2018 EASTON beast x -5 youth bat
SUMMARY: The 2018 Beast X -5 drop youth baseball bat features all the same innovative Easton technological enhancements found in the Beast X -10 drop but with one major variance. Similar to the 2018 Beast X -8, The Beast X -5 drop encompasses Easton’s end loaded swing weight which sacrifices some balance for added power. The 2 5/8 barrel houses Easton’s X-tended barrel design and Z-CORE internal core technology giving youth hitters an enlarged sweet spot and the longest barrel in youth baseball. The entire youth bat is composed of a single piece aluminum construction featuring Easton’s Advanced Thermal Alloy Construction (ATAC) which applies an unmatched sound and explosive energy upon the baseball. The ATAC handle comes with Easton’s 1.4mm HYPERSKIN grip distributing supreme comfort and a natural feel when stepping to the plate. The 2018 Easton Beast X -5 drop is perfect for youth ball players who demonstrate above average hitting abilities being able to handle an end loaded unbalanced swing weight that carries more aluminum material within the sweet spot region. If your ball player is seeking an alloy youth bat a bit on the heavier side and geared more towards enhancing power over speed, the Beast X -5 drop is perfect.
OUR REVIEW: Like many youth baseball bats featuring a height and weight of -5 this year, we believe they will carry a bit more force behind every swing compared to other youth bats featuring a -10 or -8 drop. Even though we expect some added pop, it’s important to realize that not every player has the size and skills to use a heavier youth baseball bat with an end loaded unbalanced swing weight. For these reasons, our staff reserved the Beast X -5 youth USA bat for older or bigger players who possess the capabilities of maintaining a level swing with this low of a drop. After 250+ swings of solid contact, below is our official review of the 2018 Easton Beast X -5
POP: The 2018 USA Bat standard makes all 2018 USA bats function at “wood-like levels” which will provide less pop vs older youth baseball bat models. When reviewing the 2018 Easton Beast X -5, our staff was very impressed with the amount of distance and pop that it provided. With an end-loaded swing weight and some extra mass, the bat provided hard solid shots that came very close to our results from older Easton bats from previous years. If your child can handle a heavier end loaded barrel, we believe the Easton Beast X -5 is a great option.
OFFICIAL SCORE: 8.5 / 10
VIBRATION CONTROL: Our vibration control score is based off our volunteer hitter's responses. Like all bats, inevitably some stinging of the hands occurred, but the Beast X -5 seemed to keep the vibrations at bay with less than 5% of our hitters reporting major discomfort.
OFFICIAL SCORE: 9 / 10
GRIP & COMFORT: Our score for grip & comfort also comes from our volunteer hitter's responses. Of all the volunteer youth hitters who swung the 2018 Easton Beast X -5, very few had an issue with the end-loaded barrel and unbalanced swing weight. Prior to setting up this evaluation process, we reserved the use of all -5 drops in our possession (no matter the brand) for volunteers who can effectively swing such a youth baseball bat. This is key to attaining an accurate results for our readers. One specific volunteer stated, “The grip of the bat felt very natural. I have been wanting to swing a bat this heavy in Little League and I prefer metal aluminum bats over composite. This one just felt right for me.”
OFFICIAL SCORE: 10 / 10
DURABILITY: The 2018 Easton Beast X -5 took on tremendous punishment during the course of our evaluation process. We had one that bent during one of our hitting sessions while the other Beast X youth bats we had tested only displayed some handling marks and scratches. Like most Easton models, the 2018 Easton Beast X -8 held up pretty well but just not as good as the -8 or -10.
OFFICIAL SCORE: 8 / 10
OVERALL RESULTS: After the conclusion of the Easton Beast X -5 evaluation, we have determined that it is one of the most powerful one-piece alloy USA bats you are able to purchase for next season as well as the most powerful aluminum from Easton. It offered more pop than the other Beast X models plus provided our hitters with a deafening sound. As long as your child can swing a heavy youth bat with an end-loaded swing, the bat will be great.