3 To 5 MPH Lower Ball Exit Speeds 🙁
How does the 2020 DeMarini CF Zen versus the 2020 DeMarini Glitch CF Zen compare? Well, in short, not nearly as good based on exit speeds and “feel”. We have seen exit velocity speeds decrease by 3 to 5 MPH, which is HUGE in the competitive travel baseball bat market.
A New USSSA Testing Lab and Process Levels the Playing Field
With the new USSSA testing laboratory finally up and running, in an actual scientific lab (not a room at New York University like the old USSSA lab), DeMarini’s once dominant advantage over its competitors now may be gone?
Where previously one bat maker might be able to get a hotter bat approved by the now retired professor at NYU than another bat maker, the new USSSA lab brings a level playing field to all bat makers with use of stricter, more precise test procedures and processes.
Gone are the days of submitting a hot bat for testing and hoping it gets approved – from now on, the new USSSA lab makes all things equal to all bat makers. The days of the DeMarini Zen being the hottest USSSA bat are now over? You tell us! Please comment below and let us know if your field testing matches up with ours.
no longer will one bat brand have a testing advantage over others due to the new USSSA testing location and process
April 1st, 2020 Bat Manufacturing Rule Change
On April 1st, 2020, all bat makers had to stop making USSSA bats based on the old lab’s test and specifications. While the new test is said to have the same exit speeds, our sources inside the major bat makers have told us the test will be stricter in the sense that no bat will get passed that should not be. This means all USSSA travel ball bats made after April 1st, 2020 will not be as hot as previous models. Our initial testing shows the DeMarini Glitch falling 3-5 MPH all things being equal compared to our 2019 and 2020 CF Zens. This is terrible news for bat brands who have benefited in the past with overly “hot” USSSA bats.
Save Your Old DeMarini Zens - The Value May Rise
When the public starts realizing the difference between the new Zen bats and the old Zen bats, there may be a rise in prices for the older model CF Zen travel ball bats. Be cautious when purchasing an older DeMarini CF Zen used, they are notoriously fragile (like most hot bats), and may be close to breaking… leaving you high and dry.
Improved Durability?
This is pure speculation on our part, but usually when a bat is not as hot, the durability increases.
Hot bat = lots of broken bats.
Not so hot = few broken bats.
We hope that with the reduction in performance, DeMarini has at least addressed the known durability issues with their CF Zen lineup.
