Opinions on three different bats.

[CPSBDad]

If you can afford it maybe buy all three bats and let DD swing them and pick the one she wants. Then send the other two back. Softball.com has a great free shipping and return policy. There was another online store I checked that had the same policy but didn't have the Rocketflex. Here is the policy from softball.com:

"FREE SHIPPING WITH BAT PURCHASE

Offer is limited to Free Standard Ground Shipping on entire order with purchase of a Bat. Offer is limited to standard delivery within the Continental U.S. and excludes APO/FPO addresses. Entire order must be shipped to a single address. Does not apply to prior purchases or open orders and cannot be combined with any other offer. Free bat returns only apply to unused bats and item must still be in its original "shrink wrapped" packing to receive a refund or exchange. Offer may not be used towards purchase of gift cards, gift certificates, pitching machines, balls, drop ship items, team orders or select items. Offer may not be redeemed for cash. Promotion may be modified or terminated at any time. Certain restrictions may apply."

I did this when I was buying DD a catcher mitt through justballgloves.com. It was justbats.com I checked and they didn't have the Rocketflex.

 

[LPF4]

ANNASDAD

Look for a CF5 for $199 online/auction. I wouldn't pay $100 more for a CF6.

 

[ANNASDAD]

Thanks for checking CPSBDad. I have all but ruled out the Xeno. Between the Rocketflex & the CF6 its going to come down to which
one I can find a great deal on and thats looking like the Anderson. Besides buying both bats we don't have anyway of testing them
out and Little Angels & Greenmonsters have me a little worried with the weight issue (or endload). Having said that has anyone here
ever had any experience with the FlexZilla ? Its a -11 but I'm not sure the barrel is made the same as the RT & RF.
Thanks again.

 

[YOCOACH]

If your DD is as strong as you say she is and has good swing mechanics, she will have no problem swinging the RF. She will be late for a little while until she gets used to the weight difference but once she hits the first ball with it, she will instantly be in love.

Mine was that way and will never give up her RF unless she has to for college. She started with the old CF3 pitch black, went to a CF5 Insane, then a RT and now a RF over the last 5 years. Now she wants another RF so she can have one exclusively for games. I'm thinking maybe since I'm an equipment junkie like most others on here

 

[Greenmonsters]

Thanks for checking CPSBDad. I have all but ruled out the Xeno. Between the Rocketflex & the CF6 its going to come down to which
one I can find a great deal on and thats looking like the Anderson. Besides buying both bats we don't have anyway of testing them
out and Little Angels & Greenmonsters have me a little worried with the weight issue (or endload). Having said that has anyone here
ever had any experience with the FlexZilla ? Its a -11 but I'm not sure the barrel is made the same as the RT & RF.
Thanks again.

We haven't had a Flexilla (FZ), but have a Techzilla (TZ), which like the Rocketech (RT), is double walled, with the 2nd wall essentially an interior sleeve, as opposed to the RT which has the sleeve on the outside of the barrel. The TZ is considered more balanced than the RT, but DD never really liked the feel. My DD's preference is RF, RT, Nano, TZ. Not sure where the FZ would fit.

 

[ANNASDAD]

Thanks Greenmonsters, that helped a lot.

 

[ANNASDAD]

We haven't had a Flexilla (FZ), but have a Techzilla (TZ), which like the Rocketech (RT), is double walled, with the 2nd wall essentially an interior sleeve, as opposed to the RT which has the sleeve on the outside of the barrel. The TZ is considered more balanced than the RT, but DD never really liked the feel. My DD's preference is RF, RT, Nano, TZ. Not sure where the FZ would fit.

Hey Greenmonsters, do you or your DD notice any difference in the performance of the exterior sleeve vs. the interior sleeve in the
Anderson bats you owned ? Just from reading it looks like the two "flagship" models (RT & RF) use the exterior sleeve which would
have me believe that the exterior sleeve is the better barrel design ? I could be wrong, just want to hear your opinion. The FlexZilla I
was asking about the other day uses the interior sleeve as does the TZ. The NanoTek uses the Launchpad. I'm just about ready to
pull the trigger on the Rocketflex, just weighing all my options.
Thanks

 

[Greenmonsters]

Hey Greenmonsters, do you or your DD notice any difference in the performance of the exterior sleeve vs. the interior sleeve in the
Anderson bats you owned ? Just from reading it looks like the two "flagship" models (RT & RF) use the exterior sleeve which would
have me believe that the exterior sleeve is the better barrel design ? I could be wrong, just want to hear your opinion. The FlexZilla I
was asking about the other day uses the interior sleeve as does the TZ. The NanoTek uses the Launchpad. I'm just about ready to
pull the trigger on the Rocketflex, just weighing all my options.
Thanks

DD just preferred the feel of the RT and RF so she never really used the TZ in games, so can't really offer a performance comparison. Better design? Not really, as I understand it, the TZ performs better for a hitter w/ above average swing speed while the RT favors a slightly slower swing speed. If you buy with Proof is at the Plate program and your DD doesn't like the feel of the RF, I'd try the Nano next, then the RT, and the Flexilla/Techzilla last. The Nano has the biggest sweetspot (most forgiving) and very good pop, just not quite as good if you hit the RT on the screws. If they made a FP version (or if they made the SP version just an inch shorter, I think the Nanotek Omega (which is endloaded) would be the bat best suited for my DD.

 

[redhotcoach]

Thanks for checking CPSBDad. I have all but ruled out the Xeno. Between the Rocketflex & the CF6 its going to come down to which
one I can find a great deal on and thats looking like the Anderson. Besides buying both bats we don't have anyway of testing them
out and Little Angels & Greenmonsters have me a little worried with the weight issue (or endload). Having said that has anyone here
ever had any experience with the FlexZilla ? Its a -11 but I'm not sure the barrel is made the same as the RT & RF.
Thanks again.

Dd had a flexzilla for the trial period. The balance in it felt weird to both of us. Just a guess but they might add more knob weight to a typical rf to balance it. Holding it (-11) seems no lighter then our rt of the same length (-9).

Dd likes her rt, really likes her cf6 insane (IMO the balance seems similar to a xeno), really really likes her srv4b (s).

 

[5citysluggers]

If she hasn't swung a RT or RF have her try one first. Everyone who tries ours on the team for the first time end up putting it down. I think the RF has more end load than RT even though its a drop 10. Just pulled out the 05, 07, RT at BP for comparison to the RF and she still likes the RF. Its smooth with a good sweet spot. Personally since your DD been swinging the -12 i'd go with the 2012 cf5 -11, but if you want to go -10, go with the 2012 xeno. That xeno has mad pop, my daughter might be switching from RF after 4 years of swinging metal.