If you have spent any time watching professional baseball, you know that sunglasses are a large part of the game. Baseball sunglasses allow for accuracy, eye protection, and of course, style. They are more important than you might think. Keep reading to learn why good quality baseball sunglasses are necessary, what to look for in your next pair, and the best baseball sunglasses to choose from today. What to Look for There are a few specifics to look for when choosing the best baseball sunglasses. They have to do with the fitting features, frames, and lenses. Fitting Fitting is the most important characteristic when searching for the best baseball sunglasses. You must make sure the glasses fit your face correctly and snugly so they don't slide or bounce. If your glasses don't stay on, then they won't do you any good. Look for frames that can be adjusted at the temples and stems that are gripped. The gripping will help them stay on securely. If needed, look for baseball sunglasses … [Read more...]
Best Wood Bats of 2018: Set Yourself Up for a Home Run
There's no sound more exhilirating in sports than the CRACK! of a wood bat. It sounds like summertime and big games, all rolled into one. The best part is, wooden bats aren't just reserved for professionals. No matter what age or skill level you play at, you can choose to use the same bats as the pros. What would be greater than popping a home run with one of the best wood bats around? When you start to shop, it's important to recognize that not all bats are created equal. The best wood baseball bats are made with greater craftsmanship than run-of-the-mill bats. Sure, you may pay a little more, but when you feel the ball fly off the sweet spot, it'll be worth it. If you're wondering where you should go to find the best wood bats, look no further. This simple guide will help you out. We've done the dirty work for you and picked out some of the best wood bats on the market. Up first is a quick buyers guide with features and benefits to look for while you're making your … [Read more...]
Best Softball Cleats of 2018: How to Choose the Perfect Pair
One of the most important pieces of softball equipment you can have is a good pair of cleats. Having the comfort and traction that you need during a game can make all the difference when it comes to performance. So taking the time to find the best softball cleats for you is key. With the variety of shoes available, it can get confusing to know what to look for. How do you know which type is right for you? Are there certain features you should be searching for? There are several things to consider in when shopping for your next pair of cleats. Let's break down how to choose the perfect pair for you and which ones are hot sellers right now. Types of Cleats There are three main types of softball cleats to choose from, depending on what your particular needs are. Let's discuss what the differences between them are: Metal Cleats When it comes to providing traction, metal cleats are the best. Their thin cleat design penetrates both dirt and grass fields easily, optimizing speed … [Read more...]
10 Best Baseball Bags for This Season
Baseball is an excellent summer past time because it gives you an opportunity to get out in the fresh air and hang with your favorite pals. However, if you don't have a proper baseball bag to carry and hold all of your equipment, it can be a hassle to get on and off the field efficiently. You need one of the best baseball bags not only to hold all of your stuff but also to make a good impression on fellow and opposing players. Without one, you'll be a jumbled mess and it will be difficult to focus on the game. If you're wondering how to choose the best baseball bat bags and which bags will perform optimally, then you've come to the right place. In this article, we're discussing our Top 10 choices for the best baseball bags with quick reviews to make your shopping easier. After that, we've made an easy to browse shopping guide. Top 10 Best Baseball Bags When it comes to choosing the best baseball bags, you'll need a good starting point. Sometimes there are so many options out … [Read more...]
The 20 Best Softball Bats for the 2018 Season: Reviews of Slowpitch and Fastpitch Bats
If you’re serious about showing the softball who the real boss is, you need a worthy bomb dropping sidekick. We’ve found some bats for both male and female players that will help you knock juicy pitches into the stratosphere. The only thing you’re going to be worried about with these bats is where your car is parked in the parking lot. In this equipment guide, Dugout Debate covers all the bases: an overview of the best softball bats of 2018, both slowpitch and fastpitch options, and before these softball bat reviews sections, we touch on the top things to look for and how to find the right softball bat for you. If you're looking for baseball bats check out this guide. Overview of the Best Fastpitch Softball Bats Here are the 10 of the most popular fastpitch softball bats for this season. The bats are sorted by price ascending. Skip down to our next chart if you are looking for the best softpitch softball bats. 10 Best Softball Bats for Fastpitch Here is our fastpitch … [Read more...]
Best Softball Gloves for the 2018 Season: Reviews of Fastpitch, Slowpitch, and Youth Gloves
An essential part of any softball player’s arsenal is a broken-in glove that fits well. We take a look at some of the best gloves for softball players and for simplicity’s sake we divide them into youth, slowpitch, and fastpitch categories. Whether you're in on the ole company's softball league or battling it out in competitive fast pitch softball, there's a right mitt for everyone. Finding the best softball glove for you isn’t always an easy task. Break-in time, back, wrist adjustment, webbing, and material are some of the top factors worth considering before you make a final purchase decision. If you're looking for baseball gloves check out this guide (some of the larger baseball gloves work fine for slowpitch softball leagues too). In this equipment guide, Dugout Debate covers all the bases: the most important things to look for in a softball glove, why there are unique designs for different positions, the most popular glove brands, and lastly our softball glove reviews … [Read more...]
10 Best Catchers Gear Sets of 2018: Youth and Adult Sets
One of the toughest jobs in baseball is being the catcher. Scratch that, one of the toughest positions in all of sports is the catcher position. Locking down home base isn't easy, this is true even in youth baseball. In this position, you have to worry about foul tips, errant baseball bats, players aggressively sliding to home plate, and staying even keeled through it all while wearing a ton of equipment. That's a lot of physical abuse to take, and any chance you get to make a catcher's job easier is going to improve performance. The concept of backstop players not wearing the best catchers gear is foreign these days in competitive play. In the past, catchers sometimes only wore a simple baseball mitt, rather than the padded gloves you see them wearing today. No team or league today would have their catchers standing behind the plate without protective gear. The first person to wear protective padding was Roger Bresnahan, who also happens to be a baseball Hall of Famer. He was … [Read more...]
15 Best Baseball Gloves of 2018: Infield, Outfield, First Base, & Catcher’s Gloves
The expression "fits like a glove" takes on a whole new meaning when it comes to finding the best baseball glove. You want to find the right match because a new glove could end up being your trusty companion for several years. A glove is like a fine wine, it gets better with age. You know what we’re talking about. Nothing beats a battle-tested, full-grain leather, rugged glove that’s weathered a few seasons of sweat and dirt. It acquires a charm of its own. If you're looking for youth baseball gloves check out our guide here. In this equipment guide, Dugout Debate covers all the bases: the best gloves types for each position, reviews of the best baseball gloves of 2018, and we go over a handful of things you should keep an eye on before making a final purchase decision. Whether you’re a weekend warrior or a teenager with a heart set on going pro, there’s something for everyone. There is no one size fits all for baseball players, so you may want to try out a few of your buddies and … [Read more...]
Best Batting Gloves of 2018: Baseball, Softball, and Youth Gloves
Batting gloves are the key to creating a loving, glue-like bond between your hands and the handle of the bat. They are important equipment. Batting gloves are an extension of your hands and provide the right feel and grip to aid a solid swing. A well-fitted, fresh pair of hitting gloves is a welcome feel when stepping up to the plate for some serious ball slamming business. In this best batting gloves equipment guide, Dugout Debate covers all the bases: we provide an overview of some of the best youth batting gloves, best softball batting gloves, and best baseball batting gloves. We also provide a few tips on what makes a great pair of batting gloves and what to look for. Comparison Table: 20 Best Batting Gloves of 2018 Here is a selection of the most popular batting gloves for softball and baseball this season. If you're looking for youth batting gloves or gloves for very small hands skip to our last section 'The Best Youth Batting Gloves'. Batting Gloves Guide Part I: Why … [Read more...]
15 Best Youth Baseball Gloves of 2018: Comparison Table, Buying Guide, and Reviews
It’s not easy finding the best youth baseball glove for a young player. There are many brands, models, sizes, and a handful of other factors to consider. Other than a bat, the glove is arguably the most important piece of equipment in a player’s arsenal. Whether you are picking out a glove for your son or daughter's first teeball team, or you’re searching for an upgrade or replacement glove for a Little League player, we’ve selected the best youth baseball gloves of this year. If you’re looking for a softball youth glove, we have a couple great options in our softball glove guide. For highschool and adult baseball gloves check out this page. While certainly not a replacement for skill, a quality glove that fits well will help a player perform better on the field. Quality doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg either, there are plenty of durable youth gloves for a decent price that we checkout on this page. Purchasing a well-constructed leather glove will last multiple seasons, … [Read more...]
Baseball Glove Oil: How to Break in a Glove
Good equipment is essential for sports. It's why it's estimated that Americans spend over 45 billion a year at sporting goods stores. Every kind of sport has its own specific kind of equipment that makes playing the game easier. Football aficionados know how helpful a good pair of cleats can be when they're on a slick field. Hockey players know exactly what kind of mask they need that can protect their face and help them see. Baseball requires equipment just like any sport. Bats, cleats, cups, and other equipment are well known, but glove oil seem to get the short end of the stick when it comes to popularity. Some people see breaking in a new glove as an afterthought. They've never used baseball glove oil, and they wouldn't know how to break in a glove other than through use. Despite what you may think, you don't have to wait for a few games to pass before you start to feel comfortable using your glove. There are ways you can make it supple enough to properly use, but hard … [Read more...]
10 Best Batting Tees for Baseball & Softball: A Complete Buying Guide
When it comes to honing baseball skills, many former youth players, community leaguers and even major league player started at the same place: Lining up a swing at baseball batting tees. When it comes to teaching the littlest players how to handle a bat, these tools are indispensable. Even seasoned players use them now and again. And while you are busy running drills with your players, it may be worth considering to add in a few tee drills as well to work on batting form and precision. Top 10 Batting Baseball Tees of 2018 So now that you know why you need one, which one do you need? Here are our top picks. 1. Hit Zone Jr Powered Batting Tee We're starting off fancy on our list today, but only because the HitZone Jr is one of the best tees available. The Hit Zone Jr suspends the ball in the air, allowing the stability of a tee without the resistance of actually hitting a stationary object with a bat. This makes it a perfect tee for very young beginners as they practice … [Read more...]
10 Best Baseball Cleats of 2018: Metal, Molded, & Interchangeable Options
If you want to fly around the bases at Usain Bolt like speed, you need traction you can count on. Running straight at full speed is one thing, but running the arc of the bases and tapping each as you go by involves a lot more agility. Not to mention, successfully fielding the ball and making accurate throws count on reliable footwork. When it comes to playing sports, the type of shoes you wear can make or break your performance in those crucial moments where every second matters. In this article, you'll find our top picks for the best baseball cleats currently available. There are various options to choose from when you're shopping for the ideal baseball cleat. It can be overwhelming to choose the best pair for success. Thankfully, we've created a buying guide to help you out. Read on to discover the best baseball cleats of 2018. Comparison Table: 10 Best Baseball Cleats of 2018 Here is our comparison table of the most popular baseball cleats available this year. … [Read more...]
The Best Baseball Bats for the 2018 Season: BBCOR and Player Approved
The only thing better than taking a new shiny bat out of the wrapper is taking a few perfect swings and nailing some line drives into the outfield realizing you made the right decision. But slogging through all the dozens of options and listening to a sales pitch at your local sporting goods store isn’t always fun and games. There are nearly a hundred BBCOR Certified bats on the market. That’s a lot of bats to choose from. In this equipment guide, Dugout Debate covers all the bases: first we explain BBCOR certification, then we look at some of the other most important things to keep an eye on before you make a final purchase, and lastly we take a closer look at the best baseball bats of this year. If you’re a grizzled baseball vet we suggest skipping to our lineup of the best baseball bats. Also, if you're looking for youth baseball bats check out that guide. Overview of the Best Baseball Bats Here are the most popular and top rated baseball bats (BBCOR and -3 Drop) currently on … [Read more...]
The 15 Best Youth Baseball Bats 2018 Season: Reviews of Bats for Little League and Youth Big Barrel Leagues
Finding the right bat will make a huge difference in an individual’s batting average performance over the course of many games. A well-crafted bat can increase a player’s confidence and improve hitting distance. You don’t need to break the bank to get a well-performing bat, but it is a good idea to find one with the correct weight and length to match the size of the player. In this equipment guide, Dugout Debate covers all the bases: an overview of the best youth baseball bats of 2018, information on youth bat regulations, the most important things to look for, and how to pick the right bat for a youth player. All the bats that made the cut are constructed to last multiple seasons. Whether it is your first time purchasing a quality youth bat for your child or teen or you’re upgrading from an older model, there are some clear winners that are worth checking out. If you're looking for BBCOR bats for adult baseball players we have a guide here. Overview of the 15 Best Youth … [Read more...]
