laverwood.com

Laver & Wood is a New Zealand bat maker based in Napier, Hawkes Bay, that has been hand-crafting custom cricket bats since 1999 and ships internationally. If you are ordering from overseas, the main things to plan around are getting your sizing and specification right before the bat is made, understanding that custom bats are built to order, and factoring in communication and shipping time across time zones. The workshop's own guidance points buyers to its "Get Sized Up" form to work out what suits them, which is the sensible first step for a remote order.

Start with sizing, because you can't handle the bat first

The biggest difference between buying in a shop and ordering from Hawkes Bay is that you can't pick the bat up and swing it. Laver & Wood addresses this directly: the site provides a Get Sized Up form to help determine what is best for your game. Use it before you commit to a specification, and be honest about your height, stance and the level you play at.

The workshop describes its output as custom made, high performance, hand crafted, and says it builds bats "for the big hitter, the traditional batsman, the all-rounder, and anybody just wanting to move up the order." That range matters for overseas buyers: the more specific your brief, the more you depend on describing your game accurately in writing rather than showing someone your technique in person.

What to confirm in your specification

• Weight and pickup — one reviewer specifically ordered a lightweight configuration from overseas and described the result as light yet powerful with the right profile.
• Profile and handle — state your batting style plainly; the workshop positions customization around playing style.
• Grade of willow — reviews reference the range from Special Reserve through to Signature grading, so clarify which grade you are ordering.
• Bat category — the site lists Adult Bats, Youth Bats, the Bat Vault, the James Signature Bat Vault, and a Tennis Ball Cricket Bat. Make sure your order sits in the right category for how you play.

Understand that you are commissioning, not buying off a shelf

Custom bats are made to order in the New Zealand workshop. That has two practical consequences for an overseas buyer.

First, the specification conversation happens before the bat exists. Any change to weight, profile or grade after work begins is harder to accommodate at a distance than it would be locally. Settle the details up front.

Second, lead time is part of the purchase. One long-standing customer who has bought from Laver & Wood for about seven years described the communication as great while noting that "times have been frustrating" — and still rated the overall experience 10/10, saying the team tried to make every customer happy and went above and beyond on intricate requests. Read that as a realistic signal: expect a wait, and expect the team to engage with detailed requests rather than rush them.

Plan for the time-zone gap

The workshop is in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, and lists opening hours of Monday–Friday, 9:00–16:00, with bat sizings by appointment. If you are in Europe or North America, that window overlaps awkwardly with your own working day. Contact details published on the site are:

Email is usually the more practical channel for a detailed specification discussion across time zones, since you can lay out your requirements in full and let the workshop respond within its own hours.

Weigh the reviews for what they actually tell you

The testimonials on the site are verified Google reviews, and several speak directly to the overseas experience:

• Ganesh Kameswaran — a buyer who owns several big-brand bats, who highlights the choice of profiles, wood and level of customization, calls the pricing "very reasonable for the quality," and says shipping to the US was hassle-free.
• Ben — praises service, attention to detail and willow quality, and singles out the combination of light weight and power with no trade-off.
• Mark Tuchin — commends the time, effort and expertise put into the experience.
• Carter Kerr — seven years of buying, praise for willow and grading across the Special Reserve to Signature range, great communication, honest about timing, 10/10 overall.

These are positive, but note what they are: individual customer accounts, not independent testing. The recurring themes worth relying on are customization depth, willow quality and international shipping that has worked for other buyers. The recurring caveat is time.

A sensible order of operations

1. Decide your category — adult, youth, Bat Vault, James Signature Bat Vault, or tennis ball — based on how and where you play.
2. Complete the Get Sized Up form to establish a starting specification.
3. Write out your requirements — weight, profile, grade, handle preference, playing style — and email them to the workshop, asking for confirmation before the order is finalized.
4. Confirm lead time and shipping to your country in the same exchange, so expectations are set before payment.
5. Check the checkout process on the site for your destination; the site links to a checkout page, but confirm shipping arrangements with the workshop directly for a custom order.
6. Allow for the wait, and follow up by email rather than expecting a same-day reply across time zones.

Who this suits, and who it doesn't

Ordering from Laver & Wood makes sense if you want a bat built around a specific brief — a particular weight, profile or grade — and you are willing to describe your game precisely and wait for the workshop to build it. The reviews suggest overseas buyers have done exactly this successfully, including to the US.

It makes less sense if you need a bat quickly, or if you are not yet sure what specification you want and would benefit from handling options in person. In that case, the sizing form is still the right starting point, but expect to invest more effort in the specification conversation before ordering.

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

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.

Laver & Wood's workshop and store are at 703 Meeanee Quay, Westshore, Napier 4110, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. You can reach the team by email at [email protected] or by phone at +64 6 211 3092. Opening hours are Monday–Friday, 9:00–16:00, and bat sizings are by appointment — so if you want to be sized up in person, arrange a time before you travel.

Contact details at a glance

If you plan to visit

1. Check the day. The store is open weekdays only, 9:00–16:00. Weekend visits are not listed as available.
2. Book a sizing first if you want one. Bat sizings are by appointment, so contact the team by email or phone to arrange a slot rather than turning up and hoping for one.
3. Confirm before a long trip. The workshop is in Westshore, Napier; if you are travelling from outside Hawkes Bay, a quick email or call to confirm availability on your date is sensible.
4. Expect a working workshop, not a showroom. The site describes the business as crafting bats in its New Zealand workshop, so the visit is about the making side of the operation as much as the retail side.

If you only need to get in touch

Email is the natural channel for custom enquiries — the site points buyers to its Get Sized Up form to work out what bat specification suits them, and the team then custom-makes bats in the Napier workshop. Phone is better for quick questions about hours, appointments, or an existing order.

Reviews on the site suggest communication is a strong point: one long-term customer noted that "the communication had been great," even while acknowledging that wait times "have been frustrating." Another overseas buyer said shipping to the US was "hassle free." That pattern is a useful expectation-setter: the contact side tends to be responsive, but custom work takes time.

Practical notes for overseas customers

• Time zone: Napier is in New Zealand time, so email may be the easier first contact from Europe or the Americas; expect a reply within the team's weekday hours.
• Custom orders: The workshop makes bats for "the big hitter, the traditional batsman, the all-rounder, and anybody just wanting to move up the order," so describe your game when you write rather than just asking for a bat.
• No walk-in sizing without a booking: since sizings are appointment-based, an unannounced visit may not get you the full fitting service.

The store address, phone, email, and hours above are the details published on laverwood.com; for anything time-sensitive, confirm directly with the team before you go.

Laver & Wood is a New Zealand cricket bat maker, established in 1999 in Hawkes Bay, that hand-crafts custom bats tailored to a player's style and level. The site is the company's own online store: it sells adult bats, youth bats, tennis-ball cricket bats, and bat "vaults," and it offers a Get Sized Up form plus workshop sizing appointments for players who want help choosing a bat.

Who runs it and where it operates

The workshop is at 703 Meeanee Quay, Westshore, Napier 4110, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. James Laver is the bat maker behind the brand, and the site describes his reputation as built on high-performance handmade bats. Opening hours are Monday–Friday, 9:00–16:00, with bat sizings by appointment. Contact is by email at [email protected] or by phone at +64 6 211 3092.

What the site offers

The main product categories listed on the homepage are:

• Adult Bats — the core range for senior players.
• Bat Vault — a collection of bats presented as a distinct, curated line.
• James Signature Bat Vault — a signature-tier line within the vault offering.
• Youth Bats — bats sized for younger players.
• Tennis Ball Cricket Bat — a bat intended for tennis-ball cricket rather than hard-ball play.
• Specials — a section for current offers.

The positioning is explicitly custom: the site says bats are made for "the big hitter, the traditional batsman, the all-rounder, and anybody just wanting to move up the order," and that James custom-makes bats in the New Zealand workshop "to suit your game at all levels."

How sizing and ordering work

The site directs players to a Get Sized Up form to find out what is best for them, and sizing can also be done at the workshop by appointment. Purchases go through the site's checkout, and the site states that bats can be bought online and shipped worldwide.

Customer reviews quoted on the page describe the experience from a buyer's perspective. One reviewer (Ganesh Kameswaran) says he owns several big-brand bats and found Laver & Wood's difference to be the choice of profiles, wood, and level of customization, with reasonable pricing for the quality and hassle-free shipping to the US. Another (Mark Tuchin) highlights service and willow quality, and a third (Carter Kerr), a seven-year customer, praises the willow and custom work across the Special Reserve through Signature grades while noting that communication was good but wait times could be frustrating. These are customer accounts shown on the company's own site, so treat them as testimonials rather than independent testing.

Is it for you?

Laver & Wood fits you if you want a bat built around your batting style and level rather than a stock retail model, and if you are comfortable ordering from a small New Zealand workshop — potentially with a lead time, as the review above suggests. If you need a bat immediately off the shelf, or you want to compare many brands side by side in a store, a larger retailer may suit you better. For everyone else, the practical first step is the Get Sized Up form, or booking a sizing appointment if you can visit Napier.

Laver & Wood lists six bat categories: Adult Bats, Youth Bats, Bat Vault, James Signature Bat Vault, Tennis Ball Cricket Bat, and Specials. The split is not one-dimensional — it mixes player age (adult vs. youth), collection or grade (Bat Vault, James Signature Bat Vault), playing format (tennis ball), and clearance (Specials). To choose, start with who is batting and what ball they face, then use the collection tiers to decide how much selection and grading you want.

The categories at a glance

How to match a category to your level and use

Step 1: Decide the ball and format

If you play hard-ball cricket, the Adult and Youth categories apply. If your cricket is tennis-ball or tape-ball, go straight to Tennis Ball Cricket Bat — a hard-ball bat is not built for that format.

Step 2: Decide the player's age group

Adults use Adult Bats; juniors use Youth Bats. The site offers a Get Sized Up form to work out the right size and specification, which is the practical way to confirm before ordering.

Step 3: Choose how much curation you want

• Bat Vault sits between a fully bespoke order and an off-the-shelf bat: a collection of bats you can choose from.
• James Signature Bat Vault is the signature tier, associated with the top grading in the range. One long-term customer described the grading as running "all the way to the signature grading," with the special reserve range also rated highly.
• Adult Bats is where full custom work happens — profiles, wood choice, and setup tailored to your style.

Step 4: Check Specials last

Look at Specials only after you know your size and format. It is a value route, so expect less choice over exact specification.

What the custom route actually involves

Laver & Wood has been making bats in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand since 1999, and the workshop builds bats for "the big hitter, the traditional batsman, the all-rounder, and anybody just wanting to move up the order." In practice, a custom order means telling the maker your role and preferences, then receiving a bat built around them.

A useful example: a player who mostly bowls but bats at seven or eight might want a lighter pickup and a lower, more powerful profile rather than a heavy front-foot bat. That is the kind of trade-off the custom categories exist to resolve — and reviewers describe exactly this outcome. One customer wrote that his custom bat was "light weight yet powerful with the right profile, there was no trade off." Another, ordering a lightweight private-bin bat from overseas, highlighted the configuration options as what sets the maker apart from big brands.

Verification and common sticking points

• Sizing: use the Get Sized Up form before ordering; getting this wrong is the most avoidable mistake in a custom purchase.
• Lead time: custom bats take time. One reviewer noted communication was great but "times have been frustrating" — plan around your season, not the week before it.
• Shipping: overseas delivery is part of the service; a US-based reviewer described shipping as "hassle free."
• Appointments: bat sizings at the Napier workshop are by appointment, and opening hours are Monday–Friday, 9:00–16:00.

Making the decision

• Junior player, hard ball → Youth Bats, sized via the form.
• Adult club player wanting a bat built around their game → Adult Bats (custom).
• Adult player wanting to choose from a curated set → Bat Vault.
• Buyer prioritising the highest grading → James Signature Bat Vault.
• Tennis-ball or tape-ball player → Tennis Ball Cricket Bat.
• Budget-conscious and flexible → Specials.

If you are unsure between Adult Bats and Bat Vault, the deciding question is simple: do you want the bat designed around your specifications, or do you want to select from bats already made? The first is custom; the second is the Vault.