So having used two bats this season only I thought I would do a review on them now they have been used
B&S Elite Pro - this is 2.10 with 38mm edge, light concaving and semi oval handle. This was purchased over the winter 2015 and netted with then. Performance wise this went almost from ball one with minimal preparation work. Mid placed profile and a quite good pick up. It's not one of those where you can say "2.10 but feels like 2.7" it's got some back as a fellow player told me when he was swinging it about. Anyway after about 2/3 games of this season and after winter nets the grains started to open up and there was some slight cracking threw the grains which has always been the sign of a gun bat to me. She was given a light refurb half want through the season which meant I glued and sanded the opening grains and applied these cracking looking stickers that I believe are/where proto types on a few bats. Over all this scores an 8/10 for me. This will not be a bat that lasts me years but will be a lot of fun whilst it does last. I played 10 league games and 7 T20
New Balance DC580 + - 2.8 with 39mm edges light concaving and duck bull toe. I picked this up from the Lords shop when I was on s tour of the ground in Aug. 20 % off all kit meant this was sub £100 and I just thought it was a cracking looking bat and the pick up was excellent. This was used straight away the weekend after I bought it and I scored 111 with it and then 53 in its 2nd and only two outings this season. For me this bat is excellent value for money and NB seem to produce stunning looking bats for the money, mid/low middle on the product listing but personally I would say mod/high as performance is excellent all along the blade from 3inches from the toe. Thin oval handle also works fine for me and this bat has such a lovely sound when connecting with leather. The B&S is almost silent when hitting the ball with s lovely soft feel where as this feels a little harder and sounds like a cannon but seems to have so much power behind it. Pick up for me is slightly better due to I would say the duck bill profile. This for me is a 9/10 bat and looking to be my starting stick for 2017
I have the GM octane now that I haven't used yet but will be happy to start winter nets with these in my kit bag