The decades old debate over aluminum vs. wood bats will probably exist as long as the choice is available. Those who love wooden bats REALLY love wooden bats (and vice versa of course). Baseball was played with wooden bats for a great number of years. In fact, even with the advancements in aluminum bats, it’s the professionals who use wood bats and the amateurs who use the all-mighty aluminum bats.
So, the question is... which is better? Wood or Aluminum? Well, the easy answer is that it depends on what you're using it for.
Aluminum bats are used in most Little Leagues because they are lighter and easier to swing, thus allowing a harder and faster hit than with heavier wood bats. Aluminum bats also have a more easily adjusted weight distribution. Since wooden baseball bats are solid, the bulk of the weight sits in the barrel, so the center of gravity has to be further away from the handle. This causes the bat to feel heavier near the end.
In Major League Baseball, only wooden bats are permitted. Baseball has been a beloved American past-time for well over a century and the sport is notorious for stubbornly keeping to its traditions. Used since the 1800s, wooden bats are seen as a tradition in themselves and it's not likely that baseball will let them go any time soon. Many argue that switching to aluminum bats in the major leagues would result in a homerun slaughter-fest that would become boring and tedious after a while. There is something to be said about the skill it takes to swing and drive a ball with a wooden bat as compared to the lighter, easier to handle aluminum bats.
Aluminum bats are also more durable than wood since they don't splinter or break. In an average season, any single baseball player can go through dozens of wood bats yet keep the same aluminum bat from beginning to end. For this reason, many amateur and little leagues opt for metal bats. While the initial investment is higher (sometimes hundreds higher), aluminum bats will likely last a season or two, while wood bats are known to splinter and break fairly regularly.
The most obvious difference between wood and aluminum baseball bats is that wood bats go "crack" when they hit a ball while aluminum bats go "ping." Aluminum bats have a larger sweet spot (sometimes up to 5 - 7 inches) and have a lot more "pop" due to the elastic properties of the metal. For wood bats, the sweet spot is maybe 2-3 inches.
The bottom line is... have fun and use the bat that feels good to you. Few of us will become Barry Bonds, but that's never stopped us from having fun and enjoying the game!
Which side of the controversy are you on?
Be sure to check out our extensive selection of Metal Baseball Bats and Wood Baseball Bats.
We also carry Fast Pitch Softball Bats and Slow Pitch Softball Bats
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