Best fastpitch softball bats for 8U: light, cheap and legal

Which bat for which kid

• Average 7- or 8-year-old, first or second season: Ghost Youth -11, 26 or 27 in. The thin handle is the feature; a fat-handled bat is the reason small kids choke up to the middle of the grip.
• Small 7-year-old or a 6U player moving up: Sapphire -12 or Crystal -13. Same alloy build, lighter. She will grow out of the -13 in a season; that is fine at this price.
• Cheapest legal option: Amethyst -11. Easton's beginner “Diamond Gem” line, same 2 1/4 in barrel and certification as the Ghost Youth without the Ghost name.
• The 8-year-old who already hits: Fire Fly -12. A two-piece composite is more bat than most 8U players need, but for the one who plays year-round it takes the sting out and carries into 10U.

The rule, and the ball

Travel 8U leagues sanctioned by USA Softball or USSSA list their own marks; Easton's “All Association” certification is the maker's label for a bat that carries them. Every pick here is an Easton with that label quoted from the product page. Confirm the stamp with the coach before a tournament; a rec league rarely checks, a travel umpire always does.

Why alloy at 8U

Four of the five picks are one-piece aluminum, and that is deliberate. An 8U player is learning to make contact at all; she does not need a composite's trampoline effect, she needs a light bat that survives a cold April and a season of tee work in the driveway. Alloy bats are hot out of the wrapper (no break-in), do not crack in the cold, and cost a fraction of a composite. The cost is sting on a mis-hit off the end of the bat, which is why the Fire Fly is here for the kid who has moved past the “learning to make contact” stage. The alloy vs composite page covers the trade in full; the physics are the same on the softball side.

How these were ranked

The site's bat rubric: certification fit (30%), swing weight for the age (25%), sting and forgiveness as described by the maker (15%), durability reputation (15%), value (15%). Every spec is quoted from easton.com. The Ghost Youth leads the alloys on the strength of its handle spec and price; the Diamond Gem bats (Amethyst, Sapphire, Crystal, Topaz) are the same idea in a beginner line at three drops. The Fire Fly wins the sting metric outright but loses on value at 8U. The scores are compiled from those published specs, each one linked. See how we rank.

Before you buy

• Length: 26 or 27 in for most 8U players. The BaseballMonkey fastpitch table puts a player under 60 lb at 3'9"–4' on 28 in and at 3'5"–3'8" on 27 in; small 7-year-olds are often 26 in. Shorter is better than longer at this age. Size chart.
• Drop: -11 for an average 8-year-old, -12 or -13 for a small one. If the barrel dips when she holds the bat straight out for 20 seconds, go lighter.
• Grip. Small hands, thin handle. The 29/32 in handle Easton quotes on these bats is the number to look for on any alternative.
• Do not buy the bat to grow into. A -10 that is right at 10U is wrong at 8U; she will swing late all season.
• The helmet needs a mask. See what your daughter needs for softball.