Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Forum News and Suggestions => Old Advertisers => Admin Board => Vitas Cricket => Topic started by: Vitas Cricket on October 23, 2015, 07:10:42 PM
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We first stocked the Warbird as an exclusive back in August, it was well received and as a result we ordered many more for our stock order which we handpicked ten days ago.
I've seen massive interest in the Warbirds, and many people asking for reviews, despite my photos and details posted a while back in this topic: http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=35707.0 (http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=35707.0)
I'm not normally one for posting reviews on cricket bats, preferring to let happy customers do the talking, but here is my take on what appears to be the most in demand 2016 bat right now.
The Warbird I have chosen to review is this lovely G1. Equally I could have picked the Pro or G2 pictured, the quality available from H4L across the grades is fantastic.
(http://i.imgur.com/VU1wkKMh.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/v116HzJh.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/mHH8lBSh.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/bpDp7Poh.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/GYyPfQyh.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/hCRHSe6h.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/meeCqjVh.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/bNFBwLZh.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/Af62l11h.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/Tr4UhGFh.jpg)
LOOKS/INITIAL IMPRESSION
Stunning. H4L 2016 stickers are a real step up, lovely embossing and textures, really high quality chrome, and in the specific case of the Warbird, the blue flashes of colour look amazing. This particular bat is a lovely example of a G1 with beautiful straight grains and possibly only not a Pro due to the faint redwood on one edge and the small blemish just below the stickers on one edge. I really like the way H4L are finished with a silky smooth feel, no obvious sanding marks and a lovely touch with lazer etched/burnt in edge stamping.
The Warbird is based on a duckbill profile and the reduced toe area isn't substantial enough to cause problems with durability, but allows for an improvement in pickup, overall the profile looks great, especially the bow in the blade. The counter balance 'knob' on the top of the handle is quite noticeable, visually it isn't a problem but a couple of people who hold the bat at the very top of the handle have expressed concern. One of our first Warbird customers returned his bat and had a long handle Warbird made instead, so pleased was he with everything else about it. Please be aware of this if you are considering a Warbird.
The shorter blade is not particularly noticeable, indeed I did not even realise until a forum member pointed it out. It does allow for a bit more wood where it matters most whilst keeping the weight sensible, and seems to be a trend at the moment. It is something I like and you shouldn't let it put you off buying a bat as it doesn't really make a huge difference compared to a SH.
BALANCE/FEEL
Probably the key area many want to know about. Being a duckbilled, shorter blade bat and having a counter balance handle, what is the pickup like? The answer is fab! Does a counter balance make that much difference alone? Probably not. Would shortening the blade slightly really do that much to the balance of a bat? Again probably not. Same for a duckbill profile compared to a standard profile. So maybe these changes individually aren't enough to make a difference to the average Joe, but all 3 subtle changes combine beautifully to make a bat that feels absolutely superb in the hands. This one is bang on 2'10 yet feels like a wand.
I have always thought this about H4Ls bats, Matt seems to have a skill when comes to creating a bat with a superb pickup, considering most of his bats come in around 2'10, and it is very rare to see anything less than 2'9, they have never struck me as heavy. We have a Hellfire Monster in stock that Matt has forgotten to apply Monster stickers to. It is 3lb and because of the lack of Monster sticker i thought it was just a slightly heavy Hellfire, maybe 2'12 tops, its a railway sleeper which is the only reason (aside from weighing it) that lead me to realise it was a Monster.
Swinging this thing around has reconfirmed my belief that deadweights are of course important, but people who nitpick over an ounce or two here and there really need to let that way of thinking go. This picks up better than many 2'8 bats i've picked up this Summer.
PERFORMANCE
If pickup can be deemed a subjective area, then performance even more so. What are the test parameters? Mallet? Ball? Sound or rebound? How do you predict the future in terms of playing in/opening up?
For me, handpicking is done to make sure we don't get any dead planks, and if something taps a ball up like a trampoline then even better. When picking on performance it is easier to discard the rubbish/lesser bats than it is to identify the better ones, save for the odd trampoline example. Looks, weight and pickup are far more intensely scrutinised than 'performance' when we handpick. I need to worry even less than normal when going to H4L as i can honestly say i've never seen a bad one, or had a customer dissatisfied with the way it hits the ball towards the boundary. This one naturally ticks all the boxes and makes a lovely shotgun sounds when you hit it with a lignum mallet.
VALUE FOR MONEY
Perhaps more for the customers to discuss than me. But £265 for a G1, made in the UK from a batmaker who makes their bats from the earliest stage possible seems like pretty good value to me.
CUSTOMER FEEDBACK
Early days but i do have 2 Warbird buyers who have left me the following comments.
'Received the bat today very happy it is exactly what i was after. Could you please forward this on to H4L and thank them for making me such an excellent bat'
'I used the H4L last night, bloody beautiful. Pinged lovely and was so well balanced and felt beautiful in the hands. Friends all loved it and thought it was extremely light around the 2'8 mark.'
SHOULD YOU BUY A WARBIRD?
Yes, the hype is well justified and I'm sure H4L are in for a bumper year, we doubled our 2016 order compared to 2015 such is the quality of the gear. Anyone who has trawled through my ramblings and gotten this far can have free knocking in on a H4L bat as a reward, just mentioned it in a pm/email when discussing you order. :)
Any questions or requests for further pics etc, just ask.
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Excellent review Jake, thanks for posting! Matt makes exceptional bats, my teammates always want to borrow my H4L bats. Agree with your comment about the pick up, the 2.14, 45mm edge Hellfire monster I've got picks up a dream
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Thanks jake for the review , great to hear feedback on a new product
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thanks for the review, Jake - very useful revision for my (video version) review that we are shooting tomorrow!
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Thanks for the review Jake, I pretty much echo absolutely everything you've said with regards to pick up, performance and looks. I haven't had time to take pictures or write up a review on that G2 I got off you yet, but will hopefully be able to do so in the next week or two! Having used it in two nets so far, the response has been excellent, and I think I found the middle a few times, where it just rocketed. I think I was the guy who told you about all my mates picking up the bat? Even the Uni coach had a pick up and was surprised when I said it was 2.10! I personally feel that the lack of weight removal from the shoulders and splice area are also what contribute to the wand-like pick up!
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Any pics of that monster bat, sounds intriguing...
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Yes Chad those were your comments from your friends regarding the pickup, glad you like the bat mate :)
@kdale6 yes i can post some tomorrow.
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Yes Chad those were your comments from your friends regarding the pickup, glad you like the bat mate :)
@kdale6 yes i can post some tomorrow.
Much appreciated, thanks :)
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May be I missed it...can someone tell the middle position for war bird? Mid..Mid - low??
Thanks.
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([url]http://i.imgur.com/v116HzJh.jpg[/url])
@kaartman this profile shot is in the review. I would call it a mid middle.
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Much appreciated, thanks :)
(http://i.imgur.com/Girif4qh.jpg?1)
(http://i.imgur.com/ik6khSmh.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/rFae7AJh.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/DXjzySKh.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/ZF6GA5nh.jpg)
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May be I missed it...can someone tell the middle position for war bird? Mid..Mid - low??
Thanks.
I would say mid.
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I would say mid.
Vitas already confirmed that it is mid earlier in the topic fella ;)
Just wanted to say that Matt & Co have done themselves proud with their gear this year! Absolute joy to see :D
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Vitas already confirmed that it is mid earlier in the topic fella ;)
Just wanted to say that Matt & Co have done themselves proud with their gear this year! Absolute joy to see :D
ah yes, didn't see that! was too distracted by the photos (lovely bat!)
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([url]http://i.imgur.com/Girif4qh.jpg?1[/url])
([url]http://i.imgur.com/ik6khSmh.jpg[/url])
([url]http://i.imgur.com/rFae7AJh.jpg[/url])
([url]http://i.imgur.com/DXjzySKh.jpg[/url])
([url]http://i.imgur.com/ZF6GA5nh.jpg[/url])
Tell me that top hellfire is 2.9 or 2.10 and I'll have it!!
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Tell me that top hellfire is 2.9 or 2.10 and I'll have it!!
Sorry if it wasn't clearer. Pictures of the 3LB Hellfire Monster railway sleeper that i mentioned before, pictures requested by @kdale6
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([url]http://i.imgur.com/VU1wkKMh.jpg[/url])
As we say on Romulus - 'ghauey' :D
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How the hell do you pick one out of that lot!!
What a selection!!
Played against matts team this year and the bats they were using spoke volumes
His opener had a h4l that he was hitting the ball out of our ground with ease!
Everyone of their bats made an unreal noise when they hit the ball
Gotta be up there with the best bats out there at the moment, and all uk made too
You are gonna get a lot of visits for that selection
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That hellfire is lovely! If I didn't already have 2 and another h4l on the way I'd be snapping that up
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([url]http://i.imgur.com/Girif4qh.jpg?1[/url])
([url]http://i.imgur.com/ik6khSmh.jpg[/url])
([url]http://i.imgur.com/rFae7AJh.jpg[/url])
([url]http://i.imgur.com/DXjzySKh.jpg[/url])
([url]http://i.imgur.com/ZF6GA5nh.jpg[/url])
Wow that is an absolute cannon
Definitely going to take a very close look at that when the open day is on! Being a leftie that heart wood would be on the outside edge as well.
Looking on your website I'm guessing the price is 250??
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Wow that is an absolute cannon
Definitely going to take a very close look at that when the open day is on! Being a leftie that heart wood would be on the outside edge as well.
Looking on your website I'm guessing the price is 250??
I haven't yet amended the website to carry 2016 products. A G1 is £265.
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I have a Warbird ( the Pro which launched the bat with Vitas) Lovely bat but I do find the counterbalance intrusive tbh. Ive not used the bat at all so judgement on a few airshots only. Im thinging of sanding the ridge to round it off slightly
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I have a Warbird ( the Pro which launched the bat with Vitas) Lovely bat but I do find the counterbalance intrusive tbh. Ive not used the bat at all so judgement on a few airshots only. Im thinging of sanding the ridge to round it off slightly
you must really hold up the handle extremely high! How does it get in the way exactly?
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Now, I have purchased one of the Warbird G2's pictured in Jake's excellent review, after flogging a few other bats to be able to get one.
It arrived the other day, and I have to say, it was a big bit of wood, weighing in at just over 2.10. That's right at the top of my weight range, so I did wonder how it would go with my puny elbow.
I have to say, the pick up and balance on these things is superb, I can easily use it, it feels just right in the hands, and the weight is no issue at all. I don't know how he does it, the Matt is balancing these suckers brilliantly.
Then it came to using it last night - 'imirrhlhhse me!' (as we say on Romulus). I don't know whether it's a testament to Matt's bat-making skills or Jake's knocking in (certainly not down to my batting!) - but bloody hell! This thing is immense!!!! The few I did middle, absolutely flew, they made that satisfying 'thwonk' noise, and they whistled off the face of the bat. It's quite forgiving too, as the few I hit off centre went well too, with little or no vibration up the handle.
It's a G2 and I am seriously impressed - it's the best performing bat I have used from brand new. A few of you may roll your eyes and think this is typical hyperbole from someone who has just bought a bat, but a couple of chums used it last night in the nets, and were equally impressed ( @neoncricket @Chalkie ).
Thank you Matt @hell4leather cricket
Thank you Jake @Vitas Cricket
I am a very happy customer indeed.
(ps - seem to have problems uploading pics from my work computer, so Ill do a few tonight)
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I will happily second this!
@hell4leather cricket - Matt you're a genius.
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Yes Bruce's new stick is a cracker, Jake picked out a beauty and confirms you don't need G1 to get a performer.
If I hadn't just bought a new Aldred (which I am itching to use and is nearly ready for nets) I would be getting one of these. H4L warbird now top of my list for next bat.
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I don't believe it had anything to do with the bat
It was all Bruce
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I've got a 3lb warbird that is a hefty piece of willow and the pick up is ridiculous I can't recommend Matts bat making skills and Jakes customer service highly enough
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Seeing positive reviews every other week. Will have to get rid of some old bats first to get this one. Warbird will be my next bat for sure....