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[Ayrtek Cricket]

Indeed the CCC Cut pads were to everyones liking but if they appeared as everyone Else's pads that were of the shop shelf/wall as a new company coming into the cricket market would they have gained any exposure/publicity from the product launch/sells?

If i asked what the canterbury pads looked like would you be able to give an answer that distinguishes them from the 30-40 other branded pads out there?

If a product is recognised be it positive from some and negative from others at least it has gained some exposure in the market for daring to be different. Most companies may be happy to produce soft goods the same as others and simply add their own company colour or logo to try and distinguish themselves from others

But does this really make them stand out from the pack in the way that the Mongoose bat does when put up against the wall with 10 other bats or (if i may be so bold) an Ayrtek helmet when placed next to a Masuri/Slazenger, Albion, GM or GN helmet. Can you pick out the innovative products easily from the pack that have dared to introduce change to the sport?

From my view as a sports equipment designer the product has to serve a purpose and improve what already exists, this may mean change in shape, material or an entirely new design but at least its progressing the existing technology available. I'm happy to take some stick from people as id rather be the Shepperd than in the herd following but i guess that's down to personality of the individual. Craig Johnston got laughed out the room with his predator football boot originally when he introduced it for being to radical!!! Who has heard of them now?

[leeroy_acko]

Great reply, and i absolutely agree. My point is that with my skills as a batter, i would prefer to be a sheep in the batting equipment stakes and until the innovation is tested fully and has some good feedback, i would sit tight.

I work in software, and no one ever uses the first release of a software as it generally is riddled with faults, you would wait until the 2nd or 3rd revision. But, agreed, someone needs to be the leader!

[SillyShilly]

Is it the case that perhaps with the introduction of 2020 that there is a place for the mongoose style bats, as has previuosly been mentioned - these bats and their design are not as revolutionary as some would suggest, as John Newbery and SS made these style of bats over 20/30 years ago - but i guess that you have to have the right product and introduce it to suit the corrct environment, i guess Mongoose, and to the same extent Ayrtek, have timed their products at the right time to suit the demands of modern cricket