Bat review: Kippax Rapier Players' Edition 2023

At £405, it doesn’t come cheap. But for anyone looking for a light bat – this weighed just 2lb 8oz – this might be the one for you

RRP: £405, Edges: 36mm, Weight: 2lb 8oz

There wasn't much love in the room for the stickers on this year's Kippax Rapier, with its greyed camouflage vibe that struggled to stand out from the crowd.

But otherwise, there was widespread praise for the willow itself.

"Sturdy," said tester Nick. "It has a really lovely and even distribution of weight across the bat, with a solid middle.

"This will sound strange, but the blade feels wide. It's just an objectively good bat, even if it looks a bit naff."

"A beautiful bat," added James. "The graining is lovely, it's beautifully made, it's really thick, it pings, it just feels beautiful in the hand."

As Shams put it: "It's super-light, with an amazing pickup. It feels like it flows with your arm and wrist as you're coming down with the ball."

If there was any criticism of the blade itself, that was reserved for the duckbill-shaped toe, which takes some getting used to and didn't necessarily impress.

"You'll either love or hate that," said tester Caleb.

At £405, it doesn’t come cheap. But for anyone looking for a light bat – this weighed just 2lb 8oz – this might be the one for you.

Initial impression: 6.8

Build quality: 7.8

Pick-up/feel: 7.8

Performance: 7.8

Overall score: 7.6

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