DEMARINI

Web Link: Demarini.com

 

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 B-52 F2
Classic Fatboy
Demolition Weapon
Distance Venum
Model
B-52
Why It Exists
Demarini attempted to make a bat with a very thin exterior wall and a thick inner wall that would give a great trampoline effect without sacrificing durability. In theory, this should be a great bat against Low Comp balls (always Demarini's Achilles heal).
What People Say
Mostly that it's an overrated overpriced piece of crap. There are occasionally good reviews, but they mostly come from die-hard Demarini fans who probably could hit it out with a lamp post anyway.
My Impressions
The B52 is an odd animal. Kind of a tease. I think I've hit my furthest mush balls ever with one, but the bat was a huge disappointment overall.
 
Model
2001 B-52 PHOTO
What distinguishes the bat
Red text
What people say
Typically this is considered the better of the two B52s when you see them brought up. Rumored to have a thinner exterior wall, but that would be odd considering the "52" in the name comes from the wall thickness.
My impressions
I've tried two now and they both were decent bats. Solid line drive machines, but if you blind folded me I couldn't tell the difference between it and every other Wilson Doublewall.
Personal Usage
Overall
Low Comp
Cold
Fair Price
A couple of batting practices 4 7 4 $80
 
Model
2002 B-52 PHOTO
What distinguishes the bat
Yellow text
What people say
A rumor is that the 2002 is an identical bat with a different paint job. Of course you also hear opinions that the 2001 or 2002 is better. So basically I dunno. Some help I am, huh?
My impressions
This is the one that teased me. Every once in a while I could get a hold of one and hit an absolute bomb. The rest of the time? Weak pop ups. I'm pretty sure you can't really blame the bat for making you pop up, but I dumped it quick and had a big season using a 3DX the rest of the way.
Personal Usage
Overall
Low Comp
Cold
Fair Price
Quarter Season 4 8 4 $90
 
Model
2003 B-52 PHOTO
What distinguishes the bat
Crazy F2 looking text
What people say
There were early rumors that this was THE bat. But then again, the rumors came from a guy that thought the Ultra was overrated and the F2 was the bomb. I haven't seen a lot of feedback on it which makes me suspect people are scared off from their experiences with the first two.
My impressions
Haven't tried yet
Personal Usage
Overall
Low Comp
Cold
Fair Price
None       $120
 
Model
Classic
Why It Exists
Demarini tried to market the reintroduction of it's 1997 Demarini Ultimate Distance. Great idea, except it wasn't as they claimed.
What People Say
This I'm not too sure about. Yeah its got an element of retro cool and is more colorful than a bag of skittles or an online casino website. But, it's C555 alloy? But the '97 DDW was C405. What gives?

My Impressions
Yeah, what gives?
 
Model
02 C555 Classic PHOTO
What distinguishes the bat
Look for the alloy.
What people say
Sucker.
My impressions
I thought it was a nice bat. I was using it while playing with a busted pinkie (so the results may be tainted), but the ball carried very well off it. But after trying the cheaper Demolition and seeing better results, I dumped it in a hurry.
Personal Usage
Overall
Low Comp
Cold
Fair Price
Quarter Season 6 5 4 $120
 
Model
02 C405 Classic PHOTO
Why it exists and what distinguishes the bat
A special run of C405 Classics were made to shut up everybody complaining about the sham that the first run Classic appeared to be.
What people say
Typically cries of, "repainted Demolition!". Rumors are that the wall thickness is the same as the Demolition and not the 97 DDW, so there may be a lot of truth to that theory.
My impressions
Haven't tried yet.
Personal Usage
Overall
Low Comp
Cold
Fair Price
None       $110
 
Model
2003 C555 Classic PHOTO
Why it exists
If it is broken because it is tough to break then don't fix it?
What people say
Haven't heard a peep about the 2003 being different than the 2002. So that means its supposed to be a 1997, but really is a 2003 without the Fli... uh, which would make it a 2000. It's just so confusing.
My impressions
Haven't tried yet
Personal Usage
Overall
Low Comp
Cold
Fair Price
None       $130
 
Model
Demolition PHOTO
Why it exists
Demarini went retro with a remake of the '98 Demarini Doublewall. With a cheaper price and less fanfare than the Classic, it was actually targeted at the casual player when it was the experienced ones who tended to seek it out.
What people say
About a 70-30 split that the Demolition is actually better than the Classic. Often mentioned when people talk about best bat for the buck.
My impressions
This is actually my favorite Demarini bat on the market. Best distance I've been able to get consistently, seems fairly durable, and even does decent against mush (always Demarini's Achilles' heal).
Personal Usage
Overall
Low Comp
Cold
Fair Price
A couple of practices and games 8 6 3 $100
 
Model
Ultimate/Doublewall Distance
Why It Exists
This bat is typically consider the bat all others are compared too. It's showed an interesting progression of losing performance while gaining durability that is an important example of tradeoffs made with all bats and why it's doubtful there will ever be a "perfect bat" made from C405 or C555.
What People Say
I love Demarinis! I hate Demarinis!
My Impressions
I'm generally in the middle on Demarinis and only treat them as rebound bats
 
Model
96 Ultimate Distance
Why it exists
This was the bat that started the multiwall crazy. Filling the void left after Titaniums were banned, this is arguably the most revolutionary bat ever made.
What people say
Best bat ever. The legend. It busted in two swings.
My impressions
Haven't tried.
Personal Usage
Overall
Low Comp
Cold
Fair Price
None       $140
 
Model
97 Ultimate Distance PHOTO
Why it exists
More widely produced and a little more durable, the '97 and the Miken Ultra are probably the two bats that had the biggest impact on the game for the average player ever.
What people say
Almost as good at the '96. The legend. It busted in five swings.
My impressions
I have to admit I almost felt scared swinging it. It's an awkward feeling swinging a bat that feels more like a collector's item than a weapon. It's an excellent bat, but an excellent five-year-old bat that has been topped by the composites. Top dollar for a bat with very questionable durability seems like a risky purchase to me. For the non-bat denters and money is not a concern types only.
Personal Usage
Overall
Low Comp
Cold
Fair Price
One batting practice  9 6  1 $130
 
Model
98 Ultimate Distance PHOTO
Why it exists
Demarini continued to gain market share while tinkering with their original design. You can argue that the '98 had the best combination of performance and durability of any Demarini bat.
What people say
Almost as good as the '97. I had my best season with one. It busted in at the end of the season.
My impressions
This really is a great bat… but it's also a Demolition. Get the Demolition. It's newer, cheaper, and exactly the same except for the paint job.
Personal Usage
Overall
Low Comp
Cold
Fair Price
Quarter Season 8 6 3 $110
 
Model
99 Doublewall Distance PHOTO
Why it exists
This was probably the last great Demarini bat. No Fli, no C555, no Wilson. Not as loved as the earlier bats, but still a great bat.
What people say
The standard. Big sweet spot. I ain't swing anything but my Demarini. My old reliable.
My impressions
I have to agree with the consensus. A hair off the '98 and I assume it's more durable.
Personal Usage
Overall
Low Comp
Cold
Fair Price
One batting practice  7 5   4 $100
 
Model
00 Doublewall Distance PHOTO
Why it exists
Here the evil began. The durable Demarini we were all told we wanted. But at a price.
What people say
Umm, what else is Demarini making this year? Durable with a large sweetspot. A good team bat.
My impressions
I didn't care for it, but one player on my team (a line drive #2 type) really loved the feel. Classic good base knock bat.
Personal Usage
Overall
Low Comp
Cold
Fair Price
One batting practice 5 3 5 $90
 
Model
01 Doublewall Distance PHOTO
Why it exists
Another year, another more durable worse performing bat.
What people say
What's this Fli crap? Just keep hitting it and the Fli will break up and the bat will be fine. Excellent team bat.
My impressions
Again, didn't do anything for me. Large sweet spot, but just another bat as far as distance goes.
Personal Usage
Overall
Low Comp
Cold
Fair Price
None 4  3  5  $80
 
Model
02 Doublewall Distance PHOTO
What distinguishes the bat
Now almost a generic bat. About as common as anything you would see on the field.
What people say
Hey, I got one as a warranty return. It's for sale, new in the wrapper. Come on, Demarini Doublewall. It's what all other bats are measured against. I'll trade it for one of those other bats, what do you say?
My impressions
Haven't tried it
Personal Usage
Overall
Low Comp
Cold
Fair Price
None       $80
 
Model
F2 PHOTO
Why it exists
Demarini attempted to take the B52 one step further by having a bat with a thin exterior wall and a more durable composite interior wall. They also used a composite handle for better flex. Throw in marketing it as the kazillion dollar bat and you have one of the more curious bats ever made.
What people say
That it's as good as an Ultra II, immediately followed with "wanna buy or trade your U2 for my F2?". Good durability, distance is nothing special. Sometimes you hear that it just needs to be broken in and then it's right up there with the big boys.
My impressions
I've had three now in different stages of use and none of them have impressed me other than one night where the first one I had seemed to break in and produce some nice shots. The bat has a very large sweetspot and I had trouble hitting anything but line drives with it (that's a good thing... except for before the game when I'm trying to hit fly balls to the outfielders for practice). I actually think this is a very good bat for inexperienced players making it the ultimate team bat because it looks pretty (they'll be drawn to it like flies), it's durable, and the sweetspot is very forgiving. However, for $350, you might be better off buying four ESTLs.
Personal Usage
Overall
Low Comp
Cold
Fair Price
A couple of batting Practices and games
  6  5 6  $200
 
Model
Fatboy
Why It Exists
An attempt at making a bat targeting the upper level player who can hit it out of the park with anything, but tends to also dent bats frequently. Basically, the goal was a more durable Demarini Doublewall that didn't sacrifice too much performance.
What People Say
I'm a large man who hits home runs with anything. I love my Fatboy.
My Impressions
A bat for guys who dents bats. Hmmm… nah, who wants one of those?
 
Model
00 Fatboy PHOTO
Why it exists and what distinguishes the bat
I need to look into these more
What people say
People seem to talk about Fatboys like they're all the same. I'm sure there's similar variances like the Distance bats, but you just don't really hear that much.
My impressions
It was okay. Kind of boring. I guess I'm too weak to enjoy its benefits.
Personal Usage
Overall
Low Comp
Cold
Fair Price
A batting practice 4 4 6 $90
 
Model
01 Fatboy PHOTO
Why it exists and what distinguishes the bat
I need to look into these more
What people say
Pretty much the same you hear on any Fatboy. Some love it, but pretty much these are guy who could hit it out with anything.
My impressions
I didn't notice any difference between it and the 2000 Fatboy. My dad (who owns it) does like it however.
Personal Usage
Overall
Low Comp
Cold
Fair Price
A batting practice 4 4 6 $90
 
Model
02 Fatboy PHOTO
Why it exists and what distinguishes the bat
Still pretty clueless here.
What people say
I'll trade you a Fatboy
My impressions
Haven't tried.
Personal Usage
Overall
Low Comp
Cold
Fair Price
None       $100
 
Model
03 Fatboy PHOTO
Why it exists and what distinguishes the bat
It looks like the cover of a Boston album.
What people say
Oh yeah, the Fatboy... haven't tried the new one.
My impressions
Haven't tried yet.
Personal Usage
Overall
Low Comp
Cold
Fair Price
None       $100
 
Model
Ultimate Weapon
Why It Exists
Demarini's primary singlewall bat. Demarini doesn't mess around too much in this market typically just releasing Ultimate Weapons year after year.
What People Say
Usually doesn't get the press of Ritch's Superiors and first generation Z-Cores because the UW is as common a bat as you'll ever see, but you'll rarely see anything negative about them other than durability.
My Impressions
They're generally one of the most consistently good bats made. If you need a bat for your singlewall only league, you really can't go wrong with one.
 
Model
97 Ultimate Weapon PHOTO
What distinguishes the bat
Looks A LOT like the 97 Ultimate Distance
What people say
It's one of the best singlewall bats made.
My impressions
I've tried two now. One had a 14" barrel, the other 12". The 14" one was freaking awesome. It was as good as most of my multi-wall bats. But it developed a hairline crack on the sweetspot that quickly spread and destroyed the bat. The 12" didn't seem like it had the same pop. Unfortunately, it developed the same crack. So obviously, there may be some durability concerns with these.
Personal Usage
Overall
Low Comp
Cold
Fair Price
A couple of batting practices 8 8 2 $80
 
Model
98 Ultimate Weapon
What distinguishes the bat
It has a big "1X" on the bat. Otherwise, it looks like the 98 Distance.
What people say
I haven't heard of a "bad" year of the Ultimate Weapon, so this one should be safe to own.
My impressions
Haven't tried yet.
Personal Usage
Overall
Low Comp
Cold
Fair Price
None       $70
 
Model
99 Ultimate Weapon
What distinguishes the bat
As far as I can tell, just a new paint job.
What people say
Another year, another good Ultimate Weapon
My impressions
This was my first exposure to a Demarini bat. I was still shaking my Easton bias, but I felt this bat did everything you could expect from a singlewall bat. An excellent singlewall bat. Only drawback, you'll be lucky to get two seasons out of it before it dents.
Personal Usage
Overall
Low Comp
Cold
Fair Price
One season 6 7 2 $75
 
Model
00 Ultimate Weapon
What distinguishes the bat
Another new paint job.
What people say
Just more of the "good singlewall bat, questionable durability" stuff.
My impressions
I was really happy with my second Ultimate Weapon. It seemed to really liven up after a brief break in period. Other players on my team loved this model and actually continued to use it even after our league made the switch to multi-wall bats being legal. But again, dented early in it's second season of use.
Personal Usage
Overall
Low Comp
Cold
Fair Price
One season  7 7  2  $75
 
Model
01 Ultimate Weapon PHOTO
What distinguishes the bat
They took all the red out of the color.
What people say
I believe this is the most common Ultimate Weapon around, so the "Ultimate Weapons are good" opinions you see probably are typically based on this particular model.
My impressions
This one was weird. Both my team had started out totally dead. We thought we had a dud and rushed out to by more 00's. But then they started breaking in after a couple of games and performed just like the previous year's model.
Personal Usage
Overall
Low Comp
Cold
Fair Price
Quarter Season 7 7 2 $75
 
Model
02 Ultimate Weapon PHOTO
What distinguishes the bat
The Ultimate Weapon got a little on the super colorful side this year.
What people say
The broken record continues.
My impressions
It felt very similar to the two previous models. I think Demarini isn't messing around with this bat any more.
Personal Usage
Overall
Low Comp
Cold
Fair Price
A couple of batting Practices and games
 7  7 2  $75
 
Model
Venum PHOTO
Why it exists
Demarini made a smart move to try and completely dominate the singlewall only market. Even though the bat obviously breaks two major rules that define "singlewall" bats, two-piece design and composite, Demarini stamped "singlewall" a couple of times on the bat to trick foolish league directors.
What people say
There's currently a lot of love for the Venum on the net. It's often compared to the Easton Black Blue Connexion (that's the good one) which is quite a compliment since not only is that bat the best singlewall only made, but it's also simply one of the better bats on the market.
My impressions
Right now I'm not sold. It has a nice feel and looks pretty, but after one batting practice it didn't impress me. There likely is a break in period, but out of the wrapper I'm outhitting it with Ultimate Weapons and Grover MVPs.
Personal Usage
Overall
Low Comp
Cold
Fair Price
One batting practice
 ?  ? ?  $140
 

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 B-52 F2 Back to BatWhores.com
Classic Fatboy
Demolition Weapon
Distance Venum