What Should I Do With My Old Bat?

For most players, their old bat becomes a cherished item. The battle scars mark the memorable games and key hits, and a hanging piece of tape is a last-ditch attempt to save your reliable tool. But, bats don't last forever. Whether they--unfortunately--die or break, a baseball bat or softball bat doesn't need to collect dust hanging in your garage. So when the fateful day comes when your game finally takes its last swing, what's next? What do you do with your old bat?

Are Old Bats Still Valuable?

For starters, it's important to determine whether or not your old bat still has some juice in it. You might hit a couple balls that don't seem to jump off the barrel in the same way they once did. There are a myriad of variables that go into bat performance but to help guide you the correct answer we've created a full breakdown to determine if your bat is dead or defective. Find out.

If the answer you land on is a resounding "yes!" it's time to hang up the old bat and find a new baseball bat or softball bat.

Top Two Things To Do With An Old Bat

Luckily you have a couple of options available to you. Here are two that our Bat Experts recommend:

1. Donate them. If your player has simply outgrown or aged out of being able to your their old bat, you can donate any old (non-defective) baseball or softball bat to your local youth programs. Some baseball/softball complexes will accept old bats, but programs  like YMCA, Youth Academies, RBI Baseball, and more are always looking for used bats. 
2. Recycle them. In the event your bat has become defective, broken,  or cracked and you are looking to throw it away - here is what you need to know. Aluminum baseball & softball bats are able to be recycled. Be sure to remove any grip tape and glue prior to recycling an aluminum bat. However, note that composite bats are not able to be recycled. In this case, you can simply throw away your bat.

Bonus: Local artists are often times looking for old or broken wood bats to use for projects. We recommend connecting with them as they look to repurpose old equipment.

And if you have recently retired an old bat and are in the market for a new baseball or softball bat, be sure to check out JustBats. We offer the widest selection of bats ranging from youth bats to slow pitch softball bats and everything in between. We offer free shipping on every purchase and full customer support throughout the shopping process.

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If you have a question regarding your old bat or getting a recommendation on a new bat, our team of Bat Experts is always available for conversations. Feel free to reach out to our friendly Bat Experts via phone at 866-321-2287, email at  experts@justbats.com, or you can click here to live chat. Don't forget, with our customer service, we'll be here for you from click to hit!