your hand because of an inaccurate radar that you saved $40 bucks on. We have a pitcher that says she throws 58 according to her pitching coachs radar my pocket radar has her consistent 52. Someday reality is going to catch up to her. A lesson I have learned is if you radar anyone other than your dd. Keep it to yourself. If someone asks me I will radar and show them the screen. But it can be dangerous to talk about someone else’s princess.

 

[coachbubbles]

Ive never tried radar behind pitcher but I measure exit speed from behind batter and it works so it should work from behind pitcher. I have pr and another pitcher dad has Bushnel his is usually 3-4 mph faster and has to set up directly behind catcher to get consistent reading. With pr i can be farther above or off to side and still get consistent reading. Accuracy is important once they are 14 because 1-2 mph increases are hard to achieve. If it says 54 2 days in a row then show 51 next day you can have a meltdown on your hand because of an inaccurate radar that you saved $40 bucks on. We have a pitcher that says she throws 58 according to her pitching coachs radar my pocket radar has her consistent 52. Someday reality is going to catch up to her. A lesson I have learned is if you radar anyone other than your dd. Keep it to yourself. If someone asks me I will radar and show them the screen. But it can be dangerous to talk about someone else’s princess.

Agree with every bit of this! Use the ballcoach and speeds are the same regardless of standing behind the pitcher or catcher. I do notice the more angle you get from the direct line of the pitch the further off it will be. For example I have found if you are 15 feet or so off line the speed will differ by 3-4mph and then gets closer to “on target” the more you get directly inline with the pitch.

Regardless as long as you are consistently radaring from the same location you will have a basis of comparison and thats really what you need for progress measurement. Definitely no 2 radars are alike. Have seen the same as described with a significant difference. Can sure break hearts and piss people off.

I take it to every tournament and occasionally shoot speeds and my wife is constantly amazed at how close my eye radar is.

 

[Jeffrey]

I have 3yo Bushnell and it's perfectly fine for tracking the progress of your own kid as far as I'm concerned - it seems fairly consistent when I use it while catching or behind home at games. I only use it on other kids when they look faster then our kids and have never been approached by any other coach or parent with anything other than curiosity as to what I clocked their kid at. Without exception I have been informed that my Bushnell is at least 4-10 MPH slow.

One caveat would be that I have also heard horror stories about the Bushnell in that people have very inconsistent readings, like 20 MPH different between fastballs. I assume they just got a dud.

That said - definitely saving up for something hands free! Unfortunately I just bought marriard's revfire so I have to start over - LOL. (It's awesome!)

 

[justanotherguy]

As has been almost "hinted" to here a few times, the big difference between the bushnell and the pocket radar is the "line". The bushnell is fine if you're perfectly in line with the pitch or hit. The pocket radar is better, IMO (as I have both) standing behind the fence and measuring the girl/boy pitching, Both will be off if you're holding it at 0 degrees and the ball is hit at 45 degrees or thrown at a different angle than straight.

There's also another BIG thing... resale value. Once you're done with it, the Bushnell will mostly be worthless. The pocket radar will sell easily. Maybe a moot point for some, but I know that my Bushnell will continue to rot at the bottom of a pile of baseballs while my pocket coach radar will sell within a day if I put it up for sale.