Topic: 2016 Phantom Softs (Read 43894 times)

Tom · « **Reply #30 on:** January 11, 2016, 09:39:26 PM »

Clearly a well made soft, and price wise they're in line with the market with the exception of sale stock. Just missing the finishing touches that I think the H4L had over it.

simonmay5 · « **Reply #31 on:** January 11, 2016, 09:40:36 PM »

As you know I really like phantom bats and their softs do look very good and the quality will be first class the one thing I would say I feel they copy a lot off their range on others like the stickers was very close to affinity cricket and now the softs very similar to h4l gear it would be nice for them to have maybe their own designs rather than copying others I know they tweaked the design but are still very close to others

windyroad · « **Reply #32 on:** January 11, 2016, 09:42:36 PM »

Surely the price of the GN legend at eighty pounds reflects that money they need to recoup from sponsorship advertising etc.

SOULMAN1012 · « **Reply #33 on:** January 11, 2016, 09:45:55 PM »

Quote from: ItsJustCricket on January 11, 2016, 09:28:13 PM

Ok I will elaborate.

The difference, we feel, between sticker uppers and a company like Phantom or Kooks, Slazenger is about control over the whole process.

We stocked sticker upper bats in the past - Mars, CP, Piri Piri etc. And they didn't have any control over the manufacturing process. They could request some very generic shapes and then have a huge batch made up, and simply sticker them up, as the name suggests.

However, Phantom has complete control. This is evidenced by the close working relationship with the bat maker, for example at short notice they produced a run of fuller Illusion bats, a change in shape mid season for a limited batch of only ten or so, which other companies could not do. They also offer fully custom bats, something which many sticker up brands simply cannot do.

Phantom designs everything about the bats, the stickers, chooses the grips, the shapes, absolutely everything. I don't see why because they don't make them they are intrinsically any worse, or worthy of less support, as has been suggested? Surely, having an established and world-renowned bat maker making the bats is only a good thing? Especially as Phantom are open about the whole thing.

My point being, they have control over everything. Literally the only thing they don't do is make the bats. And I don't think that's a bad thing whatsoever.

Yes, but they are micro details, which is proof that they are different from a lot of brands. Most brands like you said just get stock designs off softs manufacturers. Phantom don't. And I've given evidence of that.

Yes a strange, and I would say unfair, bunch we are. Just seems harsh to me to not even mention the price of other gloves, and rave about them, when a very similar, some would say better, glove comes on here and is cheaper. It seems some people have let their views about the brand sway their opinion of what are simply incredible softs!

CBD.

Chris, thank you for taking the time to share your views and eloborate on why in your view Phantom are different. I do see what you are saying and agree that because you don't and for most it's simply that they can't make there own bats. Firstly it's a very skilled trade and secondly to make your own bats the start up costs are going to be high. The fact they have full control over there brand and can produce limited runs of custom shapes and have full say over quality control is good. I wasn't trying to say they were like a bedroom brand buy the way.

Look people have favoured brands etc, my point of view was purely that in my mind if the costs of these softs and those mentioned from other brands is not a good thing for cricket, the price of willow has increased a lot over the past 5 years and there is some justification for this due to the weather and how many trees have been damaged over the last few winters and simply demand. Softs no doubt have increased in price as per everything in the world but I can not seen how to the point of �90-�100 for pads and �70-�90 for gloves. A person can create from scratch a fully customised bat on here for far less than softs and that's mad.
I have no doubt Phantom softs will sell well for you, and again thank you for sharing your views and thoughts and plus accept this it is which isn't a criticism of IJC of indeed Phantom just my view on the pricing.

Thanks

ItsJustCricket · « **Reply #34 on:** January 11, 2016, 09:51:57 PM »

Quote from: simonmay5 on January 11, 2016, 09:40:36 PM

As you know I really like phantom bats and their softs do look very good and the quality will be first class the one thing I would say I feel they copy a lot off their range on others like the stickers was very close to affinity cricket and now the softs very similar to h4l gear it would be nice for them to have maybe their own designs rather than copying others I know they tweaked the design but are still very close to others

Simon, I understand this completely. However, when I spoke to Aftab about this, he said that he has lost count of the amount of times he has asked the manufacturer for something different, only to be told they can't do it, or to receive poor quality samples. He said he simply wouldn't put out some of the stuff they sent him, even if it was closer in design to something different and entirely his own.

Thus he, correctly in my opinion, opted to take a design the manufacturer did well, and tweak it. You mention the softs are similar to H4L gear, and they are, but I must stress that this isn't a H4L design. it is one of the designs that the manufacturer is able to do well. Phantom did not copy H4L. Just because the H4L softs were available a little earlier is not relevant to that particular point. I think Phantom made the right design to produce a very high quality glove with minor tweaks, rather than a completely new glove which may have been shoddy in areas.

CBD

WalkingWicket37 · « **Reply #35 on:** January 11, 2016, 09:59:50 PM »

Chris

Thank you for taking the time to explain why you feel Phantom is more than just a sticker up brand. I appreciate that you have done this (and I am sure others do too).

I'm not sure if our wires have got crossed here or not but just to be clear, I did not make the micro detail comment as a criticism - it was in fact a compliment and you have reiterated my point with your response (which seems to have taken something of a defensive tone).

Having had a look back at the original post I think there is a reason H4Ls pricing received no comment because they only initially unveiled the product, not the cost! Personally I think anyone charging more than �40 for gloves is taking the piddle so my feedback would be the same for any brand charging what I call silly prices for softs.

liscon12 · « **Reply #36 on:** January 11, 2016, 10:09:46 PM »

Specifically softs chat from now on then? I like the look of the pads and the sausage fingers have pittards which is something many people are crying out for which can only be a bonus

ItsJustCricket · « **Reply #37 on:** January 11, 2016, 10:17:11 PM »

My point in a general sense is that not many brands invent there own gloves.

Of many of the most loved gloves on the forum, of which I won't name names since I'm a retailer, I could show you the exact glove they have been copied off, and simply changed the colour. These would be many leading brands which are very loved on the forum. You'd be surprised.

So I'm just pleased Phantom have made any effort, and it's quite a big effort, to be unique. So many gloves nowadays are just the same as others. Based on 2 or 3 stock designs with different colours. Like I said, I won't, because I can't, but trust me that Phantom are among the most unique out there!

@liscon12 Yes, something Amos mentioned in his latest blog, the lack of sausage finger and Pittards palm options. Check out that blog! www.itsjustcricket.news

CBD

Ayrtek Cricket · « **Reply #38 on:** January 11, 2016, 10:25:48 PM »

The issue is we live in a micro climate in the forum and Due to the knowledge base members typically have they are reluctant to pay the going rate for products as they are aware with some digging they can source the product in a similar guise for cheaper elsewhere.

Only a small percentage of sales from sponsors on here occur at a price without any discount I'd imagine.

For brands such as Phantom to survive in the retail environment there needs to be a higher RRP when you take into account the people needing to make a margin on the products to want a living and cover overheads associated with running a business.

We are very spoilt on here by having access to very competitively priced goods at far less than retail and typically closer to trade prices!

Northern monkey · « **Reply #39 on:** January 11, 2016, 10:30:23 PM »

i like the phantom softs
Don't have a problem with the price, for what looks a quality offering,from a young company trying to offer quality products, excellent review by the way

I paid over 70quid years ago for top end slazenger gloves, so prices not that different

ItsJustCricket · « **Reply #40 on:** January 11, 2016, 10:33:41 PM »

@Ayrtek. Agreed. We hardly make any money on lots of the stuff we sell on the forum. Discounts, free knocking in, free shipping. We barely cover costs largely, and so you can't expect companies to survive!

If we only catered to the forum we simply wouldn't be able to put food on the table or pay our mortgages! I don't think many people realise that!

WalkingWicket37 · « **Reply #41 on:** January 11, 2016, 10:36:11 PM »

Just Playing devil's advocate here, how is changing the split from a V shape to a U shape different to changing the colour?
Is it not the same principal, taking the design of an existing glove and making small changes so they are your own...

liscon12 · « **Reply #42 on:** January 11, 2016, 10:37:09 PM »

Personally I didn't see any issue with the price when I first saw the post, all the top brands are charging 100+ for pads and around 70+ for gloves. If the big boys are doing it why not Phantom, I bet the attention to detail is far superior when designing these products as the range is so small meaning more time spent on then and the fact that in a crowded market you have to go that extra mile just to make them stand out above the rest. Overall these look far better than last years range which can only be a good thing.

Are they planning on bringing out a mid-range product line Chris?

ItsJustCricket · « **Reply #43 on:** January 11, 2016, 10:38:52 PM »

Quote from: WalkingWicket37 on January 11, 2016, 10:36:11 PM

Just Playing devil's advocate here, how is changing the split from a V shape to a U shape different to changing the colour?
Is it not the same principal, taking the design of an existing glove and making small changes so they are your own...

Because it is a thoughtful change which impacts the glove in a positive way. Phantom believe that the flexibility and protection on a U split is better than on a V split.

Whereas, changing the colour makes no difference to the glove at all.

Hopefully that makes sense - one is a change made to benefit the glove, the other is not really anything other than rebranding another company's gloves without improving or changing them.

CBD

ch1p · « **Reply #44 on:** January 11, 2016, 11:06:40 PM »

Anybody else with a carbon fibre fetish here? I love it on the gloves - surprised but wish more brands went with some carbon look in their ranges....

Author Topic: 2016 Phantom Softs (Read 43894 times)

Tom

Re: 2016 Phantom Softs

simonmay5

Re: 2016 Phantom Softs

windyroad

Re: 2016 Phantom Softs

SOULMAN1012

Re: 2016 Phantom Softs

ItsJustCricket

Re: 2016 Phantom Softs

WalkingWicket37

Re: 2016 Phantom Softs

liscon12

Re: 2016 Phantom Softs

ItsJustCricket

Re: 2016 Phantom Softs

Ayrtek Cricket

Re: 2016 Phantom Softs

Northern monkey

Re: 2016 Phantom Softs

ItsJustCricket

Re: 2016 Phantom Softs

WalkingWicket37

Re: 2016 Phantom Softs

liscon12

Re: 2016 Phantom Softs

ItsJustCricket

Re: 2016 Phantom Softs

ch1p

Re: 2016 Phantom Softs