Graphics
The Vexxum has always been a pretty bat, and this BBCOR model continues the stylish design. It is clean and modern, and will appeal to almost anyone. However the white paint was a strange choice, because it really shows dings and marks from balls. Most of the time, with a little elbow grease, you can wipe these off with some hot water or goo gone, but I don't know anybody who would take 30 minutes to do so. The colors of the BESR Vexxum are much hotter, therefore I wish they would have just changed the specs and slapped a BBCOR label on the BESR Vexxum. A HUGE weak point of the Vexxum is that the paint chips quite easily. Throughout this season I've tended to it carefully and somehow there is a big scratch where the aluminum is exposed. It is not noticeable unless you observe the bat up close, but it is annoying.
Feel/Swing
The Vexxum is a hit/miss for feel. Demarini has had issues in the past where their bats have weight distribution problems, and the Vexxum will appeal to some more than others. It is very barrel-heavy, making for a solid swing, and good feel when you crush a ball, however, your swing may be a little slower than something with a lot of weight in the handle. When you hit a ball it feels like you are slicing butter. It is silky smooth, which also will appeal to some more than others. There is barely any vibration when you hit the ball. Personally I like feeling hard contact as I hit the ball, but I don't mind the Vexxum's feel. The grip is fantastic. It is sticky out of the box and stays sticky for a long time. Even after it is worn out, it still has a lot of traction left, so you don't accidentally throw your bat. The BESR model feels slightly more balanced, but the BBCOR Vexxum isn't bad either.
Pop/Distance
No more easy homers with the BBCOR bats. Now your true skill will be tested. The biggest difference between the BBCOR and BESR models of any bat, is simply that you will notice less power behind the ball on poor contact hits. With the old Easton composite stealths, you could easily hit one deep off of a pop fly, which would have been to the infield with a woody. It is the same way with BBCOR. You will notice no difference if you square up and make good contact, but you will struggle if the ball comes of the top half of the bat. The pop is good, compared to some BBCOR bats, such as the Easton line of BBCOR bats, but is nothing special. It can and will compete with BESR bats as far as pop, but you will notice less distance on pop ups this year.
Sound
The sound of the Vexxum is ugly. It sounds like a crossover between a wooden bat and an aluminum, which basically translates to is sounding like you are pounding a pice of plastic against the ball. Sometimes it will give you that satisfying "DING!"if you hit it off the end of the bat, but if you hit it off the sweet spot, outfielders will barely be able to hear you got a hit. The bottom line is that it is not an appealing sound, and it sounds weak.
Overall Summary
The BBCOR Vexxum is a great choice if you are in the market for a new BBCOR bat, or just a bat in general, but I would wait until next year when they perfect the BBCOR technology. The graphics are cool and neat, and it feels decent when you swing, but the pop is strange and the sound it weak. 7.6 Overall Score
