Some good ideas to help anyone searching for their "ideal" bat size, both in length and weight. 

      Use the following two charts to determine bat length. This chart uses a player's height and weight:

     This chart is from Baseball Express and lists the most popular Bat Length by age. It is probably based on their sales demographics, so, it can at least let you know what people are buying.

The following is courtesy of Sports Authority.

Bat Specifications

• Effective January 1, 2001, all High School baseball bats will be limited to a 2 5/8" maximum barrel diameter and a -3 oz weight to length ratio

• These are the same specifications that were recently adopted by the NCAA

Determining the Right Bat Weight

• Most bats are weighted in ounces

• Manufacturers have done a great job in balancing the bat's weight to its length

• Many bats have a weight-to-length ratio, often shown as -4, -6, etc. This is also referred to as a bat's "drop."

• This basically means a 34-inch bat with a -6 ratio weighs 28 ounces

• Selecting weight really depends on two critical factors--your strength and your hitting style

• It also depends a lot on your personal preference in weight and length, so the following are simply guidelines to follow:

• Bigger, stronger players prefer a heavier bat since they get the benefits of both the heft and swing power

• Smaller players with less strength should consider a lighter bat to generate a quicker swing

• Younger players, too, should consider that a lighter bat increases control, great for singles hitters, while also reducing the risk of injury

Understanding Bat Materials

    The world of bats now offers a large variety of choices in materials. These can be broken into three primary categories: aluminum, graphite/titanium lined, wood and composite. Each provides its own unique characteristics and advantages for today's players.

Aluminum

• Aluminum is lighter in weight which increases control and bat speed. Balls travel farther with aluminum over other metals.

• Despite generally higher costs than other materials, aluminum is durable and not prone to crack or break

• Aluminum bats come in a variety of alloys each with a different weight

• Generally, lighter aluminum alloys are thinner and more durable. The one thing these have in common is that they are all different combinations of Zinc, Copper, Magnesium and Aluminum. The following is a list of the different alloys and their benefits.

• 7046: This is the standard aluminum alloy used in most bats

• CU31/7050: More durable than 7046, due to increased levels of zirconium, magnesium, and copper

• C405/7055: Increased Zirconium content than 7050, giving higher strength

• C555: 7% stronger than C405, has traces of scandium, which increases strength

• Lighter weight bats also increase the "sweet spot," the hitting zone on the bat's barrel that gives the maximum place to put metal to ball

• Aluminum bats, and those enhanced with other alloys, also come in single-layer or double-layer construction

• Double-layer bats offer more durability and power, since the ball rebounds off the bat with more authority

• Cryogenically treated aluminum--Alloy is frozen and reheated to provide greater durability, less vibration and 2-4% greater distance

Graphite/Titanium lined

• Technology has enabled bat makers to use lighter, stronger materials. Graphite and titanium are just two of these.

• Both are usually added to thinner-wall aluminum bats, enabling bats to be lighter and increasing a player's swing speed

• These materials also increase durability and the batter's sweet spot

• Graphite and titanium also help reduce vibration and the sting of ball shock, the tingling feeling sent to the hands usually when you miss hitting the ball in the bat's sweet spot

Wood

• Wood bats offer a classic feel and sound

• Look for a grain that is long and wide, which indicates a tree's age and density

• Wood bats offer more choices in shape and taper that can be customized to a player's swing

• Wood has three big disadvantages:

• Bats crack and break

• Reduced sweet spots on the barrel

• Far less hitting power than metal bats

Composite 

     In general, composite materials are lighter, stiffer, and stronger than aluminum and other metals. Of equal importance to bat design is the fact that composites are anisotropic, unlike metals, and thus they can be designed to have different stiffness and strength in different directions. Ideally, a baseball or softball has the same design objective as a tennis racket (which today are all made of composite); that is, high stiffness in the handle to minimize vibration, and low stiffness in the barrel to maximize the trampoline effect.

     Lighter and variable weights of composite materials provide the design opportunity for lighter bats with lower moments of inertia, larger hitting surfaces, bigger sweet spots and higher performance. Under normal use, they are unbreakable. Composite bats perform more like wood than do metal bats.

     A final word on bat weight: the heavier the bat a player can swing at a given bat speed, the deeper they can drive the ball. At two equal bat speeds, the heavier bat brings more mass to the impact of the bat on ball. So, use the heaviest bat a player can swing with good mechanics.  Indications that a bat may be too heavy for a player:

1) They are over-powered most of the time by good fastballs. They swing and miss a lot.

2) When they do make contact, balls are hit weakly and to the opposite field more often than up the middle or to the player's pull side (LF for RH hitters; RF for LH hitters).

Understanding Bat Terminology

Barrel size

• This includes both the length of the barrel--top part of the bat--and its diameter

• The longer the barrel, generally, the larger the sweet spot for hitting the ball

• The standard softball bat diameter is 2 1/2 inches

• Fast pitch softball barrel standard is 2 3/4 inches

• Many players prefer a smaller barrel that lightens weight and provides more swing speed

Bat taper

• This is the diameter of the bat's handle

• Standard bats are tapered 31/32 of an inch but can be slightly larger or smaller depending on whether you want a lighter or heavier bat

• Some players like a narrower taper for the lighter weight and to rotate their wrists faster when hitting

Grip

• The grip is simply the covering that bat manufacturers use on the handle of aluminum bats

• Leather or synthetic leather gives a tackier feel for a surer grip

• Rubber grips absorb more of the shock

• Some bats come with a cushioned grip to decrease the shock even more

BAT PRICES

     Prices range from about $30 to $300. Shop around to get the best price. You can certainly get a very good bat for much less than $300. All bat companies tout their materials and technology as being the "best," but that is a very subjective thing. Don't assume that a high price means high quality and performance.

     Especially with younger players, I recommend going to a used sporting goods store to make your purchase. Do your research first, then go this type of store to get a good quality bat at a much more reasonable price. Players quickly outgrow their equipment, so save the major $$ investment in a bat until they reach the high school varsity level.

 

BAT WARRANTIES Once the packaging is removed from your new bat, most bat manufacturer's warranties are voided. Returns and exchanges for opened or used bats are the responsibility of the manufacturer, not the place of purchase. Standard manufacturer warranties cover cracking, bending, or significant denting that may occur during normal field usage. Per discretion of the manufacturer the warranty may be found void if the bat is abused or altered in any way. You will need to have the following information readily available before calling the manufacturer for return authorization: Model Number Length Weight Proof of Purchase Date Purchased Location Purchased Anderson Bat Warranty Department: (888)777-4487 BamBoo Bat Company Broken Bat Return Program: (718)698-0775 or Click here to fill out the Broken Bat Return Program Form D-Bat Information Department: (903)572-1615 DeMarini Warranty Department: (800)937-BATS Easton Warranty Department: (888)259-1297 Franklin Information on Replacement Parts: (800)225-8649 x 274 Louisville Slugger Warranty Department: (800)282-BATS Miken Information Department: (877)807-5291 Mizuno Customer Service Department: (800)966-1211 Rawlings Warranty Replacement Service: (877)225-1041 Worth Customer Service Department: (800)423-3714