2017 Axe Hyperwhip Fusion Review

Although still early in the 2017 bat season, we think of the 2017 HyperWhip Fusion as Axe's marquee bat for 2017. We don't know if it will be, but we think it should be their best seller in the BBCOR space. A few reasons drive this:

• The price point makes more sense than many two-piece composites.
• The light swing and good-sized barrel compare well to any bat on the market.
• Single-piece aluminum bats are in vogue as hitters want a wood-like experience with power. The 2017 Axe HyperWhip Fusion delivers on this.
• The Axe Handle makes sense, and one-sided hitting with predictive contact is brilliant.

Lack of sizing could force many to miss out. We wish the bat was offered in a 30-inch as many 14 and 15-year-olds need as light a swing as possible. (Of note, the smallest VELO size is a 31-inch too, but the 617 Slugger comes in a 29-inch). We would hope, as well, that a big barrel 2 5/8 or 2 3/4 is in the works. The EndoGrid knob and ergonomic feel of the Axe handle do dampen handling, but not like a two-piece composite does. Some hitters might find that a deal-breaker.

We cover the intricacies of the Axe Hyperwhip in our 2016 review on the Axe Element. For that discussion, we point you there. The 2017 and 2016 models are identical aside from color. Here we give some short overviews of the very unique construction of the 2017 Hyperwhip Fusion.

• Asymmetric Knob for fast bat speed
• Barrel designed with one-sided hitting in mind
• EndoGrip knob for lessened vibrations
• Asymmetric end cap for decreased swing weight
• A 3-inch-ish composite end cap fused into the aluminum barrel for a lighter swing