FAQ
When is The Original Gamer™ expected to launch?
Short answer - this Fall.
Long answer - As soon as we feel we have the right balance of performance and durability.
Longer answer - we see ourselves as a technology company, and in technology there will always be the drive to iterate, test, learn and improve. That's our plan with FZN Technology™, so we are not seeking perfection with our initial launch, but we will only release The OG when we feel it can live up to our expectations for innovation and disruption in the BBCOR market.
We are disappointed to miss this summer season, and we are humbled by the excitement and response to our FZN Technology™, so we are working as fast as we can in the lab. We believe The OG will be as valuable to hitters in their Fall ball season as in the summer wood bat circuit, and we look forward to welcoming you to the Delano Team soon.
What is FZN Technology™ and what makes is special?
Simply put, we like to think of FZN Technology™ as the Best of Both Worlds – it's the power and pop you want from today’s BBCOR materials (like Alloy and Composite), AND it’s the classic look and sound of a true wood stick in your hands.
Easy swing without the ping - High-tech performance with traditional “crack”.
But there is much more to FZN Technology™. It is a patented design and manufacturing process which combines a solid wood billet with carbon fiber (and other proprietary materials) to create a brand-new bat category and experience at the plate.
The benefits of FZN Technology™ to the hitter are:
* Max BBCOR performance – we hit 0.500 in our BBCOR testing with NCAA
* Max BBCOR barrel size – that means a massive sweet-spot for you to barrel it up
* Performance profile – FZN Technology™ Starts Hot and Stays Hot – different from other BBCOR bat materials in the market today
* Durability – we are so confident in our design & materials that we offer a 1-year “no questions asked” warranty
If you want to see a few more details on these benefits, you can watch this short video
How is FZN Technology™ different than a wood-composite bat?
FZN Technology™ is not a Baum® bat, if that’s what you are thinking. Off the bat (pun intended) you can see the difference when you look inside. FZN Technology™ starts with a solid wood billet and has a lot more wood than other wood composite bats. There is a hollow barrel with carbon fiber lining which provides pop and durability. The competition starts with the internal materials and slaps a wood veneer shell on the outside. You can see for yourself with this video.
Construction and design aside, FZN Technology™ differs from wood-composite competitors in a BIG way. Wood-composite bats are designed to be durable WOOD bats – they have the barrel profile of wood, the sweet spot of wood and the pop of wood. FZN Technology™ bats are designed to compete with high performing BBCOR bats in the market, regardless of material. FZN has:
* Max BBCOR performance - it hits 0.500 in NCAA testing
* Max BBCOR barrel size (and massive sweet spot) - biggest in BBCOR
* One-year warranty (the leading wood-composite bat only offers a six-month warranty on their stock bat)
Don’t just take our word for it, check out this video based on testing data across different barrel materials to see why FZN Technology™ is truly in a category by itself.
Can I use a FZN Technology™ bat in my wood bat tournament?
Great question, and a complicated one to answer. The short answer is YES, with some context. We’ve spoken to a few wood bat leagues, and when you’ve talked to one wood bat league, you’ve talked to ONE wood bat league. We have learned that every league and tournament is different, and each sets their own rules and lists of accepted bats.
Here’s what we do know:
It is approved in Perfect Game. We are waiting for their published list of approved bats to be updated with The Original Gamer, but we have confirmation from Operations that it is approved for use. It is also approved for use by PBR for tournaments permitting wood-composite.
If it’s a solid-wood bat league, then no bueno to use a FZN Technology™ bat. While we start with a solid wood billet, it would be unfair to put FZN up against solid wood bats (but we’d love to watch it go down).
If wood-composite bats are approved for use in the tournament, there is no reason why FZN should not be also approved. However, because we have not talked to every wood bat league, we recommend that you check their rules first. Or you could just play with FZN Technology™ and ask forgiveness later (haha).
As we hear back from specific tournament providers, we will update this FAQ as well as our product page.
What is the warranty for FZN Technology™ Series Bats?
We are so confident in not only the performance, but also the durability of FZN Technology™, that we are going to put our money where our mouth is. We are offering a 1-year “no questions asked” warranty for our bats. We don’t have a list of exclusions like our competition, but we cover 3 major issues:
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Severe flaking or cracking
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Catastrophic breakage
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Major end-cap issues
Pretty simple to understand, and no questions asked as long as these occur from “normal use”. So if your FZN Technology™ bat breaks taking a heater off the handle – it's covered. If your FZN Technology™ bat breaks because you busted your ex-girlfriend's headlight – NOT covered. You can read more about our warranty here.
Do I need to hit The Original Gamer™ with the label up (or down)?
No – swing away however you’d like. The patents behind FZN Technology™ enable The Original Gamer™ to be swung like any other alloy or composite bat. You do not need to think about the placement of the face or edge grain relative to the barrel and contact spot – The OG barrel design maximizes strength, durability, and performance all the way around.
Do I need to register my FZN Technology™ bat?
Yes, please. You will want your bat registered in case there is an issue, and you want to make a warranty claim. It will also allow you to submit your proof of purchase now (which you'll need for your warranty claim) before you lose it. Who wants to dig up a receipt from 11 months ago? You can scan this QR Code and complete the simple form. We'll ask for you to upload a copy of your receipt as well as the model number of your bat, so you'll want those both handy.
You can also access the form here.
Thanks for taking the time to register your FZN Technology™ bat - now, go rake.