The Miken NRG 500 FP minus-10 has a new design meant to maximize strength and flexibility throughout the barrel to produce the industry’s largest sweet spot. It is approved under the ASA’s 98-mph maximum exit speed standard.
The NRG 500 is a 100% composite bat featuring Miken’s “ESD” and “E-Flex” technologies.
ESD – or Extended Sweetspot Design – features a redesigned shape complete with a longer barrel, shorter taper and thinner handle than in previous Mikens. The barrel is the longest barrel Miken has ever made. By extending the barrel, Miken has extended the sweet spot. By shortening the taper, the neck and handle have more whip, even though the barrel is balance weighted.
E-Flex technology, which has been part of Miken bat design since 2001, involves a special way of laying the composite fibers at optimal angles for the most allowable trampoline effect (hoop flex). This design also expands the sweet spot by improving the flex of the barrel in areas where flex might not otherwise occur. E-Flex consists of two special technologies:
The “Advanced Carbon X” shell is 100% composite and combines strength and performance. The composite fibers run in directions determined to prevent breakage without interfering with pop.
“Helix Technology” features a continuous inner weave process to allow consistent barrel (hoop) flex. The composite fibers run in directions determined to respond to batted ball impact regardless of that impact’s placement along the barrel
The NRG 500 FP is designed similarly to the slow pitch NRG 500, but with a stiffer handle for fighting off inside fastballs. It is balanced It has a urethane end plug.
The thin handle has a cushioned synthetic leather grip. The handle features new exclusive “X-Tack,” a textured coating, to provide superior grip for added bat control.
It is available in 34”/24, 33”/23, 32”/22, and 31”/21.
We hit the 32”/22 oz model.
Miken fastpitch bats have been a favorite of Bat Reviews testers since the first Miken Infinity; the 2007 NRG 500 continues that tradition, the only difference being there is more to like about this bat than any previous model.
First, the things that make it so like other Miken fastpitch bats:
“Too much pop,” said Sarah McNeil
“Great grip, very responsive,” said Danielle Boehm
“Swings great, I moved from 8th to 4th in the lineup in two weeks with it,” said Baili Sandvig.
In other words, it is easy to swing, it improves your efforts, and it instills confidence.
The NRG 500 has a new shape, with a longer barrel, thinner handle and short, dramatic taper. This design is meant to stretch the sweet spot and it seems to: it is hard to mis-hit the ball with the NRG’s responsive barrel. Line drives are plentiful regardless of where along the barrel contact is made.
The bat is balanced weighted, but the long, thin handle gives it the feel of a power hitter’s bat. Miken’s E-Flex barrel provides enough trampoline that home runs are plentiful. It doesn’t hit them for you, but it rewards good swings with distance.
The new things that the girls liked were numerous. Little things like the grip tape which recalls the surface of a basketball, the new X-Tack knob that secures the batter’s grip without being sticky, and the graphics with electric purple highlights were big hits with testers.
“This is the best-looking bat ever from Miken,” said Lauren Derting.
Miken, an extremely popular brand among slow pitch players, may actually be becoming even more popular among fastpitch players. The NRG 500 -10 will only help push that popularity to a peak.
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