Couldn't quite make it to 4 in 4 days, but it can get exhausting thinking of words 
I'll just say from the get go - I will put a lot more effort into reviews of more boutique/bespoke makers, as I do feel that this is what the forum is for. 
So a good few months ago, when Salix were doing an offer on ACID bats, I decided to take the plunge and order a Nitric Bomb Pro and a Fluoro G1. I just asked for bats that were between 2lb 10oz and 2lb 11oz, nice medium thick ovals, and would like the bats to be nice and big with a light pickup.As with most things, I don't like to rush folks, so this ended up taking a few months to arrive! (To be fair, I had left to go abroad just as they were ready to send me them!) I ended up getting a phone call from Andrew apologising about the delays, but I wasn't bothered about the delays at all - turned out the Nitric had been used as a photographic sample, and used for showing retail/customers. Andrew did mentioned on call that it did end up being about an oz heavier than requested, and funnily enough the Fluoro ended up 2lb 10oz, but would probably lose some of that as the weather got warmer!ACID - Artisan Craft, Indian Dynamic - was released maybe half a year ago or so? Despite the Indian Dynamic - the Nitric range is made entirely in house, while the Fluoro is meant to be made from Sareen Sports part mades. Speaking to Andrew, the Nitric far outsold the Fluoro range, which kind of defeats the purpose of having the SS involvement to cut down on manufacturing time.ACID Nitric Bomb ProFace, Back and Side shots
Profile Shots
Closer Sticker Shots
Gauge Shots
Specs/Info:- Grade - Pro (G1+?)
- Weight - 2lb 12oz
- Handle - Lovely medium thick oval
- Spine - 61.5mm
- Edge - 36mm
- Toe Edge - 22mm
- Toe Centre - 28.5mm
- Shoulder - 13mm
- Splice - 36mm
- Face Camber - Semi-Rounded, probably 5-6mm (More on the rounded side)
- Bow - Moderate, while kicking out a fair bit in the driving zone
- Width - 107mm front tapering to 105mm back
- Concaving - None - Convex
- Price - £463 RRP - Can find online for £412
- Toe shape - Semi-rounded
- Finish - Scuff sheet
This particular bat was used for the photoshoots, and speaking to Andrew and Kel, for all the photographed bats, they used a bit of wood that looked on the slightly lower side of the grade that looked decent enough, to give a fair representation of what a customer could expect to get. That being said, it is still a very nice piece, with 10 grains and a bit of heartwood - there's a small blemish on the inside edge. Tapping it up with a mallet - it makes a really beautiful solid crack with plenty of depth. It really won't need much mallet work at all I wouldn't think, and is already purring.
Picking it up in the hands, I was really surprised at just how well this picked up. (I mean it shouldn't be a surprise, given how highly regarded they are as batmakers) The medium thick oval handle feels beautiful - you can tell they spend a lot of time doing the rasping to ensure a near perfect feel. Picking it up, you can feel that there is some weight to it, but there is no bottom heaviness to it, just a beautifully balanced feel which tips slightly to the light side. Funnily enough, this is something I've always felt about Salix bats, in that the bats that are around 2lb 10oz - 2lb 13oz range just seem to have a beautiful balanced feel about them, that the 2lb 7oz-2lb 9oz counterparts lack a bit of. The handle appears to be either a 4 or 6 piece cork-rubber-cork insert handle.
The shape of this bat is just sublime. The finish really is of an incredibly high standard - the bat is just beautiful to look at as a whole. The way the bat flows and tapers, the swell and the blending does actually give a fusion of Indian/English batmaking styles. (At least in my eye) The way the profile blends/bills into the toe is just aesthetically pleasing to me. Stickers wise, they have definitely grown on me with time - I really do quite like the ACID Nitric aesthetic. It also comes in Pink/Black and Green/Black, which I had debated getting, but I'm glad I went with the Blue/white combo, I feel it . They are of a high quality, and sure, they aren't the same as the more refined prestigious look that the Salix branding can give off, but it's not meant to be.
This bat has actually dropped close to half an oz in weight so far, it arrived at around 2lb 12.5oz or there abouts. Size wise, you'd say it's a good size for the weight, nothing outrageous, and certainly not a dense cleft. The narrowing towards the back I do wonder if it's been done on purpose with the Indian Dynamic, or if it's just because the bit of wood sanded that way. I do know it was cleaned up before being sent over due to it being essentially a display model for a bit, so perhaps that's been why.
Is it a gauge buster/filler? No. Does it matter? No.Everything that should matter about a cricket bat is done to the highest standard in this bat. Be it the willow selection, the handle shaping/fitting, the pressing, the balancing or the quality of craftsmanship in the shaping - all of this has been done to the highest standard. Is it a big bat? Certainly one with plenty of meat in it, and although you can only tell with some proper usage how good a bat will be for you, this one has been good enough for me to ignore the extra oz. Price wise, they certainly aren't cheap - but Salix are a brand that is on the premium end of the scale in pricing. At the end of the day, when you buy from a brand, you're buying into the brand's heritage, track record, story etc. For me, Salix pride themselves in providing the best quality product they can, and to do their utmost best to ensure that their quality control is tight.
ACID Fluoro G1Face, Back and Side Shots
Profile Shots
Closer Sticker Shots
Gauge Shots
Profile Comparisons
Specs/Info:- Grade - G1
- Weight - 2lb 9.5oz
- Handle - Lovely medium thick oval
- Spine - 61.5mm
- Edge - 35mm
- Toe Edge - 22mm
- Toe Centre - 28.5mm
- Shoulder - 13mm/15mm
- Splice - 37mm
- Face Camber - Semi-Rounded, probably 5-6mm (More on the rounded side)
- Bow - Moderate, while kicking out a fair bit in the driving zone
- Width - 108mm front tapering to 107.5mm back
- Concaving - None - Convex
- Price - £373.50 RRP - Can find online for £332
- Toe shape - Semi-rounded
- Finish - Natural
If I'm totally honest with you, I'm out of steam at this point, and I'm sure you're all a bit out of steam if you've read up to this point, wondering when the waffle will end...
I'll do my best to keep this one brief
This particular piece has 7 very clean grains, but with a slight slant. You would say it's a fair G1 given how clean it is, and it's actually quite a peculiar one. Given all the talk about the Fluoro being an SS Part made, but finished to Salix standards - this one I believe is actually a fully English made one. The face cambering is rounder than the other Fluoro G3 I have here, and the handle is the same as the one in the Nitric, and different from the one in the Fluoro G3, which definitely has an SS handle. (They're kind of defeating the purpose of the Indian Dynamic SS Part Made quirk themselves in this case!) Tapping it up with a mallet, it also makes a satisfying crack, albeit with a slightly higher pitch and not quite as much depth to it.
Again, with the handle shaping - it fits beautifully. The pick up is good, pretty balanced I'd say, but as I alluded to before, I do find that the slightly heavier Salix bats tend to be balanced on the slightly lighter side, while the lighter bats tend to feel little truer to weight. This one actually lost about a half ounce too since arriving - they're possibly one of the very few brands where their bats have lost weight when arriving in sunny Scotland! Makes me wish I asked for this one slightly heavier, as Salix don't seem to overdry at all. Bats I've had from Kippax, and some from Gray Nics UK have put on between 1.5-2.5oz in the past...
Again with the shaping, it really is superb. There is a slight discrepancy in the shoulders, but nothing major. Perhaps it is the artwork, but this particular bat does look a bit sharper and striking, while the Nitric has bit more of the blended subtle look. I suspect the ever so slightly lower swell on the Fluoro also contributes to this. In terms of differences other than the design of the stickers - the Fluoro boasts a slightly shorter blade. We are talking about 15mm in most cases, but in this case, the blade is around 10mm shorter. Funnily enough, the overall bat length is approximately 5mm shorter or there abouts, and the same is true with the G3 Fluoro - I don't know if this is intentional. The Fluoro is also meant to have a slightly different shoulder blend, which allows for a 'Whip Back' handle effect. However, in this case, there doesn't seem to be much of a discernible difference.
Sticker wise, I chose this configuration as I preferred the solid black background look, as I felt it made the red and orange colours stand out a bit better, while they looked a touch washed out on the white background sets. (Perhaps a slightly different colour configuration for the 'capillaries' would help the aesthetic) They are again, or a high quality, and although I've developed an appreciation for them, the Nitric range just seems to tickle my fancy more.
All in all, I was very happy with what I received. The experience of opening a package from Salix does hit me with a bit of nostalgia - the hint of linseed wax smell definitely elevates the experience of unboxing for me. Hopefully you've all stuck with me till the end of this, as I've spent ages typing this all out - if you haven't enjoyed the read, do let me know why, and where you feel I can improve. I do want to be as informative as possible, especially when telling stories, or at least giving a glimpse of what is unique about each boutique brand. Huge thanks to Kel and Andrew for sorting me out with these, I've been really pleased with them.
More to come tomorrow, hopefully a nice treat for you all! (Or today, sheesh - I've really spent ages!)
Author
Topic: ACID Nitric Bomb Pro and ACID Fluoro G1 Review (Read 863 times)