Only reply if you have hit Decker Sharks or Tattoos

nutmegs

nutmegs

IDGAFOS
I'm about to be a part of a softball buyin. We are ordering 80 dozen. I need to know if I should get Decker Sharks or Tattoos.

Obviously the Dudley Thunder Advanced are the top of the line but we are going to be getting the next best and next cheapest thing. What ball should we get to sell at tourneys etc.

Thanks.

Rate these balls:

Decker Leather (top of the line ball)
Tattoo composite
Trump Stote
Thunder ZN
Thunder SY

If you haven't hit a ball then leave that ball out of the rankings.
 
zhardinger65

zhardinger65

John 14:6
tattoo ball with the polycore (what most people have hit) was on the list that is going to be illegal june 1 in the NSA thread.

1. Thunder ZN
2. Tattoo (if they aren't illegal)
3. thunder sy
4. trump stote
5. decker sharks (these are great out of the package, but don't last very long imho)
 
skew12

skew12

Active Member
I'd go with the ZN'S out of what you listed. Those sharks are crap after 3-4 innings. Especially in the heat.
 
Lord7

Lord7

Banned User
If you want to see how good tattoos are, watch any of my hitting vids. The yellow balls I hit in bp are tats. They are 44 375 and seem to go as far as the evil bp balls.
 
jslick324

jslick324

Addicted to Softballfans
IMO the Decker Sharks have really fallen off in terms of quality in the last 3-4 years. I used the Thunder ZN for ASA last year and was not happy at all with those either (didn't come off the bat well, ball does not carry, and mush after one game of use). Given your list I would go with the Tattoo composite. We used them for league and they were the supplied ball for NSA state. They got great reviews from everyone that hit them. The Trump Stote is a very underrated ball also (as long as you don't go with Synthetic covers). My ranks would go:

1. Tatto Composite
2. Trump Stote

And the others I would not buy do to lack of performance and durability. I have ASA ZN's in my BP bucket that are serious socks and ASA Tattoo's that are still rock hard with both having the same amount of use. I really believe that Decker got bought out a few years back and their product is not what it used to be before selling out. Hope this helps.
 
jslick324

jslick324

Addicted to Softballfans
I will say that the NSA ZN's 44/400 were a much better ball than the ASA 44/375. The ASA dozen we had were complete crap and I bought them form the SBF store.
 
C

cheato

TRACKIN'
zhardinger65 said:
tattoo ball with the polycore (what most people have hit) was on the list that is going to be illegal june 1 in the NSA thread.

1. Thunder ZN
2. Tattoo (if they aren't illegal)
3. thunder sy
4. trump stote
5. decker sharks (these are great out of the package, but don't last very long imho)
Click to expand...

jslick324 said:
IMO the Decker Sharks have really fallen off in terms of quality in the last 3-4 years. I used the Thunder ZN for ASA last year and was not happy at all with those either (didn't come off the bat well, ball does not carry, and mush after one game of use). Given your list I would go with the Tattoo composite. We used them for league and they were the supplied ball for NSA state. They got great reviews from everyone that hit them. The Trump Stote is a very underrated ball also (as long as you don't go with Synthetic covers). My ranks would go:

1. Tatto Composite
2. Trump Stote

And the others I would not buy do to lack of performance and durability. I have ASA ZN's in my BP bucket that are serious socks and ASA Tattoo's that are still rock hard with both having the same amount of use. I really believe that Decker got bought out a few years back and their product is not what it used to be before selling out. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

wrong and wrong, decker sharks are the best out of this grouping
 
T

Tall@first

Addicted to Softballfans
I know we used the Tattoo all last year in ISA and the ball was much better than any other ball we hit in any other association last year BESIDES the Thunder ZN.
 
D

dgambill85

Banned User
Lord7 said:
If you want to see how good tattoos are, watch any of my hitting vids. The yellow balls I hit in bp are tats. They are 44 375 and seem to go as far as the evil bp balls.
Click to expand...

I think your vidoes are doctored and fake and really not that impressive.
 
nutmegs

nutmegs

IDGAFOS
dgambill85 said:
Talk to Buggs before doing this. He might have a decent deal for you.
Click to expand...
Last time I went through buggs all I got was a $10 off coupon code on a bulk order.

This is good info here fellas. I told the Guy that runs the park that wanted these that I thought Deckers were not that great and that he would have a tough time selling them. Essentially he was fed up with dealing with Dudley and wanted to go with the next best company. I think Decker was another top ball back when he first started dealing with Dudley so that's why he wanted to go through them again.

I pm'd tattooball though since I think if his park uses tattoos in leagues and they fly then the word will definitely get out and he won't have a problem selling dozens at tourneys etc.
 
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jslick324

jslick324

Addicted to Softballfans
cheato said:
wrong and wrong, decker sharks are the best out of this grouping
Click to expand...

You must buy different Sharks than everyone else then. I bought 6 dozen Sharks when LineDrive Sports went out of business in KC. They were a mix of leather and synthetic covers. All of them were absolute garbage. Maybe they let them sit in a hot/humid warehouse too long. But I will never buy Sharks again after that. Tattoo's are the real deal!!!
 
C

cheato

TRACKIN'
jslick324 said:
You must buy different Sharks than everyone else then. I bought 6 dozen Sharks when LineDrive Sports went out of business in KC. They were a mix of leather and synthetic covers. All of them were absolute garbage. Maybe they let them sit in a hot/humid warehouse too long. But I will never buy Sharks again after that. Tattoo's are the real deal!!!
Click to expand...

the ones i bought off this site are the best ball ive hit (not counting thunder advance) for ASA
 
iceman7420

iceman7420

Member
IMO, The Sharks and Trumps are very similar. I use both in the Chicagoland area and both hold up well (Spring/Summer/Fall). Both are better than the Thunder SY. I have never hit the Tattoo before and not enough of the Thunder ZN to have an opinion.
 
DBO20

DBO20

Addicted to Softballfans
If you play NSA, I would go witht the ZN b/c the tattoo multi layer (which I love) will be illegal in NSA june 1. Same as the evil multi layer and any other multi layer ball. Thunder Advances are the best ball imo but they will be illegal in NSA also.
 
Gamble

Gamble

Addicted to Softballfans
1. ZN
2. Tattoo
3. Trump
4. SY
5. Decker


The Deckers are wholly unimpressive after a very short time. They perform on about the same level as composite Tattoos out of the wrapper, but become soft halfway through the game.
 
landsharklager

landsharklager

GDC MULTI-PLATINUM MEMBER
I had some older Sharks last year that were great and could last a game or 2, but as stated, I believe they have trailed in quality since.

Thunder ZNs Last year, good for about 4 innings in the humid heat.

Sy's - Suck.

Stotes- Great Ball, better than the ZNs and should last at least a game or 2. Heat still kills them though.

Tattoos - Never used... Wont comment.
 
zhardinger65

zhardinger65

John 14:6
once again, all these people talking about tattoo are refering to the poly core ball. they are almost as good as the TA's, but like others have confirmed, they will also be illegal with all the other multi-layer balls. if you are going to buy them you might as well go ahead and buy dudley TA's.

yeah all i used to buy was decker about 5 years ago. then they got to where you were lucky to get a whole game out of them. dudley TA's just keep on hitting great. I have some 2 year old TA's in the BP bucket that still fly better than a brand new shark.
 
Cobb

Cobb

Addicted to Softballfans
Posting, but I haven't hit either of them. But if it were me I'd for with the sharks, cause sharks are cool, but then again so are tattoos.
 
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