Very impressed by the end result. I didn't expect it to work because it was heavy but it worked well"
RRP: £375, Edges: 37mm, Weight: 2lb 8oz
TON bats are favoured by England’s Jonny Bairstow and Phil Salt, and in 2024 the bat testing team rated the brands efforts highly.
Whether coming up against stiffer opposition or just having an off day, in 2025 the TON Reserve Edition didn’t quite hit the mark with an overall rating of 6.8.
That will certainly be disappointing as one of the more expensive bats available to testers on the day, but ex-England opener Mark Stoneman did favour the willow: "It has a nice handle, thin tapers down to the bottom, a lot of good profile - a lot of wooden hitting area, a nice all-round bat."
It split the experienced batters against the students, with Nick Friend adding: "I like a bat without a sticker. The handle's a bit narrow but it’s a lovely idea."
The student testers though found it a bit heavy - and it 2lb 8oz it is one of the meatier bats in the 2025 guide.
One student said: "The low middle makes the pick-up feel heavy. Hit the sweet spot and it goes but if you don’t it’s dead. Stingy if you get the top," while another added: "Thin, long handle makes it heavy. Ping average. Design a bit plain."
That's us told.
One student, though, went against the grain of the younger group, saying: "Very impressed by the end result. I didn't expect it to work because it was heavy but it worked well."
Initial impression: 6.8
Build quality: 7.0
Pick-up/feel: 6.5
Performance: 6.8
OVERALL SCORE: 6.8
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