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Reviews by Mark Tarkington

Roto Grip Asylum

Roto Grip Critical

Roto Grip Dare Devil

Roto Grip Dare Devil Trick

Roto Grip Devour

Roto Grip Eternal Cell

Roto Grip Haywire

Roto Grip Hectic

Roto Grip Hustle Pink/Onyx/White Pearl

Roto Grip Hustle Red/Indigo/Gold Pearl

Roto Grip Hustle Silver/Aqua/Yellow Hybrid

Roto Grip Hyper Cell

Roto Grip Hyper Cell Skid

Roto Grip Hysteria

Roto Grip Hy-Wire

Roto Grip Idol Pearl

Roto Grip Menace

Roto Grip No Rules

Roto Grip No Rules Exist

Roto Grip No Rules Pearl

Roto Grip Outcry

Roto Grip Rumble

Roto Grip Sinister

Roto Grip Totally Defiant

Roto Grip Unhinged

Roto Grip Wreck-Em

Roto Grip Wreck-It

Storm Alpha Crux

Storm Byte

Storm Code Black

Storm Code Red

Storm Crux

Storm Crux Pearl

Storm Crux Prime

Storm Fever Pitch

Storm Hy-Road Pearl

Storm Hy-Road Solid

Storm IQ Tour 30

Storm IQ Tour Fusion

Storm IQ Tour Nano

Storm Joy Ride

Storm Lights Out

Storm Lock

Storm Marvel-S

Storm Optimus

Storm Optimus Solid

Storm Phaze II

Storm Physix

Storm Pitch Black

Storm Pitch Blue

Storm Punch Out

Storm Rocket

Storm Rocket Ship

Storm Sky Rocket

Storm Snap Lock

Storm Street Fight

Storm Sure Lock

Storm Timeless

Storm Torrent

Storm Zero Gravity

Show all reviews

Roto Grip Asylum
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 14
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: 6.67
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 4 1/2 horizontal, 1 5/8 up
Layout: 60 x 6 x 80

This isn’t going to be a traditional review. This ball was drilled for burned and beat up conditions, specifically sport patterns where something like a fall-back shot is required. I got this ball and have plenty of balls that cover boards in a variety of shapes, but I’ve been lacking something for burn. Since this is where I get demolished in tournaments, it was time to figure something out.

This Asylum is drilled to flare about ½” and just roll. The only reading it does is due to surface. I haven’t altered the surface yet, but that may be coming soon. When the lanes are really eat up and everything is hooking tons, this one will roll relatively straight and go exactly where you roll it.

Mind you this is because of the layout and not the core/cover. I’ve seen plenty of guys use this one with much success covering boards, so the ball isn’t weak and it will do whatever you need from it. My layout is a good example of this. A ball that seems to be as aggressive as the Asylum was really tamed down, and seemingly weak, but one thing that wasn’t lost is the hitting power. Even though it has no flare and just rolls, when it gets to the pocket, it hits like it just angled off of the pattern.

In the next couple of weeks, I’m going to be testing this one out on some sport patterns that should get burned up pretty bad. I’ll post an update when I have a bit more information.

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Roto Grip Critical
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 15
Rev Rate: 400
Ball Speed: 17.3
Axis Tilt: 7
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Layout: 40 x 3 x 50

Not having really rolled the Critical Theory, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the Critical. I really wasn’t sure what kind of layout to use on this one, but I decided to make it really even and heavy rolling.

My first attempt on the lanes was not good, I was on a pair of lanes following league and it just wouldn’t shape. It was either flat or left at my toes. I couldn’t get the ball to give me any kind of consistent motion. Being a bit discouraged, I had to put it away.

My next attempt was on a THS and this ball found it’s rhythm! It is smooth and even and does not jump when it encounters friction. I was able to start it in the middle of the puddle and just send it right and it would just bend back to the pocket. The pattern held up and I never really had to make any major moves throughout the night. I really like this ball on a THS, so it’s always in my bag on league night.

I did have the opportunity to use it on 47’ Scorpion as a ball down from my Menace and it worked rather well. It was smooth and controllable, when I encountered over/under with the Menace. This gives me some hope that the Critical will work well on longer sport patterns, especially since it doesn’t jump on the friction.

I’m really liking the Critical thus far and really look forward to trying it on many other patterns.

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Roto Grip Dare Devil
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
The Dare Devil is a good long/strong ball for late shift or tournament burn.

I like the shape I get down lane, when everything else seems to be a bit strong. It is sharp enough to get back where a ball up would burn up.

It clears the fronts with ease and corners with no problems. The cover is a bit stronger than I had anticipated, so it can stand up a bit quickly if the middles are jumping. I’ve found that I can give it just a bit more room and still get it back when this happens.

The Dare Devil definitely has its place in my bag for the upcoming tournament season.


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Roto Grip Dare Devil Trick
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
The Dare Devil Trick is a great all around benchmark ball. I’ve had the opportunity to use it on a variety of patterns and haven’t found many where it won’t work.

On THS, this ball can work in the track or covering boards. It manages transitions very well.

On sport patterns, the Trick works quite well. It reads the fronts and just rolls without jumping when it encounters friction. It’s one of the best symmetric balls that I’ve used on competitive patterns. This ball was my only/best option when I was in Vegas for the USBC Open. It worked great on both patterns (if only I had realized this during singles).

As a benchmark, you can’t go wrong or possibly do better than the Dare Devil Trick.

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Roto Grip Devour
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 15
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: 7
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Layout: 70 x 3 1/2 x 75 P3 Hole

As the Menace is a ball up for my Crux Pearl, the Devour is to be a ball down.

I’m not sure it really fits that description.

I’ve only got a few games on the Devour and it’s quite a bit stronger than I had anticipated. I’ve used it on our house pattern with some success, but I was standing 35, and sending it to the gutter, just to stay right of the head pin. I did some moving around trying to find the best look for the pocket, but it was just so strong. At the box finish, it would glide through the fronts and make a nasty move as soon as it encounters friction. I was able to get through the game before I had to put it away.

Before its next outing, I applied Storm Step 1 compound, hoping to weaken it just a bit. Oh, but no, the step 2 just did exactly what shine is supposed to, it made the ball even sharper than before. I was trying this on Kegel Turnpike pattern and it was just too much. Unless it was on target at 40 foot, it was no good. If I missed right at all, it was a 0 for the first ball (that happened twice in 4 baker games…), if I missed left, it was just dead left. Now, this isn’t a problem with the ball, this is a problem with the idiot trying to use the wrong ball on a difficult pattern.

I really need to get more games on the Devour and will be knocking that shine off before the next time it travels down the lane. I will probably hit it with a white or gray pad, just to get it to read a bit earlier and smoothen it out.

The Devour is a good ball and it will be a great addition to my bags, but I will need to work with it to determine exactly where it fits.

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Roto Grip Eternal Cell
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 15
Rev Rate: 400
Ball Speed: 17.3
Axis Tilt: 7
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Layout: 30 x 3 x 60

Having been a fan of all of the Cell series, I was looking forward to the Eternal Cell.

I’ve found that low drill angles tend to roll much better for me, so this ball was to be a benchmark ball for mediums and/or THS. Well, that didn’t work quite like I had anticipated. Even though it’s polished out of the box, it’s still quite strong and doesn’t hesitate when it rolls up on friction.

I’ve used it on a couple of THS and it’s strong enough to get through the puddle in the middle and still make the pocket. If it encounters the friction outside it will jump left with the box polish. I believe it will roll well at 2000 or 3000, but I haven’t knocked the shine off of it yet.

I really enjoy rolling this ball and, as strange as it is to say, I really like the way it looks rolling down the lane. I’ve actually had customers inquire about it, not because of hook or shape, but because of the colors.

With it’s box surface, it may be a bit too sharp off the pattern on anything sport-certified, but I haven’t had the opportunity to try it out yet.

Anyone who likes the Cell series will definitely want this ball, it’s a great addition to the Roto line.

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Roto Grip Haywire
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 15
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: 7
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Layout: 50 x 4 x 40

I drilled the Haywire for medium length and volume patterns, and was hoping that it would be versatile enough to use on our house patterns. Quite happy to say that it is quite good on the house as well as sport patterns.

I’ve used the Haywire quite a bit on the house patterns around here and really like the shape I get at the breakpoint. I am going to say that this is probably the strongest pin-up ball I currently have in my bags. It gets through the fronts with ease, even when they start to break down and it recovers with a big move at the end of the pattern.

After putting a few games on it, I really wish that I had drilled it with pin-down sums, but I really can’t complain. This ball is just fun to roll. My normal roll is pretty much up the back of the ball and this ball still clears the fronts really well, but when it comes time to make small adjustments in hand position or release, it accommodates these adjustments with no issue. I am looking forward to getting many more games on the Haywire and can’t foresee any reason why this ball doesn’t stay in my bag for a long time.

The Haywire is a very special release from Roto. This can be a great ball for anyone.

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Roto Grip Hectic
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 15
Rev Rate: 400
Ball Speed: 17.3
Axis Tilt: 7
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Layout: 60 x 4 x 25

I drilled the Hectic just to cover boards. I want to be able to stand left, roll it to the friction and have it fly back!

I’ve used it during the late part of league and after league. It has no problems getting down the lane, but if my speed is too soft, it will roll too early. For a pearl, this ball reads the lane earlier than I would have expected. I was assuming that it would be a bit stronger than my Unhinged, but it’s a bit earlier, while still having a fairly strong backend.

I want to use this ball more, but the layout combined with the cover makes it really condition specific. I’m going to try to get more games in with the Hectic and possibly knock the shine off, just to see if it becomes more versatile.

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Roto Grip Hustle Pink/Onyx/White Pearl
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
The POW is a fun one to roll.

As a lower price point ball, this one packs a pretty good punch. It gets good length, has plenty of movement on the backend, and doesn’t lose any hit.

I’ve been able to use the POW on our house shot and really like what I’ve seen.

I can cover boards laterally if necessary or play the hold where our oil turns into a puddle.

I’m looking forward to getting more games on the POW to see if it has any real limits.

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Roto Grip Hustle Red/Indigo/Gold Pearl
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
This is my favorite Hustle to date.

I’ve been able to bail out a few sets with this ball, when the lanes get unexpectedly funky.

If our house pattern ends up with too much oil towards the outside, I’ve been quite successful using the RIG to play between 5-10 with a little bounce and keeping the pocket the whole night. Normally, I can’t stay that far right on a THS, but when ours gets this way, I will either use a Pitch Black (and I’m not a urethane guy) or the RIG.

The RIG doesn’t roll too early and isn’t as sharp as the POW, so it makes a nice smooth move that makes my life so easy on those strange pattern nights.

The RIG will be in my bag for quite a while, especially on our THS.

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Roto Grip Hustle Silver/Aqua/Yellow Hybrid
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Layout: 60 x 5 x 20

I drilled up this Hustle expecting something quite different than I actually got. This ball is stronger than I had anticipated. When it comes to burn, and trying to get a ball through the heads, I use my Joy Ride, which is amazing. I was hoping to drill the Hustle SAY as a stronger version of the Joy Ride. Even with a similar layout, the Hustle is significantly earlier and smoother than the Joy Ride.

I have used it on THS and it rolls quite well. I believe that it will match up quite well on medium length sport patterns and may end up using some surface to counter my longer pin to PAP.

For the price point, this is a great release, and if price is a consideration, this ball won’t break the bank and will be quite satisfying.
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Roto Grip Hyper Cell
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 14
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: 6.67
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 4 1/2 horizontal, 1 5/8 up
Layout: 58 x 4 ½ x 58

Since this ball was supposed to be so strong, I wanted something that I could use in league and try to promote to the bowlers in my center. I decided to drill the Hyper Cell for a THS.

I first rolled it on the USBC Masters pattern. For a really flat pattern, the Hyper Cell allowed me to cover a lot of boards and recovered exceptionally well. I would normally play as straight as possible on something flat with any length, but this ball immediately opened up the lane and allowed me to swing it as you would expect on a house shot. I rolled about 10-15 shots with success, but I’m pretty sure that the shot would break down really fast, thus, I’m not sure that I will be using this ball on anything that flat.

My first use of this one in league was pretty impressive. With drilling so many pieces for tournament patterns, I tend to cover fewer boards with my tournament equipment. The Hyper Cell wants to cover boards and I was more than willing the allow it. Our THS has a significant puddle in the middle, so I tend to start just inside the track, covering as many boards as the ball will allow. This ball has no issue with that. I had to start roughly 5 boards left of where I normally begin and was able to get a couple of boards deeper at the arrows. It was quite smooth through the heads and recovered without compromising carry. I had leak right and pull left, so it gave me plenty of room at the arrows. If I tugged it into the puddle (a pretty bad pull), it would still make it to the pocket, but flat 10 every time. If I really leaked it (bouncing off of the gutter), it would encounter friction too soon and go high or through the nose.

As long as my execution was on par, the ball rolled exceptionally well. I cannot say enough about how strong this one rolls and how it recovers on an over-thrown shot. It carries as well as any ball in my arsenal. One negative would be that with the amount of flare and boards crossed, the shot gets beaten up pretty quickly causing me to migrate left. When this happens, sometimes I get over/under and have to ball down. It definitely doesn’t care for beat up patterns or burned up track area.

One exception to the above, I have found that bowling on the Kegel Ice lane conditioner, the ball will not eat up the shot nearly as bad as it does on the current AMF branded oil we use in my home center. I have had nights, on a 2nd shift, where I could use the Hyper Cell throughout the series. As advertised, the Ice just seems to hold up longer than other brands.

I really like this release and would suggest any bowler who liked the original Cell series, give the Hyper a try.

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Roto Grip Hyper Cell Skid
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 15
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: in flux
Axis Rotation: in flux
PAP: 3 9/16 horizontal, 1 3/8 up
Layout: 35 x 3 ¼ x 40

Having had success with many versions of the previous Cell releases, I was excited to try a new pearl version.

I have so much equipment that is just smooth and even, I was thinking about trying to lay it out for something like a skid/flip. I ended up with something that has a strong, even backend, but nothing super sharp.

I’ve used the Skid on a couple of different house shots and found success on both. As long as there is some volume in the fronts, I get a very consistent roll. The only issue I have encountered was on a pair that seemed to have a serious amount of volume with limited backend. The Skid tried to roll and finish, but the over/under was pretty terrible. I had to put it away.

I am going to be putting more games on this one and try to get in some games on some sport patterns to get a better idea of how it rolls without bounce on the outside or a massive wall inside.

The overall motion I have seen is very smooth with a distinct move when it encounters friction. It likes to go, but with my current roll, it wasn’t sharp. It was predictable and controllable.

Thus far, I really like what I’m seeing. I need to get more games to determine how it handles other patterns.

If you were a fan of any of the original Cell series, this one should be in your bag.
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Roto Grip Hysteria
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 15
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: 6.67
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 4 1/8 horizontal, 11/16 up
Layout: 3 3/8 x 3

I wasn’t really sure what to expect from the Hysteria. I had never owned any of the Nomad series, to which this ball is being compared. I didn’t know what to do regarding a layout. I decided to use an older favorite for symmetric cores and see how it went.

OOB, I tried it on a variety of house patterns, and was a bit disappointed. With that shine, the Hysteria does NOT like any volume. It will skate through the heads, just waiting to find friction. When it does encounter friction, it does not make a hard left, but a very smooth move. If it gets into that friction soon enough, it will get to the hole and carry. If it skates a bit too far, you could be in for some interesting leaves.

Now, that said, this ball has saved my butt on a couple of occasions. It was still new and I had it in the bag, just in case I ran across burn on which it could work. Bowling a team tourney on a variety of patterns, one of which was a modified Cheetah (I am normally pretty terrible on shorter patterns, so I was just going to try to not hurt the team), I started with a dismal 160-something. A teammate, we’ll call Mr. Roberts, suggested making a move and ball change. After discussing what I had in my bags, he suggested trying the Hysteria. After one frame he suggested a feet/target move significantly left. I did this and was able to play 12-out on Cheetah. I have never been able to move left like that on a short pattern, but this ball cleared the heads so well and made such a smooth move that my next two games helped bail that 160-something start. I can’t say I killed it, but the Hysteria gave me the confidence to make good shots on a pattern on which I normally struggle.

My next opportunity was during a 12 game marathon. The last 4 games were tough and this ball’s ability to clear the fronts and make an even move allowed me to climb back into a cashing position when the middles had been totally blown out. The Hysteria saved my butt again!

While having a lull were I wasn’t able to use it for a while, I decided to knock the shine off of it and see what it could do with some surface. I went with about 2000 abralon. This made the ball SIGNIFICANTLY stronger. On normal house shots with volume in the center, I’m able to bump it out to the friction and bring it back and it has plenty of continuation through the pins. As impressed as I was with the OOB finish, I think I really like the look I get with surface even more. It reads the lanes really well, makes a nice move and is quite controllable.

With my use of this ball, I’m considering a second Hysteria just to keep at box finish for the blown out late games on tournament patterns, or any pattern where everything else just hooks too much.

It took some games and help, but I’m sold. This ball is really worth all of the hype you’ve heard.

A great symmetric from Roto Grip!

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Roto Grip Hy-Wire
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Rev Rate: 400
Ball Speed: 17.3
Axis Tilt: 7
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Layout: 50 x 5 x 30

The HyWire is just fun to roll!

I’ve been able to use it on a variety of house patterns and it always clears the heads and turns the corner. It opens up the lane better than most pearls or hybrids. I am yet to have it burn up on me.

As the condition breaks down, I just migrate left with small moves and it keeps me in the pocket.

I can’t say enough about how good the HyWire is. I don’t normally say that a ball is an ‘essential’, but I believe the HyWire is just that. It will fill a gap in your arsenal that you didn’t know you had. This ball is a purchase you will not regret.

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Roto Grip Idol Pearl
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Ball weight: 16
Rev Rate: 400
Ball Speed: 17
Axis Tilt: 7
Axis Rotation: 45*
Layout: 4” pin to pap, 2 ½ from VAL, buried thumb hole

I normally tend to roll big asymmetricals much more than symmetricals. Big asyms just tend to roll better for me. That said, with all of the love the Idol Pearl has been getting, I had to punch it up and see where it ranks in my bag.

Well, I can say that after 6 games, this ball has moved into my main bag. I’ve only used it on the THS in two different houses, but it was pretty amazing for those games. It’s really clean through the fronts with a defined breakpoint. I think it could be super sharp, depending on the pattern, but with the THS, there’s plenty of friction to the right, but it never really tried to jump early, unless I really rolled it badly.

Of my league equipment, this one makes the cut. It’s a bit stronger than the HyRoadX (with the same layout), a bit weaker than the Physix, but a lateral move from the Code Black. The shape is very similar to the Code Black, but it’s a bit quicker off the spot.

I see the Idol Pearl getting a lot of play in the up-coming tournament season, and I look forward to rolling it quite a bit.

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Roto Grip Menace
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 15
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: 7
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Layout: 20 x 3 3/4 x 65, P3 hole

I decided to drill the Menace as a ball up from my Crux Pearl, which is my benchmark for many medium and medium-long patterns. This ball nailed it.

I’ve tried it in a couple of houses on slightly different versions of their THS and it was just too strong. It wasn’t necessarily too early, but it wants to go! I was able to just throw it right and watch it scream back. That is, until they started to transition...then it was time to put it up. It didn’t matter what kind of moves I made, I couldn’t make it work, it was just too strong.

I had the opportunity to use it on a sport pattern (Python-45’ flat) this weekend. I was pretty amazed at how well this ball rolled on what, at the time, was a mystery pattern. As bowlers were searching for a look during practice, I had a shot after just a couple of balls. I was able to target 12-13 at the arrows and allow it to get out to about 6-7 and it was in the pocket. While many bowlers, left and right handed, were having issues with their equipment at the end of the pattern, I was able to use the Menace for 3 games across 3 pair while making small moves left. It rolled and hit great. My only real regret was that more games would have allowed me to see how far I could have migrated before having to ball down.

I’m very excited with the Menace and look forward to using it for quite a while. It will be my go-to for medium-longs.

The Menace is a great release by Roto and a must for anyone looking for something for long patterns or volume.


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Roto Grip No Rules
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Layout: 50 x 4 x 50

I have been keeping my Menace at the top of my bag for heavy oil, only really being able to use it when there is enough volume. It was just replaced with the No Rules. The strength of this ball is something I can’t say that I’ve seen before. On the few occasions that I’ve rolled it, it’s been too early/strong to use for more than a couple of shots.

I have used it on our traditionally oily and blended house pattern and I couldn’t keep it in the pocket. It just needs more volume that a THS provides (for me). I have the utmost confidence that this ball will be in my bag as the ‘oh my god, they are flooded!’ option. I am looking forward to finding the pattern that will allow me to use it for more than a couple of shots.

If you are looking for something to handle longer patterns or significant volume, the No Rules will not disappoint.

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Roto Grip No Rules Exist
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Liking both the No Rules and Daredevil Trick, combining the core of the No Rules and the cover of the Trick had to create amazing results. I wasn’t sure it would be stronger than the original No Rules, I just assumed the cover would add length after using the Trick. I was incorrect.

The layout I used with a 3” pin to PAP was to counteract what I assumed would be built-in length. This may have been a poor decision. I have used the No Rules Exist for about 10 games thus far and it is so very strong. On THS, this ball, for me, is way too early. It reads the midlane so quickly, I leave a lot of flat 10 due to it burning up. As I move deeper on the pattern, I’ve been able to get the ball to work for 1 or 1.5 games, but it totally destroys the pattern being that deep.

I have had a chance to use it on a tourney pattern, which was about 45’ and fairly flat. It rolled great! I was able to use it in practice (10 minutes) and for about 1 game. I was able to play about 12-6 and it was awesome until the 6th frame of the first game. 3 flat 10s in a row. I was able to finish the game, but had to put it in the bag after game 1.

It’s easy to say this ball is not quite what I was expecting, but I tried a layout that I don’t normally use with a pin to PAP that I almost never use. That said, I am not disappointed in the No Rules Exist. I like what I’m seeing out of this ball. I like that it able to break down a pattern fairly quickly, which can be quite useful on the heavier or flatter patterns. This is a very strong asymmetrical core with a very strong cover. If I decide to drill another one, I’ll be using a larger initial angle and a smaller val angle with a 5-6” pin to PAP. I believe that could get me through the fronts better than I am with my current layout.

I believe that the No Rules Exist is a great ball. I just happened to miss the layout. If you liked the No Rules, the No Rules Exist is a no-brainer, it’s significantly stronger and easily one of the strongest asymmetrical balls I’ve ever rolled.

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Roto Grip No Rules Pearl
0 of 2 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
This is my current THS-killer. A new stand left, roll right, and strike all night.

I believe the No Rules Pearl’s cover and early core combination is perfect for the higher volume house pattern we have. It gives me room right and hold in the middle. I’ve had quite a few good nights because this ball creates so much room.

For a strong pearl, it is not sharp, but quite smooth. It’s controllable without being considered weak.

Currently, this is the first ball out of my bag, especially on a THS. The No Rules Pearl is arguably the best asymmetric pearl on the market. It’s well worth a try for most bowlers.

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Roto Grip Outcry
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 15
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: 6.67
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 4 1/8 horizontal, 11/16 up
Layout: Pin under ring, cg kicked 1” right, hole beside thumb

I wanted to try something different with the Outcry. I’ve been liking pin down symmetrics, so I thought I’d try to change the motion with the hole beside the thumb. I’ve seen a few guys in regionals have quite a bit of success with this kind of layout, so why not?

I have not altered the surface yet, so everything has been oob. Using it on the local house shot, I had a great look, just throwing it right and watching it peel back to the hole. For the amount of surface it has, it still gets exceptional length while the lanes are fairly fresh. The motion is fairly sharp, and it hits really well. I’m able to migrate left as needed, but did find that I could move too far left. At that point it was time to ball down.

Using this one a variety of times, it’s a lot of fun to throw and wants to hook. I’m not sure if it’s my layout or just another version of that core that everyone seems to love. I really like it and need to try it on some sport patterns. Once I get some games on sport ratios, I’ll know more about what this one can really do.

Anyone looking for a strong symmetric, this is it. It has plenty of hook and roll.

You won’t be disappointed with the Outcry.

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Roto Grip Rumble
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 14
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: 6.67
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 3 7/8 horizontal, 1 ¼ up
Layout: 2 x 5 pin to pap

After reading up on this one, I decided it would be my new control ball for short patterns and really beaten up shots.

Out of the box, I took it to 4000 Abralon and polished with Storm Xtra Shine. I really want it to get through the heads…

I took this to a tournament where they were putting out Cheetah and assumed this ball could be an early option. With the volume they put out, it was not a first-out-of-the-bag option.

During the practice session, using multiple balls, I found that after the shot was getting worn down, the Rumble rolled quite well out where the pattern is supposed to be played. I was able to set the ball around 6-7 and send it out to anywhere from 1-3 and it was quite controllable and made a nice recovery. With the polish it made it through the heads and was not too sharp at the end of the pattern. After the practice session, I assumed that by game 4 or 5, I would be using this ball.

When the actual tournament started the next day, the pattern started off a bit tighter than the day before. Cycling through my equipment as necessary, I didn’t use the Rumble until game 6 and was only able to use it for about one game. When I was able to use it, I was quite impressed how well it handled the beat up outsides and carry down from the urethanes we had been following. The Rumble actually allowed me to open up the lane a bit more that I would have expected. I really didn’t want to put it down for game 7, but it was covering too many boards and moving left on a beat up Cheetah wasn’t going to help my game.

All in all, with my layout, the ball was quite clean and very smooth. The Rumble carried very well and I am looking forward to using it on a variety of patterns.

A very nice addition to my tournament arsenal.

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Roto Grip Sinister
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 15
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: 6.67
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 4 1/8 horizontal, 11/16 up
Layout: 50 x 4 x 50

I decided to use this layout because I wanted a few different asymmetrical cores with the same drill to see how much the reaction can differ. It really has enlightened me to have 3 balls with the same layout and see totally different reactions. Early on, this ball won me over.

Using it on a THS, I was just standing left, trying to bounce it out to the dry (right of 9) from our puddle (around 10-12). With the OOB finish, the Sinister acquired lane shine rather quickly, which is probably a good thing. This layout causes it to be early and shape like a banana. I like the overall movement and as it shined up, it got a bit more length and turned the corner quite strong. I was really able to open the lane up and just migrate left deeper into the puddle, making 2-1 moves. It never gave up and as long as I kept my speed consistent, there were no issues as the conditions broke down.

I also used this one on the Kegel Abbey Road pattern. The tournament was uber-high scoring and everyone was talking about how it played like a beefed-up house shot. I could not argue. I started around 25, rolling at 15 at the arrows, swinging out to about 6-10 (plenty of room…), and never looked back. Because of the volume, I only made a couple of 2-1 moves over the course of the 4 games, while moving pairs. I ended up averaging in the 240s and qualifying for the stepladder as the 2 seed. I didn’t win the tournament, but being able to use this ball for the entire tournament, including the stepladder was quite impressive. The overall motion was really nice, which I assume was because of the volume. It wasn’t as early and made a bit of a sharper move at the end of the pattern, which had great results.

I can say that this ball will go anywhere I do when the pattern is anything with medium or medium long lengths and there is volume. I find that the more I roll it, the more I like it.

The Roto Grip Sinister…you should #OwnIt!

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Roto Grip Totally Defiant
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 14
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: 6.67
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 3 7/8 horizontal, 1 up
Layout: 5 x 3 1/8 x 3 7/8

My plan for this ball was to have a high-end ball for burned up patterns, when everything wants to check up early. Not the best idea I’ve ever had…

I’ve used this ball on a couple of THS and a 39’, 3:1 sport pattern.

The first night out of the bag was on older HPL synthetics on a late-shift league. This league tends to give me problems as the lanes break down and the ‘major’ transition occurs. At the beginning of league, I was standing about 25-28, rolling at about 13-15 at the arrows with my normal cupped wrist position. I had a great look as long as I got the ball out of the oil by 30 ft. If I tugged the ball inside or it didn’t make it out early enough, it would skate through the breakpoint or finish in the hole for a flat 10. As the lanes broke down, I continued to move deeper, but the look got nasty fairly quickly. Instead of making a ball change, I changed my wrist position to flat, making sure the ball was resting on the ball of my index finger. I was able to move a little right and keep my look about the same. I continued to have the problem with missing inside, but as long as I used the friction to the right of puddle, the ball rolled quite well.

My second league with this one was in a different house on HPL synthetics with a fresh THS. I didn’t start with the Totally Defiant, but my first ball choice was just ringing 10s, so around frame 5 in the first game, I pulled the trigger on the Totally Defiant. Right out of the bag, I was standing 27, rolling 14 with a swing. The room right this ball created was absolutely amazing! If the trajectory was off and I missed right, it came screaming back, if I tugged it, it held and crushed. Started game 2 with front 10 and a flat 10 for 289. The amount of room this ball gave me on a fresh house pattern was crazy. As the third game started, I had to chase the shot left and begin hitting some burn. As it was checking up early, or leaving a half 10, I had to make a ball change.

Using this one on the 39’ sport pattern was quite unsuccessful. I was really hoping for more length, but the ball just didn’t want to get down the lane. I believe this is more due to the layout than the ball itself. The layout made the ball more of a banana than skid/flip.

All of that said, this ball has a place in my bag. It rolls quite well on various levels of the THS, but I’m still looking for a tourney pattern that it will hit as well as the THS. My only complaint is that I missed the layout, which has created duds in the past, but with the Totally Defiant I still have a ball that will be quite useful.

I may have to drill another one of these just to try a more angular layout. I believe this ball wants to make the left turn, so why limit it to the banana shape?

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Roto Grip Unhinged
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 15
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: in flux
Axis Rotation: in flux
PAP: 3 9/16 horizontal, 1 3/8 up
Layout: 45 x 5 x 30

After having success with the Hysteria, I originally considered using this as a ball down; however, after doing some research, I had found that the Unhinged may be too angular to be comparable to the Hysteria.

I decided I wanted it for when the middle of the pattern blows out. I want to be able to jump left and just send it right and have it jump back. Because it is so condition specific, I haven’t had too many opportunities to try it out.

One chance came in a tournament using a THS. The middle had started hooking and I wanted to find a way to get to the breakpoint. The Unhinged would get there and make a move. The only issue I had was mechanical. I had some problems trying to get the ball to the spot, so my reaction was not good. When I did get it to the spot, it made a defined move and hit really well. I liked the movement, but I was so inconsistent, I could not take advantage of its use.

The next best opportunity came on a short sport pattern after about 22 baker team games. This time, I was able to use it as a ball down from the Hysteria (which now has some surface), and it rolled great. I was not crossing a lot of boards laterally, but trying to allow the ball to just roll to the end of the pattern and make a move. When it was on target, it looked great. When I pulled it, it was just too much (as it should be on 36ft.). I really only rolled it about 6 times, so I didn’t have a real chance to move around with it.

So far, I think it will be good, but I have to get more games on the right conditions. Just going to have to be patient while waiting to use it.
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Roto Grip Wreck-Em
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
First, let me say that I think I missed the layout on this one…

For a pearl, the Wreck Em is a bit earlier that I had expected. I can get it through the fronts with no problem, but when it goes to make the turn, it seems to burn up fairly quickly. I am able to make the necessary moves to get it to the pocket, but it puts me quite a bit deeper than I would have anticipated.

That said, I like this ball. I haven’t been able to use it on anything other than our THS, but that has given me the information I need to determine when this ball will make the trip to tournaments. On the THS, it will encounter friction significantly sooner than it will on a sport pattern, so this ball should work quite well on mediums, I just haven’t had the opportunity to try it as of yet.

I look forward to putting the Wreck Em on some tournament patterns in the near future.

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Roto Grip Wreck-It
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Layout: 80 x 2 x 60

I drilled up the Wreck It to replace another symmetric that I use specifically on short patterns, thus the really short pin-to-pap. I’ve used it on PBA Regional Cheetah and Viper patterns as well as our house pattern.

The out of box finish with this layout was a bit too erratic for any of these patterns. I had real issues with the ball being too strong off the point when trying to play the outside parts of the lane. It was reading the lane just fine, but it was storing just a bit too much energy than I need for those patterns.

I hit it with a 2000 pad for it to read earlier and allow it to burn up a bit and made it smoother when it came out of the pattern. It is still a strong option, and I may hit it with a 1000 pad, just to see if it works better on the shorts, especially if I run up on Wolf anytime soon.

This is a great ball for the price point and will be quite versatile. I decided to drill it for a very specific type of lane play, but this core/cover combination is going to be a hit for a variety of bowlers.

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Storm Alpha Crux
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Rev Rate: 400
Ball Speed: 17.3
Axis Tilt: 7
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Layout: 35 x 2 x 65

The Alpha Crux is good!

I’ve had a good amount of success with this ball and layout on both house and sport patterns.

I get a nice smooth motion down lane and it doesn’t tend to jump at the end of the pattern. It reads the lane really well with the box surface, but tends to get a touch long as it acquires lane shine. That said, I’ve been maintaining the cover to keep it as close to box as I can.

It also will open up a house pattern fairly quickly. I can normally use it for about 2 games max in league before I have to ball down, but I really enjoy using it while the lanes allow it.

I’m quickly becoming a fan of the Catalyst core. I find that the lower drill angles and closer pin to pap really complement my release and it never burns up or loses energy. If I can keep it in the pocket, it always hits well.

This is a great asymmetrical release that would compliment any bowler’s arsenal.

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Storm Byte
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 14
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: 6.67
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 3 7/8 horizontal, 1 up
Layout: 4 ½ x 3 ¾ x 2 ¾

I drilled this ball for medium-long and longer patterns. I wanted this ball to be a go-to when I need a ball to makes its move after the end of the pattern, instead of making a left turn at the end of the pattern. This is my first attempt to really try to drill a ball in this manner.

Having just recently drilled it, I have only had the opportunity to use it on a THS.

While the shot was fresh, this ball was absolutely amazing. I was able to open up the lane like no other ball I’ve rolled in quite a while. With my feet, I had roughly 10-12 boards and about 5 boards at the arrow, just by changing my wrist positions. It was not speed sensitive. If I was a little soft, it was still smooth through the break point. If I had too much speed, the ball made up the difference with no loss of carry.

I started with my feet at 22; rolling at the arrows at 14 (I tend to walk about 7 boards left). If the ball didn’t get room, it held pocket quite well, if I bumped it right, it had no issue coming back. I had to begin moving about 7 frames into the first game. After about 2 games, and chasing the shot about 8 boards with my feet and 4 boards at the arrows, I had to put it away.

I will stress that I know that any ball would have looked great on this version of our THS, but I really liked the way the Byte moved down the lane, read the break point, and rolled over the 8 (not every time…). By not using a skid/flip drill, the ball was very smooth and even through the heads and at the break point. I’m considering drilling a second just to see what I can get out of a skid/flip, but I’m not sure when I’d be able to use it.

This ball will be in my tournament bags, but I doubt that I’ll be using it on our THS, barring a volume increase. I will post an update once I have an opportunity to use the Byte on a sport/animal pattern.

Thus far, I’m confident in calling this ball an amazing release from Storm. Definitely looking forward to seeing if it lives up to its potential…

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Storm Code Black
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
I wanted the Code Black to work on our high-volume house pattern. It’s pretty amazing…

This one has plenty of length, but has no issue making the turn. It flares a ton, so be careful with balance hole placement.

As the pattern breaks down, it is strong enough to allow you to move deeper into the puddle, with a hand position change.

I really like the motion I get from this ball. It is long and sharp, but it’s not uncontrollable at the breakpoint. On a normal league night, I can use this ball all night and never have to change balls. Slight adjustments allow me to keep the ball in the pocket for the three game series.

The Code Black does not disappoint. It is a great ball and should be a welcome addition to any arsenal.

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Storm Code Red
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
As a big fan of the Code Black, I was really looking forward to the hybrid Code Red. Personally, I had no issues with the Black being too weak, but know of bowlers that believed the Black had a lack of strength. I think they will be pleased with the Red. The layout I used is fairly normal for me, but I should have tweaked it before drilling. The Code Red reads the midlane significantly earlier than the Black, even at the box finish.

I tried using it on our THS at the box finish and it rolled quite well. The only real issue was caused by the massive puddle in the center of the lane. It caused a massive over/under downlane. I rolled a couple of sets with it before deciding that I needed to make a surface change.

Since it was earlier than the Black and I didn’t want it to skate any further in the middle, I hit the ball with Storm Reacta Scuff. This added just enough surface to allow the ball to be a bit smoother at the end of the pattern and was nowhere nearly as squirrelly downlane. This was a good change for me. I was able to get deeper and allow the ball to work much better for me.

I like the shape this ball gives me and really enjoy rolling the Code Red.

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Storm Crux
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 15
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: 6.67
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 4 1/8 horizontal, 11/16 up
Layout: 50 x 4 x 50

I was really excited to get my hands on this one. I really like the ERG cover and the core is quite fascinating.

I decided to use the same layout I have on my 15lbs Zero Gravity, which is pretty spectacular. I was hoping to get a real idea of what this ball could do compared to the Zero.

Out of the box, this ball was so strong, it was almost unusable. On our house shot, I started around 25, rolling at about 15 at the arrows. The cover completely destroyed the pattern and I was migrating left all night. I ended up moving about 12 boards total with my feet and my target at the arrows was 19/20. It recovered from about anywhere and hits quite well. I was impressed with the overall strength of this one.

After two league nights, I had to make a cover change. I hit the ball with a 3000 pad, to try to get it to make a little bit later move. This did tame the ball a bit, but it was still really early and so very strong. It didn’t destroy the pattern as badly as it did with the oob finish. Had there been just a bit more volume on the house pattern, I believe this would have been enough, but it was still quite strong.

I used that surface for two more league nights, then proceeded to make another cover adjustment, cleaning with Reacta Scuff and lightly shining with Storm Step 2. This made the ball quite a bit longer and somewhat sharper. I was able to use for a full set without having to migrate too far left. The polish did eliminate some of the room right that the scuffed finishes had allowed. I also have a bit of over/under at the end of the pattern, but that could be due to the amount of volume we have on the inside of our house pattern.

This is the strongest ball I’ve ever rolled. I’m considering drilling a second to see how drastic I can change the reaction based strictly on the layout.

If you happen to run across a flood, this ball would really be the best option.

A great release from The Bowler’s Company: Storm!

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Storm Crux Pearl
10 of 10 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 15
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: in flux
Axis Rotation: in flux
PAP: 3 9/16 horizontal, 1 3/8 up
Layout: 30 x 2.5 x 70

When trying to come up with a layout for the Crux Pearl, I decided that I had to get the void in the block as far from my thumb as possible. I believe that the key to utilizing this core is finding a way to get the fingers & thumb holes to change the shape of the core. This is why my initial angle was so large. It pushed the void as far from the thumb as I could get it and put the pin just under my fingers (actually drilled out part of the pin with the ring finger).

While the Crux was so strong, I really found no conditions where I could get it to work well; the Crux Pearl has become my THS go-to ball. The first game of league, this ball has rolled exceptionally well every time. It’s the first ball out of the bag in both of my leagues and any tournaments using a THS. I can only use it for two games max. After that, I have to ball down. The issue I encounter when the lanes transition is that when I migrate left, I start leaving flat 10s. Once I get that far left and can’t get it to kick out the 10, I have to either ball down or make a ball lateral move to something sharper. This may be due to the layout, or possibly the cover, but when it’s in play, this ball is great. The key for me is knowing when to put it back in the bag.

I did have the opportunity to use it on the Earl Anthony pattern this weekend and was able to strike from multiple angles; however, playing the heavier oil towards the outside didn’t leave me the room I needed. If I didn’t execute the shot almost perfectly, I wasn’t going to strike, maybe not even hit the pocket. When I made a move left to play about 12 with a bump out, my look got much better and I was able to get away with ‘less than perfect’ shots. I ended that set wishing I had jumped left much sooner.

I really like the Crux Pearl and have been using it quite a bit. I would just advise that a layout that allows you to change the core with the drilling holes will make this ball significantly better.

For a smooth rolling pearl, this ball is really good.
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Storm Crux Prime
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Ball weight: 16
Rev Rate: 400
Ball Speed: 17
Axis Tilt: 7
Axis Rotation: 45*
Layout: 50 x 4 ½ x 50

The Crux series has been very good to me. I’ve had all of the worldwide releases and one of the overseas releases.

Each Crux I have has a very specific and distinct reaction. The covers are so diverse between them, I’m able to usually find one that works on many patterns.

Enter the Crux Prime with the Spec cover. Same fantastic core, new coverstock. Used one of my go-to layouts for big asyms and have not been disappointed. I’ve used it on a variety of THS patterns in many houses and this cover may make it the most versatile of all worldwide releases (Crux series). Out of box, my reaction was great. It gave me the normal ‘stand left throw right’ look on most house patterns. This core rolls through the pins better than most for me. It just seems to match my game really well. As it began to lane shine, after about 15 games, it was getting additional length, so I started tweaking the shell to see what else I can get out of it. I’ve had it as low as 1000 and high as 3000, but have yet to shine it up.

This iteration of the Crux rolls great like all of the series, but I believe the new Spec cover may last longer than the GI-16 or ERG covers from the previous releases. I’m going to continue to put games on this one and see how long that cover will last.

Since drilling, I’ve carried this ball to every tournament that I’ve rolled and there aren’t many times that I haven’t been able to use it at some point. I’m going to enjoy rolling every game I can with this one.
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Storm Fever Pitch
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Ball weight: 16
Rev Rate: 400
Ball Speed: 17
Axis Tilt: 7
Axis Rotation: 45*
Layout: 4” pin to pap, 2 ½ from VAL

I’m not really a urethane guy… I’ve got a Pitch Black for short patterns and it works well when I’m actually able to use it. However, it’s not often that I can use urethane in league or anything other than a regional.

Yet, with all of the hype around the Fever Pitch, I had to drill one up (hype or not, I would have drilled one…).

I’ve had a chance to roll it on 2 versions of the PBA Viper pattern and was quite pleased at the reaction I got from it. While the Pitch Black rolls super early, especially with the 500 or 1000 surface, the Fever Pitch clears the fronts really well, but shapes much better down lane than previous urethane releases. I was able to play relatively straight, up the lane and move a bit left and bounce it off of the friction outside. I was surprised that it rolled that well for me.

Cut to the first actual league game I’ve rolled with the Fever… The lanes were a bit squirrely and there seemed to be less friction to the right than we normally see in league. I decided to pull the Fever out towards the end of the 2nd game and proceeded to roll the last 16 to finish the night. A 300, on a house shot with the Fever Pitch. I was surprised with every shot, not that the reaction wasn’t amazing, but just that I had that much room to miss. Not to mention, the core design of this ball is really good. It definitely goes through the pins better than many urethanes.

At this point, I have not altered the surface, but once I have a chance to roll on some more short patterns, I may have to scratch it down to 500 or 1000. Then again, if it continues to shape the way it does currently, I’m not sure I will.

Being in the PBA South region, I should get plenty of attempts to use the Fever, and I plan to try it every chance I get. If you are a fan of the new generation of urethane, the Fever Pitch is a great option.
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Storm Hy-Road Pearl
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 14
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: 6.67
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 3 7/8 horizontal, 1 ? up
Layout: 3 7/8 Pin to PAP, 4 1/8 PSA to PAP, 1 5/8 pin buffer

I?ve had two of the original HyRoad and loved both of them. I was very curious to see what a full pearl version would do.

Before drilling mine, I had talked to another shop operator that had drilled one and he had nothing but great things to say about it.

I decided to drill mine for when sport patterns open up and there is some bump right.

I?ve used it on a beat up Dick Weber pattern and a fresh house pattern.

On the Dick Weber pattern, I used it from games 3-6 and it was a great option. I had serious problems trying to keep the ball far enough right. More operator error than ball issues. As long as I gave the ball room to the right, it recovered quite well. There was NO hold in the middle, so if I tugged it (which is my normal M.O.), it was through the nose or even runaway Brooklyn. It was very clean through the oil, but around game 6, the middles started burning up, so it started checking up early.

On the house pattern, the ball was quite clean through the heads and recovered so well that I was surprised that it made the corner. It glided to the breakpoint and was sharper than any ball I?ve thrown in a few years.

Of the few games I?ve put on this ball, I can say it reminds me of the first Thunder Road Pearl more than any ball I?ve rolled since that one was released. It?s sharper than anything in my bag, but it?s not an uncontrollable flip. It reads the lane so well, that the movement on the friction is not unpredictable. Of course, with a ball this sharp, the carry is pretty spectacular.

I?m looking forward to using this one on a variety of patterns and seeing how it matches up with different volumes, but I can say that as a first ball out of the bag on a THS, it could be a little strong, but the rewards could outweigh the risks.

Storm made a very good decision to put this cover around this core!

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Storm Hy-Road Solid
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 14
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: 6.67
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 4 1/2 horizontal, 1 5/8 up
Layout: Pin down, under middle finger, cg ½” positive thumb quadrant

After having years of success with the original HyRoad, I had been reading up on the Solid to determine how this one should fit in the arsenal. I decided I was looking for a full ball down for my Marvel S, which I’ve had much success. The motion of the Optimus did not make it the ball down that I wanted, so the HyRoad Solid was going to fall into this spot. I left it in the out of box finish.

For one reason or another, pin down equipment doesn’t really roll very well for me on THS patterns. This also held true for the HyRoad Solid. I tried it on a couple of THS in my area and the outside was too try to allow me to utilize the motion that I get out of my Marvel S. When I tried moving in and bouncing it off of the wall, the look got smoother, but it was rolling way too early and I never felt like I could predict how it was going to move. After trying it on some named or animal patterns, it was, more than likely, going to get a bit of shine.

My first chance on a named pattern was a sweeper on the Dick Weber pattern. I was able to use my Marvel S with success, but when the time came to make a ball change, I pulled out the HyRoad Solid. I can say with all honesty that I was not expecting what I saw. The HyRoad wanted to roll. It did not want to get through the heads, and it was dead left off of my hand. It was so strong that I couldn’t find a look anywhere near where I had started with the Marvel S. I had to find an alternative because the plan for the HyRoad as a ball down was a bust…

At this point, I have polished the HyRoad Solid, but just haven’t had the opportunity to give it another try. The hype behind this ball was accurate. It is a very strong, mid priced ball. I believe I was expecting an original HyRoad with surface, but got a HyRoad with a beefed up cover. There is a good possibility that I missed the layout on this one. I would have probably been better served with a stacked or label ‘leverage’, but that comes with the territory.

I can say that it’s a strong ball and I would not steer anyone away from the HyRoad Solid. It’s got plenty of power and would fit into most arsenals with the right layout/cover alteration. All of this said, I’ll have to get some more games on mine to see exactly where it fits in my bags.

Another surprisingly strong release from Storm!

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Storm IQ Tour 30
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 15
Rev Rate: 400
Ball Speed: 17.3
Axis Tilt: 7
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Layout: 80 x 3 x 20

After the first series of reviews, I understood that this !Q is significantly sharper than the original gold pearl. They are not wrong! This ball skates through the fronts and corners like none of the previous !Qs have before. I am thoroughly impressed with the motion of this ball.

I have only had the opportunity to use the new Pearl !Q on local THS, but it has been quite fun watching it just jump left when it encounters friction. Our house shot tends to have a significant amount of volume in the middle, thus this ball will skate and sometimes glide through the breakpoint, so speed is very important to keeping it on line.

The motion I am seeing with the Pearl !Q should do well when I encounter some broken down or burned up sport patterns. I look forward to using it during the later games of tournaments with longer patterns.

Fans of the !Q series should like the different motion this ball creates, especially those that thought the gold pearl was a bit too early, or ‘banana-shaped.’

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Storm IQ Tour Fusion
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 14
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: 6.67
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 4 1/2 horizontal, 1 5/8 up
Layout: 45 x 3 x 55 (hole P2)

I decided to drill the Fusion to be one of my benchmark balls. I want to be able to carry this ball pretty much anywhere and find a look, or at least give me a good read of the lanes. The drilling listed uses my benchmark ratio of 1:1.25, using a 100* sum.

First game out of the box on our THS was 289, with a terrible 11th ball. I was able to play the track with leak and tug. I had plenty of room and if the ball was around the hole, it mixed the pins great. For me, the roll is quite similar to the Tour Pearl, but just a bit earlier. The ball has a nice shape down lane, it isn’t too sharp and doesn’t rev up too soon. Just a nice smooth curve. If it encounters friction, it wants to move, but it’s not erratic.

There is a reason everyone seems to like this ball. The roll is predictable and it carries quite well. I can play up the boards if there is oil in the track, or I can swing it when something like the Hyper Cell or Zero Gravity has eaten up the shot. It recovers really well down lane when stronger equipment burns up.

Because most THS tend to have dry boards right and a taper at the end of the pattern, this may be the perfect ball for a benchmark. With the games I have rolled, I am overly impressed, even more so than I was with the Pearl Tour.

I’m not sure there’s any company that has a hybrid cover as good as the R2S hybrid. The cover/core matchup on this ball rivals the HyRoad. I try not to put a blanket statement on my reviews, but this is a must have. This ball is going to be good on a variety of conditions and should be a welcomed addition to most, if not all, arsenals.

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Storm IQ Tour Nano
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 15
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: in flux
Axis Rotation: in flux
PAP: 3 9/16 horizontal, 1 3/8 up
Layout: 50 x 4 ½ x 50

I drilled this one for a strong arc. Something for medium/heavy oil, but wouldn’t jump at the end of the pattern. This ball is exactly what I was needing. It rolls off of my hand and just continues to roll until it falls off the back of the deck. The motion is a true arc and it reads the lanes really well. It actually reads well enough that it is a great benchmark.

I’ve only been able to use it on THS, but it’s strong enough that it’s a heavy arc and isn’t too strong on friction. I normally have to start well left of the wall, keeping the ball in the oil longer than I would normally. If it gets to the friction too soon, it would move way too early, but it doesn’t turn into a runaway crossover. The sweet spot seems to be exiting the wall around 35 and allowing the ball to bounce back to the pocket.

The overall motion of the IQ Nano is really good. On fresh or second shift THS patterns it rolls great. It also doesn’t really eat up the pattern enough that I have to ball down. I’ve been able to use it for plenty of full sets.

This may be my favorite of the !Q series. It’s really smooth and quite controllable. It will move plenty, but it’s never unpredictable.

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Storm Joy Ride
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 15
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: 7
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Layout: 60 x 5 ½ x 40

I drilled the Joy Ride for sport pattern burn. I wanted something that, when the middle is completely gone, and I need to just send the ball right because I know it will make the corner. I am not disappointed!

I’ve used the Joy Ride on some beat up house patterns, meaning one league, plus a full day of open play. I am thoroughly impressed. This ball gets through the fronts with no problem, does not need volume to get down the lane, and still makes a great move to the hole. I’ve actually pulled this one out towards the end of a league night and there is still plenty of volume in the middle to make this one skate. I really had to slow my speed down, just to get it into a roll. This ball needs friction and should be a great ball for the burn.

The Joy Ride may be the first true dry-lane ball that performs as advertised and still carries. I’m actually looking forward to sport pattern burn or some old wood lanes because I believe this ball is going to be my answer to end-of-the-block games.
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Storm Lights Out
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 14
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: 6.67
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 3 7/8 horizontal, 1 ¼ up
Layout: 4 x 4 pin to pap

Because this ball has the Tropical Heat core and Hy-Road cover, I decided to drill it with the same layout as I used on my Hy-Road. Because my Hy-Road is the first ball out of my bag and easily my favorite benchmark ball, I wanted something that would be a touch weaker but still make a very similar move after the Hy-Road began to make a dive or check up early.

I can’t say that I got exactly what I was after. Even thought I pushed the pin above the fingers a bit higher than it is on my Hy-Road, I still didn’t get the length that I was wanting. Thus far, this ball seems to want to roll a bit earlier than expected.

That said, I’ve found a good spot in my lineup for the Lights Out. It tends to be a bit earlier than the Hy-Road, but still finishes quite well. I’ve had an opportunity to roll it on house patterns and Cheetah. On the fresh house pattern, I was able to get inside and target around 15 and swing out to 7-8 and get it back to the pocket. The carry was exceptional and overall reaction was quite controllable.

On Cheetah, I used it around game 4-5 of an 8 game block and it was smooth through the heads, but had a far stronger reaction that I really wanted. The early roll made the ball react too strong off the end of the pattern. If I backed off on my release, I could get a decent look to the pocket, but I wasn’t as comfortable overall.

For the price, I don’t know that there is a better ball on the market. Plenty of bang for your buck!

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Storm Lock
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 15
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: 7
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Layout: 40 x 4 1/2 x 35

I decided to drill my Lock for our house shot, hoping to advertise the strength of the ball.

I wasn’t wrong, everyone noticed how strong this ball is. Problem is, it’s too strong for our house shot. The first few nights I rolled it, I had to put it away. I couldn’t move enough to keep it around the pocket.

One league night, I fought with the ball for the entire first game, managing a weak 194. I was fighting with the Lock the whole time. Before the second game, I decided to change balls, but first, I figured, ‘Let’s see what happens if I just dive left and send it as far right as I can…’. First frame, game 2, targeting around 18, I over throw it right into the gutter. Go figure, I hit the puddle we have inside 15 and nothing wants to recover. I figured that frame was toast, so I tried it again, but took my speed down a bit and, using the width of the lane, crushed the spare. After that, I decided to stay with it and try to see how much room that look gave me. After 11 in a row, I realized this ball gave me a tremendous amount of area. I hadn’t modified the cover, so this was the box finish with about 9 games of lane shine.

I have not had an opportunity to use it on any true sport patterns. It is my understanding that the strength of this ball is really on sport patterns where you don’t have to be concerned about the huge puddle in the middle of a THS. I’m really hoping to use the Lock on some holiday tournaments coming up.

This is really more of a first impression, but I like what I see thus far. I’m really excited to try it on a medium-long sport pattern to see what it can do. For the time being, I’ll have to settle for what I’m seeing on our THS.

Anyone looking for something strong that has no issue finishing at the end of the patterns, this ball is it.
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Storm Marvel-S
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 14
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: 6.67
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 3 7/8 horizontal, 1 ¼ up
Layout: 4” pin under middle finger, cg above thumb

I drilled this ball specifically for the Scorpion-type patterns.

My first time using this ball came on the Chameleon. I knew the ball was going to be a bit strong, but I couldn’t help but use it all three games that night. The ball was easy through the heads and quite strong at the end of the pattern. I was standing 25-30, using a breakpoint of around 6-8 and the ball recovered every time. I could NOT over-throw the ball. My normal issue is pulling the ball and I had a small bit of hold at the beginning of the set, but it did not last all night. As I continued to move left, and increased my speed, the ball was just too much. Not to mention this was a 3 game series with a total of 6 bowlers (2 lefties) and the shot was getting too beat up for me to keep using the Marvel S.

I was impressed with the movement and carry. With the box finish, it was exceptionally smooth and predictable.

After having the opportunity to use the ball on some house patterns and the Detroit Open pattern, I’ve come to the conclusion that this is the strongest ball in my bag. The ball is quite smooth off of the pattern and recovers quite well. Overall, it covers more boards than any other ball in my bag. I don’t get to use it very often, but when I do, it is just plain fun to roll.

For mediums and heavy patterns, I would say this is a must have.

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Storm Optimus
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 14
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: 6.67
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 4 1/2 horizontal, 1 5/8 up
Layout: 60 x 3 3/8 x 35

Going in, I was of the understanding that the Optimus was going to be a slightly stronger version of the Marvel Pearl, thus, I planned on making it a ball down from my Marvel S or Hyper Cell. I can’t say I have been disappointed. The motion of this ball is downright amazing!

I have used it on a couple of house patterns on AMF synthetics with good results. The Optimus gets through the heads with relative ease and likes to make a definitive move when it encounters friction. That said, on a THS wall, bouncing this one out early will cause it to go LEFT. It doesn’t really have any issues with oil in the middle. A major flaw in my game is pulling the ball. I can get away with this on the THS because it will just roll until it finds the friction at the end of the pattern. Even with a tug through the oil, there is no loss of carry. This ball hits hard and keeps the pins low.

The most success I’ve found with the Optimus was in a PBA regional event, on the Dick Weber pattern. After getting out to a pretty good start with the Marvel S, playing around 7-8 with a small bump, the outside started to burn up, so it was time for a ball change. After struggling game 4 with a bad ball change, I pulled out the Optimus and it came out of the bag ready! I was able to move inside where my previous ball change was getting horrendous over/under and this ball rolled through the middles and made a decisive move that was quite controllable and allowed me to keep pace with the cash line. I was fortunate enough to cash, but not make match play. I move to the Optimus game 4; I have no doubt that I would have made match play. This ball did exactly what I needed when it was time to put the Marvel S away. I can’t say it is a ball down, more of a ball lateral.

I have been very impressed with the Optimus on a variety of conditions. The overall motion I get is predictable and impressive. As advertised, it is a stronger version of the Marvel Pearl and could compliment any arsenal. I would recommend this ball to anyone. I can’t imagine any bowler not having a use for this piece.

Another great release from Utah!

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Storm Optimus Solid
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 15
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: 7
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Layout: Rico

I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with this one, but with many bowlers using and liking Rico, I decided to give it a try on the Optimus Solid.

At the box finish (2000), it read at my toes on our house pattern. I fought with it through one game during league and just couldn’t get a consistent reaction. It flared a lot and just wanted to go left. Before my next use, I used one application of Storm Step 1 compound just to add a bit of length. This allowed the ball to get enough length to shape down lane instead of at the arrows.

With the surface change, I tried it again during league and was able to use it for the series. The ball shape is very even and continuous. If I pulled the ball, it would hold on the puddle in the middle, but if I missed right, it would bounce right back. There really didn’t seem to be any over/under with this ball.

With this ball trying to roll so early, especially because of the Rico, I haven’t rolled it on any sport patterns. I believe it will make me start much deeper than needed on most medium and longer patterns.

I am going to have to put more games on this ball and get it on some sport patterns to really get an idea of what it can do. My next step is to add another layer of shine to see how the shape down lane changes.

The Optimus Solid is a very good heavy oil option and, with some surface changes, would be very good on most medium patterns.

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Storm Phaze II
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Layout: 40 x 4 ½ x 40

I used the same layout as I did on the Rocket Ship, and this ball doesn’t disappoint.

The Phaze 2 cover reads the lane early and doesn’t quit downlane. It can clear the heads really well, but it will read friction if there is any burn. The ball hooks a lot and has acquired a bit of length with lane shine, but I haven’t actually modified the surface as of yet. That said, the lane shine hasn’t diminished the amount of overall hook, just the shape.

I like the motion of the ball and it is a great compliment to the Rocket Ship, which is my current benchmark. The Phaze 2 is a strong ball up and I like it there.

The original Phaze may not have matched up with everyone, but I think the Phaze 2 is an improvement on the original and will fit in many more arsenals.


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Storm Physix
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Ball weight: 16
Rev Rate: 400
Ball Speed: 17
Axis Tilt: 7
Axis Rotation: 45*
Layout: 50 x 4 ½ x 50

I drilled up the Physix with one of my go-to layouts for big asymmetricals. Wanted to be able to have a good comparison to the other asyms that I tend to lean on for most patterns.

Out of the box, I was uber impressed with the Physix. I’ve only had a chance to use it on THS, but it’s pretty amazing with a puddle and room right. The box finish acquired lane shine quickly, so it gained additional length rather quickly, which was not an issue, since the patterns were breaking down kind of quickly.

This ball fit right into my comfort zone…stand left, spin right, strike. As the lanes transitioned, I was able to continue moving left, until I ran out of space. Then it was time to put it away. Thus far, the Physix has only made it through two games before I have to put it back in the bag, but for those two games, it’s really good.

The Physix is a great ball up from the Code X and a couple balls up from the Code Black. It fits into my arsenal quite well.

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Storm Pitch Black
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 14
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: 6.67
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 4 1/2 horizontal, 1 5/8 up
Layout: 55 x 4 1/2 x 45

I wanted to try this one because it seems that many bowlers are having much success with older urethanes on shorter patterns. I haven’t had much success with the Natural series, but I’m pretty sure they just don’t match up with my game.

The layout on this ball has proven to be quite good for me with the Byte and Reign of Power, so I’ll say that I played this one safe so I didn’t end up with an anchor.

I’ve used this one on a few different patterns and have seen some very good reactions.

On a flat, 43 foot house pattern (their open play pattern), it rolls so early, you can’t play the gutter. The cover just won’t let you play the light volume of this pattern. I end up having to play a bit of bounce off of 8-10. It’s a great look for about a game and a half. After that, the lane opens up and I have to start chasing the shot inside.

On Sydney, during a night of pot bowling, it was again, too early outside. I was able to play about 7-8 up the boards, but it broke down quickly. I really liked the look on fresh, but as the oil moved down lane, I lost the look completely and had to pull out a low-flare Asylum.

On PBA Regional Chameleon (43’), old wood, I had a decent look during the practice session, playing tight 12-13, right at the hole. It was quite speed sensitive, as you would expect with urethane on that kind of oil. During the 8 games of qualifying, I pulled it out around game 5. I had no look or luck with anything else, so I figured this may be my opportunity to utilize urethane control. Because the look was 3,4,5 due to the track hooking quite early, I tried the outside 5 and rolled a couple of pretty good shots, but at that moment, I just didn’t have the accuracy needed to play that shot. I had about two boards of bump right when I set it down around 8, hitting 5 at the arrows, but my tendency to pull the ball just wouldn’t let me utilized that shot. Just FYI, Kameron Doyle won this tournament using the Pitch Black.

Overall, I really like the roll of the Pitch Black. With this layout, my Byte and RoP get about 5-7” of flare. On the Pitch Black, it’s about 1”, which is refreshing. This is reminiscent of the older urethanes that I used way back in the day. I can’t say it’s a ball that will travel to every tournament with me, but it will make all of the short and low volume patterns, just because it could be a good security blanket. I have not altered the surface yet and it is holding the box finish quite well. It’s very smooth and controllable, which is what urethane should be. This is the ball I will be using to work on my accuracy. I do not get away with a bad shot with this ball. For me, the worst case scenario with the Pitch Black is that I have a ball to practice with without beating up my tournament arsenal and I know it will help my accuracy and possibly speed control.

I would suggest this ball for anyone who doesn’t remember or never had the opportunity to roll the old urethanes. It could be a great tournament ball as long as the bowler is aware that you are not going to open up a lane with this piece. If you understand the limitations of urethane, it is a must have.

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Storm Pitch Blue
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Rev Rate: 400
Ball Speed: 17.3
Axis Tilt: 7
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Layout: 40 x 3 x 40

Many bowlers are going back to urethane for shorter patterns or patterns/surfaces that have a lot of friction. I have not had much success with the new generation urethanes until the Pitch Black. I have really enjoyed rolling the Black and it has made me a more versatile bowler.

I drilled the Blue with the same layout to see how much different it is. I was pleasantly surprised to find that, while cleaner through the fronts, the Blue is stronger than the Black. While the Black tends to want to roll at your toes, the Blue will get through the heads and make its move in the mid lane.

The Blue gives me a bit more room than I have with the Black on a THS, and I don’t lose any carry because of the angles it lets me play.

Before I drilled the Blue, I wondered if there was any reason to have both the Black and Blue. I’m quite glad that I drilled up the Blue because it complements the Black so well.

For any bowler wanting a urethane in your bag, the Pitch Blue is a great option.

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Storm Punch Out
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 14
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: 6.67
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 4 1/2 horizontal, 1 5/8 up
Layout: 55 x 5 x 45

I drilled this one as a ball down for my Byte. I’ve rolled a few tournaments where the Byte just becomes a bit strong and need another option. I decided that’s what the Punch Out would be.

The first use came on a late league 3rd game. I had been using a Defiant Soul and it was just rolling up too early. I pulled out the Punch Out and attempted to keep the same line. Oh but no… The Punch Out is significantly longer than my Soul. I had to work a couple of frames to get it right, and once I did, it was quite nice. It has exceptional length, but it really makes up for it with a sharp move on the back end. My Lights Out always seemed to be a bit early for where I wanted it in my arsenal, but the Punch Out seems to fall exactly where it should. With this layout, I can see this being a late league or late shift tournament ball. It may even work well on a THS with lower volumes, but the length that it achieves will be a problem on higher volumes.

I also tried it out during the practice session on PBA Regional Chameleon (43’), old wood. During the last half hour of the practice session, I really found a good look with this ball. The motion was quite similar to the Byte, which is what I wanted. My Byte has always been more successful on tournament patterns than a THS. The Punch Out really got down the lane and cornered as needed on the beat up 43’ and could have been a viable option during qualifying, but the lanes don’t open up in qualifying the way they do in practice.

From what I’m seeing, the Punch Out rolls very similar to the Uproar. It has exceptional length, but more than makes up for it with an angular breakpoint. With the success of the Uproar, I believe the Punch Out will be a must have for anyone who liked the reaction of the Uproar. I’ll be putting more games on this one to make sure I know where it needs to me in my arsenal.

This is a great all around ball that could help any bowler’s arsenal. Being a light bulb symmetric core give you so many options for your favorite layouts. I would suggest this piece for any serious bowler wanting something angular.

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Storm Rocket
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 15
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: in flux
Axis Rotation: in flux
PAP: 3 9/16 horizontal, 1 3/8 up
Layout: 2 x 3 (pin to pap, cg to pap)

As one of the many fans of the Hy-Road, I was a bit skeptical about the Rocket. I can’t imagine any ball being in the same category. I had been reading plenty of reviews and everything I had seen was really positive.

I decided to drill it for versatility instead of a specific look/pattern. The Rocket matched up to my game really well. I have about 15 games on it and it continues to impress. I’ve used it on fresh and I love how sharp it is at the end of the pattern. I’ve used it for a second shift and it doesn’t burn up and still has continuation. That said, my best use for this ball has been as a ball down from the Crux Pearl. I happened to fall into this when the Crux Pearl has started flat 10ing me on a THS. I pulled out the Rocket and was able to replicate the look, but no flat 10s. As a 1, 2 punch, this is my favorite option right now. I know for a fact, if I can start with the Crux Pearl, as soon as I have to migrate too far left, the Rocket is the perfect ball down/lateral.

It reads the pattern much like the Hy-Road, may be a bit sharper, but I really don’t want to keep comparing it to a legend. This ball can stand on it’s own. I am yet to see a THS that won’t allow me to use this one, and I haven’t tried rolling it on any sport patterns.

I can see this ball quickly becoming a favorite and would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone.
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Storm Rocket Ship
1 of 3 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Layout: 40 x 4 ½ x 40

I drilled up the Rocket Ship a couple of weeks ago and it has quickly become the first ball out of my bag. I had a couple of friends tell me how much they liked it and that I should have one in my bag. They were not wrong…

I’ve only rolled it on THS at this point, but it is my benchmark and I don’t normally have to ball up or down. For a matte-finish solid, it clears the heads quite well and doesn’t overreact when it runs up on friction. If my look starts to change during the series, a couple of small adjustments keeps me in the pocket.

This ball has quickly become a favorite and it has me excited about trying it on various patterns. I would recommend this ball to all levels of bowlers without hesitation. It is a must have for the competitive bowler.
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Storm Sky Rocket
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 15
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: 7
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Layout: 50 x 5 x 30

I really liked the Rocket, so I was looking forward to the Sky Rocket.

I wanted this ball for mediums and sport burn and had planned on using it on normal house patterns and whenever playing the middle would be an option.

The Sky Rocket gets exceptional length and makes a nice move when it encounters friction. It rolls really well on THS. I’ve been able to roll a normal house shot from 10-15 out, and it has no problem recovering and doesn’t squirt on the oil like many pearls can.

I’ve also used this on a couple of medium-length sport patterns and it reads the lane really well once they start to break down. It gets through the heads with no issue and will still recover. As the lane continues to break down, the Sky Rocket is still really good when having to migrate left.

At box finish, this one can be quite sharp, but a little bit of surface (white or gray scotch brite) can smooth it out. I actually like it better with a light touch of a gray pad, after some lane shine.

The Sky Rocket is a great, versatile pearl release, which I would highly recommend.


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Storm Snap Lock
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Having been a huge fan of the Pearl Crux, I figured my best option was to drill the Snap Lock fairly similar and see how it compares. My Pearl Crux was very smooth, but with its layout, it wasn’t very good when having to cover boards laterally, but it was amazing when I could keep my target in front of me. This ball is quite different.

Having only used it on a THS, I can already see that this ball retains energy much more than the Crux series. This may be due to the cover, core, or a combination of both. The Snap Lock has a large asymmetric core, but it seems to really push the ball down the lane before making its move. The cover makes it much cleaner and more predictable than the original Lock, which is a huge plus.

I really like that the ball still had plenty left when it made its move and I haven’t seen it give up on the backend yet. I may not have had the chance to move deep enough to make it give up, which will probably be my next test.

I would recommend this ball for anyone looking for a long, strong asymmetric ball. It lends itself well to a variety of layouts, which can make it quite versatile.

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Storm Street Fight
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Layout: 60 x 4 ½ x 40

I really like the Street Fight! For a pearl, it’s really smooth and continuous.

This core is great. I’ve always been a fan of bigger cores and there aren’t many that are larger than this one. It sounds so good when rolling though the pocket.

I’m finding the Street Fight is a bit earlier than my Fight with the same layout; however, this could be to the number of games I’ve put on the Fight. The Street Fight is really good on blended house patterns that taper towards the outside and at the end of the pattern.

I’m looking forward to trying it on some medium sport patterns, just to see how it reads the end of the pattern. I’m hoping that it’s a smooth as it is on the THS.

This one has become a staple in my league bag and hope that it fits in my tournament bag as well.

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Storm Sure Lock
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
This ball is strong. For me, it’s too strong for a THS. I’ve tried using it with the oob finish and had very little success on any THS leagues. However; instead of tweaking the surface, I decided to try it on some sport patterns. I had the chance to roll it on both regional & tour chameleon patterns and that’s where it shined.

On the regional pattern, I was able to play a bit straighter and had to ball down quite sooner, but while it worked, it worked quite well.

On the tour pattern, with about 10 games on it (slight lane shine), the Sure Lock was awesome for the first 3 games. Just making minor adjustments from pair to pair. I really liked what I saw and plan to keep this ball in the bag for higher volume/longer pattern tourneys.

For anyone looking for a stronger ball, something that could be at the top of the bag, you need look no further than the Sure Lock.

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Storm Timeless
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
This ball is good. It has it’s place in an arsenal and probably can’t be used on everything, but make no mistake, it is good.

Using it in league, OOB, it took about a game to get a feel for the overall motion. If the ball stood up too fast, it was a flat 10. I could actually tell at the release. If I got around it, there were no 10s. Maybe a 4, 9, or 8, but no ringing or flat 10s… After 3 games, I really liked this ball.

In a local tourney, on 39’ Viper, after two games, I was able to use the Timeless to play the shim and had so much room, it make me look good. I had miss left and right and the only way I didn’t hit the hole was if I rolled it horrible. Looks like it was good for sport patterns too…

Needless to say, the Timeless goes to every league session and tournament. I’ve been impressed with some aspect of this ball every time I’ve used it.

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Storm Torrent
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
I wasn’t sure what to expect from the Torrent, so I drilled it like my Rocket Ship so I would have a point of comparison.

I thought the Rocket Ship got pretty good length, but the Torrent goes longer, not only because it’s sliding, but because it stays on axis much longer. This ball doesn’t even try to start flaring until about the 40’ mark.

This makes the ball a bit sharper than the Rocket Ship, which isn’t a bad thing.

Using it on a house pattern, I’ve had no issues. It rolls quite well.

Using it on fresh 39’ Viper, it rolled pretty good, but once the pattern started to open up, it became a bit unpredictable.

I like the Torrent and really want to try altering the surface and rolling on different sport patterns.

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Storm Zero Gravity
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
5

About the Bowler

League Average:
220
PAP:
3 3/4 horizontal, 7/8 up
Ball Speed:
Medium
Style:
Tweener
Bowling Hand:
Right Handed
Sport Shot Average:
195
Experience:
Advanced (I have bowled in a league)
Right Handed
Ball weight: 14
Rev Rate: 378
Ball Speed: 18.2
Axis Tilt: 6.67
Axis Rotation: 45*
PAP: 4 1/2 horizontal, 1 5/8 up
Layout: 50 x 3 1/4 x 20 (hole P3)

As one of my many bowling ball regrets, we can list my not having the original Gravity. I have know many that loved that ball and are anticipating the release of the Zero Gravity. Because I had not had any of the previous Gravity releases, I was not sure what to expect.

I didn’t know how to lay this one out. I always have a fear of putting the wrong layout on a ball and having the core work against me. I also tend to stay away from lower angle sums because I’ve never had much success with such drillings. That said, I went with a lower sum and a really early rolling drilling…

With this layout, the Zero Gravity gets to revving right off my hand. It flares a ton and wants to go. It hits like a tank and rolls right over the 8-pin. I’ve used it on a couple of different THS with success. I like the way it revs up and that it still makes a hard move at the end of the pattern. It doesn’t give up or over-hook when it encounters friction. It flares a ton, and will destroy a pattern rather quickly. I haven’t altered the surface yet, but thus far, I haven’t been able to complete a series with it.

I’m having fun rolling this one and look forward to trying it on some sport or animal patterns (will be trying it on Badger in a couple of weeks). I will be scuffing it to 1000 before that tourney and depending on how it rolls on that, it may end up catching a shine when I get back.

I will be posting an update once I’ve had a chance to roll the Zero Gravity on some sport patterns, but for the time being, I’m really enjoying the first game of each set with it. I have a feeling that this will be a staple in my bag for a while and may even get another one just to try another layout. The fans of the Gravity series should be quite happy with this release.

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