2016 Louisville Slugger Omaha 516 BBCOR Review

The Verdict: 4.6/5   ★ ★ ★ ★
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The Louisville Slugger Omaha 516 bbcor is the latest from Louisville Slugger Company. According to the press release it’s their best bat yet and combines power, balance, comfort and stability.

Since all baseball bats make that claim, we decided to take this one out for a spin and see how it performs in a real world situation.

And the results are actually very good.

2016 Louisville Slugger 516 Features

The Louisville Slugger Omaha doesn’t look that different from other Slugger baseball bats, but do not let the appearance deceive you since as there’s power here.

But the first thing that will tell you this is not your father’s bat is the weight. With 200 M.O.I. point reduction and 7U1 alloy, the Omaha is the lightest we’ve come across so far.

There have been a lot of lightweight bats before but this one takes the cake, and that can only be good.

Moving onto the barrel, the walls are lighter than they have ever been. If you take a swing you’ll notice that the swing weight is as low as it’s been on a Louisville, possibly the lowest ever.

Being a consistent a hitter requires batting practice, but having a fundamentally sound bat will definitely help.

The Slugger also has the Lizards Skin grip so you’ll have an easier time holding the bat. The 31/32″ tapered handle and 2 5/8″ barrel add the finishing touches.

The bat also comes with a 30 day money back guarantee. If you’re not happy with it, simply return the product with proof of purchase and you get your money back.

Performance

As someone who plays baseball you’re no doubt familiar with the sweet spot and how crucial it is for precise hitting.

There are a lot of factors that affect the efficiency of a bat, and one of those is the thickness of the barrel wall.

In our experience and testing with baseball bats, the thicker the wall, the harder it is to find the sweet spot.

The 2016 Omaha makes finding and hitting that sweet spot easier because the walls are thinner than before. Even if you’re not the most accurate hitter, your chances of scoring a hit or home run is much higher.

Of course baseball isn’t just all about the hitting as the grip plays an important role as well.

This is another area where the 2016 Louisville Slugger 516 shines as the grip is firm and strong without causing any discomfort.

One of the hardest things to do with a baseball bat is finding a compromise between the softness and firmness. The Slugger somehow manages to do just that.

The Slugger in Action

The lightness of the bat, coupled with the soft handling, makes it enjoyable to hold. You don’t have to worry about your hands suffering from fatigue.

With less weight in your hands, it’s easier to make a swing and with full power.

One of the trademarks of previous versions of the Slugger is efficient energy transfer. When you swing the bat there’s full power behind it, and that is thankfully preserved here.

The other thing we have to point out is balance. When it comes to bats you can tell by simply holding if it’s balanced or not. With the 2016 Slugger that is clearly the case.

The bat feels good in your hands, and when you swing, there’s a solid pop. You won’t feel any vibrations either so that’s a plus.

If there are two words to describe the Slugger, they would be control and balance.

The bat gives you full control without sacrificing balance. As a one-piece bat it’s more than capable of delivering consistent performance.

When it comes to baseball, a lot more is required than just power. That includes maintaining control, keeping the swing weight manageable and providing barrel flex.

This isn’t easy to do and a lot of bats fail to provide this, often compromising one feature or another.

The fact that the company offers a 30 day money back guarantee if the bat doesn’t satisfy your needs shows how confident they are with the product.

Based on our tests however, asking for a refund is unlikely as the bat does help improve your swing.

Summing Up The Louisville Slugger Omaha 516 BBCOR Design

To sum it up: the Louisville Slugger Omaha 516 BBCOR is designed for those who want to improve their hitting and accuracy.

This isn’t going to take the place of actual training of course, but having the right baseball bat is critical to success.

Everyone has their own idea as to what makes for the perfect bat, but there are some factors that everyone can agree on, namely balance, light weight, energy transmission from handle to barrel, little to no vibration and a large sweet spot.

The 2016 Slugger delivers in all those departments, and the solid pop doesn’t hurt either.

While the bat is aimed at those who have experience with baseball, it’s also a good choice for the casual or first time player.

It’s not a perfect bat, but it’s pretty good any way you look at it.

Pros

• The bat has a solid pop
• You’ll hardly feel any vibration
• The sweet spot has been refined for the better
• The handle is well balanced

Cons

As good as the Louisville Slugger Omaha 516 bbcor is, it’s far from perfect and has a couple of issues you should know about should you decide to buy one.

• The bat might feel too light if you’re used to carrying heavy ones
• The design looks a bit plain for some

The Verdict on the Louisville Slugger Omaha 516 BBCOR

The 2016 Louisville Slugger Omaha 516 bbcor baseball bat has received a lot of hype, but we’re happy to say that it lives up to the promise.

At first we were quite apprehensive with this bat as the previous ones were a tough act to follow. However, it’s actually better than before and a worthy upgrade.

If you don’t have a baseball bat yet or thinking of replacing the one you own, you may want to a long hard look at this.