Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Equipment => Bats => Topic started by: tim2000s on February 12, 2015, 06:11:08 AM
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Well, it's that day of the year again. The AOC Gear test is on at Lord's, and two of my mates are lucky enough to be the gear testers this year!
Wonder who has submitted bats?
Looking forward to hearing about their day with Gooch, Hoggy, Shah and co!
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Is this gear review relevant ? I hardly ever hear anything about Woodstock Airstream Platinum (winner 2014 bat).
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I've put a couple forward this year - they're literally huge for the weight so we'll see what they make of it (In my bat makers' own words "let me tell you if you get a bad review then the guys reviewing need to sort themselves out! 2 of the biggest bats ive made!")
@tim2000s no pressure on your mates haha
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Ive put 3 in. all different grades, all good sized and ping well. will see what happens.
as much as id love to win in it or get into the magazine. its the feedback that is important, nice to know what people think
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is this the "pay x amount and guarantee yourself a slot in the magazine" test?
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is this the "pay x amount and guarantee yourself a slot in the magazine" test?
I thought that was the cricketer? bit of fun anyway isn't it?
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depends how you look at it
someone buys the magazine thinking that this bat must be good to get in the magazine and it has a bigger feature than the rest and an interview with the batmaker so must be good ..... yet the only reason is because they paid £1200 to get it in there!
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B3 have not entered
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I thought that was the cricketer? bit of fun anyway isn't it?
AOC, here we go:-
http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=31310.msg492521#msg492521 (http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=31310.msg492521#msg492521)
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AOC is the free one, The Cricketer is the "pay x amount and get a guaranteed review"
@procricket B3 - surprised B3 haven't sent a few in mate, would've thought some of those crowns you've got would've gone down well!
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If we did we wouldn't send a crown as it wouldn't be a true reflection.
Mid range it would have been mate shows a truer reflection.
wish you all the best lads who have sent them down
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pah, I should have bought my pass in to go and watch, I could have gone today... gggrrrrr
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Ive put 3 in. all different grades, all good sized and ping well. will see what happens.
as much as id love to win in it or get into the magazine. its the feedback that is important, nice to know what people think
Do they rate the bat based on grading ?
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Do they rate the bat based on grading ?
No - all the bats are stripped of identifying marks and then handed over for use.
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The whole thing is to subjective for me....
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It is entirely subjective and any actual challenge will leave the process open to many many flaws, that doesn't make it wrong though!
At the end of the day it is part of the selling the magazine process, showing off the 2015 kit and it is a bit of fun. Fingers crossed for any sponsors who have puts some bat(s)
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Was great fun last year!
And tbh Dave is right. The test is not a true reflection of a brand, mearly the single bats which are sent.
I still have the bat last year that won it. 44mm edges, 68mm spine and 2'8.9... Not all Woodstocks will be like that!
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One of my friends said he thought that bat no. 11 was his favourite, but that the pros seemed to favour the new balance.
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One of my friends said he thought that bat no. 11 was his favourite, but that the pros seemed to favour the new balance.
and how did they know it was a new balance?
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and how did they know it was a new balance?
They were told afterwards.
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They were told afterwards.
do we know what bat 11 was then?
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Were there also any favourable mentions? Also I thought NB bats were made by B3?
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Were there also any favourable mentions? Also I thought NB bats were made by B3?
They Are
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Were there also any favourable mentions? Also I thought NB bats were made by B3?
B3 make some of finchs bats, and eligidly trotts....... but never have they made nbs that are available to the public.
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Ive had it confirmed that all 3 bats I sent were included in the test. No feedback revealed until the issue goes on sale on the 12th March
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B3 make some of finchs bats, and eligidly trotts....... but never have they made nbs that are available to the public.
Yep, sorry head cold day.
Fingers crossed John.
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B3 make some of finchs bats, and eligidly trotts....... but never have they made nbs that are available to the public.
The question whether NB sent a Joe Public one or paid B3 to send one of the Pro ones?
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The question whether NB sent a Joe Public one or paid B3 to send one of the Pro ones?
no offence to the people sending in bats but I suspect even though they'll claim they are 'normal' ones.. they'll have sent in some of the best examples they can. It's yet another reason why you can't believe the media stuff as it's got nothing to do with the joe average bat pushed out by brands.
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no offence to the people sending in bats but I suspect even though they'll claim they are 'normal' ones.. they'll have sent in some of the best examples they can. It's yet another reason why you can't believe the media stuff as it's got nothing to do with the joe average bat pushed out by brands.
To make the test interesting, AOC could also grab the same make and model from a retail location or as a secret buyer (posing as average joe) from the custom bat maker to compare the sent bat against the average joe bat.
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To make the test interesting, AOC could also grab the same make and model from a retail location or as a secret buyer (posing as average joe) from the custom bat maker to compare the sent bat against the average joe bat.
Great idea.
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B3 did not send a B3 bat to any AOC test and although we have much speculating that it is all it.
I wish all the brands well who did send though
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To make the test interesting, AOC could also grab the same make and model from a retail location or as a secret buyer (posing as average joe) from the custom bat maker to compare the sent bat against the average joe bat.
that mate, is exactly what they should do! Go around and pick up real models and test rather than sent in versions. Wouldn't exactly take much organising.
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They would have to pay for them that way. I doubt they pay for the bats sent in.
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They would have to pay for them that way. I doubt they pay for the bats sent in.
Im sure the companies wanting to enter could bid and then basically issue a refund simply enough
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Or resupply the stockist with their next order.
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Or resupply the stockist with their next order.
boom, even better! (that didn't cross my mind actually, good thinking batman)
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When i read about these Gear Tests it reminds me of the following:
A well respected Batsmaker sends two bats he has made both made from the same grade willow and to the same spec one stickered has his own brand and one stickered has a different brand. His own brand is not rated but the one stickered has a different brand is highly rated.
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B3 did not send a B3 bat to any AOC test and although we have much speculating that it is all it.
I wish all the brands well who did send though
Well perhaps just like on TV there will be a B3 there in someone else's stickers ;-)
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I've put a couple forward this year - they're literally huge for the weight so we'll see what they make of it (In my bat makers' own words "let me tell you if you get a bad review then the guys reviewing need to sort themselves out! 2 of the biggest bats ive made!")
@tim2000s no pressure on your mates haha
@neoncricket Adam, How did you get on?
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The new balance bat is Indian made.
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Results are out! Don't know how long latest issue has been out but picked it up today. Good results for smaller brands such as H4L, Kippax and Woodstock again. Newbery doing very well with 3 bats in top 20 and possibly more if as we are led to believe all the other makes they produce bats for.
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What if AOC arranged to send a raw willow cleft to each brand and asked their batmakers to make a bat out of it ?
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What if AOC arranged to send a raw willow cleft to each brand and asked their batmakers to make a bat out of it ?
Really good idea, it would certainly even things up, might be harder for the brands, rather than batmakers.
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There would only be about 3 bats in there ...
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Aside from the bats, the gn softs seem to come out consistently well this year.
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Just seen that AOC have a gear website.
http://gear.alloutcricket.com/
&... That there are kookaburra pro players bats for £750 !!!!!!!
I'm trying to add up how many forum bats I could get for that!
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Found it interesting that New Balance won this with a bat that is exclusive to just two retailers. Maybe someone is indeed paying for this privilege, even if it isn't New Balance...
But on a more positive note, well done to H4L and Newbery! Nice to see some favourites of ours get recognition, even though such tests should (in my opinion) always be taken with a pinch of salt...
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Found it interesting that New Balance won this with a bat that is exclusive to just two retailers. Maybe someone is indeed paying for this privilege, even if it isn't New Balance...
But on a more positive note, well done to H4L and Newbery! Nice to see some favourites of ours get recognition, even though such tests should (in my opinion) always be taken with a pinch of salt...
Have to agree pinch of salt is the way to go.
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Just seen that AOC have a gear website.
[url]http://gear.alloutcricket.com/[/url] ([url]http://gear.alloutcricket.com/[/url])
&... That there are kookaburra pro players bats for £750 !!!!!!!
I'm trying to add up how many forum bats I could get for that!
4 G1 hunts customs and enough change for a trip to the pub on your way home!
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I think tests are valid and they give an indication but there are so many variables at stake so you have to decipher the results to an extent. For example every year the top bat is something with a high-ish middle. Reason being that the tests are conducted at indoor nets where the ball bounces quite a lot. However on a Saturday when most of us go to play in April/May on stodgy wickets, it will be quite a different story and a high middle bat probably won't be doing you much favours unless you're playing on the up which may be a case of countdown till you hit one straight into the hands of cover or mid-off anyway.
Out of interest does anyone know what the Top 5 were this year?
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Any link to the results? thanks,
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Yeah, any link to the results yet? they say that you have to buy the AOC newsletter?
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Buy the mag yer tight gits?
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Buy the mag yer tight gits?
I get embarrassed buying AOC in case I see someone I know when I'm walking home, so I end up buying a magazine from the top shelf as well! I then walk home with AOC tucked inside the porno mag to ensure I keep my dignity and nobody knows I'm a cricket fan ;)
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Having followed the link to the AOC site, I noticed a couple of articles featuring batmakers; one being with Rob Chambers of M and H (the other with Andrew Kember).
The penultimate question/point regarding tips for buying bats made the point to 'Forget about grains.' '...Its all about the rebound quality of the wood.' Nice to see this point made clearly and succinctly.
http://gear.alloutcricket.com/features/bats-are-kind-of-like-handbags (http://gear.alloutcricket.com/features/bats-are-kind-of-like-handbags)
David
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I was lucky enough to get the two bats Adam at Neon entered. Both around 2lb 9,3oz and are as you would expect made by a top bat maker who waited months for the right clefts to work on.
(http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b540/busav8/WP_20150405_22_35_15_Pro_zpslzjeoex5.jpg) (http://s1290.photobucket.com/user/busav8/media/WP_20150405_22_35_15_Pro_zpslzjeoex5.jpg.html)
(http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b540/busav8/WP_20150405_22_37_31_Pro_zpsamg3buga.jpg) (http://s1290.photobucket.com/user/busav8/media/WP_20150405_22_37_31_Pro_zpsamg3buga.jpg.html)
(http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b540/busav8/WP_20150405_22_39_32_Pro_zps9noezsro.jpg) (http://s1290.photobucket.com/user/busav8/media/WP_20150405_22_39_32_Pro_zps9noezsro.jpg.html)
(http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b540/busav8/WP_20150405_22_37_51_Pro_zpsazlir2d3.jpg) (http://s1290.photobucket.com/user/busav8/media/WP_20150405_22_37_51_Pro_zpsazlir2d3.jpg.html)
(http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b540/busav8/WP_20150405_22_38_21_Pro_zpsyzenocom.jpg) (http://s1290.photobucket.com/user/busav8/media/WP_20150405_22_38_21_Pro_zpsyzenocom.jpg.html)
(http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b540/busav8/WP_20150405_22_38_51_Pro_zpstxi3f6jw.jpg) (http://s1290.photobucket.com/user/busav8/media/WP_20150405_22_38_51_Pro_zpstxi3f6jw.jpg.html)
(http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b540/busav8/wp_20150405_22_44_26_pro_zpsnjlcy79r.jpg) (http://s1290.photobucket.com/user/busav8/media/wp_20150405_22_44_26_pro_zpsnjlcy79r.jpg.html)