On receiving the ‘Rapidarm’, my first impression was of a well-constructed piece of equipment, flexible but sturdy.
A unique future of this particular ball thrower is the capacity to be able to rotate the ball carrier head for length of delivery and adjust the length of the arm stem for adjustment of speed.
The head with adjustable cup angles has several flanges to hold the ball securely but the release of both cricket and incrediballs was not restricted. Having used several of the cricket ball throwers available in the past. I am aware that I do have a natural throw length and by experimenting with different pin positions, the length that you personally require can be easily achieved. For new users and juniors, greater control can be more easily achieved using the shorter arm lengths.
The arm is sturdy and retractable with pin holes based on different arm lengths each equating to different speeds – the longer the arm, the greater the speed that can be obtained. At first. I found the arm rather stiff to move in the handle but I do feel that this will ease with use. The arm and the holes in the handle also need to be very accurately aligned for the supporting pin to drop in seamlessly.
Certainly after some practice, I found that I could achieve variable speeds. It is advertised as being able to generate speeds from 80 kph (approx. 50mph) to 160 kph (approx.100mph), dependent on adjusting the arm length. By altering the direction of the seam in the cup also allowed some movement off the pitch to be obtained.
The ’Rapidarm’ is supplied with a canvas bag for storage, and the ergonomically pleasing handle has a useful sturdy hook on the end for the unit to be hung up.
As a cricket coach with over 30 years of experience, I have always been a fan of the cricket versions of the dog ball throwers since they came on the market. In my hands, the ‘Rapidarm’ version has worked superbly, allowed greater adjustments to be easily made for personal preference and behaved robustly. I would fully recommend it to fellow coaches.
Graham Furber - August 2023