2018 EASTON ghost x -5 youth bat
THE SUMMARY: The 2018 Easton Ghost X -5 drop comes with all the same technological features as the Ghost X -10 drop with a slight variation in weight distribution. Similar to the Ghost X -8 drop, the Ghost X -5 utilizes an end loaded swing weight to slightly increase power potential. This 2018 youth baseball bat is equipped with many newly developed Easton technologies and a large 2 5/8 barrel. The Ghost X youth baseball bat was developed to deliver maximum performance and an ultra-natural feel. The Ghost X features a 2 piece fully composite youth design that debuts Easton’s EXACT carbon composite material with a reengineered CONNEXION Technology. This combination from Easton called the “Dynamic Feel System” provides youth hitters with optimum performance by encompassing an enlarged sweet spot, widened hitting surface, substantial durability, and an unparalleled resistance to shock vibration. The 2 5/8 barrel utilizes Easton’s new X-tended barrel design making the Ghost X the longest composite bat in USA Baseball. Lastly, the EXACT carbon handle comes pre-wrapped with Easton’s 1.4mm HYPERSKIN grip distributing supreme comfort for both contact and power hitters.
OUR RESULTS: The 2018 Easton Ghost X -5 drop offers hitters the performance features of a Ghost X -10 with much more force behind a heavier -5 drop end loaded 2 5/8 barrel: If your child can handle swinging a heavy bat with an unbalanced swing weight, then the Easton Ghost X -5 drop is a great option. For our evaluation day of 2018 Easton Youth USA bats, we had the same larger players who swung the Ghost X -8 drop swing the -5 drop to determine the difference in pop (if any) between utilizing a -8 to a -5. After approximately 250 swings, below is our official review of the 2018 Easton Ghost X -5 Drop:
POP: After careful observation and gathering of data for our Easton Ghost X -5 drop youth bat review, we can wholeheartedly state that this youth USA bat offers consistently high pop potential that gets a youth hitter as close to the power they witnessed in years past as possible. During the portion of our evaluation that concentrated on analyzing pop, the Ghost X -5 drop showcased big shots all over the field when being used by hitters who had the ability and strength to swing a heavy and unbalanced youth baseball bat. The majority of our youth volunteer hitters were too undersized to swing the -5 drop Ghost X however those hitters did note experiencing more pop with this Easton Ghost X version vs the Ghost X -8 drop or -10 drop. The 2018 Easton Ghost X -5 drop will provide clean up hitters significant pop this year.
OFFICIAL SCORE: 9 / 10
VIBRATION CONTROL: Much like the other Easton Ghost X youth USA bats we evaluated, the Easton Ghost X -5 drop seemed to protect our volunteer hitters from the majority of stinging vibrations. This scoring of this category is solely based 100% upon the feedback from our youth hitters. As expected, some of the 250+ some of our volunteers noted feeling some stinging. A youth baseball bat will never protect against every single sting vibration 100% of the time but overall, this USA youth bat does a great job of reflecting vibrations.
OFFICIAL SCORE: 9 / 10
GRIP & COMFORT: The “Grip & Comfort" category is another aspect of a youth baseball bat we measure where scoring is solely based upon the feedback from our youth hitters during the evaluation process. Of all the volunteer youth hitters who swung the 2018 Ghost X -5, we found a trend with those who complained about the balance and comfort. The volunteer hitters that had negative remarks were those who considered themselves beginner youth baseball players. Simultaneously, those youth batters who weren't experiencing a very comfortable and confident grip just happened to be our above-average, all-star hitters (kids who can still swing a quick bat no matter the balance levels). These findings tell us that the Easton Ghost X -5 drop USA baseball bat should only be utilized by those kids who can realistically handle the end loaded swing weight coupled with a small drop. This is a great bat for bigger players or any player getting ready to transition to the -3 drop after the “majors” division (ages 11-12).
OFFICIAL SCORE: 8 / 10
DURABILITY: The 2018 Easton Ghost X -5 endured a lot of collisions during our bat evaluation. After approximately 400 swings, this youth USA baseball bat displayed some handling marks and scratches but nothing that would impair performance or eligibility like dents or cracks. The durability of the Ghost X –5 drop as well as all the other 2018 Easton Ghost X models held up quite well.
OFFICIAL SCORE: 9 / 10
OVERALL EXPERIENCE: The 2018 Easton Ghost X -5 Drop provided more pop than the Ghost X -8 or -10 drop. As we have repeated a few times, this bat should only be utilized by youth players who are skilled and strong enough to swing it quickly without losing any balance. For those kids who can handle it, we highly recommend it over the other Easton Ghost X models.