2024 Easton Hype Fire Review – What We Know

Easton is dropping their 2024 two-piece composite in USSSA. Usually, the bat line falls around October. This year, though, the bat will drop at the beginning of June. (June 1st here, June 6/7th at select retailers). We aren’t sure why there is a different release date; the last version of this bat was released just six months ago. But… when a company releases a bat outside its regular schedule, it means either this bat will be something to talk about (in a good way) or because the last one was a dud–and we thought the 2023 model was far from a dud. In any case, it will be worth watching as it rolls out over the next few weeks. We know it will be in a 2024 USSSA version of the bat in a drop 10, 8, and 5, and you can find more information on Easton’s Twitter account.

General Recommendations

We’ve been doing this for ages and have never seen a ‘wait and get’ bat. If you need a bat now, there’s no reason to wait for this to drop in your size or league. USSSA bats have long met their limit, and we’d be surprised to find out the 2024 Easton Hype Fire has somehow cracked a code the previous five iterations of the bat have not, though many will claim it online. If we had to guess, our hunch is the bat is hot out of the wrapper but may suffer from durability at high swing speeds. We will see.

That said, we think the Hype line is generally underrated as it performs as well as bats like the Marucci Composite and DeMarini CF–although it gets a fraction of the online traction of those bats. If we were a betting site, we’d put money that the 2024 Hype Fire will make a serious run at the USSSA market share of the CAT X Composite and DeMarini CF.

Reviews By Model

Previous Bats

Construction

We expect the 2024 Easton Hype Comp to be a two piece composite bat with a big barrel, flexible feel and light swing. In some way, it will be a continuation of the TCT composite from the earlier MAKO that made the two piece composite line of Easton’s famous.

Marketing Writeup

Here’s our best take on a marketing pitch:

Introducing the revolutionary 2024 Hype Fire, where performance takes center stage. This cutting-edge baseball bat is designed to dominate the competition and elevate your game to new heights. With a finely-tuned composite barrel, the Hype Fire boasts a wider sweet spot from taper to end cap, surpassing its predecessor and competitors in performance. Prepare to experience explosive power and remarkable consistency like never before.

The redesigned TCT™ Barrel is the heart of the Hype Fire, delivering unparalleled performance. Its optimized design focuses on widening the sweet spot, improving off-center hits, and maximizing the overall performance area. This means more solid contact and greater distance with every swing. The longer, lighter, and higher-performing composite barrel is engineered to give you the ultimate advantage on the field.

The Hype Fire’s balanced design ensures exceptional bat speed and superior barrel control. With a light swing weight and lower MOI, you’ll effortlessly generate more power and drive the ball precisely. It’s the perfect combination of speed and control, allowing you to unleash your full potential at the plate.

The Hype Fire also features the innovative ConneXion Max™ technology. By utilizing an elastomer connector to interlock the handle and barrel, this bat eliminates vibration and provides an optimal feel with every swing. Say goodbye to uncomfortable feedback and hello to a smooth, responsive connection.

The OptiFlex Handle, engineered based on ongoing research and feedback from top players, delivers a smooth and forgiving feel. Tailored to the elite travel ball athlete, the handle flex of each bat size is optimized for maximum performance. It’s the perfect balance of comfort and responsiveness, allowing you to stay locked in and focused on the game.

The Power Boost Soft Knob takes your hitting prowess to the next level. With enhanced leverage, reduced vibration, and improved comfort for the bottom hand, you’ll experience increased control and confidence at the plate. The Flow-Tack Grip provides a comfortable and tacky feel, ensuring the best possible grip for optimum power and performance.

The 2024 Hype Fire is certified by USSSA, meeting the highest quality and performance standards. Step into the batter’s box confidently, knowing you’re equipped with a bat engineered to exceed expectations.

Unleash your full potential and ignite your game with the game-changing 2024 Hype Fire. Dominate the diamond-like never before and experience the thrill of unparalleled performance. It’s time to set your game on fire.

Overall Ratings

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.