Vic Firth VFVKB3 Beater Fleece

I thought this was going to be like the Meinl Woolly Mammoth, wich has a synthetic kind of woolly mantle wrapped around something that could be best described as a tennis ball. That's how it feels when you squeeze it.

Not this beater, you can't squeeze the core.
The sound of playing is everything like the many other reviewers already described: muffled, deep tone, good.

But personally, I found this eating away the most of my right foot endurance compared all other beaters.
Plays quite heavy. Again: to my personal feel.
I think it's because of the fleece absorbing a lot of energy.

Of course this beater isn't meant to play fast, or very technical with triple basedrum patterns, etc.
But it's something to consider.
It's perfect for acoustic gigs too, or any other way of experimenting.
It also got a longer rod than the Meinl, so it's better suited to play on normal basedrums.

The Meinl Woolly Mammoth has a shorter rod, so if you use smaller than 18" kicks, it will hit center or almost center.
With bigger basedrums, you will hit under the center.
But it's got a similar dampening effect as the much more expensive Vic Firth.