2022 USSSA KP23 (yellow/white)

TWmccoy

3DX Connoisseur
What are peoples' thoughts on this bat? I bought one at the beginning of the season, and have swung it very little. Out of the wrapper it tested a shade under 300, which is pretty high for a 240 bat. Accordingly, I've found that it doesn't have much pop. Interestingly, the bat has a very soft feel for being so high compression.

I realize the bat needs breaking in, so I'm not fretting about the initial lack of pop. Feel is definitely mushy.

Kyle Pearson himself seemed to struggle with his signature bat at major worlds this year.

Honestly, for a Miken I'm finding this bat to be pretty below average. The good news is it should pass compression easily for a long time. Maybe Miken's 240 bats are just different than 220s. Out of the wrapper I found all their 220 stuff to be fiery hot right away.
 

Hiltz

Built for comfort
I haven't swung it myself, but they're on sale for dirt cheap here in Canada and I've been researching them. Since nobody else on this softball site wants to talk about softball, here's what I found:

It looks like Miken changed the makeup of the bat after their 2021 model (white/blue). The 2021 tested just over 240 out of wrapper, failed very quickly, felt super soft, and was prone to paint seams. The 2022 model seems to be testing at 290-300 out of wrapper and is still passing comfortably after 200-300 swings. The biggest difference for me is the 2022 has that new, small, Easton-like knob. That big disk they always used kept me away from Worth/Miken in the past.
 

jbo911

Super Moderator
Staff member
They're being reviewed pretty poorly on YouTube, and it looked like he even switched to the 9r for some games in the middle of the season. Could've just been a short run black kp though.

I hit the krecher Shannon Smith in a bat provided tourney and liked it fine, but I have no way to know if they're similar or how many swings it had at the time. It felt pretty stuffy so maybe they just feel that way and it wasn't actually broken in. Hrs aren't my job so I wasn't swinging for them.

Miken worth were a little slow to catch up when they changed the last time too. Remember their flaky bats? Cheap and slow to break in is usually my wheelhouse though.
 

TWmccoy

3DX Connoisseur
I haven't swung it myself, but they're on sale for dirt cheap here in Canada and I've been researching them. Since nobody else on this softball site wants to talk about softball, here's what I found:

It looks like Miken changed the makeup of the bat after their 2021 model (white/blue). The 2021 tested just over 240 out of wrapper, failed very quickly, felt super soft, and was prone to paint seams. The 2022 model seems to be testing at 290-300 out of wrapper and is still passing comfortably after 200-300 swings. The biggest difference for me is the 2022 has that new, small, Easton-like knob. That big disk they always used kept me away from Worth/Miken in the past.

The '21 KP23 was definitely flimsy. I knew people who had them, and they were failing compression pretty much brand new.
I've never liked Worth/Miken's large, thin knobs. They're uncomfortable AF when you start dropping fingers.

'22 KP23 is very cheap right now. I guess it wasn't popular. Oh well. I need a durable 240 bat anyway.
 

TWmccoy

3DX Connoisseur
They're being reviewed pretty poorly on YouTube, and it looked like he even switched to the 9r for some games in the middle of the season. Could've just been a short run black kp though.

I hit the krecher Shannon Smith in a bat provided tourney and liked it fine, but I have no way to know if they're similar or how many swings it had at the time. It felt pretty stuffy so maybe they just feel that way and it wasn't actually broken in. Hrs aren't my job so I wasn't swinging for them.

Miken worth were a little slow to catch up when they changed the last time too. Remember their flaky bats? Cheap and slow to break in is usually my wheelhouse though.
Honestly, the more durable a bat is the more I like it. I play half my games in cold weather, and I need stuff that lasts. I played over a decade with old Eastons, which took over 1000 swings to get even remotely good.

If someone wants to make really durable 240 bats I'm all for it.
 

bigcam406

Addicted to Softballfans
I have been watching vids on the 2021 KP and it has intrigued me. Every one that I watched praised the heck out of it for being so hot out of the wrapper. Seems that if you are using hard balls and are prone to compression testing, it would be a waste of coin, but for the average beer league and using 52's, it would be fine.
 

bigcam406

Addicted to Softballfans
Honestly, the more durable a bat is the more I like it. I play half my games in cold weather, and I need stuff that lasts. I played over a decade with old Eastons, which took over 1000 swings to get even remotely good.

If someone wants to make really durable 240 bats I'm all for it.
Still have 2 2014 L5's that I use for cold weather. Each has over 5 thousand hits on them and they are no worse for wear. Perform great.👍
 

TWmccoy

3DX Connoisseur
Little update on the '22 KP23.

Swung this bat off and on throughout the season. It performs OK at best. Fairly reliable. I'm able to find the barrel and place the ball well with this bat. Still tests pretty damn high (which is OK). I don't mind the durability at all.

Just not a ton of pop. I can hit balls out with the KP, but it doesn't have a super jumpy barrel. Fairly soft feel as well, despite not being that hot.

For what this bat costs (almost nothing) it's a good, durable cold weather option. I wouldn't buy one expecting to start hitting 400' nukes right away, though.

Not one thing about this bat "wows" me. It's literally the most average, boring bat I've probably ever swung. However, it isn't BELOW average. It'll get the job done.
 

clementeunknown

Addicted to Softballfans
2022 was a bad year for Miken. I had the red Freak9R essentially the same bat, I just gave up on it. It never hit another gear.
 

TWmccoy

3DX Connoisseur
2022 was a bad year for Miken. I had the red Freak9R essentially the same bat, I just gave up on it. It never hit another gear.

Luckily I don't really need this bat to hit another gear. KP23 is a perfect base hitting bat that should last awhile.

I also got a couple of those Benefit the Badge bats dirt cheap, and I think they're the exact same thing, just with different paint.
 

bigcam406

Addicted to Softballfans
I don't want to hijack a thread but I was wondering if the '23 KP 23 was any better? Grabbed one recently on sale up here but not too many reviews on it. The reviews I did see were both positive and so so. Any information would be appreciated as to what I can expect from this bat. Thanks.
 
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