GM Flare 808 - Barrington Sports Sale Special
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tim2000s

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GM Flare 808 - Barrington Sports Sale Special
« on: June 15, 2011, 07:04:09 PM »
This is one piece of the timber I acquired thanks to the BSS link, so kindly provided by someone last Friday.

A GM Flare 808, supposedly weighing in at 2lb10oz.













I picked it up and thought "Wow, this picks up terribly". Which I found slightly odd. I've picked a few up in the Oval shop and they always seemed to pick up pretty well. I had a few quick forward defensives in the kitchen, and practiced a couple of pull shots, and still it didn't feel terribly comfortable. It feels like a solid, heavy bat. And I think my 2lb 12.8oz Bulldog picks up better.

So I thought, I know, I'll weigh it.



Hmmm, it's a bit heavier than I expected. What does it feel like off the mallet?

Reasonable ping, but for a bat that is purportedly, ready to play, it's a bit of a disappointment. Think it needs some more knocking in.

I suppose I should ask myself what i really expected for £99. Well, something a bit better than this is the answer.

I'll post this in the For Sale thread as well, but, it's going back tomorrow and as I didn't pay any postage on the delivery I don't lose out too much....
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jonpinson

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Re: GM Flare 808 - Barrington Sports Sale Special
« Reply #1 on: June 15, 2011, 07:07:37 PM »
I've found the same thing with the Flares I've handled. Despite the high middle, the pickup has been universally (No Swearing Please). Weird really.
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tim2000s

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Re: GM Flare 808 - Barrington Sports Sale Special
« Reply #2 on: June 15, 2011, 07:09:17 PM »
Yes. no wonder Shane Watson has difficulty converting 50s into 100s. Carrying a bat like this around must be exhausting.
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gtstarped

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Re: GM Flare 808 - Barrington Sports Sale Special
« Reply #3 on: June 15, 2011, 07:50:45 PM »
Mate you're not alone. I bought a 909 hoping for reasonable performance, but its completely dead off the mallet and probably won't use it.
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kookaburraking

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Re: GM Flare 808 - Barrington Sports Sale Special
« Reply #4 on: June 15, 2011, 07:54:22 PM »
my gm flare original is a absolute gun , they do say ready to play and sound aveerage at best at start but after 4-6 to hours of knocking and a few nets , i need a gunn license to use this its scary lol .
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Maverick79

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Re: GM Flare 808 - Barrington Sports Sale Special
« Reply #5 on: June 15, 2011, 07:57:20 PM »
I had an 808 Icon that was supposedly ready to play. Even with me knocking it in further it had very little life in it. I wasn't impressed at all.
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kookaburraking

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Re: GM Flare 808 - Barrington Sports Sale Special
« Reply #6 on: June 15, 2011, 07:59:12 PM »
so what are you boys saying the lower end gms are pretty poor pieces of wood ?
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tim2000s

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Re: GM Flare 808 - Barrington Sports Sale Special
« Reply #7 on: June 15, 2011, 08:04:17 PM »
Well not really, what we're saying is that the mid to upper range ones seem rubbish.
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Maverick79

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Re: GM Flare 808 - Barrington Sports Sale Special
« Reply #8 on: June 15, 2011, 08:07:08 PM »
I think it's difficult to say that about all of the lower end GM's and I don't know if I would class 808 and above as lower end, probably more mid range as tim says. I have heard of some well performing 808's, 909's. I think it is a bit of a mixed bag. Some seem to perform from the off, some take a little more preparation and some just don't have the performance where as the top end Originals and Original LE's seem to be consistent in performance.
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kookaburraking

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Re: GM Flare 808 - Barrington Sports Sale Special
« Reply #9 on: June 15, 2011, 08:09:10 PM »
yeah i see what you mean , my mates got an apex 909 and its a plank not what you want when your paying 170 quid
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Maverick79

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Re: GM Flare 808 - Barrington Sports Sale Special
« Reply #10 on: June 15, 2011, 08:15:33 PM »
No it's not. I paid £135 for my Icon 808. I think the key if anyone is buying a mid range GM is to go to a store that will let you have a tap with a mallet or a ball to see how responsive the blade is. The Icon I picked was from four or five in the store and looked the best in terms of the willow but was dull response wise in the end. I have to say it put me off GM completely.
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roco

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Re: GM Flare 808 - Barrington Sports Sale Special
« Reply #11 on: June 15, 2011, 08:18:13 PM »
I had a hero 808 and was a gun of a bat definatley got lucky after reading you guys
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ajm90

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Re: GM Flare 808 - Barrington Sports Sale Special
« Reply #12 on: June 15, 2011, 10:23:30 PM »
i have a 2, 8 apex 808 and its got a great middle on it, but my mates 909 is a complete plank. suppose its just luck really
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Cover_Drive

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Re: GM Flare 808 - Barrington Sports Sale Special
« Reply #13 on: June 16, 2011, 05:31:41 AM »
I have Flare LE, my team mates have 808 and 909 and all three Flares pickup very very well!

In fact, only that 808 has been used and that bat pings like no tomorrow. you can easily hit a six with that bat.
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gtstarped

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Re: GM Flare 808 - Barrington Sports Sale Special
« Reply #14 on: June 16, 2011, 06:53:09 AM »
Its all relative and depends on what you're comparing it too. I'm comparing a 2.9oz Flare 909, with 3 top end L&W's, a GN Legend and a few other high end bats. Maybe its me but the willow seems hard, sounds dead and the rebound is poor.
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