Fred FontzThe 2022 Louisville Slugger Solo BBCOR is another one-piece alloy model. It’s a great option if you’re a contact hitter who prefers the one-piece style over composite or hybrid models.
Louisville Slugger has developed a reputation as a brand you can trust.
Our verdict on the 2022 Louisville Slugger Solo BBCOR 4.26
The LS Solo is purely a contact hitters bat. If your focus is putting the ball it play, it’s a great option. But you can’t expect much power.
It’s one of the lightest bats on the market. You’ll feel some vibration in your hands, but the Pro Comfort grip tape should make it comfortable to swing. It’s a solid bat, but is likely to end up outside of our top 10.
Build 4.4
Louisville Slugger 2022 model of the Solo BBCOR is considered a one-piece, all aluminum model.
It does feature a composite end cap that makes the bat feel even lighter. It’s designed for bat speed. So, it has solid, durable materials that won’t weigh the bat down.
To that point, it’s also built with Hyper+ alloy walls that are designed to be as thin as possible without losing too much durability.
Our tests have found that the bat holds up well, but some experts have expressed concerns over how thin the walls are.
They seem to think there is a chance that the bat could get damaged before the season ends.
Comfort 4.2
The LS Solo features a Vibex handle that is designed to kill negative feedback on mishits.
With it being a one-piece model, you’ll still feel something. However, the Vibex handle definitely helps.
This bat also features Louisville’s Pro Comfort Grip that provides a bit of extra cushion and tack. It helps make the bat a bit more comfortable in a hitter’s hands.
The big issue that Louisville did address this year is that some players complained that the 2021 model felt too light. They’ve made some adjustments this year and it seems a bit better.
This bat is still extremely focused on being a contact model, but it’s a little more balanced than it was last year.
Durability 4.8
The LS Solo has developed a reputation as a great bat. Over the years, it’s proved its worth and holds up through the season. However, some players are concerned about the durability this season.
The walls have been made thinner, and the sound is just slightly off of what it’s been in the past. Because of that, we can’t give it a full 5/5 rating.
Pop 3.5
Marketing can tell you a lot about a bat before you ever do any research. Louisville advertises this bat as being “engineered to maximize swing speed” and says that “contact-oriented hitters will be able to put the ball in play with ease”.
They go on to say that the LS Solo will “allow for more consistent contact”. Nothing in their advertising mentions anything about power.
With their focus on contact and bat control, they’ve nailed the mark. Unfortunately, that means they abandoned the idea of having any pop for the sake of having better contact.
Pricing 4.4
The high end of the market is $350. The LS Solo is $300 which puts it squarely in line with the Axe Elite One and the Easton Alpha ALX.
When comparing this to the rest of the market, $300 isn’t a bad deal. But this bat is priced near the top of the one-piece alloy market.
Overall, it’s not a terrible price point. However, there are better models that are priced at the same or even lower than the Solo. So, we can’t give it great score.
Compared to other BBCOR bats
Here’re a few other bats to consider in comparison to the 2022 LS Solo BBCOR.
LS Solo vs. Easton Alpha ALX
Both of these models are one-piece alloy bats but they’re on opposite ends of the spectrum.
The Solo is known for comfort and being a light weight model. The Alpha ALX is one of the better power models you’ll find in the one-piece market.
The Alpha ALX is $50 more expensive than the Solo, but we think the price is worth it; especially if you’re looking for power.
The biggest issue that we’ve heard in regards to the Alpha ALX is that you get a ton of negative feedback on bad hits.
Overall, we think the Easton Alpha ALX is the better one-piece BBCOR option.
Check out our 2022 Easton Alpha ALX BBCOR bat review
LS Solo vs. Victus Vandal
Both of these bats are designed to be light models that focus on bat speed, contact, and barrel control.
The 2021 model of the LS Solo was considered to be too light by some players. In 2022, that distinction goes to the Victus Vandal.
Overall, these two models couldn’t grade out any closer (4.26 vs. 4.25) because they are meant to be the same bat.
Aside from their swing profile, both feature a tacky grip that offers extra cushioning. We’d argue that the Vandal has a bit more pop while the Solo feels a bit more natural.
In the end, the Vandal is $50 more, and that may be the difference in our decision. If these are the two models you’re considering, you should test them out. The Vandal does seem to swing significantly lighter.
Check out our Victus Vandal BBCOR baseball bat review
LS Solo vs. DeMarini Voodoo One
The DeMarini Voodoo One may be the best one-piece BBCOR bat on the market. The Solo isn’t even close.
The Voodoo One still swings light, but it’s much more balanced than the Solo. The Voodoo One also provides barrel control and great pop.
Check out our 2022 DeMarini Voodoo One BBCOR bat review
Who is the 2022 Louisville Slugger Solo BBCOR best suited for?
This bat is made specifically for contact hitters, and there’s no question about that.
If you’re purely focused on your batting average this is a great bat for you. It’s not going to provide you many doubles though.
It’s also a great model for players who are struggling to keep up with fastballs.
- Great bat control.
- Comfortable grip.
- Designed for contact.
- Almost no pop at all.
Conclusion
This isn’t one of our favorite BBCOR bats, but it has its place for contact hitters. It provides a comfortable grip and does reduce vibration.
You could do much worse when choosing a bat. You could also do much better.
Your best option would be to see if you could test this bat out. It feels more natural than something like the Victus Vandal but it doesn’t have the same power as something like the Alpha ALX.
