My son has a new favorite bat every season it seems. Judging by his loyalty to the same one for the past two seasons, the Easton 2011 BD11XL Rival XXL (-9) Senior League Bat may be his favorite of favorites. I'm not the one using it, but I can base this review on what he's told me about it, the sound if makes when the ball is hit and, of course, the on field results. The Easton Rival worked out great this past spring during his 11U Travel Ball season.
Having moved from a composite bat to the THT100 alloy, I was happy to get that PINGING sound back when he hit with it versus the THUD that the composites are known for. The other great advantage the Rival gives the batter is that 2 5/8" barrel, expanding the sweet spot not just in width, but also in the length. Combining that with an ultra-thin handle and just enough flex in it helped get the bat through the hitting zone quicker, while maintaining maximum power.
Maybe it's the sound it makes or the way it feels to swing it, but I also find the bat gives my son confidence. We may know that a good swing comes from the hitter not the bat, but any extra advantage a hitter can get psychologically won't hurt either. Simply, the baseball flies off the bat and the hitter recognizes the feeling. Additionally, with it's sleek colors and graphics, the bat looks cool to an 11-year-old.
There's nothing negative about this bat. My son has never complained of stinging in his hands like he has with other bats. And so far over the course of 80 plus games and thousands of swings in batting practice the bat has held up remarkably well.
Something else that tells me this is a great bat -- the reaction it gets from the dugout. Not only is my son's Easton Rival the most used bat in the dugout by players, but over the course of the season I saw a few more Easton Rivals show up on the bat rack. Obviously, the hitters like it.
The best part for the parents...at $179.99 it's a great value, considering he may get two seasons use from it. But with that price, we may be upgrading to the Easton 2011 BD12XL Rival XXL (-5) Senior League Bat this upcoming season.
Having moved from a composite bat to the THT100 alloy, I was happy to get that PINGING sound back when he hit with it versus the THUD that the composites are known for. The other great advantage the Rival gives the batter is that 2 5/8" barrel, expanding the sweet spot not just in width, but also in the length. Combining that with an ultra-thin handle and just enough flex in it helped get the bat through the hitting zone quicker, while maintaining maximum power.
Maybe it's the sound it makes or the way it feels to swing it, but I also find the bat gives my son confidence. We may know that a good swing comes from the hitter not the bat, but any extra advantage a hitter can get psychologically won't hurt either. Simply, the baseball flies off the bat and the hitter recognizes the feeling. Additionally, with it's sleek colors and graphics, the bat looks cool to an 11-year-old.
There's nothing negative about this bat. My son has never complained of stinging in his hands like he has with other bats. And so far over the course of 80 plus games and thousands of swings in batting practice the bat has held up remarkably well.
Something else that tells me this is a great bat -- the reaction it gets from the dugout. Not only is my son's Easton Rival the most used bat in the dugout by players, but over the course of the season I saw a few more Easton Rivals show up on the bat rack. Obviously, the hitters like it.
The best part for the parents...at $179.99 it's a great value, considering he may get two seasons use from it. But with that price, we may be upgrading to the Easton 2011 BD12XL Rival XXL (-5) Senior League Bat this upcoming season.
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