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There’s a particular smell to a new softball glove, and a particular panic the night before the first tournament when someone realizes the bat doesn’t have the right stamp. Getting softball gear right is mostly about two things: rules (bats and helmets have to be certified for your league) and safety (the ball is hard and comes fast). Here’s a simple softball equipment list: bats by certification, gloves, fielder’s masks, batting helmets, cleats, and the recovery kit for long tournament weekends.
Buying guide · Our Softball buying guide compares the gear we'd pick, with prices and sizing:
Prices change often. The prices below are what we saw at the maker or a major retailer in October 2026; check the current price before you buy.
The quick checklist: a bat certified for your league, a fastpitch batting helmet with a face mask, a softball glove, a fielder’s mask for pitchers and corner infielders, molded cleats (metal only where allowed), sliding shorts, a labeled water bottle, sunscreen, and slides for after. Catchers need a helmet and mask with a throat protector, a chest protector and shin guards.
Our top picks
Easton Ghost OG Double Barrel Fastpitch Bat
- USA Softball and USSSA marks (maker)
- On the NCAA approved list
- About $300
Easton Sapphire Fastpitch Bat (-10)
- 1-piece aluminum
- USA Softball and USSSA (maker)
- About $33
Mizuno MVP Prime Fastpitch Glove 12 in
- Made for female players
- Bio Soft leather
- Parashock palm pad
RIP-IT Defense Fielder's Mask
- Made for female players
- Ponytail-friendly strap
- About $40
Easton Ghost Fastpitch Batting Helmet with Mask
- NOCSAE approved
- Mask with extra jaw coverage
- About $80
Under Armour Women's Glyde Sola RM Cleats
- Rubber molded outsole
- Full-length EVA midsole
- About $42
OOFOS OOahh Slide
- OOfoam slide
- APMA Seal of Acceptance
- Machine washable
Softball bats by certification
Before you think about feel or price, check the stamp. A bat is only legal if it carries the certification mark your league requires and isn’t on that organization’s banned list.
| Where you play | What the bat needs |
|---|---|
| USA Softball leagues and tournaments | A USA Softball (or older ASA 2000/2004) certification mark, and not on the USA Softball Non-Approved Bat List |
| High school (NFHS) | The USA Softball certification mark, and not on the Non-Approved Bat List |
| College (NCAA) | The model must be on the NCAA Approved Softball Bat List |
| USSSA tournaments | The USSSA Fastpitch certification mark (2020, or the earlier 2014 mark) on the taper |
| Slowpitch | A slowpitch bat with that league’s slowpitch mark; fastpitch and slowpitch bats aren’t interchangeable |
The standards differ. USSSA tests bats with a Bat Performance Factor of 1.20 or less, while the NCAA list is built around a batted-ball exit speed of 98 mph or less. Many fastpitch bats carry more than one mark, which is the easiest way to be covered in travel ball and school ball. USA Softball’s official bat can be no more than 34 inches long, 38 ounces and 2.25 inches across. The drop (like -10) is the bat’s length in inches minus its weight in ounces: a bigger drop means a lighter bat for its length, which suits younger hitters.
For high school and college players: the Easton Ghost OG Double Barrel is a two-piece composite bat with Easton’s double-barrel design, in drops from -8 to -11. Easton lists it as certified for USA Softball, USSSA (fastpitch only), NSA, ISA and WBSC, and the Ghost OG -8, -9 and -10 are on the NCAA Approved Softball Bat List of September 2, 2026. About $300.
For young players: the Easton Sapphire is a light -10 one-piece aluminum bat made for young hitters still working on their swing, and Easton lists it as approved for USA Softball, USSSA (fastpitch only), NSA, ISA and WBSC fields. About $33, which matters when kids outgrow a bat every year or two.
Check the Easton Ghost OG price on Amazon
Check the Easton Sapphire price on Amazon
Softball gloves
Buy a softball glove, not a baseball glove: the pocket is shaped for the bigger ball. Catchers and first basemen use mitts. For young players, the Rawlings Sure Catch is a 12-inch youth fastpitch glove with a basket web, made for ages 4 to 11, all-leather and broken in at the factory so it closes on day one (about $50). For older players, the Mizuno MVP Prime Fastpitch 12-inch glove is designed for female players, with soft “Bio Soft” leather, pro-style lace and a Parashock palm pad to cut sting (about $130).
Check the Mizuno MVP Prime price on Amazon
Fielder’s masks
In a study of US emergency room data from 2013 to 2017, about three in four softball head and face injuries came from being hit by a ball, and most of those were fielders. Masks are optional nationally (Kentucky’s high schools require them for pitchers and corner infielders), but they’re a smart buy for anyone who pitches or plays first or third. In lab tests, metal masks that sat far enough from the face (about 35 mm from the upper jaw and 25 mm from the cheekbone) lowered facial fracture risk best, and plastic masks bent enough to let the ball reach the face. Look for a sturdy metal cage with room between the bars and your face.
- RIP-IT Defense: designed for female players’ faces, with a strap that leaves room for a ponytail or braids, a wide frame for peripheral vision, room for sunglasses and washable padding. About $40.
- Rawlings HI-VIZ: bent stainless steel wire with a larger viewing window, adjustable chin and forehead pads and a split strap for ponytails. About $60.
Check the RIP-IT Defense mask price on Amazon
Batting helmets
Fastpitch batting helmets must meet the NOCSAE standard and, in high school, USA Softball and USSSA youth play, have a face mask. Highly reflective chrome finishes aren’t allowed. Fit matters: the helmet should sit snug without wobbling, and the mask shouldn’t block your view of the pitcher. The Easton Ghost fastpitch helmet is built for female players, with room for different hairstyles, sweat-treated pads and a mask that sits lower and closer for extra jaw coverage; Easton says it meets NOCSAE for all levels of play (about $80). For younger players, the Rawlings Coolflo is a light, vented NOCSAE-certified helmet with an attached mask, sized for about ages 8 to 14 (about $53).
Check the Easton Ghost helmet price on Amazon
Cleats
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends supportive cleats with good traction. Rules decide the type: USSSA bans metal cleats at 12U and younger, USA Softball allows them only in older top-level divisions, and high school and college allow them. Molded rubber cleats work for every age and on turf. The Under Armour Glyde Sola RM is a molded softball cleat with a synthetic upper, a full-length EVA midsole for cushioning and a rubber outsole made for all field surfaces (about $42). There’s a kids’ version for about $32. Try cleats on with game socks, and replace them when the studs wear down.
Check the Under Armour Glyde Sola RM price on Amazon
Recovery gear for the bag
Four games in a day on hot dirt add up. Recovery slides like the OOFOS OOahh (about $60, washable, with the APMA Seal of Acceptance) feel great once the cleats come off. A small massage gun such as the Hypervolt Go 3 (about $149, 1.6 lb, up to 4 hours of battery) or a TriggerPoint GRID foam roller (about $40) helps many players with tight legs between games, and Nuun Sport tablets add electrolytes to a water bottle on long, sweaty days. For pitchers, no gadget replaces real rest from pitching. These are comfort tools, not treatment: if something hurts for more than a few days, see a sports medicine doctor, physical therapist or athletic trainer. Our best recovery shoes, best massage guns and electrolyte powder guides compare more, and the softball recovery page covers the routine.
Check the Hypervolt Go 3 price on Amazon
Check the OOFOS OOahh Slide price on Amazon
Back to the softball hub, or see softball rules, youth softball, softball injuries and the best softball wearables. Also play basketball? See our basketball gear list.
Softball gear questions
What bat certification do I need for high school softball?
The USA Softball certification mark (older ASA 2000 and 2004 marks also count), and the bat must not be on USA Softball’s non-approved list. A bat with only a USSSA mark isn’t legal in high school.
Can I use a baseball glove for softball?
It’s better not to. Softball gloves have a deeper, bigger pocket for the larger ball, so the ball is easier to catch and less likely to pop out.
Do softball players need a face mask?
Batters do: fastpitch batting helmets need a face mask in high school, USA Softball and USSSA youth play. Fielders’ masks are optional in most places, but strongly worth it for pitchers and corner infielders.
Can kids wear metal cleats in softball?
Usually not. USSSA bans metal cleats at 12U and younger, and USA Softball allows them only in older top-level divisions. Molded cleats are legal everywhere.
What does bat drop mean?
Drop is length in inches minus weight in ounces. A 32-inch, 22-ounce bat is a -10. Bigger drops are lighter and easier to swing, which is why many youth bats, like the Easton Sapphire, are -10 or lighter.