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Success at the plate often comes down to this: making consistent hard contact against live pitching. To do this, it’s important to swing the right bat for you. That means a bat that’s long enough to cover the strike zone, light enough to swing with ease and heavy enough to generate power.
The table below is a general guide for determining your bat size based on your height and weight. Please remember when choosing your bat that this is just a general guide. Your personal preference should play a role in the size of bat you choose as you may be more comfortable with a lighter bat for a quicker swing or a heavier bat for more pop.
| Weight |
Height
|
|||||||||
| 3ft - 3ft 4" |
3ft 5" - 3ft 8"
|
3ft 9" - 4ft | 4ft 1" - 4ft 4" |
4ft 5" - 4ft 8"
|
4ft 9" - 5ft | 5ft 1" - 5ft 4" |
5ft 5" - 5ft 8"
|
5ft 9" - 6ft | 6ft 1" + | |
| Under 60lbs | 26" | 27" | 28" | 29" | 29" | |||||
| 61 - 70 lbs | 27" | 27" | 28" | 29" | 30" | 30" | ||||
| 71 - 80 lbs | 28" | 28" | 29" | 30" | 30" | 31" | ||||
| 81 - 90 lbs | 28" | 29" | 29" | 30" | 30" | 31" | 32" | |||
| 91 - 100 lbs | 28" | 29" | 30" | 30" | 31" | 31" | 32" | |||
| 101 - 110 lbs | 29" | 29" | 30" | 30" | 31" | 31" | 32" | |||
| 111 -120 lbs | 29" | 29" | 30" | 30" | 31" | 31" | 32" | |||
| 121 - 130 lbs | 29" | 29" | 30" | 30" | 31" | 32" | 33" | 33" | ||
| 131 - 140 lbs | 29" | 29" | 30" | 31" | 31" | 32" | 33" | 33" | ||
| 141 - 150 lbs | 29" | 30" | 31" | 31" | 32" | 33" | 33" | |||
| 151 - 160 lbs | 29" | 30" | 31" | 31" | 32" | 33" | 33" | 33" | ||
| 161 - 170 lbs | 31" | 31" | 31" | 32" | 33" | 33" | 34" | |||
| 171 - 180 lbs | 32" | 33" | 33" | 34" | 34" | |||||
| 180 + lbs | 33" | 33" | 34" | 34" | ||||||
At Baseball Outlet we have a variety of different baseball bat materials available, these are Ash, Maple, Birch and Wood Composite.
Ash: Ash is still very popular among the big leaguers as it provides great flexibility due to the unique grain structure. You will see less fractured breakages with ash bats because of this flexibility and the visible grain lines allow for noticeable quality.
Maple: This is the species that most pro players prefer as it features the best surface hardness and provides an unmatched sound and feel at contact. Maple is naturally harder than other bats and offers added strength at impact. The closed grains eliminate flaking which is more commonly seen with ash and this allow superior durability.
Birch: This is the fastest growing species in professional baseball. It features the ideal combination of surface hardness and flexibility for increased durability. Birch has a hardness that is similar to maple and provides a great sound and feel at contact. This is balanced with a flexibility closer to ash that allows for more forgiveness on any non-barrel contact and helps to decrease the chance of fractured breakage. Pound for pound birch bats are lighter than maple giving you a lighter swing weights again comparable turning models. Birch bats require a small break in period of around 30 - 50 contacts to compress the wood and optimise it's performance by reaching the maximum hardness.
Wood Composite: Made up of different wood blends. This means that composite wood bats are more durable and last longer than traditional wood bats.
Cupping a bat is the process in which the end of the barrel is hollowed out to remove weight while maintaining length. This process creates a slightly more balanced feel to your swing and is especially effective on larger-barrel bats for increased swing speed. Cupping a bat allows it to be made of denser wood meaning that the cupping process won't weaken the bat or increase the chance of breaks.
Wooden Bats Information Sheet
SELECTING YOUR IDEAL BAT SIZE AND WEIGHT
- Place the bottom of the bat in the center of your chest, pointing it to the side, parallel to your outstretched arm. If you can comfortably reach the top of the bat with your fingertips, the bat is the right length.
- Position the bottom of the bat in the center of your chest, facing outward. If your arm can reach out and grab the barrel of the bat, then it is the correct length.
- Stand the bat up against the side of your leg. If the end of the bat reaches the center of your palm when you reach down, it's the appropriate length.
BUYER’S TRICK: To determine if a bat is too heavy, here's a simple trick. Hold the bat handle and extend your arm away from your side. If you can't hold the bat extended for 30-45 seconds, the bat might be too heavy for you.
STRUCTURE OF A BASEBALL BAT

Helps keep the bat from slipping out of a batter's hand; Also helpful for hanging on a bat rack for storage.
Sometimes covered by tape or a bat gripping aid, this is where a batter will place his or her hands when swinging.
This section is where the thinnest part of the bat's handle transitions into the wider barrel. Much like the grip, the taper is not an ideal area of the bat to make contact with the ball.
The thickest area of the bat where a batter should look to make contact with a baseball or softball.
The end, essentially, finishes off the barrel. Some wood bats have "cupped," or concave, ends to reduce overall swing weight. This creates a faster, more balanced swing speed, which makes them ideal for younger players. Non-cupped ends may be better for stronger players.
KNOB TYPES
In addition to the barrel, taper and handle, a bat's knob can also vary by design. These differences can lend themselves more to different hitting styles:
STANDARD
Standard wood bat knobs closely resemble the knobs found on metal baseball bats. This can be a good option for newcomers to wood bat leagues.

TAPERED
Tapered knobs are a popular, common option when choosing wood bats. This style features a smooth, flared transition from knob to handle.

BELL
Bell knobs are slightly larger and have more mass than other knobs. They serve as a counterweight for batters. They create more whip and swing speed through the zone.

CONE
Cone knobs feature a slow, gradual transition from handle to knob-allowing for an ergonomic, comfortable feel. It is a popular choice for players coming off of injury.

CHOOSE YOUR GRIP
There are a variety of gripping aids available to help you maintain an optimal hold on your wood bat:
Although messy, it is a great choice for players who want to enhance their grip while still maintaining a "feel" of the wood.
- DENSITY & STRENGTH: Less Dense and More Lightweight Than Maple.
- DURABILITY: Less Durable Than Maple.
- FLEX LEVEL: Superbly Durable, Creates a “Trampoline Effect”.
- DENSITY & STRENGTH: Dense and Strong; Ideal for Novice Wood Bat Users.
- DURABILITY: Superbly Durable.
- FLEX LEVEL: Superbly Durable.
Think of Batting Gloves in baseball as similar to those who use a glove for golfing, but they're frequently used by both hands. Widely used across baseball and softball, batting gloves are ideal for hitters who take lots of batting practice. If you want to avoid calluses and blisters, batting gloves allow you to practice and perfect your swing. They're also perfect for those warmer or even rainier days when the bat can get a little slick and hard to handle.
Wood Bat Materials Comparison Chart
- DENSITY & STRENGTH: Most Dense Wood.
- DURABILITY: Very Durable.
- FLEX LEVEL: Rigid, More Energy Transfer to Ball.
- DENSITY & STRENGTH: Less Dense and More Lightweight Than Maple.
- DURABILITY: Less Durable Than Maple.
- FLEX LEVEL: Superbly Durable, Creates a “Trampoline Effect”.
- DENSITY & STRENGTH: Dense and Strong; Ideal for Novice Wood Bat Users.
- DURABILITY: Superbly Durable.
- FLEX LEVEL: Superbly Durable.
- DENSITY & STRENGTH: Very Dense, Very Strong.
- DURABILITY: Superbly Durable; Often Used for Batting Practice.
- FLEX LEVEL: Superbly Durable.
- DENSITY & STRENGTH: Strong; Similar Performance to Standard Bats.
- DURABILITY: Superbly Durable; Ideal for Novice Wood Bat Users.
- FLEX LEVEL: Superbly Durable.
Some Facts About Buying a Baseball Bat
At Baseball Outlet we have a variety of different baseball bat materials available, these are Ash, Maple, Birch and Wood Composite.
Ash: Ash is still very popular among the big leaguers as it provides great flexibility due to the unique grain structure. You will see less fractured breakages with ash bats because of this flexibility and the visible grain lines allow for noticeable quality.
Maple: This is the species that most pro players prefer as it features the best surface hardness and provides an unmatched sound and feel at contact. Maple is naturally harder than other bats and offers added strength at impact. The closed grains eliminate flaking which is more commonly seen with ash and this allow superior durability.
Birch: This is the fastest growing species in professional baseball. It features the ideal combination of surface hardness and flexibility for increased durability. Birch has a hardness that is similar to maple and provides a great sound and feel at contact. This is balanced with a flexibility closer to ash that allows for more forgiveness on any non-barrel contact and helps to decrease the chance of fractured breakage. Pound for pound birch bats are lighter than maple giving you a lighter swing weights again comparable turning models. Birch bats require a small break in period of around 30 - 50 contacts to compress the wood and optimise it's performance by reaching the maximum hardness.
Wood Composite: Made up of different wood blends. This means that composite wood bats are more durable and last longer than traditional wood bats.
Cupping a bat is the process in which the end of the barrel is hollowed out to remove weight while maintaining length. This process creates a slightly more balanced feel to your swing and is especially effective on larger-barrel bats for increased swing speed. Cupping a bat allows it to be made of denser wood meaning that the cupping process won't weaken the bat or increase the chance of breaks.
The bats that we stock carry the ISF Certified stamp approving them for league play.


