Hi lads, just another review! Got this a while back, and finally getting off my butt to write this up. (They're all generic write ups anyways, I think the pictures are the things which get the most attention) I think the bloody long loading times of Photobucket is partly to blame!
Anyways, a little while back, I was scrolling through Twitter and spotted a few lovely looking plain bats which Phantom were advertising. The shape was what caught my attention, (It's the Dark Edition shape) so I decided to ask a few questions about the bats. Aftab was great and responded quickly to any questions I had, and kept me informed throughout the whole process. Safe to say that I was really happy with the one I picked in the end, and although it did end up an ounce or 2 heavier than stated due to him changing the grip and adding labels. (Which he told me about) Onto the pictures!
Specs:
Weight - 2lb 11.1oz unscuffed
Edge - 36mm and 38mm
Spine - 66mm approx
Shoulder - 14mm
Toe Edge - 22mm
Toe - 25mm
Handle - Oval
Concaving - None whatsoever throughout the entire profile
Bat Length - Approx 1.5cm shorter blade and overall standard SH size
An absolute beast of a bat in terms of size, with a profile not dissimilar to the Tendulkar shape. I think the edge sizes are the rounded sizes, so they would have been around 40mm pre-rounding. The response throughout the entire blade is exceptional, even from the toe and stickers you feel you'd get some value if you connected. The pickup is one of the biggest selling points of this bat for me, it picks up extremely well for the weight and shape - excellent craftsmanship/shape design. The pressing felt quite soft, with the bat being dented with mallet blows pretty readily, and the face camber is a slightly flatter one. (Edges rounded very readily as a result)
Looks wise, it isn't too bad, with 7 grains which are pretty well spaced and straight, and a relatively clean looking face. The stickers are of a very high quality, with nice detailing and textures, and the finishing of the bat is exquisite. The bat also has a gentle bow to it, apparently this aids in pick up, although I have heard Rob Pack say that it aids in adding a bit of whip to the bat. I've always found it interesting that batmakers can be a bit divided on views with regards to bowing and pressing - sometimes I wonder if there's a bit of truth in each view!
Slight tangent over, for anyone looking to buy a Phantom bat, they are highly recommended by myself! Hope you guys enjoy the pics.