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Reviews by Jared Wolf

Brunswick Fortera Intrigue

Brunswick Mastermind Brainiac

Brunswick Mastermind Einstein

Brunswick Melee Hook

Brunswick Melee Jab

Brunswick Nirvana

Brunswick Ultimate Nirvana

Brunswick Vintage Danger Zone

Brunswick Vintage Gold Rhino Pro

DV8 Deviant

DV8 Diva Divine

DV8 Grudge

DV8 Thug Unruly

DV8 Vandal

Radical Guru

Radical Guru Master

Radical Guru Mighty

Radical Guru Supreme

Radical Ridiculous

Show all reviews

Brunswick Fortera Intrigue

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by Jared Wolf on 1/11/2015

About the Bowler

Bowler Stats:
18.5-19.5 mph
400-450 rpm
7-9 degree tilt
40-60 degree rotation

Layout: 45 degrees by 5" by 45 degrees

Initial thoughts: My Exile is a great piece for me to go to when I need plenty of pop downlane after some friction is created to the outside. The Intrigue should be at least a pinch stronger so that I have a step up from my Exile but still a bit weaker than my "big-boy" asymmetrics like the Guru and the Intellect.

On the lanes, the Intrigue gave me the exact same shape as the Exile but just with more hook. Thus, it's one of the most angular asymmetric balls I've ever thrown. Still very clean through the fronts, starts reading the very end of the midlane (that the Exile might scoot through), and then check up hard off of the friction. While still being friendly to misses outside into friction, the Intrigue is a tad more forgiving when tugged inside into oil thanks to the stronger cover. One observation is that my Intrigue seems to go through the pins in a very strong manner, often finishing through the 8-pin (I'm a righty). Compared to the Exile with the same layout, the Intrigue is about a 4-5 board move inside with my feet and a 0-1 board move inside at my breakpoint but similar shape. Compared to my Guru with the same layout, the Intrigue is about a 5 board move outside with my feet if I want to keep the same breakpoint downlane (due to the extra length).

Closing Remarks: The Intrigue is a great asymmetric piece to fit above the Exile and/or below the Intellect/Guru. The quick response to friction makes the Intrigue an easy choice on medium to heavy house patterns and medium to heavy sport patterns after some friction has been created downlane.
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Brunswick Mastermind Brainiac

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Reviewed by Jared Wolf on 12/12/2015

About the Bowler

Bowler Stats:
18-19mph
425-475rpm
5-7* tilt
40-60* axis rotation

Layout:
30* by 5.5" by 75* (with hole 2" down VAL)

Intent:
My local house shot is very wet-dry and I needs something that would stand up quick and still allow me to play further outside. This layout is a little on the "tricky" side for me since I rarely use such small drilling angles and such large VAL angles, much less combining the two. I added a little surface (3000 grit by hand) to bring the shape a little closer to me. In addition to combating the wet-dry of my house shot, the look from this ball should also give me a slightly different look from what I'm used to seeing downlane.
On the lanes:
The Brainiac was just what the doctor ordered. The surface combined with the more extreme layout (compared to my typical preferences at least) gave me the exact reaction I was looking for (see above). What I was very pleasantly surprised with though was how long I could stay with this ball throughout the night and keep creeping inside. Thanks to the super responsive cover, the Brainiac can stay in my hands for all 3 games of league even on a higher friction surface (AMF HPL). With a more traditional layout, I think this ball would be one of the more downlane asymmetrics I've ever thrown. It should be a perfect compliment to the Einstein if you're looking for a bit quicker downlane response.
Closing Remarks:
The Mastermind line has only gotten better with each and every ball. The Brainiac only continues that improvement in design and innovation. While I tricked my first one a little to fit a gap in my shapes, I imagine I'll be getting another one to compliment my Einstein more traditionally.
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Brunswick Mastermind Einstein

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by Jared Wolf on 7/21/2015

About the Bowler

Bowler Stats:
Speed: 18-19mph
Rev Rate: 400-450rpm
Axis Rotation: Medium
Axis Tilt: Low
Ball Layout: 45 by 5.25” by 45 with P3 hole
The Einstein is the bigger, better brother to the Mastermind Intellect. The Einstein will produce similar overall hook compared to the Intellect with the difference coming all in the backend. My Einstein still gives me more than enough midlane reaction but I’m very pleased with the extra backend strength. This allows me to open up my angles and not be so worried about leaving corner pins as I continue moving inside. I thought the Scholar was my favorite ball in the Mastermind line, but the Einstein is quickly catching up. It’s just a good, wholesome, versatile, big-boy asymmetric. Nothing terribly fancy but just gets the job done. I tend to pull this out of my bag first when I know I’ll be dealing with heavier volume and/or longer patterns. Whether you plan on facing heavier/longer house shots or sport patterns, the Einstein would be a great choice for a strong yet versatile asymmetric.

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Brunswick Melee Hook

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by Jared Wolf on 12/12/2015

About the Bowler

Bowler Stats:
18-19mph
425-475rpm
5-7* tilt
40-60* axis rotation

Layout:
45* by 4.5 by 70* (with hole 2" down VAL)

Intent:
The Melee Hook is designed to be the perfect benchmark ball. Solid, low-RG symmetrics tend to be the first ball out of my bag on most patterns (unless they are super short or super long).
Combine that with a layout that smooths out the shape a little and a hole that brings it a little closer to me, and what I have is a ball to carry around to most events.

On the lanes:
I've had the pleasure of throwing the Hook on several different patterns at different houses. These include Beaten Path on Pro-Anvilanes and house and Athens on AMF HPL. Each time the Melee Hook gave me a consistent look to the pocket, especially on the fresh. The Melee Hook gives me a stronger and earlier shape than my Deviant with the same layout and I see it as being a more consistently rounded shape than the Einstein with about the same hook potential. Basically it's the bigger ball with the same shape in my Melee hook, Deviant, LT-48 combo (all have the same layout)

As with most low-RG solids with my low tilt, the Hook does tend to struggle when I want to get really deep. However, that's not really what this ball is for. The Hook is designed to be that stable rolling staple in your bag when you need a strong midlane read.

Closing Remarks:
The Melee hook is that strong, smooth ball reaction that Brunswick is widely popular for being able to provide. The midlane roll makes this ball very forgiving across the board, from wet-dry house shots to the tighter sport patterns. I imagine this ball being a favorite for most people at Nationals this next year provided that the pattern is anywhere in the 38-43ft range (which 99% of the time it will be). The stable and predictable reaction will keep the Melee Hook in my bag for quite a while.

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Brunswick Melee Jab

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by Jared Wolf on 1/11/2015

About the Bowler

Bowler Stats:
18.5-19.5 mph
400-450 rpm
7-9 degree tilt
40-60 degree rotation

Layout: 60 degrees by 5.5" by 45 degrees

Initial thoughts: The Melee Jab takes the tried and true Melee Low-RG core and combines it with a new pearl version of the Savvy Hook coverstock. A symmetric Low-RG pearl is historically very good on my wallet. Couple this with talk of this ball being a slightly stronger (and more angular) version of the original Melee and Versamax and I can't wait to throw it.

On the lanes....WOW! This ball gets back from anywhere for me. Plenty of length through the front part of the lane before absolutely unleashing on the backend. On fresh house shots, all I have to do is just send it into the friction and let Jab come screaming back. I can almost stand as far left as I want on house shots and hook it as much as I want, as long as I get it out to the right. The pearl cover at the OOB surface combined with the low-RG core gives the perfect amount of push with misses outside (thanks to the cover) but goes through the pins well even when pulled inside (thanks to the low-RG core). It's perfect on medium to long tougher patterns after a couple of games where some friction has been created to the outside. Once that happens, it's the exact same story: send it to the friction and watch it come back. So far with this Jab, I have been able to play as deep as I want without ever worrying about it not coming back strong enough to send 10 back or snap out 10 pins. Compared to the LT-48 with the same layout, the Jab is about 5 boards stronger for me with all of that coming from the backend. This gives me a great 1-2 punch later in blocks.

Closing Remarks: Backend, backend, and more backend! All this ball does for me is turn left at the breakpoint and absolutely run the pins over from any point on the lane. Mine has earned it's spot in both my tournament bag and my league bag by giving a strong backend reaction and a shape that I've never seen before.

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Brunswick Nirvana

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by Jared Wolf on 9/26/2015

About the Bowler

Bowler’s Stats:
Speed: 18.5-19 mph
Rev Rate: 425-450 rpm
Axis Rotation: 30-60 degrees
Axis Tilt: 5-7 degrees
Ball Layout: 45* by 5” by 45*

Initial Thoughts: Based on the literature, I knew the Nirvana would be close to the top of my bag based on overall hook potential. The new ultra-low RG core plus the new ECS cover at 1500 grit means that this ball will be a go-to for longer and heavy volume patterns.

On the lanes: In the first few shots, it was obvious the Nirvana is just as advertised; loads of hook with more than enough of it coming downlane. I’ve yet to bowl on a pattern that would truly let me stick with the Nirvana for more than just a game as my league patterns around here are not very heavy and/or on softer lane surfaces. That being said, while tinkering around in practice I’ve seen great reaction so long as I keep in in the oil as long as possible. For the most part this means playing about 5th arrow out to about 10-11 at the breakpoint. Since even our fresh house shots aren’t that forgiving from that angle, I can’t wait to throw it on some real length and volume. Compared to the Radical Guru Master (layout of 45* by 4.5” by 70*) the Nirvana has similar overall hook potential just with more of it coming from further downlane. Hence if you find the Guru Master to be a little too rolly later in sets, I’d suggest you take a good look at the Nirvana. Compared to my Mastermind Einstein, the Nirvana is a good 3-4 boards move inside if I want to project the ball out to the same breakpoint. Therefore if you love your Einstein but are looking for a little more reaction on heavier oil then the Nirvana is also the answer here.

Closing Summary: With all of the buzz surrounding the Nirvana, it does an amazing job of backing it up. It’s a super strong overall ball motion with plenty of downlane motion that is truly rare for such a strong asymmetric. Mine will be traveling with me quite a bit for longer and heavier patterns and I already plan on getting another one and drilling it pin down to allow me to play a little straighter to start out. Simply put, the Nirvana is a no-brainer if you’re looking for an insanely strong ball that provides a more complete ball motion.

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Brunswick Ultimate Nirvana

11 of 11 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by Jared Wolf on 2/28/2016

About the Bowler

Brunswick Ultimate Nirvana
Bowler Stats:
Speed: 18-19mph
Rev Rate: 400-450mph
Axis Tilt: 7degrees
Axis Rotation: 30-60 degrees
Layout: 45 degrees by 5” by 50 degrees (small hole 1” down VAL)
Intent: My original Nirvana was a little strong in the earlier part of the lane than what’s usable for me on medium or medium-heavy patterns. I didn’t want to change the surface to keep for the really heavy stuff. The Ultimate Nirvana’s new hybrid cover is what I’m looking for in terms of a little more downlane push but similar shape.
On the lanes: The Ultimate Nirvana has shown to be a great compliment to the original with the similar shape I expected, but without the early read that the original could generate at times. With similar layout, I have my Ultimate being about 1-2 boards less than the original with that being due to the delayed read. With this extra length comes extra versatility.
Final Thoughts: The original Nirvana had tons of success from its strength throughout the whole lane. Bowlers will love the Ultimate Nirvana as a great compliment that will allow them to stay with a bigger ball for slightly longer, either to start out with or as a step down from the original Nirvana. I’d place this as a medium-heavy ball that can sneak its way into the heavy or medium ranges.

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Brunswick Vintage Danger Zone

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by Jared Wolf on 2/28/2016

About the Bowler

Brunswick Vintage Danger Zone
Bowler Stats:
Speed: 18-19mph
Rev Rate: 400-450mph
Axis Tilt: 7degrees
Axis Rotation: 30-60 degrees
Layout: 45 degrees by 4.5” by 70 degrees (hole 2” down VAL)
Intent: The original Danger Zone was a little bit before my time. Even without the nostalgia in my heart, I knew this was THE ball of the mid to late 1990s. With the updated core and cover, the DZ looked to be an all-purpose ball that would see a lot of play. I went with one of my favorite layouts with this one to help make for an extremely versatile piece.
On the lanes: The DZ is easily one of the most versatile balls I’ve thrown. Low RG cores and solid covers always tend to be very forgiving, more so on fresher patterns. With the DZ, it’s now my benchmark ball and tends to be my go-to on anything remotely around medium-ish length and medium-ish volume. The DZ is the strongest ball in the Vintage line with the LT-48 being a nice complement on the lower side. Just above the DZ I’d place the Melee Hook if you’re looking at the range of solid symmetricals. I have the DZ at about 4 boards stronger than the LT-48 and about 2 weaker than the Melee Hook. The past few weeks this ball has been destroying my house shot. I believe that the DZ is one of the most practical options for house shots. The versatility allows for following the shot throughout the night and will succeed at multiple angles provided that you aren’t on something extremely dry or flooded. Outside of house shots, for those bowlers looking for something on tougher patterns, it’s hard to not have a low RG solid in the bag.
Final Thoughts: The legend has returned and it’s only proper to relive history with this piece. The well-roundedness of the DZ makes for a great value since the ball has such as large window of capability.

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Brunswick Vintage Gold Rhino Pro

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by Jared Wolf on 3/1/2015

About the Bowler

Bowler Stats:
18-19 mph
400-425 rpm
5-7 degree tilt
40-60 degree rotation

Layout: 45 degrees by 5.5" by 50 degrees

Initial thoughts: Any ball following the LT-48 in the new Vintage line better be something special. Couple this with the legacy of the original Gold Rhino and the new Vintage Gold Rhino Pro has some serious hype to live up to. The LT-48 (my favorite ball in quite some time) needed a partner with a little more midlane read and overall strength. The Gold Rhino is supposed to do just that. My layout for the Gold Rhino matches that of my favorite LT-48.

On the lanes: It's apparent from the first few shots that Brunswick did a perfect job of matching core and cover. The pearl Fortify cover (featured in the Exile and Brute) pushes effortlessly downlane while the modified Vintage core (added differential) is just enough horsepower to get the ball started quicker. On fresh conditions, my Gold Rhino Pro outhooks the LT-48 by about 3 boards. If I had to make an estimate, I'd say that 2 of those come from the Fortify cover with the other due to the modified core. Just send the ball out to the dry on house shots and let the Fortify cover bring it screaming back. As the lanes transition, the gap in hook potential between the Gold Rhino and the LT-48 starts narrowing ever so slightly. Only on the most burnt up conditions have my LT-48 and Gold Rhino had the same overall hook potential.

The increased strength of the Gold Rhino compared to the LT-48 makes for a very versatile ball for me. I have a total of 4 LT-48s just because the cover/core combo match up so well for me. With this first Gold Rhino comparing to my favorite LT-48 in the way that it does, I'm already planning on drilling several more. This should be the obvious choice for most bowlers on medium patterns or patterns that have gone through transition. I'll be traveling with at least one in my arsenal for what I imagine to be quite some time.
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DV8 Deviant

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Reviewed by Jared Wolf on 11/14/2015

About the Bowler

DV8 Deviant

Bowler’s Stats:
Speed: 18.5-19 mph
Rev Rate: 425-450 rpm
Axis Rotation: 30-60 degrees
Axis Tilt: 5-7 degrees
Ball Layout: 45* by 4.5” by 75*

With a medium-RG symmetric core and the composite V solid coverstock, the Deviant had “benchmark ball” written all over it for me. I went with the layout posted above to further enhance the control I expect in a ball that will often be the first out of my bag.

On the lanes, it didn’t take long for me to see something I like. First game of league with this Deviant ended with a 300 on Kegel’s Beaten Path. Medium midlane read with strong continuation through the rest of the lane gives me plenty of miss room. While I often find myself attached to these shapes on fresh flatter patterns (to smooth out the lane and increase my miss window), my Deviant has been very good about letting me square up a little more with house shots without as much worry of over-under reactions. The ball as a whole is very versatile and I was surprised how well it responded from numerous angles, even with my low tilt and more controlled layout. My Deviant did tend to get a little spotty on carry when moving way inside (5th-ish arrow and more) but I’m getting another Deviant to drill pin up (probably 45 by 5.5” by 45) to provide and easy 1-2 combo to play off of each other; especially when moving in a little too deep for the pin-down to carry.

It’s hard for me to think of a ball to describe the Deviant as being similar to. Simply put, it’s a look from DV8 that I’ve never seen. The best way I can explain is that is feels like a hybrid between the DV8 Vandal and something like a Brunswick original Red Melee.

Between my current pin-down and my future pin-up Deviant, 99.9% of my bowling travels will involve having at least one Deviant in tow. The ball is that good and the ball is that versatile. Although the pattern isn’t released yet, I see this being THE ball for the 2016 USBC Open Championships provided that the pattern stays within the typical 38-42ft range. Smooth, controllable, and predictable ball motions typically equal $$$ on the flatter patterns and this ball will give you that plus some versatility to go around it if you need to. Players of all most all speed and rev rate combinations will be given a reaction shape by the Deviant that can serve as a benchmark.

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DV8 Deviant

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by Jared Wolf on 11/14/2015

About the Bowler

DV8 Diva Divine

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by Jared Wolf on 2/5/2015

About the Bowler

Bowler Stats:
18.5-19.5 mph
400-450 rpm
5-7 degree tilt
40-60 degree rotation

Layout: 90 degrees by 4.5" by 70 degrees

Initial thoughts: All of the Divas have rolled very well for me. Even with a stronger layout, my original Diva was pretty good on fresh medium patterns but still had room for a touch more midlane reaction. The Diva Divine was created to give a stronger motion than the original Diva, but with more overall hook thanks to more midlane read and the same strong backend. I went with this controlled layout because I envision this ball being in my tournament bag, especially on medium to medium heavy sport patterns. In fact, I anticipate this ball will be in my bag for the USBC Open Championships.

On the lanes: This ball is exactly as advertised. Plenty of push through the fronts, a strong midlane read, and plenty of backend reaction to pair with that midlane read. This ball is the total package and is very versatile in my opinion. In my house-shot, I've been starting out with this ball to let the stronger cover smooth out any over-under reaction. In my Kegel challenge league, I've started out with this ball to smooth the breakpoint on the fresh and to give me a predictable reaction. In both leagues, I can continue to move deeper throughout the night and not have to worry much about leaving a weak 10. Usually when I get in past 4th arrow is when carry starts to shrink a little for me and my low tilt. Note however that this ball, with this layout, is not intended for maximum backend reaction. It is intended for a benchmark, first ball out of the bag, reaction on a wide variety of patterns. My original Diva (similar layout but with an x-hole 2" down VAL) is about 3 boards weaker than the Diva Divine with those 3 boards coming from the original waiting longer to pick up on the friction, but similar shape off of the breakpoint. Picture the same shape as the original Diva but with the Divine making it's move about 6-9" earlier.

Closing Remarks: The confidence this ball gives me from reading the midlane is crucial on fresh tougher patterns when you need a consistent reaction. The Diva Divine is the perfect benchmark ball for almost any bowler due to it's strong midlane and backend. If you're going to the USBCs (or planning any tournaments on medium to medium-heavy sport/challenge patterns), I strongly suggest having this ball within reach. Even if you just bowl leagues on house-shots, the Divine will give you a consistent midlane read without over-reacting to the friction outside or hydroplaning in the flood inside. Confidence and control is money. Get the Diva Divine, and it'll pay for itself quickly!
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DV8 Grudge

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by Jared Wolf on 2/28/2016

About the Bowler

DV8 Grudge
Bowler Stats:
Speed: 18-19mph
Rev Rate: 400-450mph
Axis Tilt: 7degrees
Axis Rotation: 30-60 degrees
Layout: 45 degrees by 4” by 45 degrees (small hole 1” down VAL)
Intent: Hook. A lot.
On the lanes: The Grudge has been advertised as so strong that I haven’t thrown it much until I saw a pattern with enough volume that would really test its strength. The 2015 IB Open pattern is 47’ with 33ml of oil; perfect for a test. On the fresh, the Grudge was the most hooking ball in my bag out of the box hands down. Compared to my original Nirvana at 1000 grit, I was surprised to find that the Grudge was about a board stronger than the Nirvana even with its surface. On this pattern I had the Grudge being a little more rolly in nature than the Nirvana so I now have two distinct shapes at the very high end of my bag.
Final Thoughts: I feel like I could literally make this ball hook on ice (at least a flood). Even at the OOB finish, there was plenty of friction to be had. I’m likely to order another and have a stronger layout and rougher surface to have a Grudge/Grudge/Nirvana top part of my arsenal for this year’s IB Open and longer PBA patterns. The only question I have is wondering how they can possibly make something in the future that hooks more.

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DV8 Thug Unruly

12 of 12 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by Jared Wolf on 2/5/2015

About the Bowler

Bowler Stats:
18.5-19.5 mph
400-450 rpm
5-7 degree tilt
40-60 degree rotation

Layout: 70 degrees by 3.5" by 30 degrees

Initial thoughts: The Thug Unruly was being touted as having the same overall hook potential as the Radical Guru but with more backend. As great as the Guru has been, I had to test this hypothesis for myself. Because I went with a more control drilling on the Guru, I wanted to max out my Thug Unruly to give me just a board or two more overall hook potential with a sharper shape off of the breakpoint. Hence, the 70 by 3.5" by 30 layout.

On the lanes: This ball lived up to all expectations. I will note that I have yet to throw this on a house-shot for more than one shot just because it flat out hooks. Much of what I describe from here on out are experiences with this ball on a 42' 2:1 medium-high volume sport pattern.

On this fresh pattern, I was able to start at about 14-15 at the arrows while sending the ball out to 8-9 at the breakpoint. The ball ignored the heads, picked up in the very last few inches of the midlane, and turned on it's left turn blinker. On the fresh, the Unruly was about 2 boards stronger than my Guru (due to the Guru's more controlled layout of about 45 by 5.5 by 45) and had a much sharper breakpoint. For the next few games, I could keep creeping inside with my feet but still send the ball out to 8-9-10 at the breakpoint. All the while, the Thug Unruly would keep finding it's way back to the pocket with enough energy to snap out 10 pins. Even on shots where I would miss it at the bottom of the swing, the Unruly would still check up hard and often finish at the 8 pin through the back of the pin-deck. As the pattern breaks down, the Unruly's cover is clean enough so that you don't have to worry about early hook as soon as you typically do for such a strong asymmetric ball.

Closing remarks: I have no doubt that if laid out exactly the same, the Thug Unruly hooks every bit just as much as the Radical Guru. That being said, I do believe that the shapes will be slightly different in that the Unruly is naturally a bit more angular on the backend. The Unruly sits at the highest end of my arsenal in terms of overall hook and separates itself from my Guru by it's increased angularity. If you want a ball that hooks a metric ton and can still recover from almost anywhere, you have to get your hands on the Thug Unruly.
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DV8 Vandal

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by Jared Wolf on 7/21/2015

About the Bowler

Bowler Stats:
Speed: 18-19mph
Rev Rate: 400-450rpm
Axis Rotation: Medium
Axis Tilt: Low
Ball Layout: 45 by 5” by 50 with P2 hole
The Vandal reminds me a lot of what I first saw in the Wicked Siege and the Aura (two of my favorite asymmetricals of all time), only a bit stronger downlane. Just a touch of midlane read to control the overall reaction before cutting loose on the backends. While I’ve had success with DV8 asymmetrics in the past, the Vandal is in a class all its own. Between the new Vandal core and the new composite pearl coverstock, DV8 really concocted something special. Within the first 10 days of throwing it I’ve had a 300 in tournament play, an 810 in league, and also went 259-279 the last two qualifying games to make a regional cut on Scorpion. The only DV8 ball that really comes close enough to compare would be the old Hell Raiser Terror (which received a bunch of praise). For most bowlers, I could easily see this being the first ball out of the bag in league play. Mine is absolutely a house shot killer. With my low tilt and only medium axis rotation, I obviously prefer playing a little straighter than others with the same speed and rev rate. However it is very easy for me to still carry the corner pins even when moving past 4th arrow with the Vandal. While this ball is a must for the next league season, I believe that many players would match up with this ball on medium to longer sport patterns as some friction is created. Without a doubt I can say that if you’ve been looking at trying DV8, this is absolutely the first ball to try. If you’re a long-time DV8 fan, the Vandal will give you a look that you’ve never seen before.

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Radical Guru

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by Jared Wolf on 1/11/2015

About the Bowler

Bowler Stats:
18-19 mph
400-425 rpm
7-9 degree tilt
40-60 degree rotation

Layout: 45 degrees by 5" by 45 degrees

Initial thoughts: At first I thought the Guru might not be able to deliver on all of it's hype. A dull asymmetric that hooks a ton and is still angular at the breakpoint? That's bowling's equivalent to catching a unicorn. I just had to get my hands on this ball and see for myself.

On the lanes: $%!# this ball hooks. Couple with the fact that it's pretty angular downlane and I'm thoroughly impressed. After a single shot, my jaw dropped and it only dropped lower from there after each shot. This ball lives up to all of its hype. A house that I bowl league in is notorious for a heavy volume house pattern on very low friction synthetics with little free hook outside (unless your speed is low). I'd been fairing pretty well throwing something smooth (sanded pin-down LT-48) up 2nd arrow on the fresh until I could really move in. Now with the Guru I have an amazing look starting about 3rd arrow (trust me, 3rd arrow feels really deep on the fresh shot here) and I can actually stick with the Guru all night during this league. Through the 3 games of league, I can just gradually inch deeper throughout the night and not have to worry about the Guru not cornering enough to snap out the 10 pin. After starting out at about 3rd arrow in game one (out to about 8 at the breakpoint) with the Guru, I usually finish game 3 with the Guru around 22-23 at the arrows still out to about 8-9 at the breakpoint. Throughout the entire night, the Guru allows me to get inside of everyone, save for a few older gentlemen who hook the whole lane at only about 13mph.

While I feel the Guru is in a class all it's own, here are some comparisons. The Guru is an easy 4 board move inside with my feet from my Intellect (with a weaker layout) and those 4 boards appear to be split between the midlane and backend reaction. The Guru is about 5 boards stronger than my Intrigue with the same layout with the difference being the stronger midlane.

Closing Remarks: The Guru has firmly cemented itself at the top end of my both my league and tournament bags. The combination of tons of hook and plenty of angularity gives me a ball reaction that I have never seen before. I know if the Guru doesn't hook, nothing will. Get yours today and experience the hook and reaction that everyone is talking about.

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Radical Guru Master

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by Jared Wolf on 7/21/2015

About the Bowler

Bowler Stats:
Speed: 18-19mph
Rev Rate: 400-450rpm
Axis Rotation: Medium
Axis Tilt: Low
Ball Layout: 45 by 4” by 65 with P3 hole
When I first got this ball I wanted to max it out; something to compliment my Thug Unruly (50 by 3.5 by 30) on the seriously long and heavy volume patterns. Also I wanted it to be a bit stronger than my Original Guru (45 by 4.5 by 45). I threw the Master on a house shot just for kicks and it was way too much ball for my rev rate, especially considering my house shot plays on the medium to medium-dry side. However, I wanted to give an honest comparison. Compared to the original Guru, the Master is about 3 boards stronger overall. I contribute most of this difference to the difference in layout. With the same layout, I believe the Master will be about a 1 board stronger overall in the midlane. One difference between the original and the Master is in the time in which the ball begins to laneshine. While my original had a tendency to shine up pretty quickly (thus requiring more routine maintenance to keep the cover fresh and close to box finish), I have not seen that with the Master. On the new 47’ Scorpion pattern, I found success with the Master playing about 12 at the laydown out to 8-9 on the fresh. Despite the strong cover and what I consider a rather early layout for me, the Master gave me a surprising amount of downlane pop. As soon as the heads start to burn up, I have no choice but to put this ball away. It’s just simply too strong in my hands without a good deal of oil in the heads. If you are looking for a ball that will absolutely hook on anything, the new Guru Master should be the only ball for your consideration.

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Radical Guru Mighty

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by Jared Wolf on 3/1/2015

About the Bowler

Bowler Stats:
18-19 mph
400-425 rpm
5-7 degree tilt
40-60 degree rotation

Layout: 45 degrees by 5" by 45 degrees

Initial thoughts: The Guru Mighty has some big shoes to fill if it's going to meet the glory that the original Guru has received. On paper and on video, the Mighty is supposed to have the same overall hook potential as the original but with more backend reaction. I used the same layout for the Mighty as I did my original for a true apples-to-apples comparison.

On the lanes: WHOA! I didn't think it was possible but the Mighty is every bit as strong as advertised. On two fresh house shots, I could play almost the exact same line with both the Mighty and the original. Thrown on the same line, the Mighty could push about a foot or so more before making its move to the pocket. However due to its stronger backend reaction due to the hybrid cover, the Mighty for me was actually a half to whole board stronger than the original due to the built-in friction of the house shot. The main difference that I see between the two balls is obviously the increased downlane motion of the Mighty which leads to being able to stay with the ball longer throughout the session. Where the original might be tempted to burn up a little early and leave a few weak 10s, the Mighty can still corner downlane enough to snap out those 10s. To put it into a little more perspective, I was able to play well inside of 4th arrow with the Mighty and I was sawing out 10s even with my low tilt (even after 4 games!).

On longer, heavier patterns, I believe the Mighty to be about a board weaker than the original due to the slighter read of the midlane. As the lane transitions, you'll see the Mighty catch up to the original in overall hook before potentially surpassing it.

Closing Remarks: I hesitate to make such a bold claim early on, but I tend to feel that the Mighty will become more popular than the original Guru. I say this due to the increased versatility and the ability to stay with the ball longer throughout the set while still maintaining a metric ton of hook potential. My Mighty remains next to my original Guru at the top of my bag. The two combine to give me maximum hook potential with varying shapes on the backend. Get one, or get beat by it!
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Radical Guru Supreme

9 of 9 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by Jared Wolf on 11/14/2015

About the Bowler

Radical Guru Supreme

Bowler’s Stats:
Speed: 18.5-19 mph
Rev Rate: 425-450 rpm
Axis Rotation: 30-60 degrees
Axis Tilt: 5-7 degrees
Ball Layout: 45* by 4.5” by 50*

I thought the Guru Master was a lot of ball, this is more.
I’ve only been able to throw this ball a few frames simply because I haven’t had a need for it yet in my area for leagues or in tournament travel. When I have tested it alongside my Nirvana and Guru Master on both house shots and the 41’ Beaten Path in league warm-up, the Guru Supreme is an easy 2-1 move inside from the Master and about the same for the Nirvana. While the Supreme has a more angular shape than the Master (where I view the extra boards coming from) the Supreme and the Nirvana have a surprisingly similar shape for me with just the Supreme having a little more horsepower in the midlane. I can’t imagine it being possible to make a ball that’s much stronger than this but I’m sure in a year or more I’ll be amazed again. I have nothing else to say; this ball just flat out hooks.
If you’re bowling on absolutely flooded conditions, longer patterns, or have insanely high ball speed and low rev rate, this ball will provide the most hook on the market. The fact that the Supreme outhooks the Master (the highest rated ball in overall hook ever) is just insane. If you’re looking to replace or add a ball into the very top of your arsenal to combat the long length and high volume patterns, the Guru Supreme has no equal.

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Radical Ridiculous

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by Jared Wolf on 11/14/2015

About the Bowler

Radical Ridiculous

Bowler’s Stats:
Speed: 18.5-19 mph
Rev Rate: 425-450 rpm
Axis Rotation: 30-60 degrees
Axis Tilt: 5-7 degrees
Ball Layout: 45* by 5.5” by 45*

Radical’s philosophy on most of their products is to cater to the reactions most needed by bowlers. For most bowlers on house shots, that means strong while remaining angular and versatile. The Ridiculous pushes Radical’s territory in angularity to new lengths while preserving ease of use. The layout above was used to make the most out of what this ball is supposed to be – a house shot killer.

On one of my local houses I’ve been struggling at, the Ridiculous gave me a new look and more miss room than most of my other equipment. My strong equipment is too over-under on the fresh and too strong after a game or so anyway. The weaker stuff leads to odd carry issues in this house even if the over-under is controlled. The Ridiculous for me is the best of both worlds because I can start with a ball that I know is going to read well and recover and this stay with that ball throughout the night as I creep inside. Most importantly, I’ve noticed my Ridiculous is keeping pins very low at this house compared to other balls which we all know helps with carry percentage (almost like “trucking through pins” instead of “blowing the rack up”).

I imagine the Ridiculous would work wonders for almost all house shot bowlers. It’s angular yet versatile reaction allows you to trust and stay with the ball longer throughout the night.

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