Wood Bat Series Part 3: Composite Wood Bats

Posted by Derek H on Jan 21, 2013 3:00:21 AM

A common concern with any wood bat purchase is the issue of durability. In the past, it was impossible to know how long a bat would last because the options were limited to Maple, Birch or Ash. Times and technologies have changed, and now some of the most popular wood bats on the market are composite wood bats.

Composite wood bats were introduced to the market to increase the durability while maintaining the feel and performance of a classic wood bat.There are a few different styles in terms of construction, but the overall result is similar in all composite wood bats. Manufacturers use a mixture of composite fiber, fiberglass and wood materials to create a forgiving and durable wood bat.

There are many different construction methods for composite wood bats, but they all result in a more forgiving, durable and lightweight wood baseball bat. Some manufacturer’s restructure the actual wood itself and adhere the pieces back together. Other models fuse different types of wood to a bamboo core to make the bat lighter. Another very popular style is a bat with a composite handle and regular wood barrel for a more natural feel and sound. Here are some examples of different construction types of composite wood bats.

Restructured Wood
Mizuno Composite Wood Bat

Viper Bamboo Composite Wood Bat

Multiple Types of Wood
Rawlings Maple/Bamboo Composite Wood Bat

Pinnacle Energize II Bamboo/Maple Hybrid

Natural Barrel
DeMarini Pro Maple Composite Wood Bat

Easton Maple Composite Wood Bat

As far as rules and regulations are concerned, composite wood bats used in high school or college play are required to be BBCOR certified and feature the BBCOR stamp on the barrel. They are required to have the BBCOR certification because they are not created from one piece of wood like regular wood bats.

We hope you enjoyed our blog series on Wood Bats. If you have other suggestions for Wood Bat articles we would love to hear them. Until next time, continue to submit your awesome pictures for a chance to win a $25 or $300 JustBats.com Gift Card!

Topics: Baseball Bats, Technology & Terminology