JustBats Blog

Wood Baseball Bat Series: Part 1

Written by Derek H | Jan 7, 2013 9:00:16 AM

Some of the biggest mysteries in the baseball bat industry involve wood bats. Which type of wood bat is highest performing? Which type of wood is the most durable? Which type of wood feels the lightest? Although there are no clear-cut answers, JustBats.com will provide details for each type of wood so you can determine which wood bat is right for you. There are four main types of wooden baseball bats: Ash, Maple, Bamboo and Birch. Lets take a look at what makes each type of wood unique.

Most Ash bats are made from White Ash trees. It's the lightest of the four main types of wood because of its porous wood grain. The lightweight nature of Ash helps a hitter increase bat speed. Ash wood bats are softer than other wood bats, which provides a more comfortable feel on contact.The downside of Ash is its lack of durability. For this reason, Ash has a tendency to flake quicker than other types of wood.

The majority of Maple bats are made from Sugar or Rock Maple trees. Maple has very few pores which makes it harder than other woods. Because Maple is so hard, the bats tend to have more pop which makes them popular among professional players. The downside to Maple is it retains moisture, making it very dense and heavier than other types of wood.

Unlike traditional wood bats, bamboo bats are strips of bamboo pressed together to create billets of wood which are then used to create the bats. Bamboo bats are the most durable bats on the market and extremely lightweight. Because bamboo bats are so durable and lightweight, they are popular with younger players and players who are using wood bats for the first time. Since they are not created from a single piece of wood, they do require BBCOR certification for players who are in high school or college.

Most Birch bats are created from Yellow Birch trees. Birch bats are increasing in popularity because of their durability and hardness. Birch is more flexible than other types of wood which helps create a whip-like action. That whip action makes Birch easier to swing and less likely to break. Birch is lighter than Maple with similar pop and performance.


Stay tuned next week for the second installment in this wood bat blog series. In the meantime, let us know which type of wood bat you think is the best and be sure to keep submitting your pictures and videos in our weekly Gift Card Give Away for chances to win a $25 or $300 JustBats.com gift cards.