BallReviews

General Category => Beginners Board => Topic started by: Amoyensis on January 07, 2018, 07:40:25 AM

Title: Searching new Benchmark Ball
Post by: Amoyensis on January 07, 2018, 07:40:25 AM
Hi all,

Started to play with 14 lbs, but I want to sell my whole arsenal to get on 15 lbs as I am starting to throw to fast and whiping around the side.
I am totally unsatisfied with the balls, I current have. So I need help to find my new benchmark ball and based on this, set a league starter arsenal for high-mid-low conditions.
Arsenal now:
Storm Timeless
Dv8 Vandall Destroy
Rhino Black Pearl

My rates
Axis Tilt avg. 12
Axis Rotation avg. 58
Axis Point (PAP) 5 Side 3/8 down
Revs avg. 321
Release: Tweener
Title: Re: Searching new Benchmark Ball
Post by: rkj4243 on January 07, 2018, 10:00:42 AM
Roto Grip All Out Show Off
Storm Hy Road
Storm Torrent
Storm IQ Tour
Roto Grip Dare Devil Trick

All could be benchmark balls depending upon conditions and volumes
Title: Re: Searching new Benchmark Ball
Post by: Amoyensis on January 07, 2018, 10:43:13 AM
Roto Grip All Out Show Off
Storm Hy Road
Storm Torrent
Storm IQ Tour
Roto Grip Dare Devil Trick

All could be benchmark balls depending upon conditions and volumes

As I am very unsatisfied with the so highly praised Timeless, I won't go with storm again. Same with Brunswick.
Title: Re: Searching new Benchmark Ball
Post by: HackJandy on January 07, 2018, 10:47:30 AM
EBI family:  Gamebreaker 2 (3 coming heard rumor)
Motiv:  Venom Shock (have one love this ball)
Pyramid:  Pathogen (great value ball, less than $90, Pyramid surprising good)

Sure many on here can give you more.

(P.S won't find a lot of praise for Timeless on here really, Hy-Road really is 10x better as it is my transition ball as pretty low rever high axis tilt, as for IQ Tour great ball for sports shots pretty mediocre on THS at least for me, heard good things about Roto Hustle Ink as well but too weak for me and still Storm family)
Title: Re: Searching new Benchmark Ball
Post by: Amoyensis on January 07, 2018, 11:24:26 AM
EBI family:  Gamebreaker 2 (3 coming heard rumor)
Motiv:  Venom Shock (have one love this ball)
Pyramid:  Pathogen (great value ball, less than $90, Pyramid surprising good)

Sure many on here can give you more.

(P.S won't find a lot of praise for Timeless on here really, Hy-Road really is 10x better as it is my transition ball as pretty low rever high axis tilt, as for IQ Tour great ball for sports shots pretty mediocre on THS at least for me, heard good things about Roto Hustle Ink as well but too weak for me and still Storm family)

I cannot buy pyramid. It is not available in germany / Europe.
I have access to:
Storm family
EBI
Brunswick/dv8/radical
Motiv.

Another important fact is: I want to resurface my balls by myself. But only storm and Motiv seems to give resurfacing guides.
Title: Re: Searching new Benchmark Ball
Post by: HackJandy on January 07, 2018, 11:47:16 AM
Resurfacing imo is not really ball family specific.  Yes to get it back to factory exactly perhaps needs their directions but I don't keep balls at factory I move them to my resurfacing system (which I can replicate easily) which is mostly just scotch brite pads and trizact sanding disc on the higher grit end (tend to last the longest).  For a general resurface with a spinner I do maroon scotch brite (500 grit or so) for 30 seconds with firm pressure on each side (4 sides).  If its my urethane I am done.  For reactive balls I then usually move to the final grit scotch brite if 2500 or under (green is 1000, grey is 1500, white is 2250 or so).  I do 10 to 15 seconds each side with lesser pressure.  For higher grit I will do skip a grit where I'll do say a grey scotch brite for 15 seconds each side and then the final step I will use either a 3000 or 5000 trizact for 10 seconds each side with lightest pressure.  I rarely polish due to my style but when I do I will do it after the grey scotch brite and then do 15 to 30 seconds each side with a buff pad and Reacta Shine depending how polished I want it.  For urethane I use Beans polish instead.  If using other higher grit polishes would do grey and then say 3 or 5k Trizact and then the polish.  For a super deep resurface I will use a brown scotch brite pad which is like 220 grit for 30 seconds each side to start and then do a maroon scotch brite for 20 to 30 seconds a side.  Not sure that helpful but an FYI as it works for me.

(P.S. I often use clean and dull to lubricate on the first step and then use diluted simple green 5:1 with water to lubricate on further steps)

(P.S2 I also tend to put the last surface on by hand for 5 min with scotchbrite after each or every other session but I have a big arsenal. If use same ball often maybe every 3 or 4 sessions)
Title: Re: Searching new Benchmark Ball
Post by: Juggernaut on January 07, 2018, 12:37:29 PM

As I am very unsatisfied with the so highly praised Timeless, I won't go with storm again. Same with Brunswick.

 Sorry to hear this. I was the same way for a long time, at least with Storm family stuff.

 Outside of those choices, the best ones left are probably the Gamebreaker 2 and the Venom Shock.
Title: Re: Searching new Benchmark Ball
Post by: MI 2 AZ on January 07, 2018, 01:45:01 PM
Hi all,

Started to play with 14 lbs, but I want to sell my whole arsenal to get on 15 lbs as I am starting to throw to fast and whiping around the side.
I am totally unsatisfied with the balls, I current have. So I need help to find my new benchmark ball and based on this, set a league starter arsenal for high-mid-low conditions.
Arsenal now:
Storm Timeless
Dv8 Vandall Destroy
Rhino Black Pearl

My rates
Axis Tilt avg. 12
Axis Rotation avg. 58
Axis Point (PAP) 5 Side 3/8 down
Revs avg. 321
Release: Tweener


If you are bowling in Europe, what type of lane conditions?  Are they dry or oily?  (at one time I thought they used less oil in Europe than here, but that may not be case any longer).    Do you have a pro shop nearby that you could talk to someone about your ball choices and see for coaching?  Better to talk to someone who knows the conditions you are bowling on and can watch you bowl.  Whipping around the side could be a problem with your match up to balls.

Title: Re: Searching new Benchmark Ball
Post by: Average Joe Reviews on January 07, 2018, 02:33:24 PM
Motiv Venom Shock, Motiv Forza SS, Ebonite Gamebreaker 2, 900 Global Absolute Truth.
Title: Re: Searching new Benchmark Ball
Post by: Amoyensis on January 07, 2018, 02:36:53 PM
Hi all,

Started to play with 14 lbs, but I want to sell my whole arsenal to get on 15 lbs as I am starting to throw to fast and whiping around the side.
I am totally unsatisfied with the balls, I current have. So I need help to find my new benchmark ball and based on this, set a league starter arsenal for high-mid-low conditions.
Arsenal now:
Storm Timeless
Dv8 Vandall Destroy
Rhino Black Pearl

My rates
Axis Tilt avg. 12
Axis Rotation avg. 58
Axis Point (PAP) 5 Side 3/8 down
Revs avg. 321
Release: Tweener


If you are bowling in Europe, what type of lane conditions?  Are they dry or oily?  (at one time I thought they used less oil in Europe than here, but that may not be case any longer).    Do you have a pro shop nearby that you could talk to someone about your ball choices and see for coaching?  Better to talk to someone who knows the conditions you are bowling on and can watch you bowl.  Whipping around the side could be a problem with your match up to balls.

My THS is 44ft Big Ben on an old barely maintananced synthetic lane. I had a tournament on this today, where I have to change from timeless to Vandall Destroy because the timeless.drilles 4/4/2  did not come around in the back end, although it should be much stronger than the vandall
Title: Re: Searching new Benchmark Ball
Post by: AlonzoHarris on January 07, 2018, 04:27:24 PM
Roto Grip All Out Show Off
Storm Hy Road
Storm Torrent
Storm IQ Tour
Roto Grip Dare Devil Trick

All could be benchmark balls depending upon conditions and volumes

As I am very unsatisfied with the so highly praised Timeless, I won't go with storm again. Same with Brunswick.

First let's definitely not gauge Storm's equipment on the Timeless. That ball sh!t the bed for most people that bought it, it happens.

But anyways, looks like all the standard benchmark balls are covered in this thread now.
Title: Re: Searching new Benchmark Ball
Post by: HackJandy on January 07, 2018, 07:50:16 PM
Timeless got hyped way too much as a way to get Belmo paid for all the Hy-Roads he sold but neither here nor there.  Newer is definitely not always better.
Title: Re: Searching new Benchmark Ball
Post by: Amoyensis on January 08, 2018, 01:37:57 AM
Motiv Venom Shock, Motiv Forza SS, Ebonite Gamebreaker 2, 900 Global Absolute Truth.

Game Breaker 2 Phenom or Pearl?
Title: Re: Searching new Benchmark Ball
Post by: AlonzoHarris on January 08, 2018, 01:50:08 AM
Motiv Venom Shock, Motiv Forza SS, Ebonite Gamebreaker 2, 900 Global Absolute Truth.

Game Breaker 2 Phenom or Pearl?

Both viable, the choice being dependent on the volumes you see.
Title: Re: Searching new Benchmark Ball
Post by: Gunso on January 08, 2018, 02:12:46 AM
I'm not sure you know your bowling balls well enough. The timeless from what i've seen needs friction and you are starting with it on a fairly high volume and coming around the ball and flinging it. that will never work for a ball as the timeless is more a transition ball when a hook spot has been created.

the vandal destroy should be stronger from the looks of it but never seen one. when i say stronger i mean as in read earlier as it's assymmetric core is helping the ball read a little earlier. both are hybrids but the timeless is 2 parts pearl 1 part solid.

throwing fast with lots of side on 44 ft and 24 ml (depemding on where you throw it) is a recipe for disaster without surface to begin with, even worse with the skid flip balls you've bought but that ain't the balls or the manufactures fault
Title: Re: Searching new Benchmark Ball
Post by: djgook on January 08, 2018, 07:11:36 AM
You throwing the Timeless on the fresh, it will not work. I have the timeless and it works for me when it is friction. I have the IQ tour as my bench mark. I am looking at the OG Hy road but I do not know if it will overlap something.
Title: Re: Searching new Benchmark Ball
Post by: Bigpoppa3000 on April 16, 2018, 03:55:29 PM
I would say if you want a ball that tells you what the lane is doing, the storm torrent sanded to 4000 or 3000 is an absolute gem of a consistent ball from what I have heard and seen, and its on the cheaper side. Or, you can get a urethane (Id suggest an old faball, just look around at how many still people use them, including me), but that would be less so a benchmark and more of a consistent nonflippy ball, but if 44ft is what youre bowling on then the storm torrent is probably much more useful than urethane.
Title: Re: Searching new Benchmark Ball
Post by: kuba_kakes on April 17, 2018, 11:08:29 AM
The GameBreaker 2 and GameBreaker 3 both have a nice benchmark reaction at an attractive price. The GB3 is on the stronger side, but still has a great shape down lane. The Storm Torrent is a great option too, but it does cost a little more.
Title: Re: Searching new Benchmark Ball
Post by: 2handedrook12 on April 17, 2018, 03:54:49 PM
You can definitely find a Torrent for a pretty decent price on Facebook or online pro shops. Believe I have a buddy that is currently selling one for like $110. I'm sure I'll regret mentioning that at some point since the Torrent is becoming one of my all time favorites due to it's true and consistent shape. Definitely recommend it over the GB2. GB3 is in another realm in terms of overall motion.
Title: Re: Searching new Benchmark Ball
Post by: marsden74311 on April 17, 2018, 07:58:58 PM
Its so weird seeing so many people bash the timeless and praise the hyroad. Its the same cover. And i remember reading on here that cover prep is 80-90% of your ball reaction
Title: Re: Searching new Benchmark Ball
Post by: Geigs on April 17, 2018, 08:10:17 PM
Gb2 solid, original hyroad. My two favorite benchmark balls of all time. Gb2 solids die quicker though. Just tougher to maintain the solid cover. Still throwing my hyroad today with 300+ games on it. Minor resurfacing along the way, still great. Just drilled a new, fresh  hyroad, so may finally be retiring the old one. Careful not to drill your equipment to strong. 4x4x2 is real strong for today’s balls. They may not be cornering for you  because they’re puking at the breakpoint. Gd luck kid.
Title: Re: Searching new Benchmark Ball
Post by: AlonzoHarris on April 17, 2018, 08:14:40 PM
Its so weird seeing so many people bash the timeless and praise the hyroad. Its the same cover. And i remember reading on here that cover prep is 80-90% of your ball reaction

I believe the cover was altered flipping the pearl to solid ratios.
Title: Re: Searching new Benchmark Ball
Post by: Geigs on April 17, 2018, 08:20:47 PM
You may be right Alonzo. Definitely has som swirling, pearl look in the cover. Noticeable when it is shined up. Thick hyroad shell blows every ball away for longevity imo. Probably why they are still making them, selling them after 10 years. Go with the hyroad kid. You won’t regret it.
Title: Re: Searching new Benchmark Ball
Post by: CoorZero on April 17, 2018, 08:31:25 PM
Its so weird seeing so many people bash the timeless and praise the hyroad. Its the same cover. And i remember reading on here that cover prep is 80-90% of your ball reaction

On paper, sure. Reality on the lanes? Nope. Totally different balls... much to the chagrin of the Timeless.
Title: Re: Searching new Benchmark Ball
Post by: Bowldozer on May 06, 2019, 04:20:04 AM
I’ve been playing with GB3 as a benchmark ball & very satisfied. It is a very versatile ball. A ball I use to test the lane during practice. I won it on a lottery  ;D
Cheers from France.