I think you may find that 31" exist with bamboo bats in a drop 3. The LS is usually somewhere between a -2 and -3. 

As you know, the sweet spot is smaller on a wood bat, so your son's desire to swing wood will just propel him forward faster. Tremendous!

Once you know he's completely hooked on wood, and he can handle a 32" -2 or -3, then you'll want to consider trying maple over ash.

Louisville Slugger makes a nice ash bat for around $50 that's perfect for what you are looking for.  Ash is certainly more forgiving and won't sting the hands as much as maple.  Joemktg's advice is spot on with regards to trying maple after has used a wood bat for a while.  

Chandlar bats are really good bats (last long, and swing well) but they are expensive.

Another vote for ash for younger kids. Generally a little lighter and less prone to break when he hits one off the handle. LS makes a couple of models from -3 to -5, for under $50. The pattern makes the biggest different on how the swing will feel to him. If he can't swing a few different patterns from his teammates or in a local store, I'd start with a 271 because that will probably feel the most like his Combat. If you go -3, you might want a 30" to reduce the additional weight. Unless he's a big kid, one bat might last him quite a while. I wouldn't buy a 2nd one until he gets some hacks in with the first one, and decides how much he likes it.

Elijah, wooden bats are just "cooler" to swing, so says my kid.  I would HIGHLY recommend you not spend more than $50 on a wooden bat right now.  The age of your kid, the age of the pitchers, and frankly the fact that ALL wooden bats break should be major factors, in my opinion.

My kid is in love with this one, and I have to say it does look cool.

http://www.amazon.com/Easton-P...ui_search_detailpage

2014Prospect posted:

Chandlar bats are really good bats (last long, and swing well) but they are expensive.

I think they are out of business. 

The easton power brigade bat breaks easily,  My son broke his the first time he used it.  He hits hard and maybe took the pitch lower on the bat, but it broke nonetheless.

MidAtlanticDad posted:

I'd start with a 271 because that will probably feel the most like his Combat. 

Good point regarding turning model: do the research on the different types of turning models before diving in and purchasing wood bats.

As for breaking them, they all break over time.  A lot of that has to do with the hitters swing as well as the quality of the bat. 

Dadof3 posted:

The easton power brigade bat breaks easily,  My son broke his the first time he used it.  He hits hard and maybe took the pitch lower on the bat, but it broke nonetheless.

Maybe my son has been very lucky, or maybe you got a defective bat.  He's been swinging it in the cages for about a month and he hits the balls HARD.

bballdad2016 posted:

As for breaking them, they all break over time.  A lot of that has to do with the hitters swing as well as the quality of the bat. 

The most important characteristic of an ash bat is the run of the grain. Look for straight grain, especially in the handle. And make sure he hits with the label up. (None of that matters much with maple.)

http://www.bearvalleybats.com/Follow_the_Grain.html

http://www.chandlerbats.com/

2017 has settled on Beaver Bat  company for a few reasons. 

1. Bats of exactly the same design are available in ash / birch and maple. 
2. Wood quality matches the more expensive wood bats he has
3. their service has been excellent
4. the cost of the bats is very reasonable

http://www.beaverbatcompany.com/

P.S. you can get it engraved if you want too...

Brett Bros MB110

I thought the quality of the grain had something to do with the pop of the bat. Apparently not. Seems to only be about durability. Also wondering about how a gloss finish affects the bat. 

Elijah posted:

I thought the quality of the grain had something to do with the pop of the bat. Apparently not. Seems to only be about durability. Also wondering about how a gloss finish affects the bat. 

As far as baseball goes I have no idea how the gloss finish affects the bat.  However, as far as asthetics goes the gloss finish on the Easton bat grabs every bit of ink off the ball.  I.e after the first hit the bat had the word Rawlings super imposed on the shiny bat. 

I don't know about bang for the buck but I have always been a fan of sambat.  

I believe Chandler bats are -2. And $120+ for the prospect series is little high in my book for a 2021...

FWIW- stay reasonable on price until he gets at least 16. 

Update: His bat felt heavy to him today. I believe the weight took him out of his swing and he was swinging long. He did get a solid knock after switching to a lighter bat. He wants to hit with wood, but he can not start with a 32 which is what he has now. Need to go with a 31. One thing for sure...wood is unforgiving! 

SSK Cano model

Bob

Elijah posted:

Update: His bat felt heavy to him today. I believe the weight took him out of his swing and he was swinging long. He did get a solid knock after switching to a lighter bat. He wants to hit with wood, but he can not start with a 32 which is what he has now. Need to go with a 31. One thing for sure...wood is unforgiving! 

 

Practicing with wood seems to get a kid to focus on hitting properly...BUT....keep in mind they don't use wood in games in high school or college, except for the rare wooden bat tourneys.  I would suggest he keep the wood in the cages and not on the field.

CaCO3Girl posted:

Practicing with wood seems to get a kid to focus on hitting properly...BUT....keep in mind they don't use wood in games in high school or college, except for the rare wooden bat tourneys.  I would suggest he keep the wood in the cages and not on the field.

Just as a counterpoint, my 2017 son swings wood during his BP time alone as well as his HS team BP in the cages and on the field during the HS season.  It does help him to focus on hitting the sweet spot more often and it has worked for him.  My only suggestion for anyone considering this would be to find a wood and BBCOR bat that are of the same weight and balance as to not disrupt the kid's timing.

What are y'all thoughts on taping the barrel of a wooden bat?

Ehs- Tyler posted:

What are y'all thoughts on taping the barrel of a wooden bat?

If it is a fungo then you can if you want too...any other bats no. 

My son also uses wood bats for BP and in the cage in our yard.  Does so well now starting to use in games.  Hits more over the fence with the wood.

Only if it ash and only for BP. When we travel to Australia each December we use 6 dozen SSK wood bats for 36 games [3 teams]. Our players break only 5 bats. They use the special BP bat for BP.

Bob <www.goodwillseries.org>

Didn't realize that HS coaches would not let you hit with wood. 

Bang for the buck, my boys have always used Akadema . We've always boned them too....

Elijah posted:

Didn't realize that HS coaches would not let you hit with wood. 

There is still a misconception that metal bats outperform wood bats.  When in actuality its the players comfort level with whatever bat he uses that dictates how well he will hit.   

From what I've seen in our area, most high school coaches are very good game managers but are extremely ignorant on hitting and pitching techniques.   

lionbaseball posted:

Elijah posted:

Didn't realize that HS coaches would not let you hit with wood. 

There is still a misconception that metal bats outperform wood bats.  When in actuality its the players comfort level with whatever bat he uses that dictates how well he will hit.   

From what I've seen in our area, most high school coaches are very good game managers but are extremely ignorant on hitting and pitching techniques.   

Lion, you are right on.  There is absolutely no discernible difference between hitting with a good wood bat or metal BBCOR in games.  I have plenty of guys who use our bats instead of metal during the season.  Sometimes I'm informed of this by dads, so I ask how their son is doing.  It is usually something like "he leads the team in hitting" or "he's leading the league in hitting right now".  There is no downside.  It comes down to what a player is more comfortable using.  Of course, the metal companies are invested in wanting you to believe differently.  Gotta sell those $450 beauties with the really cool graphics.  Unfortunately, a lot of HS coaches have "bought it".  Many have not.  When the BBCOR rule went into effect I said that now it all comes down to marketing and graphics.  That's why you see a bat filled with helium.  Sheesh.

Ditto on the coaches.  Having coached for many years and kind of specializing in pitching and hitting mechanics, from my observations the vast majority of HS coaches have never educated themselves to the point where they can really help players improve their techniques.  It takes a lot of work to gain the knowledge to be able to do this and the plain fact is that most have not.  Thus, the industry for special pitching and hitting coaches at baseball academies.

I have noticed the 14u PG super 25 says metal bats only. The 16u Memorial Day PG event says wooden bat only.  PG events don't ever seem to say "BBCOR" metal or wood.

I know that some of the PG 25 Qualifiers or Regionals are wood only, depending on the age. But the PG website states under the bat restrictions for the PG25 events:

Super25 Bat Restrictions

Metal Bat Restrictions
In age bracket 9u to 13u, there will be bat restrictions to BPF 1.15.
In the 14u to 17u age brackets, metal bats need to be BBCOR.

NYdad2017 posted:

I know that some of the PG 25 Qualifiers or Regionals are wood only, depending on the age. But the PG website states under the bat restrictions for the PG25 events:

 

Super25 Bat Restrictions

Metal Bat Restrictions
In age bracket 9u to 13u, there will be bat restrictions to BPF 1.15.
In the 14u to 17u age brackets, metal bats need to be BBCOR.

BPF 1.15 is the standard for below drop 3, i.e. -10, -8, -5

The standard for drop 3 is of course BBCOR.  They also have wooden bat standards, something about one piece of wood, not a wood composite.

CaCO3Girl posted:

I have noticed the 14u PG super 25 says metal bats only. The 16u Memorial Day PG event says wooden bat only.  PG events don't ever seem to say "BBCOR" metal or wood.

BCS events are BBCOR.

http://www.perfectgame.org/Eve...ions.aspx?event=3333

Why would Perfect Game specifically not allow wood bats? (Referring to the above link.)