Tanner Tee Original Batting Tee Review
The Most Popular Batting Tee That Might Not Be What you Think It Is…
Probably the most popular tee on the market – the Tanner Tee original adjustable batting tee. With 3k+ reviews on Amazon, a plethora of videos on Youtube, and a passionate customer base, we ask ourselves the question here at Mindfuse Baseball…
‘…does the Tanner Tee live up to expectations?’
Is it stable? What is the adjustment like? How much does it weigh? And will it suit what YOU need it for?
These are all questions we had heading into our review of what is quite possibly – the most popular batting tee, ever.
But, as you’ll learn, while others rave about it and tell us ‘there’s simply no other tee that’s better’ – we have a slightly different view. We’re not taking away from the opinions of these people. Far from it – but, simply opening up a few alternative ‘windows of thoughts’.
Let’s dig in…
Tanner Tee Original Review
So let’s start with the basics. As with the other Tanner teen we went into in our ‘best batting tees‘ post, it’s built well, comes with the patented hand-rolled FlexTop, and is backed by the quality we’ve come to expect with the Tanner brand.
If we compare it to 99% of other batting tees on the market, it simply blows them out of the water. With a solid metal design, flexible yet durable tee top, and quick easy height adjustment range from 26”-43”…
…you’re not only getting a tee built to last longer than your favorite reality TV show – but a batting tee that covers the entire strike zone.
- FlexTop: Built to provide instant feedback meaning you feel the ball – NOT the rubber.
- Easily Transported: Simply unscrew the stem from the base and you’re ready to go
- Easy Setup: Youth-friendly and quick to get going
- Superior Quality: To most other batting tees on the market
- Priced Competitively: To suit most budgets
So far so good.
However, while we would recommend the Tanner Tee Original for youth players or those with smaller hits – it might not be the best batting tee for heavy hitters and adult players.
Here’s why…
Tanner Tee Original vs Jugs T Pro-Style vs Tanner Heavy
First thing’s first – the Tanner Original, when stacked against other tees in the same category comes out on top. The sheer quality and practicality of the Original is head and shoulders above the rest.
That said however when we stack it up against the heavyweights of the industry, it does fall a bit short.
Let’s start with the base. The Original comes with a flat square design base which is great for even surfaces but not so great if you want to position it around the plate. This is where Tanner Heavy starts to pull ahead.
The claw design from the Heavy model not only allows you to position the tee anywhere on the plate without sacrificing stability but it also adds an additional ‘layer’ of strength and balance too.
And while we’re on the topic of strength and balance, the Tanner Original doesn’t excel as well as the Heavy or the Jugs T in this department.
Now, it must be said, in fairness to Tanner – the Tanner Original isn’t marketed as a tee that ‘won’t fall over’ and they’ve got the Heavy to do that job for them. But, we still think it’s worth mentioning.
The Tanner Original simply hasn’t got the weight nor the base design to complete with the Heavy model or the Jugs T.
So with that said, what is the strongest feature of the Tanner Original?
Portability
The lightweight nature of the tee makes it super easy to carry around. It also makes it safe for most youngsters to handle (you’ll need to make an individual call on that, however) and the easy shaft screw / unscrew from the base feature makes things super easy to deal with.
So if we were comparing the Original to the ALL batting tees in the market – portability and transportability are definitely its advantages.
If we’re comparing the Original to other batting tees in its own category – then, the FlexTop, the easy of adjustments and the quality and durability would shine through.
So, does the Tanner Tee live up to expectations?
In comparison to our other reviews, this one’s a pretty short one. The main reason for that is we don’t think repeating a million words on the quality of Tanner Tees is necessary. I mean, the quality of craftsmanship, durability, and functionality of Tanner Tees are there for everyone to see – you certainly don’t need us to keep repeating that.
But, we did think it was worth mentioning, that while the Tanner Original is a great tee stacked up against other similar tees at a similar price – if we compare it to the rest of the market (heavy-duty batting tees and that priced higher up the spectrum) – it does fall a bit short.
If you’re looking for a tee that has ‘physicality’ and superior stability and strength – we’d recommend spending that little bit extra and going with either the Tanner Heavy or the Jugs. Both tees trump the Original in this area.
If you’re looking for a tee to accommodate heavy hitters and adults. Then again, we’d recommend going with either the Heavy or the Jugs T.
If however, you’re looking for a quality, durable batting tee for youth player and don’t mind doing the extra work of placing the tee back into place now and then, at a cheaper price – then the Tanner Original could be a good fit for what you need.
Our humble opinion on the Original is that it’s a fantastic tee, but far more suited to younger and smaller hitters. They’ll just get more out of it. For other players, however, the break of focus and interruptions from constantly resetting the tee might be a little too much to bear.
