Xeno break-in

[Wellphyt]

Try one out first, it's not as balanced as described. Dd's (12yr old) 31/21 has a balance point an inch and half farther toward the end then her 31/22 RT.

She just hit her 2nd ever in game hr with it Monday!

I noticed some of the reviews said the same thing about the weight being slightly more toward the barrel. Congratulations on the HR.

 

[jjsomer]

I noticed some of the reviews said the same thing about the weight being slightly more toward the barrel. Congratulations on the HR.

The weight is slightly up the barrel. Before I bought the Xeno, I roughly checked the balance point and compared it to the balance point of the CF5, which I've read is pretty well balanced. They balanced at pretty much the same point. I have never balanced an RT...but I've read quite a bit about how end loaded the RT is...which is why I have stayed away.

 

[guero_gordo]

The curved taper makes it a little harder to see exactly where it reaches the full diameter, but near as I can tell by hand, the -9 is balanced.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

I have voiced some of this before but here goes:

I don't want to be a Demarini fan with the history of bat-breaks we have had over the years. Through good feedback and more investigation I am coming to realize that any bat has a limited life around the same span forcing me to get a new bat every season regardless. (along with DD growth).

With the "durability" issue getting further & further out of my mind I am now really focussing on apparent bat-pop.

My opinion seeing college games on tv and currently hs games and earlier winter season tb and the tb practices we still have:

Most apparent pop = Demarini Insane (again I wanted to hate them earlier but man have I seen some launches off this bat!).
Close second would be the Easton Stealth (white w/purple) tied with the Anderson RT.
Last place would be the Xeno. We have some tb teammates that have this bat now for a few months and I think it has made them less of a threat.

My opinion is that folks are attracted to the new sound and think it's doing something special for them, but in the end wind up making metions like in one of the threads above where daddy says "I really thought DD would be hitting it further...."

Just my unscientific opinion.

I just bit the bullet and the 34" Insane is inbound in the mail.

 

[CPSBDad]

Take a look a Xeno side by side with other bats and you'll see what seems to be a smaller sweet spot. I've had girls in the dugout ask if the Xeno is a little league bat because of it's apparent size compared to other bats next to it. I'm beginning to think this might be a hitter's bat. Someone who doesn't rely on a longer bat with a larger sweet spot to hit the ball. DD has use this bat alongside a Synergy ( blue and white ) and there is an obvious faster jump off the Xeno ( both 30/20 ). We don't care about the sound, btw.

 

[Softball_2]

Xeno is without a doubt the hottest bat, in my opinion. The Demarini CF5 Insane is a close second IF the player's swing works well with an end-loaded bat. I am coming from an 18-22 year old perspective. By and large each of my players hit the ball significantly better with the Xeno than with any of the Demarini or Easton models. And they're not being tricked by the sound; they hate it. They swing the Xeno despite the PING sound because it gets the results.

And as some people have been saying, it's the exit speed, not necessarily the distance on the ball. Yeah, homeruns are great. But where the Xeno gives you the advantage is putting the ball through the infield quick enough that the fielders aren't getting a glove on it.

 

[guero_gordo]

And as some people have been saying, it's the exit speed, not necessarily the distance on the ball.

I'm not a physicist, but how is a ball with a faster exit speed not going to travel further?

 

[Greenmonsters]

I'm not a physicist, but how is a ball with a faster exit speed not going to travel further?

When it hits a pitcher or fielder who doesn't have time to get out of the way?

 

[Softball_2]

I misspoke; an exit speed (and trajectory) causes the ball to travel farther. The point I was trying to make was that there is more to bat performance than putting it over the fence. A hot bat, one where balls seemingly jump off it quicker, are very important for putting the ball through infield, turning singles into doubles, etc.

 

[guero_gordo]

I misspoke; an exit speed (and trajectory) causes the ball to travel farther. The point I was trying to make was that there is more to bat performance than putting it over the fence. A hot bat, one where balls seemingly jump off it quicker, are very important for putting the ball through infield, turning singles into doubles, etc.

That I can both comprehend and agree with.