Hello fellow bat obsessives...
This is my story slash review of the new addition to my bat collection. (lots and lots of pictures here)
I was researching my options for a new stick to replace my dying mongoose ToRQ and I kept getting drawn towards the idea of getting my first custom made bat. So I checked out what Laver & wood had to offer.... and liked what i saw. I decided to fill out their free bat sizing form and see what happened. Anthony sent me a email right away and we began to have a brief correspondence about what bat would suit my game and playing conditions best. I really had no intention of buying a new stick until possibly next year but I was so impressed by the service and so excited by the prospect of having a bat made to my specs..I went ahead and ordered anyway. (I knew i was in trouble the moment Anthony emailed me to be honest)
I decided on a 2.8 special reserve bat with a mid and extended sweet spot in the special shape with a bit of extra wood left in the toe end (should have gotten the Chad shape but I wasn't aware of it at the time...c'est la vie). I also requested minimal concaving, an oval handle and that the bat weigh no more than 2.9 fully dressed (scuff sheet, toe guard, one grip)
Anthony was in full agreement with my choices and everything was set. About a week later i was browsing Laver's facebook page and saw them offering a 48hr special deal to all first time customers for a special reserve bat fully customized and knocked in for almost $100 less than I had paid exactly a week ago. Needless to say i was shocked and felt like the unluckiest bloke around
. I decided to contact Anthony anyway to see if by any chance i could get in on their special deal. Anthony decided that due to the circumstances they would upgrade my order to a private bin rather than refund me. I had no issue with this whatsoever
So about a solid month later the bat is in my hands and I'm ecstatic. It is beautifully finished and the shape looks stunning. It picks up like a wand and feels so well balanced. Haven't really ping tested it yet but my initial thoughts from a few taps with the mallet is that this bat will need a bit of playing in before it really shows its full potential.
Here she is
Back
Grains
Profile
Shape
A view down her back
Top down
Weight
Fancy handle technology
One final look at the shape
All in all i am very happy with what i got. It has 35mm edges and about a 60 mm spine. I wasn't too fussed at first with the red and grey stickers but I think they could grow on me. I also found the handle to be really thin. Not a problem as i normally apply a second grip to all my bats and it feels much better in the hands now. The bat has been knocked in but I will be using my free time during the savage Canadian winter to knock her in some more to ensure she's fully ready to blast away next season.
I already promised the missus that this will be the last bat i buy ever. Granted I've made that promise a few times now (have bought three bats already this year) so it might be time to lay low for a few seasons.......
Author
Topic: Tales from the Private Bin... (Read 5913 times)