How we pick the gear we recommend
MAVTRAX makes a free pitch-calling app for baseball and softball. Our gear guides are research guides: we have not hands-on tested every product we list, and the guides don't claim we have.
How we research
- Specs from the source. Sizes, weights, drops, certifications and features come from the manufacturer's own listing or spec sheet.
- Rules from the rulebook. Bat stamps, helmet and chest-protector standards, pitching distances and device rules come from the governing bodies (NFHS, Little League, USA Baseball, USSSA, NOCSAE and others). Leagues change rules, so confirm with yours.
- Live listings. "Verified" picks are products we confirmed were listed and buyable from a real brand at the time of writing. An automated daily check flags price changes and out-of-stock listings so we can update or swap them. Prices shown are approximate; the retailer's page is the final word.
- AI-assisted drafting. We use AI tools to help research and draft guides, then check prices, specs and rules against the sources above before publishing.
Our criteria
- Built for youth-sports abuse. Gear gets thrown in bags, baked in the sun and rained on, so build quality and materials weigh heavily.
- Real-world price. We favor the value pick a travel-ball family can actually justify, and we say when the expensive option isn't worth it.
- No pay-for-placement. Commissions never decide rankings. Plenty of our picks earn us nothing.
How we make money
Some links are affiliate links (including Amazon Associates). If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, that funds the guides. Our main business is the MAVTRAX app, which keeps our incentives simple: be genuinely useful to the baseball and softball community.
Corrections
Spot something outdated or flat wrong? Email hello@mavtrax.com and we'll fix it.