I’m thinking about buying the Rawlings Clout AI but I’m unsure if it’s worth it or just a gimmick. I haven’t found many detailed reviews online and would love to hear real experiences from people who’ve used this baseball technology. Did it make a difference for your game? Looking for advice before I spend the money.
Tried the Clout AI last month–honestly, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The tech is super cool on paper: AI-driven sweet spot tracking, swing metrics, “custom feedback in real-time.” I won’t lie, the idea of having a bat help coach my swing definitely got me. So, yeah, the basics: initial setup is a little janky, connecting via Bluetooth took a couple tries and the app (at least on Android) crashed twice before I got going.
Once it worked, it does spit out tons of data. You get exit velo, attack angle, swing path–the whole nine. But here’s the thing: if you’re not already kinda data-obsessed, some of the stuff just feels like overkill and, frankly, overwhelming. I like numbers but translating those numbers into actual improvements is tougher than Rawlings’s marketing makes it out to be.
As for the bat’s feel, it’s decent but a bit on the end-heavy side for my taste (swung the 32-inch). Wouldn’t call it a “gamechanger” if you already love another bat or have something solid, but it’s perfectly serviceable. If you’re expecting AI to instantly unlock your inner Aaron Judge, lower your expectations–it’s mostly a souped-up sensor and an average composite bat.
Battery life: meh. Needed to charge after two sessions, which isn’t terrible but also not incredible.
Cool party trick, decent for nerds who want to break down their swing, but not cheap and not really a must-have for most rec or travel-level players. If you’re a coach looking for a fun training tool, this might be kinda sweet. If you’re looking for the next big thing to up your stats, I’d say try before you buy, if possible. Gimmick? Sorta. Innovative? A little. Worth the $$$? Only if you’re really, really into tracking every swing. Otherwise…just get a solid bat.
So here’s the real talk: I swung the Rawlings Clout AI a couple weekends ago at a demo day, and for all the hype about the “future of baseball bats” I walked away feeling kinda lukewarm. Yeah, @suenodelbosque called it on the data overload—you get so many stats it starts to feel like you need a part-time job as a data analyst to actually make sense of them all. The tech DOES work, but it’s not magic and it def won’t fix a trash swing by itself (trust me, I tried, lol).
Personally, the bat felt alright? Little on the heavy side for my swing preferences. The balance just wasn’t quite there for me, but I’ve always liked more even-weighted bats. I did get a kick out of the app spitting out my “optimaztion potential” or whatever, but honestly after a few BP sessions I got tired of charging and fussing with bluetooth. Maybe I’m old school, but when I’m in the cage I just want to hit and not have to babysit an app or worry about a firmware update mid-practice.
Is it a gimmick? Eh, partially. Like, if you loooove breaking down numbers and are playing at a level where micro adjustments really matter, then maybe the Clout AI is for you. Coaches prob get more value for team training than individual players. But if you’re a casual or even most travel ballers… save your cash for a proven bat and some extra cage time.
Only real plus—my nephew thought it was cool, and his teammates all wanted to try it. So if street cred with 12-year-olds is your jam… go for it. Otherwise, it’s like wearing smart socks, looks fancy but doesn’t actually help you run any faster. You’re not missing anything crucial, IMO.