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By Bat Digest | Last Updated November 17, 2022
If there were any criticism of the 2014 XL3 (and there wasn’t much as it was received very well) it was the bat had some tendency to be dented after considerable use. This isn’t an uncommon problem for any aluminum barreled bat. We hope, (or rather Easton hopes), that the new HyperLite alloy will improve its durability.
Regardless of any complaints, the 2014 XL3 was a winner and we don’t see any reason to think the 2015 version will be otherwise.
The Easton Power Brigade line is back in 2015 with the usual suspects. The Speed (S), XL, and MAKO lines will once again grace the plates of little leagues, high schools and colleges around the country. Of course, the big news is the MAKO TORQ with its spinning handle, but here we focus on the Easton XL3.
The 2015 XL3 is similar in many respects compared to the 2014 XL3. It is still a one-piece premium aluminum alloy with an end load. The barrel profile is still gigantic for a one-piece aluminum bat.
We would recommend the Easton XL3 to hitters who: Like a metal bat with considerable feedback on mishits (i.e. it stings your hands) comparable to wood; Prefer and can swing end-loaded bats; want to improve their home run and bomb-dropping ability; Desire more power at the plate; Like the ping of aluminum bats; prefer the power in one-piece bats.
We would NOT recommend the Easton XL3 to hitters who: Prefer two-piece bats; prefer composite barrels; need or want a balanced or handle-loaded swing; or are on a budget.
| 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| MOI | Tech | Drb | Flx | Prof | ReSl | PlaRa | ExVe | Relv | Dmnd |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| MOI | Tech | Drb | Flx | Prof | ReSl | PlaRa | ExVe | Relv | Dmnd |
|---|
One change the alloy has gone through, at least, is a name change to the HyperLite Alloy. This is a difference from the 2014 version’s THT scandium alloy. This new HyperLite alloy is also found on the 2015 S2 and S3. Easton’s claim is the alloy is more durable and allows for thinner walls which, in turn, can create a potentially lighter swinging bat with a bigger sweet spot.
We do notice some feel changes with this alloy on Easton’s 2015 S3, S3z, S2, and S2z. However, the 2015 XL3 looks and feels a heck of a lot like the 2014 XL3–despite an upgrade in the alloy. The upgraded alloy could very well be significant in the bat’s durability–something this early in the season we can’t determine.
Sizing, at release, will be a big barrel drop 9 and drop 5 as well as a 2 1/4 barrel drop 11. Easton’s commercial claims the bat will only be made in these sizes but they said the same in the 2014 video and ended up releasing a BBCOR version of the bat by springtime.
Overall, we expect the 2015 XL3 to be a smart buy. Those hitters looking for an endloaded bat and prefer the power that comes from a one-piece aluminum stick are looking in the right place at the 2015 Easton XL3.
The overall rating uses seven different weighted metrics to determine our overall score. Half of total rating comes from the player and our exit speed tests (Player Rating: 25%, Performance: 25%).The other categories are Relevance (20%), Demand (10%), Durability (10%), Resell Score (5%), and Tech Specs (5%).
*: When a bat is denoted by a star (*) it is a preliminary rating. Expect it to be updated as we learn more about the bat and gather more data.
(PlaRa) Player Rating: We measure player rating from user reviews. Those users include our own hitters that we test at the lab as well as reviews we find online.
(ExVe) Performance: Performance measures the exit speeds and distances we capture in our hitting lab with HitTrax using these bats.
(Relv) Relevance: We measure the number of sizes and the MOI of the bat. Bats with a wider range of options get a better score.
(Dmnd) Demand: Demand is measured by consumer sentiment and the buzz around the bat.
(Drb) Durability: A bat’s durability is measured by user reviews as well as feedback from manufacturers.
(ReSl) Resell Score: Based on the price the bats go for used. Higher prices mean greater user demand which means, generally, a better bat. A resell value closer to its original price means a higher score.
(Tech) Tech Specs: We rate the bat on its technological advancements from previous years and compared to the industry at large. This is our chance to reward companies who are trying to innovate.
MOI
MOI or Mass Moment of Inertia is a measurement of bat swing weight. This quantifies how difficult it is to swing a bat. The industry often refers to this as things like End Load or Balanced but those words have been overused to the point of meaninglessness. We measure the actual swing weights of each bat we test using the industry-standard pendulum period, balance point, and scale weight. You can read more about that here.
Price
The price is the original MSRP price of the bat.
Type
The types of bats are single-piece alloy (SPA), two-piece composite (TPC), single-piece composite (SPC), hybrid (Hyb.), and wood (Wood). Hybrid bats are made of composite handles and alloy barrles.
Date
The estimated date the bat began distribution.
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