Helmer Flex
- Thread starter phxraida15
- Start date
Not me. My utrip is full of webbing and rash from game use, but no unusual bad chips or peels.
Saw a guy crack an ASA pretty quick. But hitting balls that shouldn't be hit with an ASA bat...
Saw a guy crack an ASA pretty quick. But hitting balls that shouldn't be hit with an ASA bat...
WillW3
Starting Player
Balanced 13.5".
Thank you for that info. Glad for the blue.
Any idea or confirmation if they plan to keep a EL long barrel Utrip moving forward like the current?
I know in the 2016 line prior to Flex, there was no Utrip. Only the Dual Real Tree this go around, or the balanced.
I do ask since I plan to dabble in a Bal and EL. Will make for great team bats and we already have a crew who likes swinging the Flex as it is.
Any idea or confirmation if they plan to keep a EL long barrel Utrip moving forward like the current?
I know in the 2016 line prior to Flex, there was no Utrip. Only the Dual Real Tree this go around, or the balanced.
I do ask since I plan to dabble in a Bal and EL. Will make for great team bats and we already have a crew who likes swinging the Flex as it is.
22deucedeuce
Coach
This is getting me excited and probably be dumb and buy a full price 2 piece balanced flex. I love my Easton's and as I'm not able to take as much bp the new flex and reckoning I have are hot quick.
Oh and a lessened learned with the dual stamp reckoning. Don't hit zn's in the cold with a used bat that you don't know the number of cuts on it. Cause I'm pretty sure it's broken.
Oh and a lessened learned with the dual stamp reckoning. Don't hit zn's in the cold with a used bat that you don't know the number of cuts on it. Cause I'm pretty sure it's broken.
Maybe, maybe not.
Total distance wise? Don't think so. Flex will match it in a LOT LESS work into it. 300 cuts with a mix of balls and = 1000+ hit ST100h if not more hits.
Forgiveness wise? Maybe, because the long barrel sweet spot is HUGE on the Flex. It's been my favourite of Easton ever personally. Hard to describe, but just hot and very big forgiving. Feels soft but still with an Easton crack and not the hollow Miken/Worth soft feel.
If your collection is really seriously well worked in though, I wouldn't expect miracle gains of god in distance. You might not be super overwhelmed if you're about to compare a 3000 hit ST/SY to Flex. But I assure you withing 500 cuts the Flex is stupid gross and ready to game and crush quick. Something I've never said about an Easton before.
The one I have got on the level of Miken/Worth/Nighthawk/LS and ST100h in all teammates stashes at the 300ish hit mark and only got better and more forgiving from there. By playoffs especially due to high heat and humidity with 52 cor, a lot of people swung my Flex as it became a performer at that point and still had a nice stiff Easton feel with the mushy ball whereas some of the other performance known bats felt too soft and lousy.
The feel is a little different, and it pops. So maybe by feel you'd prefer and put down the older ones. But if your stash is worked in I would expect insane distance gains in the end.
Total distance wise? Don't think so. Flex will match it in a LOT LESS work into it. 300 cuts with a mix of balls and = 1000+ hit ST100h if not more hits.
Forgiveness wise? Maybe, because the long barrel sweet spot is HUGE on the Flex. It's been my favourite of Easton ever personally. Hard to describe, but just hot and very big forgiving. Feels soft but still with an Easton crack and not the hollow Miken/Worth soft feel.
If your collection is really seriously well worked in though, I wouldn't expect miracle gains of god in distance. You might not be super overwhelmed if you're about to compare a 3000 hit ST/SY to Flex. But I assure you withing 500 cuts the Flex is stupid gross and ready to game and crush quick. Something I've never said about an Easton before.
The one I have got on the level of Miken/Worth/Nighthawk/LS and ST100h in all teammates stashes at the 300ish hit mark and only got better and more forgiving from there. By playoffs especially due to high heat and humidity with 52 cor, a lot of people swung my Flex as it became a performer at that point and still had a nice stiff Easton feel with the mushy ball whereas some of the other performance known bats felt too soft and lousy.
The feel is a little different, and it pops. So maybe by feel you'd prefer and put down the older ones. But if your stash is worked in I would expect insane distance gains in the end.
Jusrah99
Outstanding Bad Mudasuka!
Maybe not, because your sticks might be fully broken in and you're comfortable with em. The neon LV1 made me sell my OG100h's cause i felt it performed similar out of the wrapper.
I think you should pick one up with how cheap they are right now and try it for yourself. There's definitely a great feel to the new Eastons. I recently swung the Reckoning and i like the lighter swing weight better than my Flex. The one i swung is a firestick!
I think you should pick one up with how cheap they are right now and try it for yourself. There's definitely a great feel to the new Eastons. I recently swung the Reckoning and i like the lighter swing weight better than my Flex. The one i swung is a firestick!
phxraida15
Addicted to Softballfans
I hated the torq and how it felt. I hear this is the same TCT technology.
bird25
34/30 Club #25
did you have the balanced or endloaded torq? Didn't really dig the endloaded one but loved the balanced one due to the longer barrel.
Torq was garbage.
2015 TCT just never seemed to wake or get any good.
2016 was better.
Flex tech was new mid summer and a HUGE improvement.
2015 TCT just never seemed to wake or get any good.
2016 was better.
Flex tech was new mid summer and a HUGE improvement.
Jusrah99
Outstanding Bad Mudasuka!
The Torq gets good, it just needs more break in. I wouldnt say it was a dud by any means...mine was nice out of the wrapper. I still use it every now and then and it still hits all balls great.
phxraida15
Addicted to Softballfans
I'm not sure? Didn't have it long enough lol
22deucedeuce
Coach
Buy the flex or reckoning at this price point. The bat is pretty ridiculous at this point. Both I used as gamers within 150 swings. I've been using my reckoning over my 1500 st100. Been hitting accidentally dbo's since 80 swings
bird25
34/30 Club #25
This might be the bat to replace my beloved scn2......
TWmccoy
3DX Connoisseur
I don't much care for the Torq either, but I like the SIS team edition (which has the same composite). To me they have far different weighting and the SIS has better overall feel and pop. Torq feels mushy and has a weak endload.
TWmccoy
3DX Connoisseur
Nice. I'm a black Friday deal away from snapping one of those up. Heavier the better.
starkbomber
Addicted to Softballfans
I have a fully broken in ST100 and ST100h. I swing my Flex over both of them now. My ST100 I am keeping, but I am thinking about selling the 100h. The Flex is a sick bat.
starkbomber
Addicted to Softballfans
The Scn2 was and is my all time fave Utrip stick. But if any of the new Easton stuff will get to that level, I am betting my Flex does. My 28 has a little over 300 swings now an tests just over 220.....and murders any ball. A demo 27 I tested came in under 200 compression. I am betting that bat would be in broken in scn2 territory for sure!
No thank you.
We don't need even more Miken/Worth like bats.
What I like about the Easton is that it retains a stiff crack of a bat feel. I personally need that a little bit come the super hot June to August days with the mushy 52 cor balls. I find the other bats that are soft barrel and lose compression quick become lesser in those temps.
The bats that retain compression better and remain a little stiffer or at least more consistent perform better even when the ball softens up.
It's the reason I got fed up and moved away from DCs and Freak 12s. I'd hit the ball hard and satisfactory in April, May, early June and then seemed to lose so much from July to August and then it was like the bat would find a new life in September again. Combats were even worse for that IMO.
I went to Nighthawk and Flex this year and did NOT see this problem. They hit the balls well all year.
Now, if you hit harder balls than 52 cor regularly in Utrip, lucky you and you likely do not see this issue at all. But for me, it's a big factor. And why I am a big fan of this stick.
We don't need even more Miken/Worth like bats.
What I like about the Easton is that it retains a stiff crack of a bat feel. I personally need that a little bit come the super hot June to August days with the mushy 52 cor balls. I find the other bats that are soft barrel and lose compression quick become lesser in those temps.
The bats that retain compression better and remain a little stiffer or at least more consistent perform better even when the ball softens up.
It's the reason I got fed up and moved away from DCs and Freak 12s. I'd hit the ball hard and satisfactory in April, May, early June and then seemed to lose so much from July to August and then it was like the bat would find a new life in September again. Combats were even worse for that IMO.
I went to Nighthawk and Flex this year and did NOT see this problem. They hit the balls well all year.
Now, if you hit harder balls than 52 cor regularly in Utrip, lucky you and you likely do not see this issue at all. But for me, it's a big factor. And why I am a big fan of this stick.
WillW3
Starting Player
But the NightHawk and Flex are polar opposites as far as feel goes. The NH feels more like a Miken than anything else on the market. And from a sales standpoint, the majority of people want that soft barrel. Unfortunately, their goal isn't to make a select few customers happy, but the majority of softball players because they have to be competitive (not that they aren't getting there).
And we do hit 52's some, but mostly 44's and Classic M. To me, the NightHawk hits the 52's better than any other Utrip bat I've tried, but they're more about the hitter. But I do understand what you mean about the mushiness. That's just how the balls get.
I don't disagree. Agree on the Hawk, but what the Hawk had going for me over the Miken/Worth is it would keep a consistent feel and compression rating once worked in. Yes much softer than Flex, for sure. But still a crisp crack albeit soft feel and consistent.
The 2 I have we've lost count on hits now. Both over 1500, they haven't really changed much if any since about 200 hits. They look like crap from all the rashes and gashes of the paint, but still fire the ball every bit like when they felt they hit "that stage" out of wrapper. We can hit with a mix of balls and never worry.
What I liked about the Flex that took attention away from the Hawk a bit was that stiffer feel. Although for once, while stiffer it seemed it had every bit the pop of the soft bats. And more End Load. My sources tell me I will really like the next Hawk with thinner handle and more EL. Every bit as stiff of a bat without bend, all the same pop if not better, but more load and a thinner handle made it happen. And I just so happen to like Easton and LS thinner handles anyways.
My point is, I hope Easton doesn't stray too far from their formula to copy others. There's a reason people like Easton, and if they just start dabbling into copying the Miken/Worth feel, well then people might as well just swing the real deal then. Whereas the Flex gives a traditional stiff crack feel of an Easton but with pop and exit speed that are up there with the competition after a few dull years of really underwhelming product. Even when hit a few thousand times and "worked in" I still didn't care much for the 2014 and 2015 lines. Just not on the level of the other competition. 2012, 2013 and 2016 did with a tonne of work, and the Flex gets there with about 200-300 hits like a LS bat does.
I had a 2 year stint with Miken/Worth bats because nothing else really seemed to get into their performance territory. I never really loved the feel, but they fired too well not to game them. Now we're seeing options with feel I like and matching performance and dare I say much better durability and consistency. Exciting times if you will.
Didn't see many people have to trash Hawks and Flexes over failed compression, certainly not without hitting them a **** tonne of times. Saw a lot of people pissed off with failed Miken/Worth after pretty minimal use though.
I get what you're saying, trust me. I am just clarifying why I was such a fan of Hawk and Flex. I had no issues with the Flex stiffness, because the pop was all there. I could hit comparable very good shots with either bat. The sweet spots even felt interchangeable. Just a crisper feel to the Flex and more load, which I kinda liked late into the season.
The 2 I have we've lost count on hits now. Both over 1500, they haven't really changed much if any since about 200 hits. They look like crap from all the rashes and gashes of the paint, but still fire the ball every bit like when they felt they hit "that stage" out of wrapper. We can hit with a mix of balls and never worry.
What I liked about the Flex that took attention away from the Hawk a bit was that stiffer feel. Although for once, while stiffer it seemed it had every bit the pop of the soft bats. And more End Load. My sources tell me I will really like the next Hawk with thinner handle and more EL. Every bit as stiff of a bat without bend, all the same pop if not better, but more load and a thinner handle made it happen. And I just so happen to like Easton and LS thinner handles anyways.
My point is, I hope Easton doesn't stray too far from their formula to copy others. There's a reason people like Easton, and if they just start dabbling into copying the Miken/Worth feel, well then people might as well just swing the real deal then. Whereas the Flex gives a traditional stiff crack feel of an Easton but with pop and exit speed that are up there with the competition after a few dull years of really underwhelming product. Even when hit a few thousand times and "worked in" I still didn't care much for the 2014 and 2015 lines. Just not on the level of the other competition. 2012, 2013 and 2016 did with a tonne of work, and the Flex gets there with about 200-300 hits like a LS bat does.
I had a 2 year stint with Miken/Worth bats because nothing else really seemed to get into their performance territory. I never really loved the feel, but they fired too well not to game them. Now we're seeing options with feel I like and matching performance and dare I say much better durability and consistency. Exciting times if you will.
Didn't see many people have to trash Hawks and Flexes over failed compression, certainly not without hitting them a **** tonne of times. Saw a lot of people pissed off with failed Miken/Worth after pretty minimal use though.
I get what you're saying, trust me. I am just clarifying why I was such a fan of Hawk and Flex. I had no issues with the Flex stiffness, because the pop was all there. I could hit comparable very good shots with either bat. The sweet spots even felt interchangeable. Just a crisper feel to the Flex and more load, which I kinda liked late into the season.