Hi All
I dunno if anyone will agree with me but I was rather impressed with the New Balance kit, although I wouldn't buy it personally.
One of the lads at my club has got a bat, pads and gloves and they look pretty good in the flesh.
The gloves appeared to be well made and had plenty of padding in there.
The pads were pads, nothing spectacular but nothing horrendous either.
The bat looked to have a nice clean face and I quite liked the stickers in the flesh.
My own verdict was that the softs were well made, but I wouldn't pay £60 for the pads (unless I was getting the works), there are better looking options out there for similar money.
The gloves look good and can be picked up for £40 online. They don't have pittard palms which doesn't bother me, but to some they may be a deal breaker.
As for the bats, £300 is a lot of money for off the shelf willow. I wouldn't pay that personally.
The bat I saw had a clean face, even grains (I didn't count them) and picked up very nicely with a GM shock absorba on. It came in at 2lb10 (that's the weight he bought, he won't have weighed it) and picked up about 2lb8-2lb9.
In short I can see why this kit would appeal to a certain market, it may not be the most glamorous brand, or to everyone's taste on here, but with the players now using this kit on the international stage I can see New Balance selling well this year.