ArkFastpitch
Dont' I know you?
- Sep 20, 2013
- 351
- 18
Just wondering if anyone has had a chance to really put this bat through its paces yet. If so, what did you think about it. Ive read a lot of really good reviews but I want some real world data.
2014 Easton Mako
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Some of this I've previously mentioned in another post, but this one reflects some actual batting practice and scrimmage activity.
My daughter took one for a test swing a couple of weeks ago. She had previously been using a 32" 2013 FS1, and the 32" Mako swung lighter, so we moved her up to a 33". I let her run through one full team batting practice using it (about 300 hits), and now she uses it for maybe 20 balls a practice, just to make sure we don't put too many hits on it before the season begins.
The ball noticeably comes off of the bat more quickly than with her FS1 in practice. She says it feels more elastic when the ball launches. We had a scrimmage this past weekend, and she launched a couple of foul balls that absolutely screamed out of the park off the first base line, and put a couple more strongly into play. We are making some minor adjustments to her swing and I don't think she's quite back up to full bat speed yet, so we can't wait to see things progress over the next two weeks.
She test swung a couple other Eastons, a Xeno, an LXT, and the latest DeMarini Insane, and the Mako was her favorite. She just loves the balance, and feels the sweet spot is bigger. That may also be due to the extra length and weight, but regardless, that's what she told me when I asked her to try and explain why she liked the Mako over the others.
We have a 32/22 Mako on our 12U team (all 11 year olds). The girl who owns it loves it and it loves her back.
Several of the other girls have used it and all like it. It is "smooth" as silk and has the biggest sweet spot we've ever seen. Excellent pop and a balanced feel that belies its hefty weight. The bat we have weighs 22.9oz.
The weight is an issue as only two girls on the team are able to swing it effectively. We have good-size girls (11 of them are 5' - 5'7" and 105 - 145 lbs) but only our two very strongest hitters are able to swing this bat and make it work. Of course, older, stronger girls should have no problem .... ours are just 11.
It does swing lighter than the SRV4B and feels more balanced. It has that "Cadillac" ride and doesn't sting girls' hands, either. Perhaps not quite as smooth a ride as the LXT, but smoother than anything else we've tested, including the 4B.
It seems to be opening up nicely. It probably has over 500 hits on it and seems to be getting better. Since it is new and there is no information on it, we are treating it like previous Eastons and assuming it will continue to get better and better. It will not be babied.
If our girls were older/bigger/stronger, I think we'd probably have a couple more in girls' backpacks. It is a great bat and there is absolutely nothing negative we could find on it, other than the heavier-than-sticker weight.
EDIT: Adding that the girl who owns the bat was moving up in size from a 31/21 SRV4B that weighed 22.3oz. She achieves better exit speeds with the 32" 22.9oz Mako.
The other girl was using a 32/22 SRV4B which weighs 23.4oz. She was not able to match the exit speeds she got with her 4B using the Mako, although she was very close. She has since gone to a 32/23 LXT that weighs 22.8oz and with it is able to exceed the exit speeds she reached with her 4B.
Several of the other girls have used it and all like it. It is "smooth" as silk and has the biggest sweet spot we've ever seen. Excellent pop and a balanced feel that belies its hefty weight. The bat we have weighs 22.9oz.
The weight is an issue as only two girls on the team are able to swing it effectively. We have good-size girls (11 of them are 5' - 5'7" and 105 - 145 lbs) but only our two very strongest hitters are able to swing this bat and make it work. Of course, older, stronger girls should have no problem .... ours are just 11.
It does swing lighter than the SRV4B and feels more balanced. It has that "Cadillac" ride and doesn't sting girls' hands, either. Perhaps not quite as smooth a ride as the LXT, but smoother than anything else we've tested, including the 4B.
It seems to be opening up nicely. It probably has over 500 hits on it and seems to be getting better. Since it is new and there is no information on it, we are treating it like previous Eastons and assuming it will continue to get better and better. It will not be babied.
If our girls were older/bigger/stronger, I think we'd probably have a couple more in girls' backpacks. It is a great bat and there is absolutely nothing negative we could find on it, other than the heavier-than-sticker weight.
EDIT: Adding that the girl who owns the bat was moving up in size from a 31/21 SRV4B that weighed 22.3oz. She achieves better exit speeds with the 32" 22.9oz Mako.
The other girl was using a 32/22 SRV4B which weighs 23.4oz. She was not able to match the exit speeds she got with her 4B using the Mako, although she was very close. She has since gone to a 32/23 LXT that weighs 22.8oz and with it is able to exceed the exit speeds she reached with her 4B.
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ArkFastpitch
Dont' I know you?
- Sep 20, 2013
- 351
- 18
Thanks, peeling the plastic and taking her for a test drive this weekend.
Ark, please respond with your test drive from this weekend. Just purchased one. Has not arrived yet. My DD used a Stealth and will swing nothing other than Easton.
DD swung hers in a tournament this past weekend. Loved it. Moved up in size from an LXT 30/20, to the 31/21 Mako. She and couple other girls on her team were crushing the ball. One of the coaches commented that she seemed to be more comfortable attacking the ball this weekend versus the previous.
All the feedback I have heard is that Easton has a huge winner with the Mako and it will rival the Stealth. Seeing lots of them and seeing some long bombs hit. If your DD wants one it is probably money well spent.
ArkFastpitch
Dont' I know you?
- Sep 20, 2013
- 351
- 18
DD used this weekend in tournament and some in batting practice. It is a awesome bat. She swung a CF6 last year and the Mako out hits it by a bunch. It was pricey but definitely worth the money. She is VERY happy with it.
Update on the Mako... It's cracked and on it's way back to Easton for replacement. DD hit a hard drive that hit the dirt in front of the second baseman. I thought 2nd was going to field it, but rather than bounce like I expected, it shot between her legs before she could get her glove down. It traveled all the way to the fence (180'). Nice pop off the bat, yay.
DD yelled something on her next up at bat on her way to the batter's box. I didn't really hear her, so I just nodded my head and said "go for it". She swung on a hanging fastball and the bat made the strangest sound and the ball went straight up into the air. It was the highest infield fly I have ever seen in my life. DD was mad. After the game she asked me why I said to go for it, when she said her bat was cracked. Oops. It has a long straight crack and a couple shark tooth cracks in the middle of the barrell.
She swung her Xeno the next day and was not happy. She had gotten used to the balance of the Mako, and the Xeno was just different enough to throw her game off.
So, while happy with the performance of the bat, I'm dissappointed that it's cracked less than month after unwrapping it. Plus, she's 10, she shouldn't be overpowering a new high performance, composite bat; yet. But... It's all she wants to swing now.
DD yelled something on her next up at bat on her way to the batter's box. I didn't really hear her, so I just nodded my head and said "go for it". She swung on a hanging fastball and the bat made the strangest sound and the ball went straight up into the air. It was the highest infield fly I have ever seen in my life. DD was mad. After the game she asked me why I said to go for it, when she said her bat was cracked. Oops. It has a long straight crack and a couple shark tooth cracks in the middle of the barrell.
She swung her Xeno the next day and was not happy. She had gotten used to the balance of the Mako, and the Xeno was just different enough to throw her game off.
So, while happy with the performance of the bat, I'm dissappointed that it's cracked less than month after unwrapping it. Plus, she's 10, she shouldn't be overpowering a new high performance, composite bat; yet. But... It's all she wants to swing now.
longball00
Softball is my obsession
Check with Easton to see if they will not count this return against your warranty! That's too soon for a failure. On another note, My DD has been hitting her Mako since September 3 days a week with her hitting coach, and once a week in practice, and now in 7 games, and it has no sign of any stress. No paint webbing or anything. What is the date code on the taper above the grip? My DD's is 6/13 and is one of the first runs. I'm curious to see when it was made.
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