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3-5

6-8

9-12

13-20

20+

[Talisman]

I wondered what your perception of grains were, I read a lot about them and most of it seems to be a mix of myth and brands advice.

Please forget all about what you think you know from the forum or team mates and just focus on what you prefer based on bats you've owned or used. I know we see makers trotting out the same old lines about 7/8 being the best as that's all they get in their willow allocation but that's just them selling their bats to you, if they got nothing but 2 grain clefts they would say these are the best in the world...

So how many and why?

[Ryan]

i think 9-12 is perfect

[wilkie113]

Grains doesn't bother me at all, if it had 5 or 15 depending on performance.

I think visually though it's always nice to have between 9 and 12 in my personal opinion, although you can't beat looking at a stonking 20 straight grainer

[Uzi Sports]

I also think 9-12

[PedalsMcgrew]

I'd go with 9-12 but, honestly, I am far more worried about how the bat taps up....Grains are actually the last thing I look at.

Just had a look at 3 of my bats (Chase FLC, CF Prem Cru, Puma Ballistic 6000) and all of them have between 9-12 grains...even though I do pick on performance it seems as though the grain structure is fairly constant for me....maybe I like the way that many grains feels?

[Talisman]

How they feel is what I'm after, looks can play a part if you score runs by looking at the ball.....

[roco]

I have no preference really as had multi 14+ grain bats go well but the current 2 have 8-9 and go like fattus at a buffet

[tim2000s]

That bats that I have kept all have 7-10 grains. I haven't kept them for how they look though!

[Canners]

13 is my lucky number

[Cover_Drive]

7-11, however, if the bat I'm looking for has good performance and grains more than 11, I wouldn't mind it

But at times I get utmost picky and want performance, feel, balance and good grains all in one, Canners hate me due to that

[Simmy]

not bothered

the rk bat i have has 16 grains and goes like a rocket
but so does the bulldog i have that has about 8,

[Manormanic]

Ideally, 20+ of course...though in reality I'd like that bat maybe 1% more than an identically performing 7 grainer.

[yvk3103]

All the bats I have owned till now have had between 9-18 grains.

My way of picking a bat is - (1) pick-up and balance, (2) performance, (3) looks - clan and evenly spaced grains with no or minor blemishes/heartwood and (4) Price

In terms of performance I have found the number of grains do not make much difference, except that the ones with tighter grains open-up a bit faster - peak and fade away faster.

Comparing 2 bats from the same source (one of the best bat makers in the UK), one had 9 grains and the other had 15 grains, there was no difference in the performance, which goes on to prove for me that pressing is the key.

I have never had a bat with less than 9 grains so cannot comment on bats with broader grains, but have seen some old GNs and Newbery's are my club with 5-7 grains which hit the bat a long way and make a very good sound when the ball is middled.

[Talisman]

I'm talking purely grains.

[19reading87]

I've been using a gun with 7 grains recently