Custom Bats Cricket Forum

Equipment => Bats => Topic started by: SOULMAN1012 on March 20, 2014, 08:17:26 PM

Title: Flat or round???
Post by: SOULMAN1012 on March 20, 2014, 08:17:26 PM
So guys just wanted to see if you guys being the bat geeks we all are had a preference to a flat or round face on your bats?

Personally I have become very fond of flat face bats. Personally I believe that they offer a more powerful bat, the science will say that when striking the ball that more of the blade is making contact with the ball thus giving more value to off centre shots. The other point as that a flat face allows a bigger bat in the main which to a lot of players gives more confidence when you look down in your guard and see a chunky bat.

I have had a slight clear out recently and the vast majority of what I have left in my collection are flat faced. There are a couple of round face bats left but my top 3 bats this year in terms of power and ping are flat faced.

Just wanted to see what you guys felt?
Title: Re: Flat or round???
Post by: jamesisapayne on March 20, 2014, 08:19:49 PM
Personally, I think the whole flat face thing is a load of balls and was started by Kookaburra purely to get bigger edges on their bats.

I think any difference in feel during use is negligible, if any, especially to the average clubbie like myself.
Title: Re: Flat or round???
Post by: Buzz on March 20, 2014, 08:20:03 PM
Personally I quite like the in between face that Charlie French, GM and a few others offer - I find the full flat face a bit off putting for some reason - I am not sure I like a really "square" bat...
Title: Re: Flat or round???
Post by: kal_m on March 20, 2014, 08:28:51 PM
I bought a refurbed Newbury B52 XL and it had a little round face and it was an absolute beast at 2.13, 1 grip and no stickers.One of the best bats I have seen. And I don't think the round face would have mattered. I am sick to the stomach when I thiink about it that I sold it to my team mate (needed the money  :( ) Nevertheless I will find out this season if the round face matters.

And I loved the round face.
Title: Re: Flat or round???
Post by: WalkingWicket37 on March 20, 2014, 08:39:26 PM
I like the GM F4.5 face on my Six6 a lot.
Also got an F2 Octane that I am rather fond of, so I guess I've moved away from the traditional rounded face (F7)
Title: Re: Flat or round???
Post by: Northern monkey on March 20, 2014, 08:42:39 PM
Flat face
Just feel I've more bat to play with?
Daft I know
Title: Re: Flat or round???
Post by: smilley792 on March 20, 2014, 08:44:07 PM
I prefer gms 4.5 and b3s 3.5 personally.

BUt dont mind a 2mm flat face.


I have actually gone of the round 7mm face now. Just dont like the look or feel.

probably all placebo
Title: Re: Flat or round???
Post by: Seniorplayer on March 20, 2014, 08:52:16 PM
For me round face bats seem better balanced also not a fan of big edges.
Title: Re: Flat or round???
Post by: Danny1981 on March 20, 2014, 09:15:00 PM
id probably have to go with flat
Title: Re: Flat or round???
Post by: ogroupleader on March 20, 2014, 09:47:07 PM
The flat face bats I own are my least favourite. Maybe they twist more on mishits? I don't know but in my current collection I prefer the feel of round faces better. Having said that whether the face is round or flat does not influence my decision to buy.
Title: Re: Flat or round???
Post by: smilley792 on March 20, 2014, 09:52:17 PM
The flat face bats I own are my least favourite. Maybe they twist more on mishits? I don't know but in my current collection I prefer the feel of round faces better. Having said that whether the face is round or flat does not influence my decision to buy.

According to the power that be(gm) I flat face has more power, but if you don't have a strong bottom hand, will twist more when hit off centre.

A rounder face is more controllable.



Being a well, slogger as procricket1983837 says. Is probably why I prefer the flatter faces.
Title: Re: Flat or round???
Post by: Blank Bats on March 20, 2014, 10:20:21 PM
The better pinging bats I've had were round faced.

Part of reason for flat face is the trend for thicker edges, however you get a weaker toe with a flat face.

There must have been a reason why the traditional rounded face was preferred to flat face by the earlier bat makers
Title: Re: Flat or round???
Post by: compstallcc on March 20, 2014, 10:40:31 PM
used both extensively and really cannot tell the difference when im batting
Title: Re: Flat or round???
Post by: WalkingWicket37 on March 20, 2014, 10:45:11 PM
used both extensively and really cannot tell the difference when im batting
To be honest how many club players will know (or care) what the difference is?
As a forum of kit badgers we have our preferences, but mine is based on "my current bat pings well and is a **mm face, so I like those"
Knowledge can be dangerous, and I do think that some on here (myself included) look far too much into minor details when buying a bat.
At the end of the day if it picks up nicely and responds well, what difference does the face make to you?
Title: Re: Flat or round???
Post by: rhino25 on March 20, 2014, 11:19:45 PM
I agree with smiley, but in saying that I think the average club player chooses their bats either by feel, or looks if they have no access to good quality bats (like my area) and the big edges 'look' more appealing and powerful to the average guy. Personally I like a slightly rounded face, just a preference as that's what I've grown used to.
Title: Re: Flat or round???
Post by: alee on March 20, 2014, 11:26:12 PM
I prefer round face. Not fond of the sharp edges,
Title: Re: Flat or round???
Post by: Chad on March 21, 2014, 12:03:52 AM
The best bats I've used have all had a rounded face. I'm not sure how rounded, and it could just be coincidence. Personally, in terms of looks, I quite like the flat face when looking at the side on profile, as it does make the bat look much more impressive, (Compare Icon F2 to Icon F7) but in terms of looking at it from the face, a mix between the two is my favourite. (F4.5) I don't mind a flat face, but it does give you more of a twisty feel when you hit off centre. Would always recommend you go with an oval handle when using a flat faced bat, as that helps prevent twist, and (from observations) also not to have it too concaved. (Changing grip relatively regularly also helps) I think a lot of it is in the mind, and what you feel most comfortable with, but the most noticeable difference in playability is the twist.
Title: Re: Flat or round???
Post by: Colesy on March 21, 2014, 12:48:43 AM
Round, it's purely aesthetic but it makes me feel warmer inside
Title: Re: Flat or round???
Post by: Number 11 on March 21, 2014, 02:15:51 AM
Rounded definitely. The edge is an essential part of my batting technique, if it was square i'd be breaking bats left right and centre. ;)
Title: Re: Flat or round???
Post by: tim2000s on March 21, 2014, 06:42:12 AM
Given that it makes absolutely no difference to my ability or how far I hit the ball,  I don't give two hoots and wouldn't specify one or the other.  My top three bats are a mix of flat and traditional face rounding.  They all ping nicely.   

To sum that up,  I don't care,  as I don't believe from my experience that there is any extra twisting or performance from a flat face.

Sent from my LG-D802 using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Flat or round???
Post by: Buzz on March 21, 2014, 07:23:30 AM
we should also mention that flat faces are relatively new so most of us will have happier memories with round faced bats
Title: Re: Flat or round???
Post by: amritpremi on March 21, 2014, 07:43:40 AM

I prefer flat or nearly flat face, I feel using a round faced bat I edge more often or edged ones fly to slips more often. With Flat faced bats my edged ones fly more towards the point and provides me sort of surety. Maybe it's all in my head but the face of the bat sort of affects my batting slightly. The flatter face bat with round handle twists sometimes when off centre shots are played with soft hands, could be avoided/reduced with oval handle. I have & played with both flat & round face ones and I definitely prefer flat faced bat.   
Title: Re: Flat or round???
Post by: fasteddie on March 21, 2014, 09:33:04 AM
I'm on the round face team.

I'm not one of extra wood on the edges, which is the main selling point for flat face. I'd rather have it in the middle.

Also, I run the ball off the face a lot, so a rounder face gives me more control.
Title: Re: Flat or round???
Post by: Giraffe208 on March 21, 2014, 09:38:01 AM
+1 for rounder faces
Title: Re: Flat or round???
Post by: uknsaunders on March 21, 2014, 10:23:49 AM
Not fussed either way, but I liking the 4.5/3.5 halfway house. My b3 and I think my Ayrtek have this almost flat face. As I understand it flat faces give you (potentially) more control over the placement of a shot. As opposed to the ball hitting a rounded face and sliding off.
Title: Re: Flat or round???
Post by: tim2000s on March 21, 2014, 11:02:24 AM
Not fussed either way, but I liking the 4.5/3.5 halfway house. My b3 and I think my Ayrtek have this almost flat face. As I understand it flat faces give you (potentially) more control over the placement of a shot. As opposed to the ball hitting a rounded face and sliding off.

If you are a much better batsman than most of us... And honestly, at our level, the three-seven degrees difference really makes no odds...!