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EnglishHow Laver & Wood Customizes a Cricket Bat to a Player's Style
Updated
Laver & Wood builds custom cricket bats in its Hawkes Bay, New Zealand workshop, matching the bat to your game through three main levers: bat profile, willow selection, and weight configuration. The process starts with telling the maker how you play — through the site's "Get Sized Up" form or a sizing appointment — and is aimed at big hitters, traditional batsmen, all-rounders, and players simply looking to move up the order. Expect a made-to-order timeline rather than an off-the-shelf purchase; one reviewer described communication as great while noting waits "can be frustrating."
The three customization levers
1. Bat profile
Profile is the shape and distribution of wood in the blade — where the meat sits, how the spine runs, how the toe and shoulders are shaped. Laver & Wood positions this as the core of matching a bat to a style: a big hitter and a traditional batsman don't want the same profile. A reviewer who ordered a lightweight custom bat said it arrived "light weight yet powerful with the right profile, there was no trade off" — the point being that profile choice is what lets low weight and power coexist.
2. Willow selection
The bats are hand-crafted from willow, and grading runs across ranges — one long-term customer singled out the "special reserve range all the way to the signature grading" as the best grading. Willow choice is where you trade off budget against grade and appearance; the maker's grading tiers are the practical decision point here.
3. Weight configuration
Weight is specified as part of the order, not picked off a shelf. The same reviewer described ordering "a private bin bat from overseas in a light weight configuration," which shows weight is a configured input on custom and vault bats, including for international buyers.
How your style gets translated into a bat
| Your input | What it shapes |
|---|---|
| Playing role (big hitter, traditional batsman, all-rounder) | Profile and wood distribution |
| Preferred weight / pick-up | Weight configuration |
| Willow grade and budget | Which range the bat is drawn from (e.g., special reserve through signature) |
| Sizing details via the "Get Sized Up" form or appointment | Overall fit of the bat to you |
The "Get Sized Up" form on the site is the starting tool for finding "what is best for you." Bat sizings are also available by appointment at the workshop (703 Meeanee Quay, Westshore, Napier 4110), Monday–Friday 9:00–16:00. If you're outside New Zealand, the form is the practical first step; shipping overseas is handled — one US customer called shipping "hassle free."
What the buying experience looks like
- Made to order, not off the shelf. Bats are custom made in the New Zealand workshop; the range spans adult bats, youth bats, a tennis-ball cricket bat, and "Bat Vault" / "James Signature Bat Vault" listings.
- International orders are normal. Reviews cite buyers in the US and other overseas customers ordering configured bats.
- Communication matters more than speed. The recurring theme in reviews is attention to detail and willingness to handle "intricate requests," balanced against wait times.
- Checkout is online via the site's checkout page; pricing for specific configurations isn't published on the pages reviewed, so confirm cost and lead time with the maker before ordering.
Who this suits — and who it doesn't
Choose Laver & Wood if you want a bat shaped around a specific role and weight preference and are willing to wait for a hand-made item. Look elsewhere if you need a bat immediately, or if you want to compare fixed specs and prices side by side before buying — the custom route here depends on a conversation about your game, not a spec sheet. Start with the "Get Sized Up" form, or book a sizing appointment if you can visit Napier.