**This bat has been discontinued. See below for the current year’s version**
The Louisville Slugger brand is a hallowed name in baseball history, even since 1905 when Honus Wagner became its first official endorser.
Over the years more than 128,000 major leaguers have used it, and today it is still the official bat of Major League Baseball.
Last update on 2024-11-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Some people may be wondering about whether the quality of the new 2016 Louisville Slugger Prime 916 BBCOR Baseball Bat has been affected brand’s acquisition by rival Wilson, but surely that’s not the case.
After all, the designs for the 2016 bats must already have been in place by the time the merger of the two brands happened.
Features and Specs of the Louisville Slugger 916
Let’s take a look at the particular features the Louisville Slugger Prime has to offer. The Louisville Slugger 916 is a different bat than the 915 Prime.
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- It is BBCOR certified and approved for pay in high school and college level.
- It comes with a -3 length to width ratio, ranging from 32 inches and 29 ounces to 34 inches and 31 ounces.
- The diameter of the barrel measures 2 5/8 inches. The tapered handle is just 31/32 of an inch.
It is made totally of composite material.
- The weight is reduced compared to the 915 model because the composite walls in the barrel are thinned out considerably. But the barrel is larger.
- Its strength is maintained according to BBCOR/BPF standards because of the addition of a composite ring inside the baseball bat. It’s located about an inch just below the sweet spot.
Thus, you have a more evenly balanced bat as the weight is more now distributed towards your hands.
What Kind of Technology Is Used on This Bat?
- This bat employs several special manufacturing technologies that continue to raise the quality of the Louisville Slugger far above its competitors.
It uses the patented TRU3 Explosive Power Transfer Technology that reduces the vibration.
This bat also comes with the patent-pending Fused Carbon Structure (FCS) design, which is the result of a special new process to mold the composite fibers on the bat.
- It also comes with the vaunted Lizard Skin grip, which has been hailed as the best grip in the industry.
That’s not a bad reputation for the grip, considering that the Lizard Skin grip for baseball bats didn’t even exist in 2012.
It was mainly a company that made reliable grips for bikes, until somebody finally figured out that such a superior grip in a baseball bat would be a truly enormous benefit.
- There’s a 12-month manufacturer’s warranty, and there’s even a special 30-Day Performance Promise.
That means if for any reason you’re not satisfied with it, you can return the Louisville Slugger Prime 916 within 30 days and get a full refund.
So Why Buy the 2016 Louisville Slugger Prime 916 BBCOR Baseball Bat?
So if you’re a baseball player (or as a parent buying this for their kid), why should this Louisville Slugger Prime be an option that you must consider?
These features give you more control over the bat so you can put it right in the spot you want to put it. What’s more, you can get to that spot much faster than before.
That gives you more time to react to fastball pitches and you’ll be able to catch up with the ball.
in the picture: Louisville Slugger Prime 916 BBCOR Bat 2016 (-3)
These reasons alone may give you a better hitting percentage than ever before. You’ll certainly be able to at least make contact with the baseball much more frequently.
Then there’s the fact that the Louisville Slugger 916 has a much bigger sweet spot. For parents who don’t know much about baseball bats, this is the area of the bat that’s the best spot for hitting the ball.
Since in this case you have a bigger sweet spot, the chance of getting a hit is increased significantly.
The Louisville Slugger Prime 916 also offers a greater trampoline effect than ever before.
Much like on a trampoline when you bounce higher upon contact. In baseball bats this means there’s an extra “oomph” when the baseball bounces from the bat.
Final Reason To Buy This Bat
Finally, you have to admit that the 2016 Louisville Slugger Prime 916 BBCOR Baseball Bat is just plain comfortable to hold. This is because of the balanced weight, and it doesn’t punish your hands.
The Lizard Skin grip offers the right amount of softness and tackiness. At the same time the vibration you feel when you make contact with the baseball is minimal.
It doesn’t feel like your hand is going to break in the process.
Are There Any Drawbacks At All?
Features | 13/15 |
---|---|
BBCOR Certified | -3 Length to Weight Ratio |
Barrel Diameter | 2 5/8 Inch |
Materials Used | Three-Piece Fully Composite |
Grip | Lizard Skins Grip |
Pop | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ |
Vibration | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ |
Durability | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ |
Shipping | Free |
Warranty | 12 Months |
It normally costs about $360, so that’s a rather sizable investment. It’s not the sort of money you spend if you’re not serious about baseball.
Conclusion
So you have to ask yourself a crucial question: are you serious about baseball?
The Louisville Slugger brand is certainly serious about the quality of its bats. It has supplied bats for thousands of professionals for more than a century.
It has continued to offer the very best in baseball bat technology. You have the very best bat possible in your hands.
If you can’t hit with the Louisville Slugger Prime 916, it certainly is not the bat’s fault. But you can still return it within 30 days even if you blame it unfairly for your hitting woes.
However, chances are you won’t—whether you’re a contact hitter or a power hitter, it’s a bat for the ages.
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