How to Buy a Baseball Bat

Expand the description and view the text of the steps for this how-to video.

Check out Howcast for other do-it-yourself videos from pcb and more videos in the Baseball Equipment category.

You can contribute too! Create your own DIY guide at http://www.howcast.com/videos/new or produce your own Howcast spots with the Howcast Filmmakers Program at http://www.howcast.com/filmmakers/apply.

If you're going to play America's pastime, you're gonna need a bat. So go get one, slugger...

To complete this How-To you will need:

Sporting goods store
Batting glove

Step 1: Check the rules

If you're in a league, look up the restrictions for bats, both in material and size. Bats are usually made of wood or metal. The sweet spots are the same, but metal bats are easier to swing—though they're often more expensive and banned from some leagues.

Tip: Little League bats typically must be under 2¼" in girth and less than 33" long.

Step 2: Visit a store

Go to the store and pick out a few bats within your budget and size restrictions.

Tip: If you wear batting gloves, take them with you to the store and put them on them while handling the bats.

Step 3: Find your bat size

Match your height with the appropriate bat size. Though there's no hard-and-fast rule for matching a batter with his or her bat, there are some guidelines from which to start.

Step 4: Kids 8 to 10

Kids 8 to 10 should bat with a 16- or 17-ounce bat if they're under 50" tall, all the way up to a 20-ounce bat if they're over 60" tall.

Step 5: Kids 11 and 12

For 11 and 12 year olds, bats should fall between 18 to 23 ounces.

Step 6: High schoolers and older

For high schoolers and up, bats range from 27 to 31 ounces.

Step 7: Test the bat

Once you've selected the appropriate bat, pick it up and feel it. Take a few swings, being careful not to hit anybody or anything.

Tip: Take the bat with one hand and move it around with your arm extended. If the bat is too heavy for you, you'll try and bend at your elbow—rather than your wrist—to move the bat around.

Step 8: Buy a bat

Purchase the bat that feels the most comfortable. Take it to a batting cage and start swinging for the fences.

Thanks for watching How To Buy a Baseball Bat! If you enjoyed this video subscribe to the Howcast YouTube channel! http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=howcast

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Recreation
• baseball
• bat
• buy
• buying
• choose
• choosing
• equipment
• new
• out
• pick
• picking
• purchase
• purchasing

[BlackNoir]

What if I just want to beat up the homeless?

[ProEthan]

Wood bats in Canadian Highschools is the only way to go.

[DisorientedFish]

@BlackNoir Your an asshole, you ungrateful piece of shit!

[greenpie891]

Step one: buy a bat

did you know u have just read my comment

[felixon2]

this was flat out awful.

[OhLookItsMe123]

Someone would be dumb not to know how to buy a baseball bat. ><

[QbnoStoppinMe]

you should never swing for the fences idiot

[TheWolvesBestFriend]

you go to the store and ask the fat lady in the blue " WHere are the baseball bats?"

get one and hit ur mom!

[jhondoe34]

i`m 5"1 tall how long it might be my bat? ahh by the way i`m 30 years old.

[MrStitch105]

you waNT A LONGER BUT LIGHTER ONE FOR THIS. aLSO, PRACTICE throwinh your bat at a fixed target like a tree or a pole. This will allow you to hit someone that is trying to run away.

[genuinediamond]

same here. dont they talk about material. ping pong pop thigny?

[kaizen05]

Ok everything was ok..except you dont bring your OWN bat to the batting cages...It messes up your bat REAL fast..thats why they have their own bats at the cages...Just ask them if they have the same model or the same specs as the bat that you have..maybe you'll find a better bat than the one you bought