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[sarg]

I know a cheap bat does not interest most but I couldn't resist a bargain and love bat tech.Yes it's a Sportsdirect bat, but at A$120 delivered with a cover and two extra grips I couldn't resist my chance to get my hands on a TAS bat.


Then to my surprise a better presented bat than the V1200 Fusion I brought a month ago for slightly more arrived.





Nb the V1200 is pinging amazingly, so I had no problems taking the gamble again.

It's 2.11 but picks up at about 2.9 and lighter than the V1200. I thought it was also 5mm taller, but the shape of the toe makes it feel taller. Chad realised this, not me.



It's a mid low middle and taps up like a club bat with about a 15 cm middle. Spine height is 60 mm and edge height 34.



Now the concaving is more than I'd normally buy, but I'm wondering if the denser TAS insert may increase mass and make up for the wood carved out.

Seven grains and a couple of blemishes, but not bad for grade 4. Is it bleached? Don't know, this Pic is after the first oiling.



Should be able to start playing it in next week as I'm stuck home caring for my toddler and wife after she broke her leg three weeks ago. Retail Therapy!

I'll comment more on it then.

[Chad]

Looks good, I don't think it's a manufacturing fault about the Slaz though! If you look at the toe, and how it's angled, you'll see why it's a little taller! I don't think it adds much, but it's a nice touch, and shows that Slazenger did put some thought into the design process for their bats this year! Hopefully it goes really nicely for you!

Hope the wife's leg heals up soon!

[tugga]

Know you haven't used it much yet. But is there a different sensation with the TAS?

[sarg]

Know you haven't used it much yet. But is there a different sensation with the TAS?

Not that I can tell, but I'll know more once the oiling is done and I start knocking. Along the centre of the bat It taps up the same as the mongoose and v1200, sweet in the middle, stiff as you approach the splice and dead at the toe. Pretty normal for a off the rack grade 3 bat.

[sarg]

Looks good, I don't think it's a manufacturing fault about the Slaz though! If you look at the toe, and how it's angled, you'll see why it's a little taller! I don't think it adds much, but it's a nice touch, and shows that Slazenger did put some thought into the design process for their bats this year! Hopefully it goes really nicely for you!

Hope the wife's leg heals up soon!

You are right, I should have compared the  V1200 but I was too lazy to go back inside and pull it out of my kit. Embarrassing! Lol

[sarg]

Ok I've started knocking in the V100 and have compared it to two other bats I'm also knocking in.

All are about the same weight give 2.118 -2.122. Profiles are different, but edges are all 34+ mm. The other two, a Mongoose Torq series and V1200 Fusion have started the process of being played in and are a bit further along.

When i knock the V100 it definitely seems to transfer more energy/vibration to the handle when I hit along the edges,but at the same time it twists noticeably less than the other two and does not have that jarring feel you get when you miss the middle. The middle already seems quite wide, despite the concaving and It seems the TAS inserts are doing as advertised.

Each bat has it's own virtues and it will be interesting to see how they perform and what others think.

The mongoose is only 6 grains and feels pretty stiff at the moment. It is great for cuts and pulls as it's mid weighted and allows me to get some bat speed on these shots.

The v1200, let's face it, it's harder cheaper willow, so I've just faced it and knocked the living cr#p out is the middle until the compression cracks have opened slightly. I'm not fused as it's a cheap bat. And now the middle is opening up and starting to sing. It was actually too bottom heavy, so I shaved the edges and the toe slightly and it picks up a little better. It's a lower middle than the Torq and great for drives. It will be good for the low pitches we will face early on.

The V100 seems similar to the v1200, but has a bit more to offer in the mid. It too is hard pressed and I'm thinking this one I will just do a couple of hours. I doubt there is 26% extra performance due to the TAS as this definitely is not a low density cleft, but neither are the others.

In all honesty this is a bit of an experiment and I'm destined to have a few failures as they are all slightly heavier than my preference (2.10). I'm not planning to run many 3s and will just do my usual of either leaving it, pushing a single to get off strike or striking for the boundary. Fitness, #cough#, well that's a whole other problem. Thankfully I can still open and bat at my own pace.

My English mate talks of league grounds where you could just time a perfect drive and it would run away to the boundary speeding up etc etc. Unfortunately he soon realised when he played with me in Adelaide Turf that until Christmas you actually need to strike the ball hard to get it to the boundary along the deck as the grass has not been manicured for 800 years and takes a fair bit of speed off the ball unless it's a dry summer. Your other alternative is the aerial route and that isn't everyone's game. Hopefully the extra weight will help in this area.

[uknsaunders]

My English mate talks of league grounds where you could just time a perfect drive and it would run away to the boundary speeding up etc etc. Unfortunately he soon realised when he played with me in Adelaide Turf that until Christmas you actually need to strike the ball hard to get it to the boundary along the deck as the grass has not been manicured for 800 years and takes a fair bit of speed off the ball unless it's a dry summer. Your other alternative is the aerial route and that isn't everyone's game. Hopefully the extra weight will help in this area.

Love to know what grounds he plays on. Play in some areas of the UK and you'll be lucky to get it off the square for 3 months of the season!

[sarg]

No idea. He told me. I forgot it straight away.

[tugga]

Out of curiosity, with all these experimental bats, whats your match bat normally?

[sarg]

Fisher Custom

[Silver Bullet]

I know a cheap bat does not interest most but I couldn't resist a bargain and love bat tech.Yes it's a Sportsdirect bat, but at A$120 delivered with a cover and two extra grips I couldn't resist my chance to get my hands on a TAS bat.


Then to my surprise a better presented bat than the V1200 Fusion I brought a month ago for slightly more arrived.





Nb the V1200 is pinging amazingly, so I had no problems taking the gamble again.

It's 2.11 but picks up at about 2.9 and lighter than the V1200. I thought it was also 5mm taller, but the shape of the toe makes it feel taller. Chad realised this, not me.



It's a mid low middle and taps up like a club bat with about a 15 cm middle. Spine height is 60 mm and edge height 34.



Now the concaving is more than I'd normally buy, but I'm wondering if the denser TAS insert may increase mass and make up for the wood carved out.

Seven grains and a couple of blemishes, but not bad for grade 4. Is it bleached? Don't know, this Pic is after the first oiling.



Should be able to start playing it in next week as I'm stuck home caring for my toddler and wife after she broke her leg three weeks ago. Retail Therapy!

I'll comment more on it then.

Any update ? How is this bat playing ? I've been looking at getting this.

[sarg]

Have to be honest that ive been enjoying my Mongoose Torq Series too much due to the higher middle and as our net sessions are so short i haven't tried it. I lent it to a team mate last week and he wanted to buy it off me straight away as he loved it. Hit a massive straight hit and said he didn't even feel it. I guess thats some praise, even though it needs more playing in.

[InternalTraining]

That is how it is in our grounds in the states. Later in the season, harder and drier grounds with very little grass turn into English outfields where a well-timed stroke races to the boundary. We have pitches with tennis ball bounce and batting is a lot of fun in the tail end of Summer.

My English mate talks of league grounds where you could just time a perfect drive and it would run away to the boundary speeding up etc etc. Unfortunately he soon realised when he played with me in Adelaide Turf that until Christmas you actually need to strike the ball hard to get it to the boundary along the deck as the grass has not been manicured for 800 years and takes a fair bit of speed off the ball unless it's a dry summer. Your other alternative is the aerial route and that isn't everyone's game. Hopefully the extra weight will help in this area.

[sarg]

The bat has come to life and pings nicely from sticker to toe. Sadly i found it too heavy after putting my preferred second grip on. It will make a teammate very happy.

[alee]

How do you find the Mongoose Torq? seems like you like it. Is it standard blade/handle length than other short handle bats?