2018 EASTON beast x hyperlite youth bat
SUMMARY: The 2018 Easton Beast X Hyperlite youth baseball bat features the same innovative technological enhancements as the other 2018 Beast X’s with one major difference. The Beast X Hyperlite comes with the traditional 2 ¼ barrel. For the 2018 season, this youth baseball bat will be Easton’s only 2 ¼ barrel displaying the USA Bat stamp. Despite having a smaller point of contact than the now legal 2 5/8 barrel youth bat, the Beast X Hyperlite packs quite a punch. Similar to the other Beast X models, the Hyperlite offers Easton’s Advanced Thermal Alloy Construction (ATAC) which applies an unmatched sound and explosive energy upon the baseball. The modest 2 1/4 barrel comes equipped with Easton’s X-tended barrel design and Z-CORE internal core technology. Both of these innovative mechanical enhancements indulge youth hitters with an enlarged sweet spot and the longest barrel in youth baseball. In being an all-aluminum youth baseball bat, the Easton Beast X offers an evenly balanced swing perfect for hitters who are looking to increase bat speed through the strike zone. The ATAC handle comes with Easton’s 1.4mm HYPERSKIN grip distributing supreme comfort and a natural feel when stepping up to the plate. The 2018 Easton Beast X Hyperlite is perfect for youth baseball players who prefer the smaller barrels found in older Easton bat models. In being a -12 drop, it's recommended for younger or smaller hitters who might struggle catching up to pitches in the strike zone. Simply put, the Beast X Hyperlite youth baseball bat distributes a great blend of power and speed with the same traditional feel as older Easton youth baseball bat models.
RESULTS: When evaluating the Beast X Hyperlite, we had to configure our testing slightly different than the other 2018 Easton models. This Beast X Hyperlite is the only Easton bat featuring a 2 ¼ barrel. Since this youth bat wasn’t the larger 2 5/8 big barrel, not too many players wanted to swing the bat. Our team of staff members selected the most experienced youth hitters to swing this bat to get the best result. After 200+ swings, below is our official review of the 2018 Easton Beast X Hyperlite youth baseball bat.
POP: In following the USA Bat standard, the new Easton USA youth bats already have limited pop potential. When developing this bat, we can tell that Easton emphasized speed and comfort over pop. Assuming is true, our staff didn’t expect the baseballs to travel as far. When our youth hitters made solid contact, the collision gave off great sound and created solid line drives however, the number of solid hits were significantly less than those Easton youth USABats featuring a 2 5/8 barrel. If you are in the market for a youth bat featuring some power, this one isn’t for you. What it lacks in pop, the Beast X Hyperlite compensates in increased swing speeds.
OFFICIAL SCORE: 7.5 / 10
VIBRATION CONTROL: 30% of our volunteer scorecards reported consistent stings to their hands. The Beast X Hyperlite came in last place for of vibration control. We have a few reasons why we believe this happened: One-piece construction alloy bats are generally known to be more susceptible to stinging vibrations, the barrel is much longer than most bats from last year, and being 2¼ there may not be enough bat mass to embrace the impact of a swing.
OFFICIAL SCORE: 7.5 / 10
GRIP & COMFORT: In being 2 ¼ barrel, the Beast X Hyperlite is one of the lightest USA bats that Easton has to offer in 2018. This youth baseball bat was built for maximizing speed and comfort over anything else. Swinging the bat offers the closest feel to bats of 2017 and older. One particular hitter stated, “The feel and grip of the Hyperlite was a light as the bats I used last year. All of the Eastons I’ve been swinging are all much heavier."
OFFICIAL SCORE: 9 / 10
DURABILITY: The 2018 Easton Beast X Hyperlite took on a lot of punishment from during our evaluation. Our team reports seeing only typical handling marks and scratches. This youth bat withstood approximately 250+ continuing Easton’s legacy of developing sturdy and strong youth bats year after year.
OFFICIAL SCORE: 9 / 10
OVERALL EXPERIENCE: Overall, the Beast X Hyperlite is a great bat to utilize if your player needs to swing the lightest USA youth bat possible. What baseball players are getting out of this youth bat is a quick swing. We recommend this bat for younger players under the age of 10 or players who need to work on catching up to strikes.