Custom Bats Cricket Forum

Companies => Off-the-shelf companies => Adidas => Topic started by: t2ylo on March 10, 2019, 07:01:50 AM

Title: What is the difference?
Post by: t2ylo on March 10, 2019, 07:01:50 AM
I’ve assumed that XT Black & XT White were identical - I could not find differing descriptions from retailers.

So I picked up a Black to go with my White. Ignore the LE stickers I just had those knocking about in my cricket drawer.

Same weight for both bats now set up at 2lb 7oz but there’s differences

Firstly I modified the toe on the White after a little net damage, so ignore that

Overall height is identical. Blade length differs. Shape differs. The black handle was thinner until I put a thin chevron underneath which has made weights identical. 

Who makes Adidas bats? Why would they be different? Is it just my imagination?

(https://i.postimg.cc/XqCsx09C/0-DB01-D2-C-184-D-413-A-AA07-2-B6-B513-D7344.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/dZJRtpHs)

(https://i.postimg.cc/bJKTZF4N/8-CADC8-EF-8839-4-EDE-9-DB6-F35-D109-DEE66.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/bD9bMLzK)

(https://i.postimg.cc/hP0Lnj4G/EF9-BACA5-56-F0-4-DCB-8122-3-DDFC1-BA9-E6-B.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/3dd4C3vM)

(https://i.postimg.cc/D0NK4Fn4/5-D07-A8-A5-AE51-43-B0-B38-C-169-CC16-B2-DDB.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/q62FWPtp)
Title: Re: What is the difference?
Post by: jayralh on March 10, 2019, 08:47:40 AM
In my head white was fuller profile to toe and black was duckbill. But both look similar profile in these photos.
Title: Re: What is the difference?
Post by: Psi on March 10, 2019, 01:07:09 PM
Could just be manufacturing variation? I guess they are Indian made and I know that some of the top Indian bats come with a bit of variation in handle size, amount of bow etc. Just watch some of the reviews on EAS where they have several bats for sale that are 'the same'
Title: Re: What is the difference?
Post by: Psi on March 15, 2019, 06:32:51 PM
These both look like xt 2018 model? The 2019 model has different stickers on the back.

What grade are these bats? I'm guessing xt 2.0 or 3.0 from the grains? I'm interested because I'm thinking of ordering one and don't know which grade to choose. Apparently Adidas grade quite generously, so even a 5.0 can be decent.

Apparently the xt White has a more pronounced bow, but yours look to be the other way round. The handle is usually small to medium with full oval. On the IJC review I watched they said the black had a thinner handle.
Title: Re: What is the difference?
Post by: SOULMAN1012 on March 15, 2019, 11:15:42 PM
That white one is a 5.0
Title: Re: What is the difference?
Post by: Psi on March 15, 2019, 11:58:32 PM
Thanks. Looks like decent grains. Was it hand selected from the warehouse?
Title: Re: What is the difference?
Post by: t2ylo on March 16, 2019, 09:50:20 AM
That white one is a 5.0

And it really is a very good bat too!!!

Title: Re: What is the difference?
Post by: strang on March 16, 2019, 10:27:51 AM
Change of factory?
Title: Re: What is the difference? And adidas xt black
Post by: Psi on March 23, 2019, 10:36:07 AM
I bought one of the special offer xt black 5.0 from Actvinstinct last week. It arrived quickly and I was so impressed with the weight (2lb6.8oz) and pick up that I ordered the 3.0 as well with the idea that it might be even better and prettier and I could return whichever I liked least.

The 3.0 arrived late, so they refunded my postage, which was good. The comparison was quite interesting though. Both bats came up at an amazing 2lb6.8oz, but their profiles were significantly different. The 5.0 was obviously a denser cleft, with smaller edges, shoulder and spine, also significantly thinner toe. For the same weight, the 3.0 has 37mm edges and 60mm spine which is impressive. I've put some pictures of the bats below. The 3.0 has a very similar profile to the Mrf Kohli shape, and the edges /spine are almost as big (but not quite). The handles are both very thin ovals and feel fine in the hand at this weight.

Both bats have almost identical balancing point as well. The denser 5.0 does definitely pick up lighter though. So now I have the problem of choosing which should be returned. I expect I'll keep the 3.0 as the profile is closer to my other match bat and only cost £35 more. But it  definitely picks up heavier. Maybe because some of the mass is placed further behind the axis of the handle?

Any thoughts or recommendations from forumites welcome...

This does illustrate that grade of willow could matter for performance. It's OK if the two clefts have same density. But if they don't then the lower grade denser cleft will have to have wood taken off it to achieve the same weight...

Pics of both bats :
https://photos.app.goo.gl/k5K39TWkyfinFtrA6

Pics of xt black 3.0 (still in cellophane) and comparison with MRF:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/AmTbrWnanVPXkgCC8

Pics of xt black 5.0:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/xPQqS1rvhLnGyxSg8

Title: Re: What is the difference?
Post by: Buzz on March 23, 2019, 11:39:18 AM
The 5.0 looks like a bleached butterfly it could be a beast.
Title: Re: What is the difference?
Post by: Psi on March 23, 2019, 11:44:14 AM
Yes it does. Both bats tap up nicely with the mallet, but obviously can't try with a ball yet... The 5.0 is a bit dead in the toe as it's so thin...
Title: Re: What is the difference?
Post by: t2ylo on March 23, 2019, 02:38:27 PM
I’ve picked up another Black XT 5.0 - the performance for the price at a low weight makes them a proper bargain. Photos to follow.
Title: Re: What is the difference?
Post by: Psi on March 23, 2019, 03:55:35 PM
Good for you. Be interesting to see how the edges /spine compare to your other one and the one I have.
Title: Re: What is the difference?
Post by: e4sby on March 23, 2019, 09:31:23 PM
I managed to get hold of a blank bat from the bats set aside for the Curran’s - only hit a few balls with it but seems a very good bat! Trying to get hold of some genuine adidas stickers for it
Title: Re: What is the difference?
Post by: Psi on March 24, 2019, 11:05:36 PM
Yes that could be difficult. I haven't seen many on ebay. Are they supposed to be roughly xt black/white bats, or something else?
Title: Re: What is the difference?
Post by: Kanak on March 25, 2019, 04:53:01 AM
I managed to get hold of a blank bat from the bats set aside for the Curran’s - only hit a few balls with it but seems a very good bat! Trying to get hold of some genuine adidas stickers for it
Photos?  :)
Title: Re: What is the difference?
Post by: Six Sixes Cricket on March 25, 2019, 01:30:50 PM
@t2ylo Had the adidas rep in today,  the difference is on middle position, which is minimal, either black or white is higher with libro in the middle.  " black, libro, white " etc..
Title: Re: What is the difference?
Post by: Alvaro on March 25, 2019, 03:16:19 PM
Did you mention the twig handles?
Title: Re: What is the difference?
Post by: t2ylo on March 25, 2019, 06:29:35 PM
@t2ylo Had the adidas rep in today,  the difference is on middle position, which is minimal, either black or white is higher with libro in the middle.  " black, libro, white " etc..

Thank you. I also picked up a Libro so I can line all three up (with Libro in the middle)

Title: Re: What is the difference?
Post by: Six Sixes Cricket on March 25, 2019, 08:35:16 PM
Did you mention the twig handles?
Pass, I’ve never seen them, he didn’t have any samples
Title: Re: What is the difference?
Post by: t2ylo on March 25, 2019, 08:59:46 PM
I’m still not sure what difference there is...
Libro has Viking stickers, well because Libro stickers are pretty ugly really

(https://i.postimg.cc/2jPnxykB/0-FC67655-E7-B3-4-F95-AA53-969-C55-DB4-D73.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/pyJ9W2n2)
Title: Re: What is the difference?
Post by: Psi on March 31, 2019, 07:22:01 PM
Just watching Jofra Archer batting on IPL. He took out an Adidas xt white to bat with. After a few big shots a large piece of wood came off at the toe and he called for a replacement. The replacement was an xt Black. So, probably the bats supplied to Archer are not much different in the black or white versions...
Title: Re: What is the difference?
Post by: LukeFramBurton on March 31, 2019, 07:51:54 PM
After reading some of the threads on here, I’d question whether or not Archer’s bat is even made by Adidas! From their point of view though, have both models/sets of stickers on show gives them way more coverage.
Title: Re: What is the difference?
Post by: t2ylo on March 31, 2019, 07:55:33 PM
After reading some of the threads on here, I’d question whether or not Archer’s bat is even made by Adidas! From their point of view though, have both models/sets of stickers on show gives them way more coverage.

I’m not sure Adidas make any bats at all... I’m still not sure where they source them from but I’ve found some big light ones that all perform.
After the Ebay firesale for Sean Irvine's Adidas bats it’s clear that some of the pros use a mix of manufacturers.
Title: Re: What is the difference?
Post by: Psi on March 31, 2019, 08:14:48 PM
True. Some suppliers e.g.MRF even use a range of different factories to make their consumer market bats. As long as the quality is good I suppose it doesn't matter...
Title: Re: What is the difference?
Post by: Psi on March 31, 2019, 08:22:15 PM
That said, the Archer bat(s) did seem to have very similar looks and profile to the commercially available adidas bats. And I would be very interested to know which exact company makes the commercial bats for adidas.
Title: Re: What is the difference?
Post by: richyreed on March 31, 2019, 09:29:54 PM
I thought the SSource of AdidaSS batSS was well known?
Title: Re: What is the difference?
Post by: Psi on April 01, 2019, 08:01:06 AM
Yes I heard that. But on an earlier stream on this forum people suggested it was also Sondhi or even SG. Maybe the story is that they switched from SG to SS a couple of years back?