Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Equipment => Bats => Reviews => Topic started by: TopShot on September 23, 2014, 01:10:35 AM
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Hello all,
I bought a Affinity Carbine for this season and I thought I'd share my experiences and review the bat. It's been a bit of a rollercoaster ride for me with this bat but I'm hoping we will have a beautiful relationship together culminating in piles and piles of runs! This is a bit of a long review so please bear with me. There will be lots of pictures for those not interested in my ramblings ;)
I bought this beauty from Jason at CSO back in May
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-kSI7PizYvno/VCCsJCAZ11I/AAAAAAAAANE/ovKGlCrGbOA/w646-h865-no/IMG_0175.JPG)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/mkLh8MN2g-lbtzdzBIE8S3lsi6BFX1Qg_kCZin-ZUOo=w1598-h671-no)
The bat weighed in at 2"10 and felt wonderfully balanced in the hands. The finishing was esquisite and the shape was exactly what I prefer in a bat...very full no concaving. I was over the moon and couldn't wait to get after the bowling with it. I paid for the bat to be knocked in and when it arrived I knocked it in for about another 2 hours just to make sure it was ready. Then tragedy struck. Three balls into her debut this happened....
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-MbsliHHP9Sk/VCCqR-UnPUI/AAAAAAAAAM0/7XjInxOkA9M/w1024-h768-no/Bat%2Bcrack%2B2.JPG)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-XYASusmhuBY/VCCqRAX42iI/AAAAAAAAAMo/bto4bm8r4lw/w1024-h768-no/DSCN1469.JPG)
I was gutted to say the least. It took a lot of scrimping and saving to get that bat and it failed before i was even able to get off the mark with it. (I hit 76 off about 34 balls that day while breaking another one of my favorite bats in the process....yup not a great day to be me)
I quickly contacted Marcus (#TeamAffinity) about my issue via email. He instantly put my fears at ease stating that the willow had failed... most likely due to storm damage... and I was entitled to a new bat. Marcus and Jason were amazing to deal with and I had a new Carbine in my hands within 3 weeks.
My new bat was very similar to the first one ...obviously....except it was about an ounce and a half heavier at 2'11.5. Once I put a second grip on her along with a scuff sheet and lots of fiberglass tape the weight was up to a an ominous 2"13.3
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-X0Pl0MKfu7o/VCCqLtUDxKI/AAAAAAAAALQ/VLzIzUN8dYc/w646-h865-no/IMG_0269.JPG)
here is a pic of the profile
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-OHU2ZDERIyk/VCCqM59DEbI/AAAAAAAAALg/br_06MQgCHQ/w646-h865-no/IMG_0267.JPG)
I quickly got started on the knocking in process. I knocked the bat for about 5 hours. Hit some catches and spent a couple hours hitting a ball attached to a string hanging from the roof of one of my clubs outdoor nets. The bat was ready but I wasn't ready to have my heart broken again. So the bat stayed in the kit bag only coming out hit catches or to do gentle throw downs. Other than my apprehension about having the bat break again I was also worried about how I would fare using a bat so much heavier than what I was used to. My bats are generally in the 2.7- 2.9 range. The bat is beautifully balanced and picks up around 2.10 - 2.11 but being more of a stroke maker than a slogger I was very concerned about what batting with a stick this this weight would do to my timing.
So in the final game of my season i decided to give it a go.
The first thing I discovered using the bat was that the weight was definitely a factor. I struggled to middle anything for about 3 overs. I hit a bunch right of the toe (which was very frustrating) and had a few top edged hooks and pulls fly for six (which was pleasing :) ). When I finally did middle one....wow. I gently pushed an on drive past the bowler hoping for a single only to see the ball race past mid on for four. I was able to middle a few more during my stay at the crease before toe ending a slog sweep to the man on the fence at deep midwicket for 42.
In closing, I am very happy with this bat's performance. I need to spend a lot more time with it in the middle to get used to the weight and I'm already considering a weight routine for the off season to make sure I can make the most of it. The middle on this thing is an absolute dream. It is very forgiving for things hit off centre and anything hit out of the screws absolutely flies of. This bat is supposed to have a somewhat higher middle but it seems to ping just about everywhere except the toe and the splice which I can't exactly complain about lol. The bat is still brand new so I'm expecting the ping to get even better as the bat opens up more. I really can't imagine how the ping could get better but I'm sure eager to find out.
Here's a couple pics to finish off.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nefNRFrc_3Q/VCCqKBgjSqI/AAAAAAAAAK4/eAJ1aM0vtbc/w1158-h865-no/IMG_0272.JPG)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-wm_B9UgeSPE/VCCqKi_NjqI/AAAAAAAAALA/vM-yA314oKw/w1158-h865-no/IMG_0271.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-h1AQwz3y2JI/VCCqMb7u9OI/AAAAAAAAALY/pLBVevbquUk/w646-h865-no/IMG_0268.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-KlA0HKmMJd4/VCCqQdYDKhI/AAAAAAAAAMY/XVN2cMPUD0s/w1024-h768-no/DSCN1543.JPG)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-d70Kjb_0sNY/VCCqPb0EqTI/AAAAAAAAAMI/qtvzV-gyWho/w646-h865-no/IMG_0262.JPG)
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It's always good to hear when manufacturer stand behind their product and service, I am sure you will get use to the weight...great looking bat :)
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Nice review. Enjoyed it.
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Great review mate! I've had a few Affinity's and all of them have been a bit heavier than i normally use but found that the balance evens it out! Once you get used to it, you will not want to use anything else. :D
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Looks a lovely bat.
Bat makers - if the willow fails like above do you get a refund from the willow supplier? Or are you left to swallow the loss? I suspect its the latter but figured I'd ask
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If the willow was indeed storm damaged it would usually be covered under warranty and a free replacement bat issued. I can only assume that this has happened here?
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obviously they have been very efficient in providing a replacement but personally if I was sent a replacement that far out of my weight limitions, id have sent it back and asked for a lighter one.
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obviously they have been very efficient in providing a replacement but personally if I was sent a replacement that far out of my weight limitions, id have sent it back and asked for a lighter one.
Couldn't agree more.
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A double gripped Carbine that's 2.13 can feel as light as 2.9 though...
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yeah I can see how that would be the case because of the profile but he does say that it feels to heavy. I wouldn't even have bothered using it id have sent it straight back, which is a pain in the backside but probably worth it in the long run.
How light do the carbines go paul?
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yeah I can see how that would be the case because of the profile but he does say that it feels to heavy. I wouldn't even have bothered using it id have sent it straight back, which is a pain in the backside but probably worth it in the long run.
How light do the carbines go paul?
I know at least 2 have been made that were 2.8 finished. We had one of them and I believe Vitas had the other. Most are 2.10/2.11
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I bet they were nice. id be tempted by one of those I think.
Anyway back the original thread haha
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Good review and glad it worked out in the end. I would say that if the weight is such an issue you need to "bulk up" then perhaps you should of asked either Marcus or Jason to take the 1.5oz off to start with. Not sure adding 3oz to the bat in the end is the way I would go as it's still dead weight and will effect your batting the longer you stay in. I'm sure Marcus/Jason would of been happy to make the adjustment back to 2'10.
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What if this was a Solitaire or Laver?
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Hi guys,
Glad you like the review. I'm not going to lie, I did consider sending the bat back in order to get something closer to my usual weight range. However, I was so pleased to be have gotten the new bat and it feels so well balanced that in the end I decided to make a go of it. One thing I can say for sure the bat does not feel 2"13 in the hands. The extra weight did throw my timing out of whack but as it was my first time using it... i think that was to be expected. I had no problems playing the late cuts, hooks, pulls and dabs that are my normal scoring shots. I really can't say anything bad about the bat at this point.
I may eventually need to shave it down but I'm hoping that once I get used to this beast I will not need to. Besides the value you get for check drives and back foot pushes with this thing right now is unreal!
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If the willow was indeed storm damaged it would usually be covered under warranty and a free replacement bat issued. I can only assume that this has happened here?
I know this is true from say your perspective as a retailer Paul but what about the willow suppliers, do they provide any sort of warranty to bat makers?
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Nice bat and glad everything worked out for you in the end. I am sure the bat will get better in the off season nets!
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I know this is true from say your perspective as a retailer Paul but what about the willow suppliers, do they provide any sort of warranty to bat makers?
Oh, good question... I'd be interested to know the answer too!
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I don't think the willow merchants offer any kind of refund in this case:
''Clefts / Blades Returns Policy – A note for the finished bat consumer.
J.S.Wright and Sons Ltd. have a strict returns policy for our English Cricket Bat Willow clefts and blades. Called blades or clefts depending which country you are in.
English Cricket Bat Willow (referred to as EW) is grown commercially in the UK and has been for over 100 years. We have done everything possible to ensure the wood is in the best possible condition when sold but sometimes natural occurrences can cause issues.
The one issue that causes most of the problems are high winds that cause the trees to move a lot in the wind and sometimes to such an extent the fibres break. This is not evident in the tree or the rough sawn cleft and even after making into a bat is very hard to spot. We will not accept any returns at all for any type of natural material defect in the wood that causes splitting or breaking of the bat, it has to be accepted as a natural product and we do not feel our customers (the bat manufacturers) should have to offer replacements either.
Even without the wind damage issue bats can still break after any amount of use particularly if poor quality, cheap cricket balls are used or even the hard coaching and cricket ball bowling machine balls. We have cut open cheap balls and found plastic, glass, stones etc. in the ball, these cause a lot of issues with breaking bats, all players should ensure they are using the best quality balls for their grade of cricket especially if they are using English Willow cricket bats from a reputable manufacturer. Sometimes good quality balls can cause breaks and splits ( sometimes you see professional cricketers bats split or break), for example if a fast Yorker gets trapped between the ground and the toe of the bat there is so much force something has to give and it is generally the toe of the bat. As a raw material supplier we will not accept any claims.
We are also under tremendous pressure to supply lightweight EW clefts and blades. Please note that we dry the wood to a specific moisture content and we are not prepared to dry any lower just to lose a couple of ounces of weight, if we do this will cause even more problems with bats breaking as the more you dry the EW the more brittle it becomes. Density of each tree governs the weight of the timber with some being light and some heavy that is a natural product.
The trend for narrow grains (more than 7 in a finished bat) is also something that means bats will not last as long. The wood is older and more brittle so although it plays well with good rebound qualities as soon as it is bought, but it will not last anywhere like as long as a wide grain bat with say 4 to 6 grains. Bats from these wider grain clefts will play well eventually but will need knocking in well and more patience from the batsman. In our opinion the strongest bat you can buy which will hit the ball well is one with wider grains and the butterfly marks in, we have never seen a broken bat with butterfly stains. Good and clean bats are not necessarily the best by any means.
The general public need to be aware of these issues and if they have cause for complaint contact the manufacturer although he is under no obligation to replace the broken bat free of charge especially through natural occurrences.''
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Great to hear that all worked out for you in the end and kudos to Marcus and Jason for great service.
Have a mate who ordered a carbine from Jason in May and his bat has been great too.
Must have felt terrible seeing a 550 usd bat break on the first outing.
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Great to hear that all worked out for you in the end and kudos to Marcus and Jason for great service.
Have a mate who ordered a carbine from Jason in May and his bat has been great too.
Must have felt terrible seeing a 550 usd bat break on the first outing.
OMG yes. It's not the first time I've had a new bat break like that in the first couple balls it hit either. Kind of made me want to forget buying another expensive bat ever again and only get cheapies that way if it breaks no big deal. Couple hours on this forum help get those crazy thoughts out of my head though lol.
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I don't think the willow merchants offer any kind of refund in this case:
''Clefts / Blades Returns Policy – A note for the finished bat consumer.
J.S.Wright and Sons Ltd. have a strict returns policy for our English Cricket Bat Willow clefts and blades. Called blades or clefts depending which country you are in.
English Cricket Bat Willow (referred to as EW) is grown commercially in the UK and has been for over 100 years. We have done everything possible to ensure the wood is in the best possible condition when sold but sometimes natural occurrences can cause issues.
The one issue that causes most of the problems are high winds that cause the trees to move a lot in the wind and sometimes to such an extent the fibres break. This is not evident in the tree or the rough sawn cleft and even after making into a bat is very hard to spot. We will not accept any returns at all for any type of natural material defect in the wood that causes splitting or breaking of the bat, it has to be accepted as a natural product and we do not feel our customers (the bat manufacturers) should have to offer replacements either.
Even without the wind damage issue bats can still break after any amount of use particularly if poor quality, cheap cricket balls are used or even the hard coaching and cricket ball bowling machine balls. We have cut open cheap balls and found plastic, glass, stones etc. in the ball, these cause a lot of issues with breaking bats, all players should ensure they are using the best quality balls for their grade of cricket especially if they are using English Willow cricket bats from a reputable manufacturer. Sometimes good quality balls can cause breaks and splits ( sometimes you see professional cricketers bats split or break), for example if a fast Yorker gets trapped between the ground and the toe of the bat there is so much force something has to give and it is generally the toe of the bat. As a raw material supplier we will not accept any claims.
We are also under tremendous pressure to supply lightweight EW clefts and blades. Please note that we dry the wood to a specific moisture content and we are not prepared to dry any lower just to lose a couple of ounces of weight, if we do this will cause even more problems with bats breaking as the more you dry the EW the more brittle it becomes. Density of each tree governs the weight of the timber with some being light and some heavy that is a natural product.
The trend for narrow grains (more than 7 in a finished bat) is also something that means bats will not last as long. The wood is older and more brittle so although it plays well with good rebound qualities as soon as it is bought, but it will not last anywhere like as long as a wide grain bat with say 4 to 6 grains. Bats from these wider grain clefts will play well eventually but will need knocking in well and more patience from the batsman. In our opinion the strongest bat you can buy which will hit the ball well is one with wider grains and the butterfly marks in, we have never seen a broken bat with butterfly stains. Good and clean bats are not necessarily the best by any means.
The general public need to be aware of these issues and if they have cause for complaint contact the manufacturer although he is under no obligation to replace the broken bat free of charge especially through natural occurrences.''
Beat me to it Jake !