Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Cricket Manufacturers / Brands => Kippax Cricket => Topic started by: Andythomo21 on September 28, 2015, 09:39:25 PM
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Following my trip to Kippax' premises in Methley near Leeds, here is a review of the bat I selected for my own personal use. In the past I have gone for a more traditional style bat, so the obvious choice would be the PureBlade, but on seeing the Colossus bats and seeing the sheer size of them vs surprisingly light pick-up I decided to opt for one of these.
After listening to what Chris had said to me, I selected my bat purely on response/rebound and pick-up. All the bats I tested had an exceptional rebound due to the way these bats are pressed at the Kippax factory, but the one I selected just seemed a little bit special. I also didn't weigh the bats, just picked them all up, had a swing, and went with the one that felt right in my hands. I knew the Colossus model wasn't light, in fact the range comes in 2lb 12oz to 3lb + due to the sheer size of these bats and the oversized clefts used, but I would have estimated it's weight at approx 2lb 12 or just above.
The specs of my bat are :
Weight - 2lb 13.8oz
Edges - 46mm
Spine - 59mm
Grains - 10 straight grains
Handle - Reasonably thin Wavex handle
Looks - Lovely blade, butterfly stain on back of bat which doesn't bother me as I was selecting on performance and not looks.
Performance - I got this bat home and did as recommended. I was told that very little knocking in would be needed due to the pressing so I just has a couple of good nets before using in a match. The first net I concentrated on throw-downs and looked at consistently finding the middle of the bat, gradually using slightly more aggression in my shots. The second net I played all my shots as I would in a match and the bat overall felt very good.
The bat was ready to go with only two games of the season remaining. I managed 64 and 38no in these two matches and I can honestly say that this bat just flies. Total value from every shot, plenty of turned heads and comments from opponents and no vibration at all from the Wavex handle. In fact quite strange really as you don't really feel the contact of bat on ball like I have in the past, and the sound of bat on ball maybe isn't particularly crisp but the response is frightening.
The stickers could be described as a bit 'in your face' and certainly not to everyone's taste and the finishing of the bats is certainly not the best I've seen, but the performance is second to none!
Pictures :
(http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/Andythomo21/image.jpg1_zpscctz4ars.jpg) (http://s1376.photobucket.com/user/Andythomo21/media/image.jpg1_zpscctz4ars.jpg.html)
(http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/Andythomo21/image.jpg5_zpslsnzcc9b.jpg) (http://s1376.photobucket.com/user/Andythomo21/media/image.jpg5_zpslsnzcc9b.jpg.html)
(http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/Andythomo21/image.jpg4_zps4gxi13u3.jpg) (http://s1376.photobucket.com/user/Andythomo21/media/image.jpg4_zps4gxi13u3.jpg.html)
(http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/Andythomo21/image.jpg2_zpsmjiansnb.jpg) (http://s1376.photobucket.com/user/Andythomo21/media/image.jpg2_zpsmjiansnb.jpg.html)
(http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/Andythomo21/image.jpg3_zpsrkfwjfoh.jpg) (http://s1376.photobucket.com/user/Andythomo21/media/image.jpg3_zpsrkfwjfoh.jpg.html)
(http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/Andythomo21/image.jpg9_zps5uh26ao2.jpg) (http://s1376.photobucket.com/user/Andythomo21/media/image.jpg9_zps5uh26ao2.jpg.html)
(http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/Andythomo21/image.jpg11_zpsapzmr5q9.jpg) (http://s1376.photobucket.com/user/Andythomo21/media/image.jpg11_zpsapzmr5q9.jpg.html)
(http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/Andythomo21/image.jpg1_zpseb8ipfss.jpg) (http://s1376.photobucket.com/user/Andythomo21/media/image.jpg1_zpseb8ipfss.jpg.html)
(http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/Andythomo21/image.jpg14_zpso0mu9u5e.jpg) (http://s1376.photobucket.com/user/Andythomo21/media/image.jpg14_zpso0mu9u5e.jpg.html)
(http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/Andythomo21/image.jpg15_zps4saqwsyv.jpg) (http://s1376.photobucket.com/user/Andythomo21/media/image.jpg15_zps4saqwsyv.jpg.html)
(http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/Andythomo21/image.jpg13_zpsoq0wo8ea.jpg) (http://s1376.photobucket.com/user/Andythomo21/media/image.jpg13_zpsoq0wo8ea.jpg.html)
(http://i1376.photobucket.com/albums/ah32/Andythomo21/image.jpg10_zpswlqlfsij.jpg) (http://s1376.photobucket.com/user/Andythomo21/media/image.jpg10_zpswlqlfsij.jpg.html)
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Nice review and pics, looks a gun but the bat doesn't have much of a shape, just cleft with a handle, bow and (*edit) moderate concaving haha :D
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Minimal concaving? Looks moderate to heavily concaved to me.
And I'd attack that edge with a fine grit sandpaper! :-[
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You are right about the finishing....and the concaving isn't exactly light!
But as you say, the performance is awesome so good news! There is nothing like being 100% in the performance of your bat! :D It gives you real confidence!
Hope it continues to go well for you!
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From the pics it looks to have a one spring handle? rather than the three or two
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So since they said that very little knocking in would be required i'm assuming they are hard pressed?
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Lot of concaving for a bat that 2-13. I think Kippax is using normal density clefts in this bat which is a good thing. I am not opposed to concaving, my concaved bats are amazing ! Don't know the since behind them but they produce better bat speed than full profile bats.
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That's a really long middle top with stout shoulders there !!
Top pick mate !!
To me, it's the best grain structure. 8-10 is the best number.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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As everybody has said not the best finishing or best looking bat but it certainly looks like confidence boosting bat. We buy bats for performance and if it performs well that's what we need. If it wasn't about performance butterfly clefts wouldn't have been popular amongst us.
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Yes, agree with comments. Certainly gives you some confidence with this bat in your hands and feeling the bat fly!