Quick Take
We measured actual swing weights of 40+ fastpitch bats. Surprise: stated weight means nothing. Some -10s swing heavier than -8s. Data exposes manufacturer BS. Trust the scale, not the sticker.
We measure the swing weight of every fastpitch bat we test. Most of our data is completed on 32/22 bats. Fastpitch bats have a very close grouping of swing weights, with a few exceptions. We also think swing weight is the most critical information for determining exit speeds. You can see all of the fastpitch data we’ve collected over the years on our members page.
A bat size chart is also a good place to start. But remember, the stated weight of a bat is not the same as its swing weight. Bats with the same scale weight can be upwards of 10% different in feel.
We share our exit speeds exclusively with our email subscribers. The process of gathering and measuring swing weights is very involved. It requires
Understanding Swing Weights
Swing weights are not intuitive. That is, the idea of a swing weight isn’t naturally obvious. Many confuse swing weight with the scale weight. But, as proven elsewhere, scale and swing weights are not well correlated at the margins. That is, comparing the actual weight of bats, which is stated to be 22 ounces, won’t be a good indicator of how they swing compared to one another.
The bat’s balance point, on the other hand, is a decent indicator of how one bat swings compared to another. A layman’s way to determine which bat swings heavier may be to see which bat has a balance point closer to the end cap. You can do this roughly by balancing the bat on your extended finger. Then, mark the spot where it balances. Comparing those marks across similar length bats indicates how difficult they are to swing compared to others.
