For the most part this blog is dedicated to the different equipment needed to play softball. The next step is to figure out the best brands as you don’t want to go with an unknown manufacturer. The majority of the equipment you use has the main goal of protecting you. Therefore if you stick with the brands listed below, you can rest assured that you are getting a quality product that has been carefully tested and analyzed.
Easton
In all honesty, I would say you’ve probably been living under a rock if you’ve never heard of Easton. For years they have been the goto brand when it comes to a wide variety of equipment like bats, gloves, catcher’s gear and more. I would venture to say that you’ll be hard pressed to goto any game or practice without seeing someone using or wearing something made from Easton. From their Synergy line of gear all the way to their newest series like the Mako you can feel confident wearing Easton as they have spent numerous years perfecting the trade.
Demarini
If it is bats that you are primarily after then Demarini should be in the running when you are looking for one to improve your game. Have you heard of the CF9, CF8, CF7, CF6, or CF5 bats? I’m guessing you have, or have at least seen another player using one before. Their flagship year after year, the CF series (CF9 for 2017) provides hitters with a nice fluid swing with a ton of extra power. Demarini was the first company to release a multi-wall bat all the way back in 1993. So as you can probably guess they are very innovative and look for the newest and greatest things to help you stay on top of your game.
Louisville Slugger
If you can believe it, the Slugger brand has a history that dates all the way back to an amazing 120 years ago. Nowadays, you’ll find the Louisville Slugger brand across some of the best baseball, fastpitch, and slowpitch gear used by many top level athletes. For bats, one of the more commonly used bats over the last few years has been the Z-2000, Z-3000, or Z-4000 series. They also produce fantastic gloves for fastpitch players including the Xeno series. And last but not least, their catchers gear (though a bit underrated) has received positive reviews from players that have used it. Used by many colleges across the US, you’ll find a lot to like when going with gear with the Louisville Slugger brand.
Mizuno
Another strong brand that has been around for numerous years has to be Mizuno. Widely known for their excellent cleats and other footwear used in many different sports, Mizuno also offers fastpitch bats, slowpitch bats, gloves, batting gloves, and much more. Started in 1906 by Rihachi Mizuno, the company has had a rich history of success across many sports and so you should feel quite confident when picking up gear made by Mizuno. As mentioned earlier their cleats, or softball shoes may be second to none when it comes to performance, durability, and affordability.
Rawlings
If you like innovation and companies like strive to over-achieve than Rawlings softball gear might be exactly what you are after. The goal of Rawlings is to ensure that each athlete reaches their full potential when using their gear. To do this they try and stay on top of the curve by developing comfortable equipment that increases performance. For softball players in particular Rawlings offers a wide range of gloves (highly recommended), bats, helmets and catchers gear. Their series of gloves like the Heart of the Hide, and Pro Preferred rank as some of the best year after year by both baseball and softball players.
Ripit
If you are looking for a company that stands behind their products then look no further than Rip-it. What they do that is quite incredible is they let you try out their equipment for a full 30-days before deciding if it is right for you. If it is not…no problem. Send it back for a full refund. Companies this confident are few and far between! They also feature a long 400-day warranty period with unlimited returns. So if you product gets damaged more than once during the 400-days that you use it…again no problem for Rip-it. For softball players, Rip-it offers a wide variety of backpacks, helmets, and masks.
Wilson
Although they don’t do much for bats, Wilson provides a wide variety of other equipment such as gloves, catchers gear, and equipment bags. Their gloves in particular are top notch. Have you heard of the A2000 series? This series is incredibly popular for both baseball and softball players as they are incredibly durable and provide many advanced level components to make you the best fielder possible. Like other companies, Wilson also prides itself on producing innovative products that will help improve your performance on the field. And since they have been around for numerous year (since 1914) and are recognized for their work across many different sports (tennis, football, soccer, volleyball, and golf), you can rest assured that Wilson provides a nice sturdy product you can be proud to use.
Worth
Where most companies are more known for baseball gear, Worth seems to be more known for their softball gear first and foremost. So what do they produce? Well…just about anything. Balls, bats, gloves, batting gloves, helmets, bags and much more. The softballs they produce are their bread and butter product and are one of the first things they were known for in terms of advanced research and development. If you are a slowpitch or fastpitch player, Worth makes for a fantastic choice.
