Cartel finally loosening up

[Robby123]

With 200 hits this thing was webbed all over but pop and distance were really lacking. Was worried I'd fell onto the hype bandwagon. Finally today I'm starting to feel the barrel flex a little and getting much better distance and pop. Just surprised it took like 400-500 hits to get it there. So either mine is more durable or I swing like a little girl. Probably the latter, glad its coming around though.

 

[turner033]

Mine took 12 hits to be nasty. It took 30 to start flaking paint, and at 500 it's just rediciolous. I assume at 700 it'll break in 2.

 

[Rega17]

i got mine used all webbed and i thought it was very meh. hopefully mine turns out to be like yours... and the barrel feels stiff as a board. yours loosened up some?

 

[Robby123]

i got mine used all webbed and i thought it was very meh. hopefully mine turns out to be like yours... and the barrel feels stiff as a board. yours loosened up some?

Yeah barrel was stiff as hell. Wasn't untill today when I felt it flexing a little that it improved.

 

[JesseJamesM]

I concur....I was worried about the hype as well and hated the feel so much that I sold my NIW...but now at 400 swings...it's absolutely NASTY!!!

 

[jward33]

Welcome to the cool club!

 

[john92awd]

mine only has 100 cuts and im sold, cant wait to get some more on it. Its already webbing so ive been afraid to bp it

 

[jaydubya]

It gets better with every swing....just wait it out. Disgusting hot bat!

 

[fierce_gt]

With 200 hits this thing was webbed all over but pop and distance were really lacking. Was worried I'd fell onto the hype bandwagon. Finally today I'm starting to feel the barrel flex a little and getting much better distance and pop. Just surprised it took like 400-500 hits to get it there. So either mine is more durable or I swing like a little girl. Probably the latter, glad its coming around though.

i think there's a lot at play. i KNOW i don't swing that hard, but i also don't get the luxury to hit anything harder than a gold dot, and even that's fairly rare. i also don't play when it's cold.

when guys say a bat breaks in in 500 swings, it means i can't break one in and i might as well buy one used with 1000 swings on it(ie the juggy). my cartel with 200 feels REALLY stiff and is either the worst bat demarini's release recently or it's not even close to being broken in.

i've pretty much stopped paying attention to what others are reporting. i'm either going to get a bat with a defect that will break inside of 100 swings, or i'm not going to break it, probably ever. in my life i broke one bat, it was an asa z1000, and it lasted exactly 12 swings. i've had ultras, jak'd, geezer, mm gear's with tons of hits and couldn't break any of them, so i'm not too worried about nsa and asa bats

 

[SoxFan81]

My cartel was super stiff the first 150 swings, nothing like a teammates . He bought one when they first came out and it was super hot out the wrapper. Mine is getting better but doesn't feel fully broken in yet . Like guys said when they are wide open they are ridiculously hot. It's hard to gauge off how many swings guys break in or break bats , it can vary so much due to : size of guy swinging, how hard he swings , balls used, temperature , proper rotating of bat instead of hitting on the same side etc. I'm a # 2 hitter usually ( 5'9" 165 lbs) so I dont worry about breaking too many bats

 

[KingKrab65]

Mine took about that to break in, I still think it will get there unfortunately I can't put down my J2U.

 

[BIG28WILL]

I was sold off the 3rd cut i took with mine...and I keep getting happier with every swing i take with it...

 

[Robby123]

i think there's a lot at play. i KNOW i don't swing that hard, but i also don't get the luxury to hit anything harder than a gold dot, and even that's fairly rare. i also don't play when it's cold.

when guys say a bat breaks in in 500 swings, it means i can't break one in and i might as well buy one used with 1000 swings on it(ie the juggy). my cartel with 200 feels REALLY stiff and is either the worst bat demarini's release recently or it's not even close to being broken in.

i've pretty much stopped paying attention to what others are reporting. i'm either going to get a bat with a defect that will break inside of 100 swings, or i'm not going to break it, probably ever. in my life i broke one bat, it was an asa z1000, and it lasted exactly 12 swings. i've had ultras, jak'd, geezer, mm gear's with tons of hits and couldn't break any of them, so i'm not too worried about nsa and asa bats

I think yours is like mine. That is not broke in. I think the early webbing fools you into thinking it should be ready but its not. Just keep hitting it and maybe it will get better. Mine was an absolute log for awhile.

 

[Brackett]

Mine were dirty out the gate like 30 swings and it sounds like my 1500 j2u every hit i would just laugh and say dam its hot.. 27 broke with 50 cuts and i got 100 on the 28 and its still going strong.. we play nsa so its still 44/400 and last year it was 44/525 so my bp balls are still the 525 so could be why they break so fast..

 

[twestman]

Mine were dirty out the gate like 30 swings and it sounds like my 1500 j2u every hit i would just laugh and say dam its hot.. 27 broke with 50 cuts and i got 100 on the 28 and its still going strong.. we play nsa so its still 44/400 and last year it was 44/525 so my bp balls are still the 525 so could be why they break so fast..

What temps do you normally hit the 525's in? I'm gonna guess that this is why they're busting faster.