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Easton Project 3 ADV Review

By Bat Digest | Last Updated November 17, 2022

Easton’s top end bat for 2019 is called the Project 3 ADV. The ADV comes with a few features we’ve yet to ever see on other bats including a Power Boost knob and an improvement in the connective piece.

Price Check

2019 Project 3 ADV Video

2019 Project 3 ADV Video

2019 Project 3 ADV Models

There have been atleast a few complaints about the bat’s long term performance. We don’t think it too concerning, but the bat isn’t getting the rave some other more proven models are.

As of March 2019 the ADV (and every Easton BBCOR bat) came off of minimum pricing. It is the earliest we have seen any premier bats come down.

As far as we can tell, one of two things. First, the bat’s sales have been flat or lackluster and Easton is looking to drive some inventory before other flagship bats drop their price. Second, it’s possible Easton is looking to launch a few things earlier this year to get the ball rolling and a jump on the 2020 line.

BBCOR

Amazon JustBats DSG Sideline

…/10

General Recomendations

In some sense it’s worth thinking of the ADV as a newer version of the Ghost X from 2019. It is a two piece composite with a big barrel, light swing and really great feel on contact. Granted, it only comes in BBCOR at the moment. But improvements like the power boost knob make it worthy of a new model and name.

Model Recommendations

BBCOR Review

ADV 3 BBCOR Ratings (key)

MOI	Tech	Drb	Flx	Prof	ReSl	PlaRa	ExVe	Relv	Dmnd
3	5	3	2	5	3	4	5	5	4

…
OVERALL/10

Price It

Amazon SidelineSwap JustBats

Sizing: 30, 31, 32, 33, 34-inch

Release Date: August 1, 2018

Serial: BB19ADV

Bat Type: Two Piece Composite

Barrel Size: 2 5/8

See other BBCOR Bats

Comparable Bats

In the big barreled and light swinging two piece composite space there are a few real high end options. All bats, mind you, in this category are the most expensive. Others to consider are Rawlings Quatro Pro, DeMarini’s CF Zen and Slugger’s new Meta 9. Each of these bats have their own story and, in their own right, each are good. We suggest you read through the reviews, watch some vidoes and get a feel for what type of bat you’ll like more. Then, when in doubt, flip a coin.

Previous Models

You can see more details in our bat construction section on this review.

Easton’s top end bat for 2018 is the Easton Ghost X. That bat was the new version of the famed Easton MAKO. These bats have dominated much of the two piece composite market. They’ve used a big barrel, light swing and real good feel on hits and mishits to become one of the preferred two piece composite bats in the market.

The 2019 Project 3 ADV significantly upgrades on the Ghost X. Insomuch that a new name and line is warranted. Here are a few of the bats new features:

Power Knob: The new knob uses a softer edge that allows for greater wrist movement.
The connective piece (formerly known and CXN) adds foam material inside the bat. This helps dampen sting and improve feel.
A new barrel layer design Easton is referring to as Launch Comp.
A lighter end cap now called the Speed Cap.

Although the Easton Ghost/MAKO rated out as one of our favorite BBCOR bats, the changes to the new Project 3 ADV are legit. We are not able to determine if the price difference is worth it on your budget. Our general recommendation is that last year’s models bats are great buys when they price out well (August through October). But, in terms of a side by side (assuming price is equal) we’d buy the Project 3 ADV.

Construction

There are several features worth noting on the 2019 Project 3 ADV. Compared to the last year Easton top end two piece composite (the Ghost X) there are considerable changes. Here are a few:

Easton won the Lizard Skin contract. If you want a pre-installed Lizard skin on the stock bat than the Project ADV 3 will be your choice.
They changed the composite in the barrel. The idea is a longer barrel with a more consistent sweet spot. Granted, this has been the claim of every composite bat company since the dawn of time. But, nonetheless, they are claiming an improvement.
The Handle is stiffer than previous version. This means less flex at contact and, in theory at least, more power to the ball.
They upgraded the connective piece and added some inner foam to help with sting dampening.
The new knob is legit. It’s a rubber outer shell that makes it feel better to swing. And it does feel smoother.
They also upgraded the end cap.

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.