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Viral

Average Customer Review: 5 of 5 stars

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20 of 20 people found this review helpful
5
Reviewed by on
The Hammer Viral brings back the classics in a brand new way.

Pin to PAP(5 1/8" over 1/8" up) - 5"
Dual Angle Layout - 55* x 5" x 35*
Balance Hole - n/a

Surface Preparation - Out of Box (500, 1000 Abralon/Factory Finish Polish)

What I Was Looking For In This Ball Layout:
With the Viral combining two of Hammer's best core/cover elements we were pretty excited to throw this ball.
I expected to see exceptional length with a strong but controllable backend motion off the spot.

I went with a pretty basic pin up layout that I use often. This layout should enhance the ball motion the Viral brings
to the Hammer line-up.


What I Ended Up With in the Ball and Layout:
First of all, the Viral looks amazing both on the ball rack and going down the lane. The silver pearl almost looks like it has some
lime green in it and it looks awesome.

Now on to the ball reaction. Exactly what you would expect from the Vibe core and Violent Flip reactive cover. A consistent, strong and
predictable ball motion. The Viral was super smooth off my hand. It allowed me to move right and open up the pocket for myself. Not
often can I get this far right and still have some room to miss.

The Viral did exactly what I wanted off the break point, it was strong but not jumpy. I could see this being a great ball to use in transition or on drier conditions when you just need something predictable.

For any Hammerhead or bowlers just needing something for this condition the Viral is a must.

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15 of 15 people found this review helpful
5
Reviewed by on

About the Bowler

League Average:
215.00
PAP:
4 1/2 x 0
Ball Speed:
Fast
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
0.00
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Pin to PAP (5 1/2" over 1/2" down) 5.5"
Dual Angle Layout - 70 x 5" x 35
Balance Hole - n/a

Surface Preparation - Out of Box (500, 1000 Abralon and Factory Finish)

What I Was Looking For In This Ball Layout:

The Hammer Viral features the famous Vibe Core along with the Violent Flip Reactive Pearl Coverstock from the Black Widow... yes please!

What I Ended Up With in the Ball and Layout:

The Viral has the most length of any ball I've tested. It goes super long and has a controllable backend reaction. This ball rolls much smoother than the pearl Vibes I've thrown in the past. In my opinion, this makes the Viral the perfect ball for short and light oil patterns. The carry was great and unlike some bowling balls that have great length, my reaction wasn't over/under and the ball didn't squirt.

If you're looking for a light oil piece, the Viral is awesome!
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9 of 9 people found this review helpful
5
Reviewed by on

About the Bowler

League Average:
235+
PAP:
5 9/16 over and 1/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
205+
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Here are my thoughts about the Hammer Viral which is currently available in proshops. I have drilled 2 thus far, one pin up (5” from PAP with weight hole on PAP) and the other with pin directly below my bridge with CG out, no hole. I have thrown them on the USBC White pattern as well as various House Shots. This ball features basically the Vibe Core (Carbon Fiber manufactured with 3 year warranty) along with the Violent Flip Reactive Pearl cover similar to that originally used on the Widow Pearl.
In a word, this ball is ANGULAR. At box surface, I found both balls went a little too long for my liking. However, when lightly hit with a fresh 3000 Abralon pad to lightly take the shine off, I found this ball cleared the fronts very easily and simply turned left when the ball saw friction. I was able to use, for me, very steep angles through the front and yet still see excellent recovery on the back without any appreciable energy loss. As such, the carry on this ball is excellent. If you liked the Vibe series, especially the Vibe Jet Black, this ball is definitely for you. I would best compare this ball to a Vibe Jet Black…perhaps a little cleaner with even more recovery. As most know, the Vibe core can be drilled to suit many different styles and to achieve many different ball motions. This ball will also suit many different styles. I think this ball can definitely handle many different patterns lengths…in terms of volumes, the Viral’s strength will be on medium to medium low volumes or when the heads have broken down. This ball will also be extremely noticeable going down the lane with its gunsmoke color.
See your local proshop about the Hammer Viral...if you want length with strong down lane motion…the Viral will definitely be for you!

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4 of 5 people found this review helpful
5
Reviewed by on

About the Bowler

This is one of the most versatile bowling balls I have thrown in a long time. Not great on heavy oil conditions, but for medium and drier lanes it is fabulous. It gets through the mid lane even on burned up shots and holds a lot of energy until impact. I highly recommend having one of these in your bag for house shots and transitional tournament play.
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3 of 3 people found this review helpful
5
Reviewed by on

About the Bowler

League Average:
210
PAP:
3 15/16 Right
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Stroker
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
the hammer viral is a great ball for when the lanes start to dry up and you need something where you are still able to play outside or even a little in when the lanes are really dry, this ball works great going through the front and middle part of the lane and stores its energy for the back end.

deltona lanes pro shop manager
386-774-2800
deltona@bowlingball.com
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2 of 2 people found this review helpful
5
Reviewed by on

About the Bowler

League Average:
235
PAP:
5 1/8 over and 5/8 up
Ball Speed:
Fast
Style:
Cranker
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
204
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Rev Rate 450
Ball Speed 16-17 mph
Dual Angle Layout - 50 x 4 ¾ x 60


The Hammer Viral goes as long as any Hammer ball produce, but with a great ball motion on the backend. The Viral is not a skid/snap ball. The Viral is very controllable on the backend. This ball is very smooth and predictable. I am able to use the Hammer Viral on several different lane conditions. I use it on our House shot (40 ft) Kegel Pattern Route 66 (45 ft), Kegel Highway to Hell Pattern. The Kegel patterns are very challenging patterns, and I was able to create area with the Viral due to the versatility of the ball. I did drill the first Viral with a stronger pin under drilling with a hole down. This gave me great control. I drilled another one with a weaker pin and pin up drilling. This drilling gave me 1 to 2 more feet of length, but again a controllable backend reaction. This ball keeps the pins low. My ball reaction wasn't over/under and the ball didn't squirt a lot. My carry has been awesome.
So if you are looking for a ball that will get down the lane and have a very predictable backend ball motion …the Hammer Viral is for you. Remember Nothing Hits Harder than a Hammer.

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0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5
Reviewed by on

About the Bowler

League Average:
200
PAP:
4.125, 5/8" up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Stroker
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
180
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
I use this ball mostly when the lanes dry up, it is my backup ball for league when my one of my primary balls (RotoGrip Wrecker, or Bunswick Loaded Revolver) is over reacting. For me it is a little straighter shot, and it is predictable.

What puzzles me is this ball does not seem to soak up oil, I have put it in an oven a few times @120°F and I never get anything from it. Hammer states they prefer to use a submersion technique that uses a high frequency to pull out the oil. These machines are about $1000+, and my local pro shop does not have one either yet.

I have used the ball on occasion from start to finish for league and I score very well with it. I also notice that there are about 4 or 5 other people on my league that have the Viral and have success with it.

Great Ball
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