Nighthawk experts

[mike leonard]

I have a question for Nighthawk experts. I mostly swing Eastons so swinging bats in BP is not a problem, but recently got a Nighthawk. I probably have 500 swings on it now and it is smoking hot. Do I put it up now and game only or are these durable enough to keep swinging? Just looking to see how long they last.

 

[MaMaLuLu]

from what i hear they're somewhat durable, but probably wont pass the test after 500-1000 hits like some easton or slugger bats. I've had a used one real pitch with a bunch of composite cracks on it and was still going strong, but the og owner had probably rolled it to get that kind of cracks

 

[Chudder]

I think it all depends on the ball you're using tbh... my NH has easily over 3,000 on it. It got down to 230 after 100 or so swings and has been sitting there ever since.

However, 90% of my swings on it are with 52 300's

 

[THESHOE]

I've owned a few, one of which recently went to MaMaLulu and I can agree to this.

We hit Gray Dots once a week in a beer league, and 52/300 the rest of the time in games.

The bats have all lasted and well. We just kept swinging from April to November with them. No worries, no cracks, no fails. Just ugly with all the rashing that's it.

The one I sold recently to MaMa had much lesser hits being a backup and was game hit with only 52cor balls; but my others that were well hit with a mix of balls now owned by teammates were 1500+ and going. Nothing but rash to show for it, and still passed compression. Those teammates continue to swing away with no issues.

Failed compression is usually a problem for those who BP with 40/44/47/50 cor balls or rocks too much, and more common with bats which start right at the pass/fail line like Miken/Worth.

I will be honest, I do hit 40/375 balls a lot for BP with my group. We got a deal on 3 dozen because a league switched to the 52/275 version instead and sold me 3 dozens new of the old balls this year at a great price. The 28oz that a lady player bought off me took a tonne of work from those balls from various people in all temps and conditions from April to Sept. The bat passed for her just fine come Sept/Oct events. The gamer 27 had as much work and now belongs to a teammate who continues to swing it and game it.

I had the same experience as Chudder, mine started at 260-265 in wrap, got them down quick after the initial 100 hits and caught fire, and they've passed since and have never felt like they were getting softer and softer like a Miken/Worth bat does. And 2 of them had 1500+ with the 52 cor and the 40/375 batch hit into them often. Maybe the fact that the 40/375 are Trump with softer covers and feel makes a difference, who knows. But overall, we had much more luck with Nighthawk being reliable than we've had with DC41 and Legits. This was a little more like the reliability of Easton and LS we've seen.

Big fan of the product Mizuno puts out with these, and CANNOT WAIT to try the new Hawk with thinner handle and more EL. A Hawk more like an Easton EL bat? Sign me up!

FWIW Bat of the year awards for 2016 go to Nighthawk and Flex imo.

I think it all depends on the ball you're using tbh... my NH has easily over 3,000 on it. It got down to 230 after 100 or so swings and has been sitting there ever since.

However, 90% of my swings on it are with 52 300's

 

[MaMaLuLu]

do you know of any nighthawks that failed the test?

 

[THESHOE]

My personal experience and friends, no.

Didn't hear any frequent whining about it either from the elite level circuits like you hear about certain other 2 top brands.

I am sure the way some of the elite dudes hit, that yes, they will eventually fail. But at least they seemed to pass and stay consistent a good while across the board.

Maybe Chudder has more experience.

But i'd say between here and SFO, the lack of negative is good news. The only negatives I read was about the ASA/Dual models on here.

The Utrip seemed to stand up really well to all the owners last year.

do you know of any nighthawks that failed the test?

 

[Robo_16]

I only had 2 fail all year and I think my buddy Steele had 2 fail as well. We usually hit 40 core balls for bp and in games, but those can get pretty hard. Overall, I didn't have a problem with bats failing the test. One of them passed and then was retested, failed, and had not even been swung in that tournament. I called that a fluke. Durability definitely hasn't been an issue

 

[mike leonard]

FWIW Bat of the year awards for 2016 go to Nighthawk and Flex imo.

I agree with that, my Flex is pretty good but that Nighthawk seems like it has a tad more giddy-up on it. Just don't want it blowing up in my hands at BP. I want it to blow up hitting and stand and watch grand slam.

 

[Chudder]

I got a NH in January of 2016... 95% of my swings last year were on that bat.... it got down to 230 fast and just stayed there.. hasn't broke and hasn't failed...

Mind you almost of my swings were with 52 300s..

Either way... I agree.. people don't blow the NH up maybe like it should... but you almost never hear anything negative about it.

It's a great bat that hangs with all the top bats out there... it just needs more people to put it in their hands