With baseball season in full swing, many of us are reminded of our younger, ball-playing days. I often find myself in the baseball section at my local sporting goods store, not actually looking for anything to buy, but just reminiscing about the good ole days. While browsing the aisles, I’ll put my hands on whatever I can; I can be found grabbing a baseball to feel the seams or taking in the smell of rich leather from the racks of gloves on display. Of course I can’t resist picking up a bat, gripping it tightly, and picturing that perfect pitch across the middle of the plate.

So imagine my surprise when I first stumbled upon the Reebok Vector O Baseball Bat. There’s no doubt that bat technology was bound to improve, but even I couldn’t have pictured this one. In my baseball days, companies were talking about how thin they could make the side walls, but no one was talking about aerodynamics. Seriously, a bat is a cylinder, larger at top, and tapered down to the thinner handle. So how do you make something round more aerodynamic? Well, Reebok figured it out.

For the Vector O Bat, Reebok uses what they call O-Technology to reduce drag throughout the entire swing pattern by strategically placing three holes (ports) cut out of the bat between the handle and the head. Yes, HOLES. They allow air to pass through during the swing, creating less drag, greater swing speed, and thus a more powerful swing. My, how things have changed.

While it’s unlikely that any one of us will be using this bat anytime soon, it’s still nice to see new technology emerge.

Cost: $380 @ Reebok.com