Took DD to a bat demo day....opinions wanted

Went to a bat demo tonight with DD. She swings an LXT 34 -10, and hits very well. We just moved to the 34 in July (in Colorado), moving from a 33 -8 that she didn't care for after a recommendation from a coach during PGF Nationals the previous summer.

Tonight she swung a prototype of the new Axe Avenge and absolutely loves it!!

Husband doesn't wanna drop $350 on the bat when it's released shortly because it too new and unknown.

Just curious if anyone has a daughter who has used one? Or swung one? Looking for any thoughts or opinions. Please & thank you

Very personal decision for a hitter, so it's important that she's happy with it. I think your husband makes a very good point, and I would agree.

As a hitter, you're looking for a proven brand and solid model line. Good grip, weight balance & pop. Once she finds it, she'll know.

Just be cautious around new trends. The axe handle is unique, but may get old after a while when she's in the box and wants to spin it around in the hands a bit. You're also limiting the barrel to a single face, where every barrel can have a different sweet spot at any point rotated within it's 360 degrees. Something to think about.

During your time at PGF, there were hitters making alot of noise. What bats where they using? That's a great starting point for ideas. College games will be a great place to look for real-time feedback as well.

There's Easton Stealth Retros on the net for $150. They appear to be exact dups of the originals from a few years ago. If so, it's a choice that may be worth consideration.

Chris

Chris Delorit said:

As a hitter, you're looking for a proven brand and solid model line. Good grip, weight balance & pop. Once she finds it, she'll know.

Just be cautious around new trends. The axe handle is unique, but may get old after a while when she's in the box and wants to spin it around in the hands a bit. You're also limiting the barrel to a single face, where every barrel can have a different sweet spot at any point rotated within it's 360 degrees. Something to think about.

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The Axe handle has been around many years to be honest, not really a "new" trend and when they developed this bat, they know that only one side is
being hit, so it is built a little diff to withstand the one side hits. not saying if its good or not, just saying its not new at all.

Also, your statement about "proven brands" also is the reason why they can take advantage of you. So just don't put too much merit in the fact that
so and so is using so and so bat. Especially in college where a team may have to use a certain bat sometimes.

I was never a fan of a bat with a handle that forced you to always hit the ball on the same side of the bat. I think it would cause reliability problems, but I have not heard of anyone having issues, so it may just be my perception...

Great post Chris, really nothing to add. I also don't like the fact that you're hitting every single ball on the same side of the bat face.

Stealth Retro.....yes!
Stealth Flex.......heck no!!

If it ain't broke, why fix it?

One other thing to consider - if DD gets an Axe and then decides she prefers the LXT, would you be able to sell it and recoup your investment?

ANNASDAD said:

Great post Chris, really nothing to add. I also don't like the fact that you're hitting every single ball on the same side of the bat face.

Stealth Retro.....yes!
Stealth Flex.......heck no!!

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NIW Retros can be had for $99 with warranty on the bay. Best deal going right now.

We did try every softball bat they had there...LXT, Xeno from Louisville, Ghost & Stealth from Easton, the demarini Insane, but she kept gravitating back to the Axe.

I think at 18 years old, headed off to college next ( program does not currently have a bat sponsor), she probably knows what she likes by now..but who I am??? Just the mom that would her the world lol...

I wouldn’t be a bit nervous about buying one. Same warranty as all the others and like Core said, they designed that bat knowing what side of the bat is going to be hitting the ball.

It’s been 3-4 years ago but a player on my older dd’s hs team used one of these. She used it at least two years, maybe three, she didn’t play much tb but she did go to an instructor that only used a Jugs machine for hitting and I think he found all of his dimple balls in the weeds at ballparks. They were hard as rocks. And she hit a ton of them in winter and spring. That kid always hit very well and led a good team in avg and hits.

I have been close to buying a wood Axebat quite a few times to use as a training aid. Might still do that.

Side story: heard a tale about a college team that started using wood practice bats last fall. They were breaking them left and right. One of the players on the team was swinging a Louisville Slugger that her dad bought on sale, and it looked like it had been used several years. The hitting coach asked her one day what kind of bat it was since she had not yet broken it. Player tells the coach that the bat was nothing special, but that she was careful to keep the trademark up and hit with the edgegrain. Coach had never used a wood bat and neither her or the other players knew to keep the trademark up or down. Sometimes it pays to have an old geezer for a parent I guess. Axebat would have prevented all that, there is no way to hit anything but edge grain.

Jdaddy said:

NIW Retros can be had for $99 with warranty on the bay. Best deal going right now.

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Got a link? Cheapest I've seen Is $130 buy It now, with a bid offer of $99. This model wasnt available In a drop 11 was It?