Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Equipment => Your Kit => Topic started by: Cowcorner on January 08, 2013, 02:13:36 PM
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Since I have a day off and the wife is at work I thought the best way to spend the day would be to compare my Ayrtek pads and gloves with my Kooks! So, it's ayrtek elite gloves and premier pads vs kookaburra kahuna 1000 gear. Whilst that may sound unfair I'm using premier pads according to Ayrtek the premiers are the same spec as the elites and just have different styling. So, here are some photos:
(http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj614/cowcorner/6F9A3E64-F9F7-43FF-875B-923E81D96FC4-1321-000001097BFC5D2C_zpse7d3d31a.jpg)
(http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj614/cowcorner/9819F561-DED4-4A01-A210-E9DBD17B1493-1321-0000010B64186D97_zps5f5d05cd.jpg)
(http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj614/cowcorner/A3C0B747-0F62-42A3-86DF-06DBE0FFA0F0-1321-000001098AD8AAB3_zps4c9e9496.jpg)
(http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj614/cowcorner/3D1812CE-050B-4E40-B066-8326DF1C5BF0-1321-0000010997003B51_zps848e55fa.jpg)
(http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj614/cowcorner/27183FDE-0DA2-49AF-A27C-B26DA33E91E9-1321-000001099D2A9655_zps482ffa75.jpg)
(http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj614/cowcorner/B059D726-24CE-42AE-B681-A982581B79C6-1321-00000109A383FF9B_zps26eef16d.jpg)
(http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj614/cowcorner/305AA074-BECE-484A-9944-0174675C5D53-1321-00000109AB4BCC29_zps74fb2e48.jpg)
(http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj614/cowcorner/02716C41-C784-4848-84E6-7FC0A0368620-1321-00000109B10BB268_zps0df37b0c.jpg)
(http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj614/cowcorner/FE716A06-A375-4D1F-914D-18A9DFAF9710-1321-00000109B8239F73_zps0e802d50.jpg)
Pad weights: Ayrtek:1089g. Kook: 1016g
Top hand glove weights: Ayrtek: 191g Kook: 242g
Both of the leg guards are top notch in build quality and it it very difficult to separate them. The Ayrteks are wider but the kooks have a thicker profile - both are very comfortable and offer an identical level of protection. The Ayrtek is the taller of the two pads by about and inch so if you are above 5' 9" (my height) the ayrtek's may well provide a better fit.
The gloves are where the real differences lie. The ayrtek gloves could be the love-child of a pair of 2013 GN legend and Mongoose Super Premium Gloves. The shark tooth construction lets the hand sit relatively straight but even though they are brand new they have an ease of flexibility. The gloves feel light on the hands and the level of protection on offer is reassuring.
The kooks feel weightier on the hand but not at the expense of being clumsy. They have flat edged segmented fingers that sit the hand at a curve. The level of protection on offer is excellent.
If you were ever to choose between the two I would say that the gloves will be the deciding factor - if you like your hands to feel light and quick then I'd say go Ayrtek, if you like a sturdier hand weight where you can feel the weight of your hands through the shot then I'd be inclined to go for the Kooks. Whichever one you choose you won't be disappointed.
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Great to see a review and very useful for future product development.
Are the kooks kapok stuffed in the finger sections?
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I think they're stuffed with cotton unless anyone can correct me(?)
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yeah think thats what the majority of kapok is, this adds weight but its a very good impact absorber at very low cost.
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How is protection measured in pads?
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Pad up to an 99MPH on the bowling machine and see if it leaves a bruise!
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Pad up to an 99MPH on the bowling machine and see if it leaves a bruise!
Not a chance! haha
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funnily enough this was how we tested our "modern style" pads with James Benning back in 2005...85mph and see if it came through them!
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funnily enough this was how we tested our "modern style" pads with James Benning back in 2005...85mph and see if it came through them!
I reckon the Puma Pulse 6000 I have would easily stand up to 99mph on the bowling machine. Whether I could get my leg in the way is a different matter.
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funnily enough this was how we tested our "modern style" pads with James Benning back in 2005...85mph and see if it came through them!
What about the helmet, did you tell him he would be ok?
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they werent interested in the helmet idea as it happens when i mentioned it to CCC.....
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How is protection measured in pads?
I tend to go for "does it hurt when the ball inevitably hits me?" - this is usually tested in action or I occasionally give my padded up shins a good whack with my cricket-ball-knocking-in-mallet - in the case of this post the whacking option gave me a good way to compare both my pads as I have worn the kooks in anger but the Ayrteks only arrived today!
I'm also particular about gloves as I've broken fingers before (wearing ccx 900 gloves!). I tend to just trust the gloves and don't test them myself....
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Good review but I see that Ayrtek pads are absolutely brand new. Once you start using them, once your sweat soaks in, once they get wet (dare I mention Dave washing tactics! ;) ) and so on they will feel better, narrower and so on.
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Given these are of similar quality, I'd imagine there to be a big price difference between what you paid for the ayrteks and for the kooks? Probably about half the price for the same standard I'd say?
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Given these are of similar quality, I'd imagine there to be a big price difference between what you paid for the ayrteks and for the kooks? Probably about half the price for the same standard I'd say?
No too far off actually - £35 for a pair of pads!? It's a steal! That's a round of drinks in London!!
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i also recently brought some Ayrtek gloves but mine are the green ones to match my new Newbury TT pads and the gloves are the best i have ever worn and tried on fit brilliantly and would recommend to anyone
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Glad you all approve, they glove design is something we has clung onto for a while now and tweaked to the current design we have now.
Having had to tell/ask 3 other brands to stop using our design it clearly works well in terms of flexibility and protection :)
Thanks for the kind words chaps, appreciated
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purely based on the looks i like the ayrtek better than Kook ones
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Could ship a set with loves to Aus to under £100 inc gloves :)
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Pad up to an 99MPH on the bowling machine and see if it leaves a bruise!
Don't think my Morrants will pass
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I love the Ayrtek gloves and have been really happy with mine, the pads look excellent as well, but I'll have to wait until next season to get some as I'm on a self enforced buying ban! :(