Hitting with the legendary EASTON Z2K (year 2000) | Is this the hottest bat ever made?

One of our viewers sent in their old-school Easton Z2K for us to review (thank you Gray Adams!!) and we've had a TON of requests for this bat.
Most 38 to 45 year-olds will tell you that the '90s Easton bats like the Z2K, Redline, Reflex, and C-Core were the hottest baseball bats ever made. But most 13 to 18 year-olds will tell you that the CF Zen or the XL1 were the hottest baseball bats ever made.
Today we are here to help settle that dispute! The 2000 Easton Z2K -5 vs. the 2021 CF Zen -5... for all the marbles!
Here are links to the bats used in this video:
Easton Z2K: www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from...
DeMarini CF: www.justbats.com/products/app...
Marucci Cat9 Comp: www.justbats.com/products/app...
You can find all of our 2022 USSSA & BBCOR bat rankings at baseballbatbros.com/

[@baseballbatbros]

WHATUP WHATUP!! Make sure your video quality is up all the way, go full-screen, crank the volume, and enjoy. Also stay tuned at the end for some bonus swings from the Cat 9 Composite!!

[@chriswessel4863]

have you used the louisville slugger tpx gen 1x and the response gen x1

[@gage.1235]

Hey please try anchor wood bats

[@andrewkunkle6955]

I’ve got a TPX Air Attack 1, 2, and 3 in my garage I’ll send to y’all if you want to try them out. My opinion they were hotter than the Eastons. And i have a c-core, Z-Core and a Reflex that i would swing in there too so let me know if you need some more old products

[@peytonbouma4395]

When’s the -5 torq coming? I’ve got one it’s 🔥

[@andrewpodolak555]

You should test the liquid metal blue… that bat was insanely hot… as well as the Nike aero torque. Both hotter than these two

[@Dr.MalcomsBrokenLeg]

Fun Fact about Z2K: So, it was made with Scandium, Aluminum & Graphite. Scandium is a super rare metal these days and is only mined for in a small area in Madagascar & a small area in Sweden. Back then, Easton had access to Scandium and they got it for dirt cheap. Scandium mixed with aluminum & then lining it with Graphite made the energy transfer from the metal twice as fast and twice as much than it would be without the Scandium & graphite linings. Now, Scandium is extremely expensive and rare. Easton made an Anniversary Z2K back in 2020 or something but it is only for the Korean market.

[@madskrillz2]

Glad I'm not the only nerd that still remembers that stuff lol. I was only 10 when these came out but I remember the hype like it was yesterday.

[@Tevatron044]

The alloy that was used was from Kaiser, the top aluminum manufacturer of today. It's small amounts of scandium in an aluminum alloy and the composite inside was pressure fitted. Alcoa made a similar alloy which was used on the tpx platinum and the tpx c555, both bats that are contenders

[@jamesodell8069]

Lol I just had a science project on scandium

[@tylerelkins9619]

That's Awesome & Super Interesting

[@thecowboycowboy]

My last omaha was scandium. I had no idea what that meant until now, I just remember vividly seeing it printed on the barrl

[@paullively9898]

I graduated HS in 2002, so I grew up in the Reflex, Redline, Z2K era. Playing 3B was a dangerous game when someone came to the plate with one of those!

[@CybrSlydr]

Little easier for me playing CF during those days. :D

[@derrickgrant6252]

Same era for me. Ive seen several webs ripped completely out of gloves at 3rd

[@toddlu3365]

Same Reflex C405Ultra and the Original Grey Redline

[@CybrSlydr]

@@toddlu3365 I had the black Redline.

[@toddlu3365]

@@CybrSlydr you need to try the Grey sc500 Grey shot peen OG. It was cheat code baseball vs the black one. The black one was more durable though and still hot.

[@Ad-tf8ot]

Gotta take into consideration that the Z2K is still that hot after 22 years. Imagine what it was like then

[@eb_tigers0775]

m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/q4vHp2CKqc6Aock

[@nbo7207]

I had mine. As small as I was 5’6” 130, I hit bombs with this bat. My pops sold it for $35. I almost had a stroke. “Aw the kid next door needed a bat!” He sold it for about $400 in a week. That bat was it!! I’m still playing now and still hit ropes Playing with 20 year olds. All wrist.

[@alllivesmatter3561]

@@nbo7207 lol

[@Bootybrotherswestern]

I used to be a manager at a sporting goods store from 99-2002. And we had so many of these bats returned for dents and cracks! I think Easton was pushing the limits with what was even possible back then! Cool video for the nostalgic

[@MyYTaccountName]

Agreed! I went through THREE gray Redline C-Core bats in a year. They cracked so easily but boy did they crush the ball.

[@haxorbarrr]

Well they were the first gen scandium bats

[@haltz]

Class of '01 here -- I think partly where these bats really shine as drop 5s is that you can go up in bat length. If you want to hit a ball 110mph/450 feet, get your hands on a 34/29 Redline. I'm not a huge guy (6'/185), but I could get away with it no problem. I remember using that bat in HS summer ball as a LHH, 320' down the right field line on our home field, and I have distinct memories of hitting a ball over second base on the adjoining field, another time clanging a ball way up the light pole in right-center, and lastly throwing the bat like an asshole like I'd popped out and then it just kept carrying for a homer. Anyway, in college it was drop 3s and I needed to drop down to a 33.

[@MyYTaccountName]

Yeah man, I think a 34” gray redline was the hardest hitting bat ever. Definitely hit harder than the z2k.

[@Tevatron044]

That's one of the benefits in my eyes as well. In fact, a few of the larger college guys actually swung drop 4s in the CWS. They must've needed the extra mass. I mean, if guys today are swinging endloaded drop 3 34s, I'm positive back in the day, they would benefit from the extra mass. Plus there was no swing weight restriction like they did with besr

[@haltz]

@@Tevatron044 there's a paragraph in Ted Williams's Science of Hitting where he talks about dropping down to a lighter bat and I think he says he goes from a 34.5 oz (!) to a 32.5 oz. Different time and place and league quality etc, but swinging the former in the big leagues is just bonkers.

[@Tevatron044]

@@haltz your should check out the bat weight and lengths of the dead ball era. Balls are going almost as fast as today, but with the spitball too. Ty Cobb used a 36" 36 oz. It was common back in the day. 60s to 70s was where there drop weight really became a hot topic and once aluminum joined the game, drop weight became a STANDARD, and because that's what kids were used to, it translated to a standard in the majors, even though drop weight and swing weight are 2 different things and i make a bat that's a drop 1 but the same swing weight as an i13

[@grantogaard4691]

I have a recline c core 33 28 fire

[@troyg3831]

I had a bat back in that era called the Easton "black magic" I swear it was literal magic. Used to get huge distance and you could barely feel the ball on the bat.

[@mvyper]

I remember that one. It was also incredibly beautiful.

[@ericmojave6061]

I loved that bat! My brother had one in jrs. It was a -3

[@troyg3831]

@@mvyper yep there were different versions but you're right, every time I hit the ball I was like damnit... It left a mark... Lol

[@mattbrown570]

What a throw back!!! These old bats were something else, really bring back the memories.

[@isambo400]

I used a black magic in high school and everyone made fun of it

[@henrymonster9926]

You are pretty spot on, I recall all the best hitters with Easton scandium bats who had the “spot”. Hardest ball ever hit my way was off a Redline, on a line blew threw the pocket of my glove and kept on going. I feel like bats now are like golf clubs now, peak performance has come and gone with regulations but all the new stuff is maximized from one end to the other.

[@CH4madness]

Gotta remember too, you're swinging a Z2K that has likely seen a lot of swings which takes a toll on alloy bats after a while, and the fact that it beat the Zen is a testament to how ridiculously hot that bat is/was. AND that's with a 32", just crazy. This is one of the bats that the men's league used to use when I was growing up, yes, grown ass men using 2 3/4" -5's. It was absolutely ridiculous. Never forget watching a pitcher in that league get drilled in the face and getting his nose destroyed, he had no time to react before the ball hit him.

[@rocket18ks]

the z2k was why i retired from playing men's baseball... hit .480 one year and .373 the next with the z2k but i was also pitching a lot and got to the point i was not sure i could get the glove up fast enough any more to protect myself on a hot comebacker. the league had a number of former minor leaguers and a few former major leaguers and facing them holding a zcore did not give one the warm fuzzies. the following year they outlawed alloy bats from the men's league and went wood.

[@CH4madness]

@@rocket18ks yeah I remember when our hometown team's league went to all wood bats a couple years later. A local banker played on the team, was probably 5'10" and 165 # soaking wet and he hit two homers over the left centerfield scoreboard one game with the Z2K bat, and when they went to wood bats he couldn't even hit a ball to the warning track any more...

[@spumonirc1661]

The easton reflex line from that era was insane as well! The reflex C-cores (orange, red, yellow, silver) were just as juiced as the Redlines. The C405 ultra alloy by alcoa had the juice. TPX bats used C405 as well! 2002 was the last year of the Z2K i believe. one year after i graduated high school. So glad i grew up during that era and got to experience those bats! I had a redline c-core and it was cracked from everyone using it and my old man tossed it and got me a Reflex which i still have to this day, but definitely wish i still had that cracked redline! Who knew! love the vids fellas!

[@tomc5435]

In middle school I had a -5 Redline Zcore. That bat was always my favorite. I put a little bit thicker and squishier grip on it which made it feel even better. None of my -3 conneXions or stealths were anywhere as hot as that Zcore.

[@brettlawlor8921]

This video was incredible! So great to see a new vs old clash of 🔥 bats.

[@jacfalle27]

I absolutely loved that bat as a teen in the late 90s, early 00s. I was always more of a contact hitter than power, but hits flew off my bats with just swinging for contact.

[@jlaws7614]

Class of 98 and we rocked 32/27 Easton Redline SC500 up and down the lineup for all 4 years I was there. The school had purchased two of them and they lasted through those 4 years. Soooo many bombs. The closest I've hit to anything like that is a 32/27 Easton XL1 (the orange bomber).

[@zdthn]

So this was my issue when I got back into baseball and bought a 34 inch wood bat thinking it made sense because that's what I used to swing. I forgot I was swinging 34 inch -5s from the early 2000s. From what you showed in your other videos of how the extra length translates, I would love to see you and zack swing a 34 -5 from the late 90s early 2000s.

[@CalebsCars]

I’ve been buying these old bats you review and using them in my Sunday adult league. We used besr/bbcor in d2 when I was playing in college. Man that reflex was no joke and now I want this one

[@madskrillz2]

OH MY GOD! You finally did what I've been begging for, ever since y'all started! This is THE reason bat regulation became a thing. These were illegal the next year as a result. Also, this is still the best sounding bat of all time too IMO. Pretty wild a 22 year old bat is as hot as a broken in CF.

[@gatorz_twizted3763]

Great videos. I graduated in 2003 and played HS in both Florida and Virginia. My freshman year was under the -5. If you can find them demarini had two alloy -5 a black with gold lettering double barrel which was quickly unavailable (as when mine broke under warranty they sent me two of the following single barrel models) as well as a black with red lettering single barrel ( I believe called monstro) both incredibly hot bats. My teammates had the grey (hottest and weakest) original redline. The Z2k followed up. all of these were 1998-2000 as after the 1999-2000 season we switched to the -3 and smaller barrel. (I always felt the barrel change was the biggest change from 2000 to 2001

[@cjmiles7]

Man, that was one of my favorite bats of all time. I remember taking the plastic off and hitting a HR on my first AB with the Z2K. Redline was a badass bat too.

[@x9x9x9x9x9]

Man playing baseball in the 90's was a blast. I remember in 1999 being 8-9 years old and smashing balls over the fence at the local little league field. I couldn't tell you what bat it was but it was a metal easton. If I could go back for 1 week back then I'd do it in a heartbeat.

[@calvinbaII]

I'm only about 2 years older than you but have the same memories. I had a Louisville TPX, can't remember the model name but was silver with purple colorway and that thing was juiced. I could hit about 275-300ft dingers at 10-11 years old with that thing it was illegal as fuck by today's standards. I wish I kept up with baseball but by 13 I played travel/provincial academy soccer so I had to quit and couldn't do both anymore. Still, fun times I'd love to relive again.

[@garrettgibson7045]

I had the black/yellow Easton stealth and the silver/red stealth in 06-07. Those were some good bats

[@mkimmer99]

Yeah, I graduated high school in 99 and we had these bats.... It was absolutely NUTS! Reclines, Z2K.... Nothing like it.

[@chrisdaniel2417]

I love the oldie vs new bat comparisons!

[@corteztorrez9991]

Hey Will can you please do some on field hitting with the new 2022 USSSA Meta I’m thinking of getting it and I was wondering what you think and I LOVE watching you guys and I just think you guys are helping so much people with picking bats for them

[@wesb3342]

Will bringing back the high school years here, this bat was amazing!

[@PrettyBoySwag845]

I have a 2009 Voodoo Black absolutely loved that thing..so balanced and ball used to just fly off the bat

[@derrickgrant6252]

If you can find an original Louisville TPX Air Attack or Air Attack2 those bats are stupid hot as well

[@tbaggins3296]

air attacks were a cheat code lol

[@derrickgrant6252]

But a good one to use during their time frame. The Air 3 I wasn't a fan of but then the Air C555 i swung for a little while was nice but I ended up favoring the C555 Platinum

[@POrtegaJr4]

I look forward to these videos all the time bro. Bat bros don’t ever stop keep it and keep killin it as always!! 🤘🏼🤘🏼 And hey bat bro Will is lookin yolked dude! Haha y’all are the goats! 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼

[@baseballbatbros]

Thank you my dude 🙌

[@bobsmith6370]

I grew up in the era where "big barrels" became a thing. The Redline and first ZCore were also lethal.

[@warrennelms9859]

I played HS baseball in 97-2001 and college from 02-04 and hit a Easton redline and loved it also had an orange Easton Reflex both super hot bats didn't realize how good we had it with bats back then

[@johndoe5344]

cf4 and b1 combat were my favorite bats that I ever used and swung. Crazy pop

[@jchris3841]

That was a great one. Love your guys stuff, and now more than ever since my son is playing high school ball and travel. Those CF’s are sick. I got my boy the Victus Vandal due to your reviews ( + the fact a Voodoo one couldn’t be found at that time). Anyhow, I hope you guys will do a video with what we called the Easton Black Magic back in the late 80’s, early 90’s.

[@jchris3841]

My little brother used to rake with the Worth Copperhead and Easton C-core Reflex in the late 90’s, early 2000’s

[@charlesrocks]

YES!!!!! FINALLY...SOME NUKE STICKS!!! Love you guys! Thanks for giving us the real GOODS.

[@330wiz7]

Yooooo 2001 grad here. Hit .567 my senior year with the Redline that thing was a warstick. Brought back some good memories thx guys keep up the great work 💪

[@csquared1331]

Had one of the Z2K growing up. A friend used it after a year of use or so and it shattered in two pieces. That was and still is the only time I have ever seen a non wooden bat break completely in two. The barrel piece made it about 10 feet past the pitchers mound and it was a weak ground ball hit.

[@Justice_Hammer]

Having swung both Z Cores and Redlines, when they were released the Z core wins. I still think the Orange “Reflex” Easton’s that came out around 95/96 were the most juiced. They had many returned to dealer with dents so I have a feeling that changed the materials a bit. Z cores and Redlines would crack rather than dent, and they never felt quite as juiced.

[@YourFriendPalmer]

Great video guys I’m subscribed and I have been watching for a while hope you are doing well keep up the great vids⚾️😀😍

[@mlangham179]

My personal weapon from the early 2000s was the Easton Sc900 Stealth CNT BST7 I used a 34/31 but focused on opo gap hits. These bats were so hot!

[@chris210889]

Growing up during the 90's and being 33 this year. The redline and triple 7 were beast bat's for me in Australia 🇦🇺. But I love the string king for the bbcor though.

[@tylerhowell3194]

I loved the Triple 7 and the orange connexion

[@jholder1986]

The Easton Redline was the first bat I hit a homerun with. That bat is so hot! That would be a great video!!

[@romneywainwright2588]

Dude no way, I found one of these bats in my brother in laws backyard about a week ago and had no idea what it was worth or how good it is 😂

[@kd67876]

I got suggested the video. Said to myself I know I have one of those lying around. Then looked up the bat to see what was so special, saw the prices and immediately dropped everything to find it, which I did.

[@seanwhitman4365]

I graduated in 2002 and we had the zcore titanium. It was gold. Thats the last one i remember using.

[@TheJesseMoody]

I played in some amateur adult leagues in 2000-2004 in the San Diego area and we allowed aluminum bats. It was wild playing 3rd base. I had a liner hit so hard at me it hit me in the right shoulder before I could even get my glove up. I had the craziest bruise from that. On the other side of it hitting with a 34" Redline I hit one that I think is still circling around the planet.

[@JToona]

I remember playing in the Wild West -5 days. I swung at air attack series. Huge gimmick I know, but those things were crazy hot. Can’t beat that aluminum ping.

[@andrewplemons2297]

I cracked a 32” 27 oz TPX Louisville powerized, the green and gold one, on the handle. That thing had pop and was pingy af. Still had pop with a crack on the handle.

[@responder2246]

At 06:26 there's a Z cloud over center field. Seems the weightlifting is helping you with the high ball. Good job.

[@jaxsonwade9429]

My dad actually has this bat he said he had 3-4 because back then of you broke it they would just send a new one no matter what he said it was one of the best bats he ever had and also he said his busy had a redline and he said it was slightly better for power great bat. Thank you so much for reviewing this bat good luck in the future keep doing what your doing.

[@alexhale5033]

Haven't even watched this yet, but this is literally why I followed. Waiting for this moment.

[@BocaCiegaBaseball]

I love you guys so much!!!!!! You guys should do an illegal bat home run derby, or battle of the goats.

[@mearsoutdoors1186]

I graduated in 2000!!! This was my gamer in high school!! Great video guys!!

[@az8405]

Love to see the reflex c-core. I saw you swing the reflex extended. I swung both in High School. The extended had a bigger sweet spot, but the c-core was the best in 1998-99.

[@gavingregory2489]

Been swinging my dads 1985 TPX 33 -3. Thing is a monster and feels like the cf zen -5 off the bat

[@dremonty7670]

Not sure who was using drop -5 in High School, but in Texas it was drop -3, 34/31, 33/30, and 32/29 (Late 90's, Early 2000's). The drop -5 was more for maybe Connie Mack, Pony Colt, American Legion Baseball, getting up to High School... I was an Easton guy, ConneXtion bats were my go to, The Orange, Yellow/Gold/Lime Green, the Silver one were all Fire. Doubt You can Really find them anymore, Great Vid!!!

[@vitamind2387]

I graduated high school in 2002, this was my bat. Hit some game day bombs. I channel my metal bat days on the golf course with these aging bones.

[@mrrj44]

Damn that was so close!!! Honestly wasnt expecting the outcome haha good video! I also wanted to know what app do u use for the ball tracking on the field??

[@jerryg2931]

Great video on the z2k! I like the TPX Omaha 2000 BESR. Which I have to this day but it is cracked. What I do have is a 1995 Easton c-core 34in in good condition used by the university of Texas. I would like to see you make a video on it.

[@MyYTaccountName]

You could get really good money on eBay with a 34 inch c core. There aren’t any 34 inch ones for sale there at all, only 33 and lower. The c-core had a trampoline graphic on the letter ‘O’ in the word ‘Core’, that’s a pretty cool tidbit of information.

[@xxxsweepthelegxxx]

That Omaha could rip! Oddest thing ever my dad bought me a -3 when they weren’t even really a thing yet. I believe it was a black and silver worth copper head that I slaughtered baseballs with. Favorite bat of all time.

[@dustinbulow4208]

See a lot of old Eastons but havent seen ya'll review an old Connexion. Those were beasts.

[@sarratttc]

Could you imagine though if we had the tech that we do now in bats for when I was playing ball before 2011 with no restrictions? Good lord the exit speeds we would’ve had back then

[@bryandedon7459]

I played before that bat. My favorite was the original z core and the c core that came before it. Those bats were a beast. All the old school Easton bats are by far the best bats. Forgot about the redline. I have one that's dented to hell and back. One side is damn near flat. Never mind I forgot the original was a red line. It's been so long. I forget what the bat was that has all the dents in it. It was a Easton but it was a few years after the original z core came out. Looked it up, it was the connexion.

[@CowboyUp1371]

Very iconic, I use to use these bats growing up!!

[@sil-80nick]

I graduated in 1999 and played shortstop all 4 years. Pro: a hot one hopper gives more time to throw out a runner. Con: 100 mph grounders that hit the grass lip before the infield dirt is scary af.

[@Zach_M]

A black magic video would be awesome one of these days, I have memories of swinging this and it being lethal.

[@KingJ64]

Just found this channel and LOVE it. I was the "Bat" guy in my leagues for years. Tried every single Neg -5 ever made during the Z2K era. No way any bat is hotter than that. Redlines (both black and silver) were legit too. Sc500 bats with the 2 3/4 Barrel were insane. I didn't even know they existed and then someone brought it to a HR Derby. Started using them where they were legal, scoured Craigslist, prob had 10. These bats a NOT stronger than a Redline. Broke and dented every single one and no one was throwing over 85. We used to joke the barrel was the same size as the red plastic bats we had as kids. . Those Z2K on EBAY most of them are dented and still go for 500+ . Where the hell could you use those Cat 9 and Green Zen? Why did they have a 2 3/4? If you rolled or used a mallet the Blue or Orange Stealth it would add a lot, but 2 5/8 won't compete. Thanks for these videos jerks, been watching for 2 hours and my wife is getting pissed.

[@ratsofftoya6775]

This is my favorite ASMR channel. Brings me inner peace.

[@hughmac13]

I don't know why, but I love watching these bat videos.

[@etherego2913]

Yall should more classic bat videos! Yall should do one of the anderson techzillas from 2006 and 2007! Also the 2009 Sv12

[@ChrisT-ch7it]

anyone gonna notice how big will is getting? dude is lowkey built asf now

[@j.t.reilly9446]

Looking for someone to comment that

[@titan14baseball]

we use to break 3-4 demarini's every practice (we were sponsored by them in college). the guys loved the pop but they were soft as could be. these were -3 bats. guys were glad that we had new ones coming in weekly.

[@chriscoger2723]

Class of 04 checking in we had a Z2k maybe 2 (wish I would have snagged one🙄) I was a Freshman in 2000 but nobody used it for a game bat it was Redline or TPX for when it counts. My favorite was Omaha Gold or C555 platinum.

[@alwayzchillin0714]

I was always a Connexion bat kid myself, at least till I hit it on the handle of that 2-piece barrel on an inside fastball. 😬🤣

[@loudmovers6316]

Loved this bat. Would love to get my hands on one again.

[@KDF88]

I graduated in 2000 and the bz-33-z sc500 z-core was the undisputed king. I do not remember the Z2K, but it looks pretty similar.

[@ultraspank8479]

Awesome video man. I’ve bought a lot of bats off your videos lol. Thanks for the info

[@NormBash]

Safeco park for the velo test.. I like it. Side note.. I had the redline and z2k in my high school days.

[@cooperward9980]

I agree with what he said at the end. I had a teammate at the end of last summer get hit in the face while he was pitching on a ball hit back to him. Some of these bats are just too juiced. Either 12 and up should not be allowed to use composite or it needs to be dialed back some.

[@Tevatron044]

I think i brought this up before, but when it comes to the older bats, most of the tech has already broken down over years of temperature variance in garages and usage. Easton bats were alloy but were reinforced with composite, so technically they are composite bats. A composite is when 2 or more different materials make up an object. Most likely, the composite inside has already broken up. The composite inside was pressure fitted to create stress that would increase the trampoline effect. TPX did a similar function with the air attacks, where a 30 psi bladder was placed into the barrel. The z2k was never used in college, the last bats to be used in college were the Air Attack 2, OG Green Omaha, and Redline C-Core. NCAA went to besr in 1999. I don't have the means to make a video on it, but i know the full history of the pre besr era. It's absolutely wild what went down in the 90s, more than most people know If you would like to talk about it, I'd be down to have a talk because of it weren't for the late 90s bats, there would be no usssa, so technically, the CF Zen is more closely related to the z2k than the bbcors

[@Tevatron044]

Also, I can explain why even though the hottest usssa bats are just as good, there's a reason why we don't have alloy bats like this anymore

[@madskrillz2]

Really? I could have sworn I remembered seeing Z2K's in the CWS one year. I know these bats are basically the straw that broke the camels back though. Everything back then was hot, but these things in particular were straight up dangerous. Luckily I was only in little league at the time lol.

[@Tevatron044]

@@madskrillz2 the 98 cws was the year that broke the camel's back. You can watch the full game on KZbin, it is one of the most interesting games of baseball ever. 21-14 was the score. Both teams were using tpx, but the runner up was lsu, which used Eastons and they all used redlines. They held the home run records for that year which is why everyone says easton was better even though tpx was just as good and was ready to make the bat that would've broken open the doors to something even bigger but it never went through

[@madskrillz2]

@@Tevatron044 ahhhh that's what I remember. I remembered LSU hitting an obnoxious amount of HR's with Easton's. Those Redlines were just as good as the ZCore/Z2K from what I remember though. The ZCore was just the latest and greatest.

[@Tevatron044]

@@madskrillz2 yeah, besr didn't go into effect fully until 2003. Before then, you had the Air Attack 3, Omaha 2000 Scandium, Tpx Platinum, TPS C555, Z-Core. Then tpx started adding air attack tech to the c555 and then the Response. Easton went on to make the Connexion, aka the first 2 piece bat (arguments for Demarini making it first do exist) with a Z-core tech and then make the Sc777 titanium bat, both of which got banned in besr because even though they were trying to re-purpose them for besr, the tech was still too hot

[@effohsee]

That sound of the Easton brings me back

[@Chrenyaa]

You guys should do the old Easton Black magic Versus the newer Easton Black magic bat, that would be a pretty interesting matchup

[@jasonhill1472]

Agreed around a late 80’s to early 90’s model. We didn’t call it gorilla ball back then for nothing

[@Bryanp1289]

Try the Louisville slugger Old school black and silver warrior and the platinum! Those were my go tos in highschool back in 2006

[@Guiltyconscience83]

I had one of the Louisville airattack it was like a bats back in the day and it was hot af. I think it was like a minus 7. Ridiculous, Actually started flattening out after using it for a year and they sent me a new one.

[@plasmac9]

Had this bat in my 16 year old season. The previous season we had the Z-Core Redline and we must have broke at least half a dozen of them. The Z2K we didn't break even one of them. They definitely upped the durability for the Z2K. At 16 years old we were clearing 350 easy and some of the bigger guys were clearing 400 easy. You're also not wrong withe astronomical prices. 2 years ago I sold my 34/29 Z2K on eBay for $900.

[@mikelliteras397]

We had some crazy bats back in the day. I swung my first aluminum bat and composite bat, in 1975. Through most of the 2000’s the bats have been looking for single digit, or even less, percentage gains. In my adult softball playing, starting around 1985, there were some huge gains in performance, even double digit. At that time only big guys were hitting home runs but by the early 90’s, 130lb guys could hit some. That’s about when they had to put the brakes on. Big guys started showing up to coed games with those crazy demarini and others. Way too dangerous. Crazy to think I spent over $300 on a bat over 30 years ago. The best bat I ever used was a green TPX I believe. A friend played for their travel team and they made him custom bats. It was a 32/34 end loaded. I hit one line drive out that the 3rd baseman had a chance at and another went 425 ft with a red dot. It was insane. I came down with a muscle disease and haven’t played in 20 years so I have no idea how the new bats compare to the bats from the 80’s & 90’s.

[@Tevatron044]

The older bats perform like when a newer bat is fully broken in, maybe a little less on the performance side, but they are still contenders with modern day bats

[@brentdonhauser]

This was my last -5 bat before it switched to the -3. You should try and find a Redline or Zcore. Also see if you could get your hands on Louisville TPX they had out to contend with the Z2K I think it was the Omaha.

[@jayjaygeo_69potts49]

I love your guys content could you please do a review on the 2017 voodoo raw

[@dmatt2284]

Redline is the real MVP for sure I used it in 99-2000,also had an enload deal on it called the mega load and it just hit nukes constantly

[@__M738]

Damn this brings back memories Glad I found this channel

[@corteztorrez9991]

And if you don’t mind Will can you show us how to properly brake in a composite bat thx

[@domcagney2352]

I was 10 years old when these were around, at the height of my little league days on minor B and minor A fields. Playing infield was like getting shot at with a baseball cannon lol. And you didn't have to do much to go yard

[@jdmcivic009]

Please do a video on the Easton redline extended! That was another good one

[@ProjectAthleteAL]

I wish you could swing a Redline 2 3/4” barrel -5. Those were splitting vertically in college so they came out with the Z2K. I actually kept mine.

[@salazar4602]

You should try to make a video about the bats that are banned in perfect game. And love the videos

[@ryanfaircloth2922]

Y’all need to do a review on the Freeman5 marrucci. It’s the best wood bat I’ve ever hit with hands down!

[@nateklaphake]

I am glad that you called out the Redline Z-Core as that is the actual pinnacle from back in the day. We broke 3 of them my senior year and we just kept buying more. The Redline Z-Core is definitely tuned up over the normal Z-Core from 99 or the rebranded Z2k from 00 but its really not a ton from what I remember. If I had to guess you might be able to squeeze another MPH out of it on the top end. The big thing that I remember from the Redline though is that I felt that it was more forgiving(i.e retained its velocity on bad strikes). I actually think that might be why it was more prone to cracking especially at the end of the bat. If you keep the strikes away from the end of the bat it was fine from our experience. Oh and you talk about this bat in the hands of High Schoolers but the really crazy shit took place in Omaha during the college world series. People now complain about how big TD Ameritrade Park is in Omaha. Well back in the Rosenblatt days the dimensions where exactly the same and those guys made that stadium look like a little league field. The 99 World series was the last one with pretty much unrestricted bats. Aug 1st of 1999 College baseball put the first restrictions in place. Really the only change at that time was to go from -5 to -3 and to restrict the diameter to 2 5/8. In 99 everyone was swinging -5, 2 3/4 inch diameter bats and it was insane. Heck I have multiple friends that have named there kids Easton because of those bats.

[@Tevatron044]

The 99 CWS used an early variant of BESR that was experimental. It was the last attempt at dimensional regulation before the advent of performance regulation

[@jgenuario4404]

you guys gotta do a cf8 -5 vs makobeast -5 definitely two of the best and hottest bats of the 2010s

[@MichelleTemple-ll8xj]

Hey Will, I showed my mom your video about the green zen. So she got it. 1 day after I got it, we went to the park and my dad pitched to me. My 25th hit I hit my first hr (over the fence)

[@scottklitz4266]

Could you please do a video with blast motion and drop 5s . So can compare the bat speed differences between usssa and bbcor

[@danieldominguez9672]

The redline and air attack 2 were super nasty in high school ballin late 90s early 2000s

[@MyYTaccountName]

Definitely! I’ve still got my air attack 2, I like that it came in half sizes, too. Mine is a 33.5/28.5. Some really good memories with that bat. The redline was awesome, too, but it cracked waaaaaaaay to easily.

[@Yachtzy69]

I got an old Easton CXN from like 2002-2003 from a lady at a yard sale, her son Is like 30 so we bought it from her and the Ball JUMPS off the barell!

[@cskiles]

Would be interested in seeing bat speed comparisons between the two AB’s. Not saying one was faster than the other, it just provides more perspective on what it takes to generate 100+ EV on each bat.

[@teepaulini4589]

I played during this Era...Redline was hand down my favorite bat. In 2003 we had to switch to wood which WAS A Big change. The Redline and Louisville Omaha were my absolute favorite. I definitely preferred the Redline over the z2K as did most of my teammates. They were JUICED.

[@nolancriner3988]

My dad and my uncle swung the redline in highschool and they hit extremely well with it and had no complaints about durrability.

[@nolancriner3988]

@Joe Turner You sure about that?

[@nolancriner3988]

@Joe Turner actually, my uncle hit for power and hit 10 home runs and my dad had almost a .500 average and dad was the fast one.