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The Easton Hyperlite fastpitch bat is built for the entry level player looking for a legitimate drop 12 bat.
We spoke to a number of hitters, and read several user reviews, on the 2017 Easton Stealth Flex fastpitch bat.
After hitting every fastpitch bat over the last several years it is hard to be blown away by a bat.
Clearly this is a high performance bat made for players looking for the absolute most out of their fastpitch softball bat. Its price point ($299 retail) puts it in some serious company but it's hard to say any player would go wrong choosing the 2015 Mizuno Nighthawk. It's a performance two piece composite bat in the fastpitch space with improved technology for butter smooth bombs.
We'd recommend the Boombah Tsunami XRT line of fastpitch bats to anyone looking for a value purchase in the fast pitch performance space. These bats are constructed in the same manner as many high-end fastpitch bats but with a generally heavier swing weight. As such, consider sizing down an inch or drop to make sure you get the right size. All in all, you should have confidence in a quality stick for a fraction of the price. (
Their site is the only place to buy).
The bat also contains the Thermo-fused Taper which reduces vibration and transfers energy back into the barrel of the bat to further increase batted balls' distance and dramatically decrease the sting at contact.
This bat is a drop 10 bat and approved for play in ASA,
USSSA, NSA, ISA, and ISF. It has a 2 1/4" diameter and is a 2-piece fully composite construction.
Overall a great bat designed for collegiate players looking to add some pop to their bats without having to look for heavier bats and potentially sacrifice their bat speed.
But does the strangely shaped handle compromise the feel of what you are accustomed to and, hence, negate any benefits that may come from the design? The answer is simple: No. The bat is easy to adjust to after just a handful of hacks and you'll soon wonder why every bat you've ever swung isn't shaped exactly like this one. (The answer, if you're really wondering, is that Baden Sports/Axe Bats owns the patent).
Worth has claimed they addressed the durability issues from 2015 in the 2016 model by stiffening up the handle. There is some evidence out there to suggest it worked. However, we'd suggest, due to the amount we read on the bats durability issues in previous years, to make sure you buy this bat new with a receipt (and warranty). This may not be a great second hand bat and even at a steep discount it may not be worth the risk. Although our several hour and several hitter event in the cage didn't appear to show any signs of wear on the 2016 version that is hardly the sample size needed to verify durability.
We spent over 3 hours in our cage comparing the
2017 Louisville Slugger Xeno PLUS Fastpitch softball bat (Ebay, Amazon) to other similar designs in the market. While the 2017 models of performance fastpitch bats are still rolling out we are confident the 2017 Xeno Plus Fastpitch sits among the best in this year's class.
Our 2017 Marucci Pure Fastpitch Review comes on the heels of a few hours cage work, discussions with the manufacturer and reading every user rated review available on the internet. We found, on the whole, the bat performed as well as any performance fastpitch bat we've seen in the space. Our players in the 2, 3, 5 and 6 spots in the line up preferred it's balanced swing and sting dampening to other heavier swinging bats.
If you can find a 2014 Easton FS1 still in good shape we wouldn't hesitate to recommend it for any hitter who satisfies at least one of the following:
- Prefers a balanced to light swing weight
- Would prefer as much barrel as possible per swing weight
- Likes the absorption of vibration within the bat instead of their hands
- Is willing to afford it
- Is okay with the idea of an older bat
- Can't find a 2013 FS1 (as it's nearly identical)
We have seen, hit, and discussed with those who have hit with the
2015 Easton FS1 fastpitch bat at least 500 times. As well, we have read several reviews on the 2015 FS1 and exchanged emails with the manufacturer and vendors to discuss their take on the bat. All those data points have gone into our 2015 Easton FS1 Fastpitch Review.
Our research on the Axe bat design spans well over 2 years now and includes hours and hours of hitting experience. Add to that our obsession with learning everything about the 2017 Axe Danielle Lawrie Fastpitch Bat, and we have enough data for a review. On the whole, the Axe Lawrie is built as a value purchase in the light swinging fastpitch space.
Few bats hold a candle to the CF9 series of DeMarini Fastpitch sticks.
We reviewed a number of sources in putting together this article on the 2017 Louisville Slugger X12 fastpitch bat. For starters, we checked our 2017 DeMarini Vendetta Review and our overall Fastpitch Bat Reviews page. You may also find our XENO and LXT Slugger reviews worth a few minutes of your time.
Off this site, there are a few places to find some insight on the X12. Reviews can be found on Amazon's product section. As well,
justbats.com and
Modell's sporting goods have some insight.
DeMarini's CFX (the new CF Zen) in fastpitch is a light swinging two-piece composite with a big barrel. The bat's connection piece is less stiff compared to other fast-pitch bats like the LXT or Xeno. The differentiation between fastpitch bats is very little, and this bat, in the right hands, can perform as well as any hitter on the planet.
After several hours in the cage and consuming copious research on player feedback for the 2017 Rawlings Quatro Fastpitch bat, we present our review.
The 2018 Easton Stealth Hyperlite comes with standard 2 1/4 barrel, balanced swing weight and two piece composite structure.
We documented three different hitters with the
2019 Louisville Slugger XENO. Each player hit no less than 80 pitches. Objective metrics like exit speed and ball flight distance were documented.
For 2020, DeMarini has released the Prism out of its D-Labs and into the
broader market. They also added a drop 11 to its very popular drop 10 status. For the drop 10, it is the same bat as the 2019 version. For 2019 it had a limited release. No matter what you call it, the Prism is the same double barreled light swing with a massive sweet spot, fantastic feel and a balanced swing. See DeMarini's
D-Labs where the Prism was born. In its original release, due to unexpected demand, the Prism was hard to find in stock. These days its pretty available at just about every major, serious outlet.
One of our favorite bats for an entry level fastpitch player is the 2019 DeMarini Bustos in a drop 13.
We spent 2 hours in our cage comparing the 2016 Louisville Slugger LXT PLUS Fastpitch softball bat to other similar designs in the market. We received feedback from 4 different hitters---each of whom plays competitive fastpitch.
We hit the 2019 Mizuno Carbon 1 over 300 times with 3 different hitters. (This was the drop 10, not the drop 13).
We hit with the
2019 LXT from Slugger nearly 800 times before writing this review. During that time, we documented exit speeds, barrel sizes and the swing weight of the bat.
Although the 2020 Slugger Xeno is a twin of the 2019 version we still think it one of the
best fastpitch bats. We almost get the feel the bat is trying to be phased out---as the price difference between the LXT and without any upgrades. But, in our universe, the Xeno still delivers as much quality, value and performance as any fastpitch bat on the 2020 market.
Our 2020 DeMarini FNX Rising review includes three hitters with over 300 hits on the bat. We also measured swing weights, took video and documented exit speeds. In short, the FNX rising is a legit bat made specifically for the big hitter who likes a stiff feel and doesn't mind hand ring. Although the swing weight is in the same realm as other 'balanced' bats, it is clearly made for the hitter who swings hard and can barrel up a ball.
Our 2020 DeMarini CF Fastpitch review consisted of 400 hits, from 3 different players on both live pitching and tee work. Overall, we rated the 2020 CF Fastpitch bat as the
best fastpitch bat for 2020. If that isn't saying enough, we loved the
exit speeds, sizing options, swing weight and feel. We think the bat, to say the least, is highly recommendable.
In June of 2019, Slugger released the Louisville Slugger LXT 2020. It comes with many of the same great features (even all of them) as the 2019 version. The Louisville Slugger LXT for 2020 review, ratings and places to buy are below.
Marucci continues to be serious about breaking into the fastpitch market. For 2020, Marucci closes the gap between the top echelon of the fastpitch space and its offerings with the Echo and Echo Connect. After hitting with the bats, measuring their swing weights, exit speeds, and comparing them to other top-end fastpitch bats, we review the 2020 Echo and 2020 Echo Connect fastpitch bats here.
The 2023 Rawlings Mantra is a two-piece composite bat with a big barrel and light swing. It's a drop ten and drops nine bats that come with a new handle design for a bit more durability when compared to the 2021 Mantra, which has just about the same design. Expect a light swing and excellent performance from the 2023 Mantra 2.0.
For 2021, releases a 3rd iteration of the new Prism fastpitch line. The bat hasn't changed much from its release as a D-Lab bat for 2019. It is still a big barrel, light swing, flexible feel, and a high-end performance fastpitch bat. They have added some sizing options for 2021, and it competes for head to head with its sister bat, the CF, and bats like Easton's Ghost Advanced and Louisville Slugger's LXT and META.
DeMarini's CF for 2022 is a light swinging high, performing bat with a long barrel and flexible connection piece. Compared to the 2020 version, the 2021 DeMarini CF Fastpitch bat is all the same. In our tests with real high school fastpitch players, we found that smaller players tended towards the CF over bats like the Ghost or Xeno. Specifically, the drop 11 2021 CF is hard to beat in that swing weight class. The Drop 10 has plenty of competition, and we'd recommend only for the players who prefer lighter swinging fastpitch bats.
After 500 hits by 4 different fastpitch players, we think the 2022 Louisville Slugger LXT is a fantastic fastpitch bat. In fact, for 2022, we named it the overall best fastpitch bat 2022. We love its robust sizing, excellent semi-flexible feel, huge barrel, top-end exit speeds, and fantastic player feedback.
The Louisville Slugger LXT 2021 is a two-piece composite bat with a big barrel and top-grade performance reviews. The fastpitch bat has dominated the space and, for 2021, comes in a drop 8 through drop 11. They upgraded the 2021 end cap as well as a new grip. Otherwise, it's about the same bat---which is an excellent thing.
The 2023 DeMarini Whisper is a two-piece composite fastpitch bat built with double-walled and huge barrel, light swing and top-end performance. It is DeMarini's new flagship fastpitch bat and, we believe, attempts to replace the CF in the coming years and really attempts to take market share from Easton's Ghost.
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