What is the quick review?
We've spent at least 20 hours collectively in the cage with the MAKO TORQ brand of bats, including the BBCOR, Little League (youth), and Big Barrel versions. We've also seen the bat at the plate at least one hundred times and spoken to nearly anyone we've seen who uses it about their experience. Additionally, we've spent time on the phone with Easton employees discussing the intricacies of the MAKO TORQ.
What models and sizes are available?
Those experiences, plus a year of mulling them over, have made us appreciate the bat for its uniqueness, but we still struggle to recommend it across the board due to its rotating handle. The bat's base (without the spinning handle) is fantastic as a replica of the 2016 MAKO, and those comfortable with the rotation (or those willing to tape it down) can find a lot of success with the 2016 MAKO TORQ. But for many, the rotating handle (or TORQ) is not quite traditional enough.
How is it built?
- BBCOR. 31" through 34".
- 2 5/8 (Senior Barrel) in a Drop 5 and Drop 8. 30" through 32".
- 2 3/4 (Big Barrel) in a Drop 10. 28" through 32".
- 2 1/4 Little League (Youth Barrel) in a Drop 10. 28" through 32"
Bottom line
As you may know, at batdigest.com, we only review bats we've hit with. With the 2016 Easton MAKO TORQ, we spent several hours in the cage with the BBCOR and youth versions of the bat. In the past, we've spent considerable time with the Fast Pitch Easton MAKO TORQ and the 2015 senior barrel MAKO TORQ, so we knew what to expect.
If you are comfortable with the rotating handle (and we're not assuming you are), then the bat is a verifiable beast. It is, in reality, an Easton MAKO with its remarkably sized barrel and the added rotating handle. The bat is clearly a high-performance composite with a butter-like feel on impact.
In terms of pure performance, the 2016 Easton MAKO TORQ is a top-shelf premium bat. The barrel size is gigantic by any standards, and the bat is an ultra-light swing weight, as airy homemade rolls. If a player is willing to become accustomed to the spinning handle- or is already so- then the 2016 Easton MAKO TORQ may very well be the exact right bat for them. Otherwise, those looking for an alloy barrel and end-loaded swing weight, a one-piece bat, or a bat without a rotating handle need to look elsewhere.