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2011 BBCOR Bat Reviews

by Cheapbats.com Staff

Best selection of BBCOR Bats

The new BBCOR bats have brought in a new era of baseball bats.  Every bat manufacturer in the country seems to have a BBCOR bat offering, even the smaller bat makers like Marruci and Rip It have introduced a BBCOR. We hit every BBCOR bat on the market for three weeks straight.  Combined, we put in over 10,000 swings on these bats. It all came down to sting, vibration and balance of the bat. All BBCOR bats have a smaller barrel than their BESR counter parts. All BBCOR bats feel heavier because more weight is distributed to the end of the barrel. Here is the ugly truth about BBCOR bats... The "pop" is almost indistinguishable between bats.  However, that is where the similarities end and the testing begins. There were clear "winners" in the shootout. Not because one bat hit the ball further every time, but because one bat allows you to control the bat better and put the sweet spot on the ball more consistently. While they all hit the ball approximately the same distance, several bats had advantages in comfort and swingability that will ultimately help you be a better hitter. How the bats differ: Vibration, Sound, Balance (more/less end heavy) and bat control.

One Piece BBCOR Bats:

  • Easton Rival - Sting and vibration are not too bad but they are still there, if you can't handle any vibration and want an Easton BBCOR, skip the Rival and buy a Surge.
  • TPX Omaha - The Omaha Louisville Slugger BBCOR bat has a nice grip and does not feel as heavy as other bats but the sting and vibration is out of control if you hit it off the end or close to the hands.
  • Marruci Cat 5 - The Marruci BBCOR bat is the lightest feeling bbcor on the market. The Cat 5 has ZERO vibration and swings very well. This bat is as good as the Easton Surge and Demarini Voodoo but sells for $100 less. Hit it and see for yourself.
  • Rawlings 5150 / Worth Toxic (Same bat, different name) - Surprisingly, this bat was our second favorite one piece BBCOR bat. It had good balance and very little vibration. The grip is nice and fat too.
  • Combat Backbone - Combat makes a very good practice BBCOR bat but nothing we would ever use in a game. This bat is a great training tool, but do not fool yourself into thinking that this bat is for anything other than practice.

Two Piece BBCOR Bats

  • Demarini Voodoo - The DeMarini Voodoo baseball bat was at the top of the list for best BBCOR bat on the market. No vibration, balanced feel and a proven durable alloy. You can't go wrong with the Demarini Voodoo.
  • Demarini Vexxum - The Vexxum hits just as hard as the Voodoo (it is made from the same metal after all), but it does have more vibration than a Voodoo BBCOR. If you have the extra $100 go for the Voodoo.
  • Easton Surge - The Surge by Easton was at the top as well. Just like the Demarini Voodoo, the Easton Surge has zero sting/vibration while the light feel allowed us to swing and control the bat better in order to get the bat through the hitting zone. The Surge BBCOR is a great bat. If you are an Easton fan then this is the Easton BBCOR for you.


This article was published on Sunday 13 February, 2011.

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