Bat Actual Weight vs Bat Stated Weight

In conjunction with our exit speed bat testing and barrel size measurements, we weigh bats and compare them to their stated weight. We found that the indicated bat weight is rarely what a bat actually weighs. Below we measured every bat we have for testing this year and put them in the table. We weighed the bat on a reliable kitchen scale. We also note the difference between the stated and actual weights and identify the league the bats are made for.

Are There Bat Weight Problems?

The short answer is no.

Among the threads and pages we follow in the bat space, there has been a general sentiment that USABats weigh more than they are stated to weigh. While that is true, our data below shows they do not weigh more than their stated weight any more frequently than USSSA or BBCOR bats do. Our average shows that USABat stated weights are more reliable than those of BBCOR or USSSA bats.

USABats tend to weigh 1.13 ounces more than their stated weight, while BBCOR bats are 1.17 ounces heavier. USSSA is the worst offender on average, weighing 1.31 ounces over its stated weight.

Swing Weight vs. Actual Weight vs. Stated Weight

As we discuss at length in our best bat weight article, there is a considerable difference between the stated weight, the actual weight, and the swing weight of the bat.

In short, the stated weight is what is printed on the knob. The actual weight is what a bat literally weighs. The swing weight is how difficult a bat is to swing and is a function of the actual weight and how the bat’s weight is distributed along the length of the barrel.

This article dissects the actual weight of bats. While it may be a useful exercise (and one factor in determining the swing weight of bats), the really important factor—swing weight—is not shown below.

In other words, don’t read too much into the following. The right bat weight is still about the feel of the bat, and that is really a determination of swing weight—not stated weight or actual weight.

Average USABat Weight Difference: 1.13 Ounces

Average BBCOR Weight Difference: 1.17 Ounces

Average USSSA Weight Difference: 1.31 Ounces

Why Do Bats Weigh Differently Than Stated?

One of the first things we noticed when we started seriously reviewing baseball bats five years ago was how many had a different actual weight than the stated weight. In fact, very few bats actually weigh what they claim, and most weigh more. Some even weigh upwards of 10% more than their stated weight.

We have asked nearly every bat company why their bats weigh more than the stated weight. The most common response attributes the weight difference to the grip and end cap.

Companies with more accurate stated weights claim that companies with a wide margin between stated and actual weight have poor quality control. While we are sympathetic to their claim, simply because we think the common disparity is somewhat ridiculous, the fact that bats are consistently the same amount overweight is not a commentary on poor quality control.

Why No Drop 8.75 Bats?

Instead, the difference is a function of companies trying to fit bats into a certain category while also producing a bat to a certain standard. Bats, especially youth and little league baseball bats, are categorized by the drop. (The drop is the numerical difference between the bat’s weight in ounces and length in inches.) If a company sets out to make a good drop 10 bat, for example, their tweaks over several months and years can push the bat off the exact target weight. When deciding between the perfect feeling and performing bat and redefining a new category of bat (say a drop of 8.75), they choose the less disruptive route.

This is not an excuse for the bat companies, but it is at least a reasonable explanation.

Stated Weight vs Actual Weight