The Camo 484 takes the high-performance Maniac 484 and pairs it with a Realtree Advantage Timber pattern to produce the most unique looking high-performance bat of the year. It has all the technology of the Mega Maniac, but is designed to meet the ASA 2004 98 mph exit speed performance standards.
The Camo is a 100% composite bat featuring Miken’s “E-Flex” and “Titan Elemental” technologies. The E-Flex, 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.
Titan Elemental Technology refers to the new inner-most layer of composite which has been redesigned to allow the bat to return energy to the ball even quicker than with previous bats. It also allows the bat to maintain its shape better.
Titan Elemental Technology allows the whole barrel to flex; in previous models, Miken had to “tweak” the barrel to extend flex toward the areas where it normally would not be found. While that meant that most of the barrel was live, it also meant inconsistent performance and weakened areas more susceptible to breakage along the length of the barrel. The new inner layer changes all that.
The Camo has a 13.5” barrel for maximum hitting surface. It is balanced and has a black MG-1 Sport Grain synthetic grip. It timber camouflaged with red graphics.
It is available in 27-30 ounces.
We hit the 27 oz. version.
The Camo is essentially the same bat as the Miken Maniac 484, and so there were no real surprises when it came to hitting the Camo: it performed as well as the test group – many of who use the Maniac 484 regularly – expected it to.
First, here’s how it is similar to the 484: it has a long barrel (13-1/2”) that is mostly live, providing a remarkable hitting area; it has a very soft feel, as though you can feel the flex at impact, which fills the hitter with a confidence that good contact has been made; it works well for most hitters, both power hitters and singles hitters, helping each do easier whatever it is that they do best; and like previous Mikens, it swings a bit light – our 27 felt more like a 26.
The differences are slight, but they are there. The obvious difference, the look, is achieved by a decal that covers the entire bat. It gives the barrel a matte look, but more importantly to a hitter it gives the barrel an extra bit of bite. When compared to the smooth and shiny barrel of the 484, the Camo seems to act almost like a shot-blasted barrel bat. The difference is slight, but it is real – players who like to cut the ball to the opposite field or chop high pitches over the infielders’ heads before skipping them past outfielders found both of these maneuvers easier to do with the Camo than with any of the other Miken models available (such as the 484, 585, Freak and Freak 98).
The Camo also seems tougher to break in than any other Miken model. It looked unused for the longest time – despite being hit by B, C and D-level hitters over a period of weeks. By the end of the test period it had loosened up a bit, but not to the extent other composite bats usually do with the same amount of abuse.
One other difference, and we were not sure if this was real or imagined, was the Camo we hit seemed to have a slight end load – at least as compared to the Maniac 484. Not so much that it was obvious (or even necessarily true), but still the majority of hitters asked if the Camo was end loaded once they had finished taking their swings. Those hitters who were convinced that it was loaded seemed happier about their session when all was said and done.
The Camo performs well for what it is – an ASA-approved, 98 mph exit speed rated bat. It is easy to hit with a large sweet spot. It makes a good sound and seems to perform close to the top end of the ASA limit. It has pop, but not the kind that will make any hitter a home run hitter. It won’t make anyone forget 100+ mph bats, but then that is not what it was designed to do.
The Camo is probably the best looking bat we have tested. Every one of the testers – all Central Texans – want one.
Let us hear your bat review!Click here to review this bat.
