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[Mpt7]

Hi All,

Having recently purchase a willowstix spitfire original at 2.9 then added a protective sheet, then 2 grips. i discovered that my bat had gone from a gentle 2.9 to a more weighty 2.12..

obviously this happens with the additions but i would quite like my 2.9 or perhaps lighter back how do other people handle this or am i just crazy for adding grips etc. my solution would be to start @ 2.6 (or even 2.4) and work up

the pick up is fine but i struggle to play late behind square - a technical fault of mine however it would probably be helped by a less meaty bat?? 

thoughts....

[Vitas Cricket]

2'6 maybe.

2'4 is a serious stretch even if you have a bat with no stickers at all,

My advice is not to concentrate too much on the dead weight of a bat, make sure it feels right. Adding grips, or lead tape around the top of the handle, or double binding the handle, or anything that adds weight in the handle area will actually improve the pickup of a bat.

Continuing on the theme of weight. I could line 10 bats that weigh 2'9 up in front of you and some will feel heavy, some will feel lighter. That's the nature of the cricket bat I am afraid. Perhaps you have a bat with a shape that doesn't aid a nice pickup, combined with a very lightweight handle. Going back to the adding weight to the handle theme, a bat with a heavier handle will pickup lighter. I am to lead to believe that handles can vary in weight by as much as 4oz.

I wouldn't say a lighter bat would assist you in playing late behind square, indeed less weight may cause you to get through the shot too early.

[brokenbat]

I am very picky myself. I do find that the feel improves a tad if my extra grip (or even both of them) is an octupus grip. On some bats, I end up ditching the scuff sheet to make the pickup just a tad lighter.

[Buzz]

binding is lighter than a second grip, so you could add extra binding to get that thicker handle you want.

the fibre glass scuff sheets are lighter so that will help too.

personally I am not a fan of using lead tape to improve the pickup as I don't believe it works, and I have tried multiple times.

depending on how you pick the bat up, the fulcrum can be off the end of the handle so the extra weight is just extra weight. I know that sounds weird, but it can happen.

also the grips vary in weight a load too. the new GM ones, for instance weigh over 2 oz.

as vitas Jake says, though, you should buy on feel rather than dead weight, although knowing the dead weight should be a factor.

[WalkingWicket37]

I've currently got a Six6 and an octane.
Both have te same grip setup (half a scale on the bottom hand and a ripple on the top) and both have a dead weight in their current state of 2lb11.
If you didn't know that however you'd guess the octane was heavier. Someone even asked why I have two bats of totally different weights!
It's all about feel rather than dead weight. I learned that after thinking I was a 2lb7 man, which was closer to 2lb 11 when I stopped adding grips and whatnot.

[AverageCricketer]

I use two kookaburra xtreme grips and a scuff sheet, and edge tape, so my bat weighs 2lb 10. Honesty it feels slightly heavier than my 2lb 4 Puma, single gripped with scuff sheet.

[Seniorplayer]

I have brought far to many bats which have been sold as 2- 7 including ones made for me but on receiving them found that they are heavier now i only buy from my local bat maker where I am able to pickup and get adjustments made to the bat to my exact pickup weight and other specifications prior to  payment. Also when I ask for a bat to be made I say i to the batmaker i will leave the weight upto you but when it is finished and I try the pickup it must pick and feel to ME 2lb 7 ounces.

[tim2000s]

depending on how you pick the bat up, the fulcrum can be off the end of the handle so the extra weight is just extra weight. I know that sounds weird, but it can happen.

This is true in the majority of cases, strangely! The other comment I would make is that the combination of dead weight AND pick up is important. Having used a 3lb+ Icon with an amazing pick up, and been late on every shot, you can't completely discount the deadweight of the bat as your strength comes in to play. The difference between 2lb 9oz and 2lb 12oz (a difference of roughly 84g, or in real world terms, 75% of the weight of an iPhone 5s) can largely be alleviated with a good pick up.

[tim2000s]

I use two kookaburra xtreme grips and a scuff sheet, and edge tape, so my bat weighs 2lb 10. Honesty it feels slightly heavier than my 2lb 4 Puma, single gripped with scuff sheet.

You'd expect it to... Did you mean 2lb 14oz?

[praguetaz]

I've become a bit of a weight nerd since picking up a set of scales.. I weigh everything from individual grips (which can be in the range of 1.2 - 2 ounces which makes a difference), individual gloves and have even stopped wearing an arm guard this year . I'm less convinced about scuff sheets making any noticeable difference but when added to a toe guard.. possibly. I use shoe goo these days instead of a toe guard.

So, I always add a second grip which helps with the pick-up and vibrations. I always thought I was a 2.8-9 man but with the extra grip my bats come into the 2.10-11 range which doesn't bother me, as it's all in the pick-up and balance. My heaviest bat is also my most trusted Newbery Uzi at 2.11.6 but the pick up and ping is amazing!

I learnt from the forum that picking up a bat with gloves on is the best way to judge whether your bat is too heavy for you... and the final test being with the bat out in the middle unless you can get good net sessions in.

Saying that, I sold a custom Woodstock TDF XL onto a team mate at a give away price because I was so annoyed with the shot I played in a match a few weeks ago and how it felt in my hands on the day. It had a lovely pick up with a slightly shorter blade, longer handle and was about 2.9 in weight. He now loves it more than his Newbery Tour and it sounds beautiful in nets as I probably didn't give it enough time to open up and/or it suits is 'slogger' style more. Do I regret it... yes a little but how you feel about a bat in terms of confidence makes a big mental difference. Unfortunately, our cricket season is so short and I play so few games, you almost need a bat ready to play so new bats realistically have to wait for the following season.

Little things do make a big difference....if you're that type of person/cricketer...

[mini998]

Since we are talking about weight..s

Is GM ripple grip weighs less than two standard chevrons?

I found GM ripple grip is roughly twice the thickness of standard chevrons , but it weights over 2oz from what I read here.

[Bats_Entertainment]

Continuing on the theme of weight. I could line 10 bats that weigh 2'9 up in front of you and some will feel heavy, some will feel lighter. That's the nature of the cricket bat I am afraid.

This is why I think buying bats through the post is daft.

[AverageCricketer]

You'd expect it to... Did you mean 2lb 14oz?

You don't get any harrow bats weighing 2lb 14. What I meant was that it was a 2 10 bat picking up closer to a 2lb 4 bat rather than a 2lb 8 bat picking up its weight.

[Nmcgee]

This is why I think buying bats through the post is daft.

Very fair comment. And yet I continue to do just that 

[praguetaz]

This is why I think buying bats through the post is daft.

Unfortunately, some of us live abroad so in the Czech Republic I have little choice... but even when I return to the UK, it's a long drive to any of the fab batmakers / shops on this forum.

Fortunately, most of the fab batmakers, suppliers/shops and even sometimes on ebay there are some very helpful and knowledgeable sellers who provide top customer service.