I’m not in the industry in any way or form. I’m just giving my perspective.
Returning wood bats seems to be a touch optimistic as a consumer. Perhaps Easton lost a few customers because of warranty return issues.
I enjoy the wooden feeling and feedback from a solid contact swing. I’ve never used a wood bat long enough to break it, but it’s perhaps a higher level of susceptibility to breakage due to the inexact consistency in the wood itself.
For me right now: I’d go with the warranty version. And I’d pay perhaps $50 over the non-warranty for the piece of mind.
Would I try to break the bat when the warranty is about to expire? I wouldn’t, but some people might.