Rob Pack Custom County Review
£225 Delivered
25mm-28mm middle edges
15mm Shoulder edges
55mm spine height
24mm toe thickness
2lb 8.5oz Weight (2,10 with 2nd grip)
Grade - County
Round Toe
Traditional Round Face
Standard SH blade length
Thick Oval handle (new baseball style Rob developed)
And now time for something completely different.
Originally I decided I would visit Rob in person to choose my Autumnal birthday/early Christmas present to myself. And I even have a mate who conveniently lives very near the Pack Cave so a curry and beers was on the cards. But no, illness and covid issues dissolved any plans of a fun weekend out in Northants. And time before new year would run out. So I went for an online order instead, and it certainly paid off!
Rob was a joy to do business with and relaxed any concerns I had.
Rob quickly returned my initial interest by arranging a video call together. So a few laughs later whilst we put the world to rights, Rob decided he had enough info from me to produce a bat to send. I assumed I had chosen something up his sleeve that was already made and just needed tweaking.
Rob asked me during the video chat what 3 things were most important to me with this bat. Certainly not pretty looks and crazy specs I said.
1.Lightweight pickup
2.Balanced pickup
3.Something I feel easy to manoeuvre in a hurry with enough ping to punch the ball past the bowler.
4.Something built to last. Endurance.
You all know those bats that are designed for lads out of Harrow & into their 1st SH bat, well that’s still me at middle age. A Middle aged beanpole.
Rob was left a little bit stumped sounding after my 3 points but confident to leave it with him.
I thought I’d been a model customer not wanting 40mm edges and 15 grains all in a weight of 2,7. So it didn’t sit well with me that I hadn’t helped Robs vision of this bat. Luckily he had posted a video on his socials of a bat he had made recently for a female player. So I sent him the video in the hope it helped his starting point. Luckily it got his inventive juices flowing and 2 weeks later he sent me photos of a bat ready for delivery!
This may well be a bat from a bygone era, but thats when its owner peaked. And just like its owner, it may well take a summer to reach peak performance. But this is a bat that’s here for the long game. A bat that likes to be played in gradually and readied for the thrash ahead. A bat that rewards sweet timing and forgives those occasional mistakes along the way to perfection. A bat that stands by you in cold, wet, windy April and boiling heatwave July. This is a bat made with love to pass on to those who are loved.
So how does it feel?
Well it’s light thats for sure. The clever use of convexing has helped the weight distribution and power. Nicely balanced considering the bulge starts so low down. Nice thick oval handle. A 2nd grip makes sure it’s as solid in the top hand too. Whilst stood like a lemon stunned on the crease with a Brian Lara pickup but not a clue which foot to move first until it’s too late, the bat feels featherlight until you strike through the ball and you feel that reassuring solid weight towards the bottom of the bat to stop it going aerial. I don’t like bottom heavy bats and never have done, so this pickup is perfect.
How is the Ping??
So far, nicely normal. It pings well enough off centre and good ping where you hope your shots will always be rewarded. Quite a obvious bow through the bat, which is larger than my previous history of bats. (I think)
But like I said it’s early days for this elegant performer. The patient game will be rewarded. The more it’s used the more it will give back. A leg glance will just as reward the needless fuss of a reverse sweep.
So the moral is kids, the classics always find the way. It’s not the looks and specs of a bat but the technique and repetitive practice that builds runs. But Rob Pack will give you a platform to start from and a family brand to rely on for years.
And I will visit his shop oneday and get that Northants beer with a curry along the way.
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Topic: Rob Pack Autumn 2022 Internet Order (Read 1965 times)