Right, so now that I've finally found some time to sit down and focus on typing up a review, (yes, intended) here is a very special one! So I contacted Jake at the end of May to see what he had in stock, and had been contemplating paying another visit, as it had been years since my last! However, I decided to trust his word on what was good so I could stretch my budget by the amount that I would have spent on a train ticket. Anyways, Jake showed me plenty of pics of H4L, GM, Kookaburra and etc., but the bats in particular that stood out to me were the Focus bats. Initially, I had it in my head that I would go nowhere near a Black Label, not that I didn't trust that they weren't the best available, but just that they don't come cheap! This one and another ligher one did catch my eye, as did some of the lower grade Focus offerings. I mulled over it, and initially thought I'd be going for a G2 Focus with the green stickers. However, the more I waited to make up my mind, the more my mind swayed towards a Black Label. Having scored some runs with a 2.11-2.12 B&S recently, I decided to go with the heavier and fuller of the two Black Labels Jake had in stock, despite the slight pin knot beside the 'Black Label' sticker bugging me. Here are the pics!
Specs:
Weight - 2lb 11oz unscuffed
Edge - 34mm and 36mm
Spine - 64mm approx
Shoulder - 13mm
Toe Edge - 17mm
Toe - 25mm
Handle - Oval
Concaving - None whatsoever throughout the entire profile
From the pics, you can see that this bat isn't an absolute monster for its weight. The specs are rather 'modest' compared to some of the 40mm edge and 65mm spines, with the edge being 25mm at the toe etc. etc. It still is however a decent enough size, by no means small. In terms of performance, well, I can see why there are very limited numbers of Black Labels. (I think Jake said that there's no set number, but they only pop up every so often) The hitting area on this is very large, and the toe doesn't feel too dead at all despite being thinner than most. The pressing on this is exquisite, with some seam marks being left when you bounce a ball on it, and the rebound is exceptional.
Looks wise, this bat is stunning, with 10 very evenly spaced and clean grains. There is a slight bit of heartwood on the outside edge and also slight blemishes outside the playing area. (In the heartwood area) I personally really like the stickers, they give a very clean look, whilst being large enough to stand out. The finishing of the bat is top notch, with the embossing and texturing of the stickers adding to the overall product. The bat was pressed with a flatter face, and has a very slight bow as shown in the pictures.
As always, a huge thanks to Jake for his recommendations and his quick replies to questions. He's always a pleasure to deal with, and ridiculously patient with my indecisiveness.
The bat is so good in the performance and visual aspects that I've had a friend ask me everytime he sees me if it's up for sale, even after I mentioned the £350 price tag! Focus definitely picked the right people for running Focus UK!
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Topic: Focus Black Label Review (Read 5957 times)