Cold weather is known to cause some serious damage to bats. Most players will avoid swinging their favorite bats due to how much damage one swing could cause! But fear not, here at Headbanger Sports, we believe you should have the right and the confidence to play ball all year around! That's why we put together a list of the top 7 best baseball bats for colder weather. This list is based upon what materials the bat is made of, the durability of those materials, shock absorption and price. Before we start, let's review why bats break so easily in the cold weather.
There’s two factors here that need to be accounted for when it comes to how the cold weather affects the materials of a baseball and the baseball bat, that's right… The ball is greatly affected by the change in weather as well.
First thing to address is that the actual baseball gets harder in the cold weather. This is due to the exterior material of the ball tightening up and hardening with the colder temperature as well as the internal core of the ball becoming more dense. A harder ball equals more impact force on the surface area with not as much compression or give when hit. It's like hitting a hard rock coming at you at 60+ mph.
The second thing to address is that the composite and alloy materials become more rigid (composite much more so than alloy). Composite material is a lot like carbon fiber, being that it's a reinforced carbon fiber polymer which is strong, but very brittle. Composite material bats don’t do as well in cold because the composite material doesn’t expand or contract as much as alloy does with the temperature fluctuation. So the combination of a harder ball and a more brittle bat equals an expensive bat with a high possibility of “Shark toothing” (fractures in the composite where it will lift up) or breaking on impact. Now, with Alloy… you’ll have some more reliability in cold weather however this doesn’t mean alloy bats won’t become weaker in the cold weather but will provide a little more durability and flexibility than composites do. With Alloy, you’ll see more denting as the ball is harder and more dense.
2023 Victus NOX 2
- Offered for USSSA, USA and BBCOR
Just released, the Victus NOX 2 is here! Built with obnoxious speed, power and performance in mind. The NOX 2 two-piece hybrid baseball bat combines the latest bat tech with an aesthetic unlike anything else on the market - the NOX 2 is built for ballplayers from the inside out.
Featuring an end-loaded design equipped with a military-grade aluminum barrel and carbon composite handle connected by Victus’ Two Smooth Impact Connection system for reduced vibration during contact. The ringless barrel with multi-variable wall thickness creates a thinner, more flexible sweet spot for maximum energy transfer and a higher M.O.I.
The Victus NOX 2 made our list for a few reasons:
- Two-piece hybrid design built with a carbon composite handle and military-grade aluminum barrel
- 2SIX, our Two Smooth Impact Connection, is a double banded vibration reducing connection comprised of a threaded connection between handle and barrel with two vibration dampening rings
- Dual band technology helps to minimize all unwanted, harsh vibrations from traveling to the players’ hands at contact, while the threaded connection helps to keep the bat stiff and maximize energy transfer to the ball
- Ringless barrel design made of multi-variable wall thicknesses create a thinner, more flexible sweet spot for unmatched performance
2023 Marucci CATX (For Cold: One Piece and the Connect)
- Offered for USSSA, USA and BBCOR
The Marucci name has been heard throughout Baseball for years and their CAT series bats have been their top sellers, with the newest being the CATX. The 2023 Marucci CATX comes as a one piece alloy, a 2 piece hybrid called the connect (alloy barrel with a composite handle) and a full composite two piece called the CATX composite.
Now, as this topic is relative to what bat should be used in cold weather, for this suggestion, we say that the Alloy one piece as well as the connect are your better options due to the alloy material as well as the price difference from the full composite (as a worst case scenario).
The CATX made our list for a few reasons:
- Tightened Production Tolerances: allow barrel diameters to be built to the maximum limit, creating more surface area and higher overall performance
- One-Piece Alloy Construction: clean, consistent, traditional swing feel (ALLOY ONLY)
- Liquid-Gel Dampening Knob: patent pending technology features the optimal amount of liquid-gel to reduce and absorb vibrations for a smooth, solid feel during contact
- AZR Aluminum: responsive, durable alloy provides better feel, more forgiveness, and more performance
- Multi-Variable Wall Design: expanded sweet spot and thinner walls for more forgiving off-centered performance
-
Ring-Free Barrel Construction: allows for more barrel flex and increased performance with no "dead" spots
- For 2-piece Connect
- Two-Piece Hybrid Construction: S-40 composite handle with AZR alloy barrel designed for power
- OLS Connection: one-of-a-kind design connects the barrel to the handle from the outside in, creating the stiffest connection available, while dismissing virtually all vibrations on contact for the strongest, smoothest swing yet
- S-40 Composite Handle: stiffer construction helps transfer more energy faster from athlete to ball for more performance
2023 Louisville Slugger Atlas
- Offered for USSSA, USA, and BBCOR
Off the charts swing speeds and exit velocities for travel ball’s top players. The 2023 Louisville Slugger Atlas Baseball Bat is engineered for elite hitters on the brink of high school play. A premium SL Hyper™ Alloy Barrel design offers an easy-swinging profile and ultra-balanced swing weight for maximum barrel control, and a re-engineered SPD-Gen2 End Cap optimizes barrel performance to transform swing speeds into easy power.
The Atlas made our list for a few reasons:
- One Piece Alloy Design offers a light-swinging profile
- SL Hyper™ Superlight Alloy: Incredibly light-swinging and features a thinner wall design for improved performance
- SPD-Gen2 End Cap: NEW SPD-Gen2 End Cap designed to optimize barrel performance.
- Premium LS Pro Comfort Grip™: Designed to give players added tack and cushion to improve feel and bat control through the zone
2023 Easton Encore Hybrid
- Offered for USSSA and BBCOR
The 2023 Easton Encore Hybrid is a unique bat with an insane crack when contact is made. As shown in the image above, the Encore hybrid is a two piece, hybrid barrel of alloy exterior barrel with a composite internal wall. Especially for cold weather, this will provide good barrel flex and durability against the colder weather and the harder baseballs.
Easton has engineered a unique combination of their widely popular R5 Alloy Barrel technology, then decided to thin it out by 30%. To reinforce that lost material, Easton internally reinforced and backed that alloy with their Thermo Composite Technology through the whole length of the barrel, from end cap all the way down to the handle where the connection piece is. This thinning out of the alloy and reinforcing it with their thermo composite material has created an ultra-thin barrel wall, a larger sweet spot as well as maximizing the trampoline effect you will get when hitting a ball, all while keeping up with the standard performance and durability everyone looks for. The PureLynk CXN joint, which is the main connection point from barrel to handle, maximizes the energy transfer of a player's swing as well as providing a very stiff feel for the player all the way through the ‘Pro-Stiff’ carbon handle. Speaking of the Pro-Stiff Carbon Handle, as stated on the Hype Comp, it is designed with extra stiff carbon fibers providing minimal flexibility and maximum rigidity and stiffness. Again, stated prior, Easton’s “Power Boost” Soft Knob Technology provides hitters with added leverage all while reducing overall vibration as well as providing a soft, cushiony feel for that bottom hand.
We chose the Easton Encore Hybrid due to a few specific features:
- Two Piece Hybrid Baseball Bat
- CompCore Technology -- Ringless R5 alloy barrel is thinned out by 30% and internally backed with Thermo Composite Technology across the length of the hitting surface, creating a thinner barrel wall, bigger sweet spot, and maximized trampoline effect
- PureLynk CXN connects the handle directly to the barrel, maximizing overall stiffness, energy transfer, and power at contact
- Power Boost "Soft Knob" technology provides hitters with more leverage while reducing vibration and improving comfort for the bottom hand
- Pro-Stiff Carbon Handle -- Designed with extra-stiff carbon fibers to create a more-solid handle, giving the most elite athletes the stiff feel they love.
2023 AXE Strato
- Offered for USSSA, USA and BBCOR
Axe has been a newcomer in the diamond sports world, however they have a reputation of having some of the hottest, most durable bats on the market. With that being said, the Axe Strato is no different! The Axe Strato is engineered to bring the heat. Strato's innovative 1-piece precision variable multi-wall barrel design delivers AXE's fastest swinging and highest performing bat. You get a massive sweet spot, the hottest max barrel, and lowest MOI swing weight accessible to all. Boasting a new precision machined Blastwall barrel with Armor Enhanced Alloy, the Strato delivers next level performance for Baseball.
We chose the Axe Strato for some key features:
- One PIece All Alloy Baseball Bat
- New One Piece Construction offers an ultra-balanced low MOI for all hitter types
- New Precision Variable Wall Engineering: multi-wall barrel boasts a ring-free massive sweet spot for next level power
- New Composite Hyperwhip End Cap offers a sleek composite end cap design reduces weight for a faster, larger, and louder barrel
- Patented AXE Handle offers the biggest swing advantage in the game. Giving you more speed, control and the best grip
- New Endogrid Technology is built into the AXE Handle and absorbs vibration before it reaches your bottom hand
2022 Demarini Goods (2023 USA)
- 2023 - USA only, 2022 - BBCOR and USSSA
Demarini The Goods! If you aren’t familiar with this bat yet, you might want to start! This is one of the HOTTEST baseball bats on the market to date. Being an alloy barrel makeup, it will handle the cold weather and send those hardened baseballs to the stratosphere. Equipped with a massive X14 Alloy Barrel, The Goods empowers young USA players to consistently barrel up incoming pitches for solid contact and base hits. The Goods pairs its durable alloy barrel with a Paraflex™ Plus Composite Handle, resulting in extreme energy transfer on contact while limiting hand sting. The lightweight Tracer End Cap complements the barrel to optimize performance, and The Goods’ light swing weight allows for serious barrel control so rising stars can flex their muscles.
We chose the goods to be featured as one of the best bats for the cold for the below features ( broken down per bat ):
- 2023 The Goods USA: (Balanced)
- X14 Alloy Barrel offers a massive alloy barrel designed for elite USA Power Hitters
- Type V Connection offers an All New Connection that improves energy transfer while dampening sting on mishits
- Tracer End Cap is composed of lightweight composite materials to enhance bat speed while maintaining powerful barrel performance
-
Half + Half Construction is a continuation of DeMarini's innovative technology, this stick features a stiff composite handle and massive alloy barrel for a stiff and powerful swing
- 2022 The Goods BBCOR/USSSA: (Endloaded)
- Two-Piece Hybrid Construction: Alloy Barrel, Composite Handle
- Paraflex Plus Composite Handle Is Designed To Be More Responsive & Create A Better Feel
- Tremor End Cap: A new end cap designed with stronger materials maintains barrel power and durability.
- X14 Alloy Barrel For Improved Durability & Pop
- 2022 The Goods Two-Piece USSSA: (Balanced)
- X14 Alloy Barrel offers a massive alloy barrel designed for elite USA Power Hitters
- Type V Connection offers an All New Connection that improves energy transfer while dampening sting on mishits
- Tracer End Cap is composed of lightweight composite materials to enhance bat speed while maintaining powerful barrel performance
- Half + Half Construction is a continuation of DeMarini's innovative technology, this stick features a stiff composite handle and massive alloy barrel for a stiff and powerful swing
- 2022 The Goods One-Piece USSSA: (Balanced)
- Huge X14 Alloy Barrel: Lightweight performance alloy built for maximum pop and durability
- 1 Piece Alloy Construction: built for maximum stiffness and ultimate bat speed
- Tracer End Cap: Composed of lightweight composite materials to enhance bat speed while maintaining powerful barrel performance.
Strinking Metal (Metal 2, and Pro)
- USSSA, USA, and BBCOR
Cheap, durable and straightforward. That's the StringKing Metal. Starting at $89.99 ($199 for the metal 2 pro), the StringKing Metal baseball bat is made of some of the highest quality alloy materials available. As there are a few different types, below will be a breakdown of each model and the key features.
- Stringking Metal: (USA -$89.99, USSSA and BBCOR - $99.99)
- One-Piece, All-Alloy Baseball Bat
- StringKing Maxes Out The Sweetspot Of This Bat To Allow You To Make Clean & Powerful Contact On Every Swing.
- Stringking Metal Pro: (USA -$119.99, USSSA and BBCOR - $129.99)
- One-Piece, All-Alloy Baseball Bat
- Premium Alloy for more Durability and Pop
- StringKing Maxes Out The Sweetspot Of This Bat To Allow You To Make Clean & Powerful Contact On Every Swing.
- Extended Barrel with Upgraded Taper: More Surface Area to contact with the baseball
- Premium Materials: Metal 2 uses the same cutting-edge alloy as the original best-selling Metal Pro BBCOR.
- Variable Wall Thickness, used to get the most power and durability out of your bat
- Upgraded Grip
- Special Note: If you thought they maxed out the BBCOR rating of their first generation of bats. Well, they outdid themselves this time. BBCOR bats are limited by the rules to a rating of .500 or lower. All Metal 2 Pro bats have a rating of between .496 and .500—it doesn't get much closer than that.
- Extended Barrel with Upgraded Taper: More Surface Area to contact with the baseball
- Upgraded Materials: Metal 2 Pro features an extended barrel and upgraded taper compared to the first generation Metal Pro. The longer the barrel gives the Metal 2 more surface area and a larger sweet spot to make contact with the baseball.
- Variable Wall Thickness, used to get the most power and durability out of your bat
- Upgraded Grip
If you’re looking to get some practice in, stay seasoned all year around or just play during the winter seasons, look no further than Headbanger Sports for all of your Diamond needs!
