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Author Topic: Smash Zone  (Read 16247 times)

admin

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Smash Zone
« on: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM »
Ball NPS Score: Not Available
- Coverstock: EnMotion Reactive Pearl
- Ball Color: Black Pearl All colors do vary somewhat from the picture shown.
- Ball Finish: High Gloss Polish
- Hook Potential: 115 (Medium-High) on a scale of 10-175 Low-High
- Length: 95 (Early-Medium) on a scale of 25-235 Early-Late
- RG Differential: 0.047 (Medium) on a scale of 0.0-0.080 Low-High
- RG Average: 2.511 (Low) on a scale of 2.43-2.80 Very Low-High Break Point
- Breakpoint Shape: 70 (Angular) on a scale of 10-100 Arced-Angular
- Recommended Lane Conditions: Medium Dry to Medium Oily
- A few tiny pit holes in the cover stock of the ball are normal
- Description: The Smash Zone integrates a pearlized version of Brunswick’s exciting EnMotion™coverstock with an updated version of the original Inferno™core and a high gloss polish finish. This combination creates an ultra-low RG symmetric core ball that gets through the front part of the lane then rev’s strongly to create excellent mid-lane recovery and a continuous back-end reaction. The Smash Zone uses a Pearlized version of the EnMotion coverstock. EnMotion combines the best elements from our PowerKoil™, Activator™and N’Control™coverstock systems. The Smash Zone unites EnMotion coverstock with an updated version of the original Inferno core that lowers the RGdiff to reduce problems with over flaring. Ultra-low-RG’s are known for strong mid-lane recovery moves and their controllable and continuous back-end hooking action, Brunswick has created a strong revving counterpart to the Twisted Fury that will match-up better on lane patterns that create excessive length or over/under reaction problems for higher RG balls.

 

bowler001

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Re: Smash Zone
« Reply #1 on: August 19, 2008, 04:22:31 PM »
PAP 5-1/8 over, 1/2 up
Medium to high rev
Layout: 55 deg, 6" pin to pap

Ball is very aggressive at the friction, but "relatively" smooth off of it. Was excited to use it on the shark pattern last night, and it did exactly what I was hoping. Was able to store plenty of energy to get a strong reaction down the lane. Was able to play inside with it as well as up the boards. Overall, I feel like I am throwing a slightly stronger version of my OI. Overall, had a consistent reaction and actually was able to recover on some errant shots.

BrunsWolf

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Re: Smash Zone
« Reply #2 on: August 19, 2008, 05:01:37 PM »
Stats:
18ish mph
350ish rpm
low tilt
low axis rotation


Ball 1:

5.5" low from PAP just off my midline

What else can I say rather than in 3 shots, it became my new "go-to", benchmark, etc. ball. It's very versitle without a doubt in my mind. On my house shot (39 ft, ProLane), the best look was down the oil line on the 10 board but I could also move into 4th arrow and still have PLENTY of miss room. Very continous in the backend and plenty of power through the deck. My only complant is that it leaves alot of 9pins! Even though I like the OOB finish for my THS, I can see myself taking it to about 2000 abralon for the tougher stuff.


Ball 2:

4" low from PAP, x-hole 2" down VAL

This ball's bread and butter line on my THS was a swing from 18 at the laydown out to about 8 at the BP. With the OOB finish, it seemed not only a little skip/snap, but also had a little hook-set reaction to it. When it did hit the pocket, it destroyed it. I was also able to move further in with this ball but still had the same type of reaction which led to some weak 10s. I also feel that a cover change is in order. I might take it down to 1000 abralon or so to let it bleed off a little bit of the energy instead of reacting all at once.


The smash zone is just one of those balls that is a a must have. Mine make a nice little 1-2 punch on my THS and i'm sure on many more patterns to come with the cover tweaks. Ball 1 will be in my bag for a good while, for league and tournaments. While I had some stuggles early on macthing up with Ball 2, its still in my league bag and the cover tweak should have it finding its way into my tournament lineup. PM me with any questions and thanks for reading.
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http://brunswick802.bowlspace.com/
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Jonesboro, AR
Brunswick Advisory Staff

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer and not of Brunswick Corporation.

Corey C

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Re: Smash Zone
« Reply #3 on: September 06, 2008, 01:37:07 AM »
5.5" Pin to Pap
Pin below fingers
No Hole, OOB Finish

I used this ball on the Cheetah pattern in our PBA experience league. The long pin keeps the flares tight and the low pin keeps the ball from snapping too hard off the dry. I was playing 8 to 2 and the ball got down lane with ease, and stored it's energy for a strong arc through the pins. The carry was amazing! I like how I can keep my angles tight with this ball, even on the cheetah, and I didn't have to move deep quick.
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Corey Clayton
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olererack

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Re: Smash Zone
« Reply #4 on: September 08, 2008, 01:33:50 AM »
Coverstock: EnMotion Reactive Pearl
High Gloss Polish
RG Differential: 0.047 (Medium)
RG Average: 2.511 (Low)
Results are:
And a Ultra-Low RG Symmetric Core  Bowling Ball.
In Addition this combination creates an easy skid through the front part of the lane
Then Rev’s strongly to create excellent mid-lane recovery and a continuous back-end reaction.
The Smash Zone :Reactive Pearl is .
Recommended  for Lane Conditions: Medium Dry to Medium Oily
The Smash Zone EnMotion cover stock plus updated version of the original Inferno core
Lowing the  RG Differential..
Reduces the  problems with over flaring.
As a rule  Ultra-low-RG’s are known for strong mid-lane recovery moves and controllable and continuous back-end hooking action,
Which Brunswick has Achieved
The Smash Zone  is a strong revving counterpart to the Twisted Fury.
That’s  matches up on lane patterns that create excessive length
Versus  over/under reaction problems for higher RG balls.
This is Your Go To Ball,

Member of Buddies Pro Shop
Member of the Vise Grip Staff



luckylefty90

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Re: Smash Zone
« Reply #5 on: October 08, 2008, 01:02:41 AM »
Drilled mine up today pin below my ring finger cg kicked out.  i wanted this to get down lane and give me some nice recovery. this thing does more than that. the backend is crazy, but still smooth. had to soften my hand at the bottom to keep it off the beak. most would say this is a bad thing, but i like it because it is reliable. preferct pearl ball. get one if you liked the original inferno.

robbouk

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Re: Smash Zone
« Reply #6 on: October 20, 2008, 06:43:24 AM »
hi drilled this up on sunday. pin above ring finger with a weight hole above pap. i love the back end recovery this ball gives me and the room for error also. i was able to miss upto 7 boards left of the target and still get back with power! however my favourite thing about this ball is its versatility!! this ball can be played anywhere on most patterns, i can move left (i'm left handed) and play straight up first and then i can move anywhere across the approach, get a bit further round the ball and swing it across the lane without losing any hitting powr!!! this was my first brunswick ball in 5 years but it wont be my last!!

H Man

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Re: Smash Zone
« Reply #7 on: October 23, 2008, 11:23:55 AM »
Just pick this ball up thru a trade with icefiction for some Storm stuff I had. I left his original drilling(3-4in pin, pin under bridge CG kicked left with extra hole in thumb quad) in it and adjusted to my span. I used it on the new Chameleon Pattern (40'of oil laid down in strips). All I can say is WOW. It cam off the end of the pattern like someone kicked it. Shot 720 with it. I switched from Storm to Brunswick looking for a smoother early roll, that continued thru the pocket, AND I GOT IT!!!!!!

PAP 4 11/16  1/8 up
Power Stroker (LOL)
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"If you cannot accept what happens once the ball leaves your hand.... QUIT!!!"
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Dwight Albrecht

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Re: Smash Zone
« Reply #8 on: November 20, 2008, 02:41:38 PM »
Smash Zone
Ball Specs
The ball being drilled was a 3” pin out with 3.00 oz top weight.
Drilling: Pin 4 1/2" from PAP and Mb 4" from PAP, 1 1/2" in Buffer. Pin is above ring finger. Weight Hole on my axis. Factory Polished.

Bowler Information:
Track diameter is 10 1/2.
PAP is measured at 5 1/4 over and 3/8" up.
Average ball speed (foul line to head pin) is 16 mph.
Axis rotation is typically 90 degrees
Initial rev rate is typically 300 rpm, "Tweener"
Lane Condition and Pattern:
Bowlero Lanes, HPL 9000 Panel. Oil Pattern: THS condition from dry outsides, light oil inside, semi clean backends.

Review:
The Smash Zone for me is lengthier than the Swarm and less hook. For me it's a go long break hard ball. It has the core of the Ultimate Inferno which helps the ball rev quickly but the shell skids more in the oil than the power koil 18 shell found in the Swarm. The smash zone is 3 boards weaker and about 5 feet father down lane than the Swarm. Great ball for medium to dry or when the lanes break down or when the track starts to form. Thanks for reading my review.
Dwight

dizzyfugu

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Re: Smash Zone
« Reply #9 on: November 24, 2008, 05:49:24 AM »
The Smash Zone in a nutshell:
  • Rolly piece, rather smooth breakpoint. Neither a skid/snap nor a super hooker
  • Low RG core and polished OOB pearl cover create a true "middle of the road"/benchmark piece
  • Versatile medium condition ball, just not suited for the most dry and oily lanes
  • OOB polish handles less oil than expected, can cause control trouble
  • Much better control with Rough Buff surface, but also remarkably higher grip level that can cause burnout
  • Haven’t found the right surface for me yet


    Why this ball?

    This ball is the result of a long and involuntary search for a ball in the middle of my arsenal, after my trusted Trauma faded away (R.I.P.), and the Smash Zone was rather a second best option for what I had in mind. And it turned out as a long story of a relationship that simply does not seem to lead to a happy end…

    Originally I had been looking for a ball that would fit between my Frankie May Gryphon (typically at 2.000 Abralon, pin under the ring finger, stacked) with a similar, smooth reaction but more length, and above my Revolution Renegade (assumed PK18 solid, higher RG, low diff.., polished, pin above ring finger, stacked) which has clear limits when there is too much/long oil. Both balls make a great combo, but I felt that I could use a ball that would give me the smooth but powerful back end of my FMG, but with some added length and ease through the heads once the lanes start to change, and simply with more "steam" than the Renegade.

    Consequently I had been looking for a low RG pearl reactive with a symmetrical core and a medium to high RG differential. My 1st choice had been Visionary's G-3 Gryphon, and later the Gladiator Pearl. But after trying to get hold of them for almost 1 year (there had been problems with the small semi-professional German distributor) I started looking for alternatives, and that was just the time when the Smash Zone had been announced for summer 2008.

    On the paper, the Smash Zone looked promising as a substitute, specs close to the FMG. Anyway, I also wanted to give an up-to-date coverstock a try and needed the ball in time for league that would start in late September, so I ordered a specimen at my local pro shop and was one of the first non-staff players to receive one at the end of August 2008.

    About me:
    Style = Stroker/mild tweener, right-handed
    Speed = ~14 mph
    PAP = 5" & 7/8" up
    Axis tilt = 18,7°
    Revs = ~275 RPM at release
    For more details, check out my profile, please.


    The ball and its setup:
    I wanted the ball to show a steady, continuous turn in the back end, not a skid/snap reaction. With the aforementioned plan how to integrate the ball into my arsenal, I intended to get a Smash Zone with similar specs to my FMG (2" pin, 3 ounces of TW) and drill it just the same way to copy the FMG's reaction - hoping for more length through the polished pearl surface.

    My Smash Zone specimen finally came NIB with:
  • 15.2 lbs. gross weight
  • 2.5” pin distance
  • 2.6 ounces top weight

    The ball was drilled up by Brunswick amateur staffer Michael Kraemer at his pro shop in Duisburg, Germany - and again credits to him for his support, patience, service and expertise

    We discussed my plans and setup ideas, and finally the ball was punched up with a conservative 4.5x4.5 drilling. The pin ended up just under my ring finger, the CG stacked below under the grip midline.

    ========
    ===o=o==
    =====*==
    =====#==
    ========
    ====O===
    ========

    * = Pin
    # = CG

    No x-hole was necessary, leaving room for future adjustments. Black oval grips plus a black urethane thumb slug completed the setup. I left the ball’s surface as it came, Brunswick's High Gloss polish - even though I noticed that the plastic-filled engravings protruded remarkably from the surface (much like on my Awesome Finish when it came), and I was ready to take surface adjustments if needed.

    Pics of the OOB ball can be found in the video linked below under 1.2.2


    The testing and comparison program(s) in detail: 
    Beware, this is going to be long! I had and have much trouble with this piece, because “we” do not seem to match up well. The surface experiments are still going on, so a third chapter and more conclusions will surely be added…


    Part 1 - OOB High Gloss surface

    1.1) 35' or so, light THS, 2007 Brunswick AnviLane surface:
    Since there had a senior tournament been going on in Duisburg while I had the ball punched up, I had to postpone its maiden flight for a couple of days.
    The occasion came when I decided to visit a bowling house where I had never been before, "SuperBowl" in Dinslaken, 30 miles from home. It is a new 24 lanes house with Brunswick equipment - nice, tidy, but mostly for social bowlers. Typically, no one could tell me about the oil pattern length and volume when I asked. Since many houses stick to the standard lane machine settings and from guesswork from the ball reactions, I think it must have been a 35-37' THS, kind of Xmas tree pattern with dry outsides and not a high total oil volume - medium conditions at best.

    The Smash Zone showed a nice, yet unspectacular performance. With its OOB polish it went very well through the thin heads, and once it hit the dry the low RG core revved up very well.
    My most successful line was standing at 26th board and aiming it across 13th board at the arrows - with a good belly shot, since the lane allowed it. Additionally, I just put little effort into the release. A straight wrist and some finger action was enough to make the ball work well.
    3 games with results of 189-173-195 are not the world, but for a first test and on unfamiliar conditions, this was promising.

    From the other balls I tested (my OOB NS2 drilled label and Frankie May Gryphon at 2.000 grit with the same setup as the Smash Zone), the Smash Zone worked best - the others were simply too much ball. The NS2 burned up hopelessly, and the FMG needed extra revs and power to carry well on a similar line.

    What I really liked about the Smash Zone at its OOB finish was its smooth and clear reaction. Very easy through the heads, and once through the mid lane area the core would migrate steadily towards its axis, making the ball break in an even curve and rev up very continuously. It did not appear to be jumpy at all on those medium-dry/lighter conditions, but I think that much of this reaction can, besides the low RG core from the Inferno family, be contributed to the pin-under-fingers layout.
    Another thing I found out in these first shots on lighter oil was the ball's very good response to release changes, esp. to rev changes. Extra revs are easily transformed into covered extra boards in the back end, so the ball allows many different lines and angles with some training and feeling for it.


    1.2.1) 38' medium THS, 2004 Qubica synth surface:
    I continued my trials at “Treff Bowling”, Duisburg. Since no tournament was at hand, the typical medium house shot was applied which allows a lot of lines and equipment, and offers a good basis for comparisons.
    The Smash Zone proved to be a very "middle of the road" ball, again. I lined up with my feet at 24th board, played with normal release and a straight wrist across 13th board at the arrows and had the ball break rather early and finish in a wide, smooth curve with a power-loaded back end. I was well surprised about the ball's hitting power, despite its rather unspectacular performance!

    As benchmarks, I also tried 3 other balls that cover in my arsenal conditions above and below the Smash Zone:

    Frankie May Gryphon
    no wonder, with its almost identical setup and static weights, both balls showed a very similar performance and break point shape. The FMG would, however, need a different release with the hand more behind the ball to carry well. While feet and target were the same, the FMG showed much more recovery and back end power, even though it needed some extra push through the heads to finish well – I had the impression that the FMG needed more oil. Definitively a step up from the Smash Zone, just as I had planned (and hoped for).

    New Standard²
    My current oil ball with a label leverage setup and OOB surface (about 1.500 grit wet sanded). This ball would need a deeper line, feet at 28th board and played across the 3rd arrow, and show a surprisingly angular break point, sharper than both Smash Zone and FMG. Definitively 2 or even 3 steps up from the Smash Zone.

    Black Pure Hammer
    My ball for lighter conditions and late games in league, drilled 5x5 with the pin above the bridge and at 1.500 wet sanded. Due to the mild coverstock I had to play it on a very different line: feet at 22nd board and 2nd arrow as a target, almost straight down and only with a small, arcing hook due to the nature of the ball. Playing in the buffed outside zone near the gutter, the BPH had much recovery and carry trouble. It took some time to figure out that it needed more hand and revs (with a cupped wrist) to work properly, and confirmed my impression that the Smash Zone was way stronger than this mild Hammer piece, especially in the back end, with much more spontaneaous traction.


    1.2.2) 42' medium pattern, 2004 Qubica synth surface:
    Another test at Duisburg’s “Treff Bowling”, but with a different, longer and more demanding pattern, just one week before the ECC 2008 tournament would take place. This time a longer 42' pattern with not too much oil volume and a more even distribution than a typical THS was at hand (though not the official ECC 2008 pattern yet). Not hard to play and definitively no flat sport shot, but more limiting than the earlier 38' THS.

    The Smash Zone coped well with this longer oil. The low RG core let it roll early. Overall hook was a little less than on the aforementioned 38’ THS, but the reaction shape was very similar, rather arcing. The ball also kept up its good nature, it would just not recover well when played too far outside – the ball would miss the 1-3 pocket, hit high and leave 1-2-4-7’s or 2-4-7-10’s, but that was part of the learning process.

    On the same occasion, I had my video camera with me and was able to make some direct comparisons and take video footage:

    5:00 min. of ball data/pictures, general lane performance and direct comparison with Awesome Finish with a shiny 3M Trizact Finesse-It II compound surface and my Frankie May Gryphon at 2.000 Abralon on the 42’ pattern.



     


    I chose the AF and FMG as benchmarks, because the FMG has virtually the same drilling and is pretty close in RG ratings, and the AF because it has a PK18 coverstock, combined with a low RG, strong MB core. Besides, all 3 balls had almost identical top weight before drilling.

    Awesome Finish
    The AF proved to have much less traction than the Smash Zone – it went much longer (O.K., pin is set above the fingers and MB stacked for length and a sharp turn) on a line much closer to the gutter, broke more violently/sharper and later and more or less delivered all the juice it had in the back end area for a dramatic finish. Overall, I’d rate the AF with my setup a step under the Smash Zone, even though it worked in a very different fashion!

    Frankie May Gryphon, revisited
    The FMG was – again - very close to the Smash Zone in overall reaction, playing on a slightly deeper line (Smash Zone: feet at 24th board, FMG at 26th) and showing once more a bigger back end reaction than the Smash Zone on the 38’ THS. But thanks to the longer oil it needed much less player’s effort to carry well.
    Even though both balls perform similarly, the FMG handles more/longer oil better than the Smash Zone. With more surface on the FMG, the differences would surely be even bigger and clearer, but with the current cover finish at 2.000 Abralon, they compliment each other well in my arsenal.


    1.3) Medium to oily 42' sport pattern, brand new 2008 Brunswick AnvilLane:
    Final tests at my club house. On this demanding shot with 22ml of oil the Smash Zone clearly came to its limits. I tried the ball when the lane was fresh, and I had much over/under trouble with it. The pattern seemed to amplify the basic characteristics of this ball: clean through the heads, easy revving core, and very good traction in the dry areas.

    The ball would sail dead straight through the front part of the lane, but it had much trouble recovering at the break point. With my normal release, it would hit weak or miss the pocket entirely on various lines between 8th and 13th board, leaving 1-2-4-10s, washouts or an occasional 2-8 or even 2-8-10.

    When I put more hand to it, the ball hooked well in the back end, making use of its good traction once on dry ground, but the low RG core would make it almost overreact. Many of these shots even went for Brooklyn, and it was funny to see how the ball would float in the oil, and then, out of a sudden, jerk leftwards, break and rev up very quickly. Hit and carry was good, though, but the ball had severe trouble at its breakpoint, despite the pin-under-fingers layout. Very hard to control and to predict.

    As a benchmark, I only had my OOB Fuze Igniter with me, drilled 4x5 to go long and flip hard (I did not expect that much oil). Even though polished and with a harder surface, the Igniter was much more playable than the Smash Zone! That was big surprise to me.
    I easily found a stable line and release to play with the Igniter that would allow me to score consistently, feet at 20th board, playing a tight line with only a small hook across 12th board. I had much less control trouble with this older piece, which I also considered to be much more nervous on this pattern. Strange!
    I could not say that the Smash Zone did not work on this condition, it hooked well, but it was almost impossible to control (for me). I did not find a consistent solution that would yield a stable reaction. I think that longer oil in higher volumes is definitively not the balls turf at OOB finish, showing the upper limit of the OOB finish.

    Surface changes appeared to become necessary to tap the ball’s full potential.


    Part 2 - Rough Buff surface

    After the aforementioned initial trials I was not content with the Smash Zone’s overall reaction and performance. It handled less oil than expected, and especially the control trouble worried me. I decided to improve the ball's surface in two ways:

    a) scraping off the protruding engravings, so that the ball had a more even surface, especially when tracking across the engravings’ areas

    b) Knock off the OOB shine. As a 1st attempt, I decided to apply a Rough Buff compound surface which all other balls with this coverstock have as factory finish. I wet sanded the ball down on my home-made spinner with a maroon 3M pad (about 320 grit) from 4 sides, applied Brunswick's Rough Buff rubbing compound (also from 4 sides), and the result was a sheen, silky look.

    2.1) Preliminary ECC short oil pattern, 2004 Qubica synth surface:
    Back to “Treff Bowling” in Duisburg, just in time to be on the lanes when Kegel officials were working on the long and short oil patterns for the ECC 2008 which would start the next day. I was lucky to get a lane with the short oil for training, though it was not the pattern's final version. Therefore, no exact data about the pattern was available, but it was IMHO rather short (maximum 35', surely less) and rather light, because it did not last long under the Rough-Buffed Smash Zone.

    With the new surface prep, the Smash Zone showed much more hook and traction. I had to line up much deeper than ever before to get the ball into the pocket at all - while I was able to stand on 24th board and aim at 13th board at the arrows on the 42’ pattern in this house before I had to stand now at 28-29th board and play across the 3rd arrow out to 5, for a dramatic Hollywood hook and thunderous back end.
    Control at the breakpoint improved, too, but I am not sure if it was the sheen Rough Buff finish, more dry room to work with or the fact that now the engravings were much more leveled out, enhancing the overall traction of the ball while rotating and flaring across them.

    On this occasion I had my video camera with me again, and even though I did not make direct comparisons (I used my Igniter on a 23/11th board line and my Slate Blue Gargoyle with a 20/8th board line – the latter was very effective), you can see the reaction difference quite well: 2.30 min. of Smash Zone reactions with Rough Buff surface on preliminary ECC 2008 short oil pattern.



     


    The ball had very good continuation in the back end and even through the pin deck, and the marker on the PAP shows how quickly the ball changes its rotational axis, flaring quite a lot.

    2.2) 38' medium THS, 2004 Qubica synth surface:
    Once more trials at Duisburg’s Treff Bowling, again on the standard house pattern already played at OOB finish under 1.2.1.
    With the Rough Buff surface, overall control became much better, as well as the hook potential. Nothing new to add, but I witnessed after 4 games with the ball that it would tend to burn up, much quicker than before, and this performance change came very quickly. This was definitively too much surface on the ball for my needs, moving it closer to the FMG.
    Taking the shine off of the ball is highly recommended though, if you want to play on true medium conditions and more, but it seems to come at a price… I was surprised how strong EnMotion's response to the surface change was. It reminded me much of Activator+, which used to react very drastically to surface prep changes for me on my Shock & Awe.


    Part 3 – 3M Finesse-It II high gloss surface
    Third part of the odyssey: I hit the Rough Buff ball with a 4.000 Abralon pad and added Finesse-It II compound, which created a good compromise between length (due to a glossy surface that gets the ball well thorugh the heads) and control (very good grip at the break point due to a wax-free pure ball surface) for me in the past on various balls.

    Well, to be honest, I still haven't found what I am looking for. My first trials on the medium 37' shot at my club house left me with a confident feeling. The ball hooked a lot and was easy to control, just great!
    But this bubble immediately burst when I tried the Smash Zone in a different house: same as before - over/under trouble, very unpredictable reaction, while stronger (FMG) or weaker (Renegade) equipment performed well - with 40-50 more wood per game!

    Not sure what I can do anymore, I'll probably sell it quickly...


    Some conclusions:
    What do we have here? This could, despite some flaws, become Brunswick's sleeper of the season. The Smash Zone looks quite boring, does nothing spectacular or visibly outstanding on the lane, but it is a steady and versatile performer that handles almost anything but extreme oily or dry conditions.
    It is IMHO a very good "all-round" ball, a perfect choice for house league players who typically have dry areas to work with, and it is IMHO a benchmark ball in Brunswick's current line-up because it is so "middle of the road", condition- and reaction-wise.
    IMHO the Smash Zone offers very good value for the money, and is a hot tip for budget bowlers or players who step up from entry level equipment who want “just one ball that does it all”.

    Lane utility for tested ball (pattern length vs. oil volume):


    |S M L
    |h e o
    |o d n
    |r . g
    |t
    _______
    |0 X +| Light volume
    |+ X +| Medium volume
    |X + 0| Heavy volume


    The chart concept is borrowed from Storm's 2003 print catalogue. Surface prep and drillings may change the results, it is just personal experience with the reviewed ball

    If there is something negative to it, then it is IMHO the OOB surface, and maybe the coverstock’s tendency to react so dramatically to surface changes which makes fine-tuning a tedious task.
    The Smash Zone is the only current ball with EnMotion Pearl that has a high gloss surface, and this setup was probably chosen to make the ball fit into the current line-up, to avoid overlap with very similar pieces like the Ultra Zone or the Twisted Fury Pearl. So far so good. But I doubt that Brunswick made a good decision for their customers this way.

    With the OOB polish the Smash Zone is quite nervous on longer oil – something I also heard from independent and educated sources about it. What stirs me is that this results in an unnecessary weakness or flaw that could have been avoided with an OOB Rough Buff finish, or a different polished coverstock that would read the lane a bit earlier, like Activator Pearl or even PK18 or the stronger Aggressive Reactive from the Fuze balls. The ball and how it handles reminds me bit of the “Radical Inferno incident” – the RI proved to be hit or miss for many players, weaker than advertised, and it needed in many cases surface adjustments from the OOB shine to become useable at all…

    Anyway, after testing it on various conditions and with surface changes I was still impressed how well the ball goes through the heads, either with the OOB polish or even with some sheen prep, as long as at least a little oil is still left. Surprising for its low RG core. This behavior reminds me much of N’Control Power Boost.

    Too much and too long oil will simply make the ball quit on you. This is not the Smash Zone’s home turf. The Smash Zone is IMHO OOB only good for medium-dry to medium conditions, esp. with a stroker release like mine. On higher oil volumes I found it VERY hard to control with the factory finish, but I am sure it is a fine ball even for medium-oily conditions if you are rev-dominant. Crankers will love this thing OOB for its smooth move and good length. It will surely handle more oil for them, and the not-so-high differential pays out for this player style.

    The low RG core gets the ball into a good and early roll (Brunswick’s indicated length of “90 out of 175” is plausible, as well as the “70 out of 100” breakpoint shape) and makes it deliver its stored energy quickly.
    It revs up easily, and this makes it quite forgiving as long as there is at OOB finish some defined dry area on the lane. My later Rough Buff experiments improved its oil handling ability a lot, but made the ball prone to burn-out where if before shined with its polished surface. All in all, the core/cover combo seems to work together very well and effectively.

    Beyond these coverstock issues, conquering various lane conditions is made easy through the ball's very good response to release changes, though the low RG core, paired with the sharp coverstock, magnifies errors and inconsistent reactions caused by spotty lanes and release mistakes – that’s what I see as a weak point of the Smash Zone, especially with the high gloss OOB finish. The ball in itself is not really nervous, but its tendency to rev up so well magnifies release flaws, lane irregularities and errors. You need lots of dry area to compensate.

    Another limit I found with my specimen and setup at OOB finish was that the ball would not recover a lot of boards if I’d pull the shot and send it too far out to the gutter. Additionally, I was never able to play the Smash Zone at its OOB finish on lines deeper than 3rd arrow. With the Rough Buff finish, the ball showed much more recovery and hook potential in the back end (also making it break a bit earlier), but I think that both observations stem from my drilling and style and are not true innate design problems.

    Another thing that worried me was that just after a dozen games the bridge cracked – the first time that this happened to me with a NIB ball. Also, the engravings protruded well from the surface - not as dramatic as on my Awesome Finish some time ago (the ball really suffered from "wobbling" and poor traction), but paired with the shiny OOB finish it surely did not improve the ball's reaction consistency.
    Additionally, I have NEVER seen engravings on a Brunswick ball of such poor production quality! The places where the CNC drill went into the coverstock are clearly visible (like widened punctures, disrupting the clear engravings’ lines), and the filler material has lots of bubbles and brownish inclusions.
    Just cosmetic things, one could say, but it all did not leave a high quality impression in me. I just hope that the ball’s integrity is not impaired by “economic” production processes in Mexico, they simply have done better in the past.

    As a positive counterpart, the ball does not seem to track out easily. After almost 3 months of use with the OOB finish, it showed no signs of tracking out, and no change in performance. My Rough Buff treatment enhanced the ball’s hooking ability a lot, but also made the surface prone to tracking.

    All in all I give the ball a 7 out of 10. I have been working with it for more than 2 months now, and still do not feel confident with it. I can see what this ball can do, and it is not bad, but I do not seem to match up well with it. Sometimes, second best solutions do not pay out
    Nevertheless, I will continue with the surface experiments (a shiny Trizact compound finish is next), but I fear that the ball will not stay long in my arsenal - I might still try to get my hands on a G-3 Gryphon...


    Final words - the looks:
    I cannot help it, but to me the Smash Zone looks as if Brunswick's designers ran out of ideas. Or had a “quick and dirty” low budget solution to be found? I find the ball very dull in appearance, with its single color black pearl surface and also only single-colored, pretty faded neon-yellow engravings and pin. Well, black/yellow is nothing bad, the ball is not ugly at all, but in this very simple style is not truly exciting or promising. And for understatement, the engravings are too big and too many.

    About the quality impression, everything has already been said above. Personally, I find the Smash Zone (also compared to former balls from that product line that had multicolored engravings to make them stand out a bit) design-wise quite disappointing and generic. It could be a lower range piece, or a ball from the 90ies. O.K., what the ball actually can do is what finally counts, but the Smash Zone appears to me like "just another ball" with little shelf or rack appeal. The monotonous design also makes spotting the ball's reaction down the lane not easy.

    --------------------
    DizzyFugu - Reporting from Germany

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  •  


    Edited on 26.09.2011 at 7:23 AM

     
    Edited on 26.10.2011 at 4:02 AM
    DizzyFugu ~ Reporting from Germany

    gbrown

    • Full Member
    • ***
    • Posts: 182
    Re: Smash Zone
    « Reply #10 on: December 13, 2008, 10:43:51 PM »
    1 inch pin drilled rico.  This ball is awesome.  It thumped over the fingers first because of the pin so we put a flare increasing whole and now its great.  The ball is smooth through the heads and has a great mid with arch back end.  If I get it to the dry early it rolls out bad but keep it in the oil and you get magic.  I was playing on a light oil ths playing 20 at the arrows out to ten with great success.  If I tugged it money and if I got it right late the light would still carry.  It is not a dry lane ball for me but it will be a great bench ball to see what the lanes are like.  Myspace.com/bigballbrown
    --------------------
    raw need a coach

    Weapons of choice
    rival
    ultra zone
    twisted solid
    smash zone
    twisted fury
    vapor zone
    pit boss old faithfull

    FranVarin

    • Sr. Member
    • ****
    • Posts: 345
    Re: Smash Zone
    « Reply #11 on: January 01, 2009, 10:49:38 AM »
    BALL SPECS
    Pin Length - 3
    Starting Top Weight - 3 oz
    Ball Weight - 15

    DRILL PATTERN
    I used the dual angle techniqe when laying out this ball 50 X 4.5 X 40 and placed a 3/4 X 2.5 weight hole 2.25 inches down from my PAP

    BOWLER STYLE
    Rev Rate - med. tweener
    Ball Speed - 15 - 16
    PAP/Track - 5 1/8 up 1

    SURFACE PREPARATION
    Box

    LANE CONDITION
    Length - 42
    Volume - Med
    Type (Wall, Xmas Tree, Sport) - Wall

    BALL REACTION
    Length - 8/10
    Back End - 8/10
    Overall Hook - 8/10
    Midlane Read - 9/10
    Breakpoint Shape - 7/10


    COMMENTS
    Carry - This ball hits like a truck. Interestingly, a friend of mine who is a very knowledgeable bowler commented on how hard this ball hits the pocket. I am a medium rev tweener so, I don't tend to throw many messangers across the deck. Not so with this ball. I found that any high flush hit was just simply ten in the pit. I also carried a lot of soft light hits. The headpin was thrown against the side board and came back to take out most of the left side of the rack. I did leave a few 10 pins due to flat hits. Also, this ball finishes so strong I left a couple of 9s as well.
    Likes - This ball revs up very hard in the midlane and makes a profound move on the backend. On a doubles league we throw on a house shot with a lot of over/under. This ball was able to smooth out the over under and make a great move to the pocket. It allows me to open up the lane and gives me some area to the right without overracting off of the dry.
    Dislikes - I don't think this is really a dislike but, the ball does respond very well to hand a speed alteration. It took a little bit for me to figure out how the ball wanted to roll. Once I got the hang of it, it was awesome. I can see where a really agressive drilling may be problematic on over/under.

    Overall this is a great piece. I recall when the announcement first came out my impression was that this would be the best inferno yet. Thinking that because of the modified Inferno core. Sure enough, the enMotion coverstock is a great match over the Inferno core. It revs really easily and is very controllable. It has a great roll and shape on the lane. This ball will be a winner in just about anybody's hand. If you are looking for a medium condition pearl give this a look.
    Fran Varin
    USBC Silver

    BrunsWolf

    • Hero Member
    • *****
    • Posts: 588
    Re: Smash Zone
    « Reply #12 on: January 22, 2009, 03:50:02 PM »
    I wanted to wait to post a review until after I worked out some physical game kinks... So here it goes:

    Layout:
    5.5" below the fingers
    no hole
    Surface:
    4000 abralon

    Bowler stats:
    Speed: 18.5+/-
    RPMs: 350-400

    Lane Condition:
    Pro-Lane
    19.7 ul with A22 oil
    8:1 ratio
    39’

    Any layout in the 4.5" to 5.5" below range is my "go-to" layout for reactive pearls with low RG cores and this ball was no different. I went 5.5” on this one just to save a little more energy for the backend.

    With this ball on my fresh house shot, I am able to use slightly higher launch angles than with my other equipment without fear of the ball hanging up. It glides through the heads, picks up ever so slightly in the midlane, and then continues with a strong arc all the way through the pocket. Also, at 4000 it handles carrydown extremely well. Its almost as if the ball can sense the carrydown coming and saves just a little extra “pop” to kick out the corners instead of skating by the headpin. The versatility of the ball is it’s most impressive feature in my book. I’m able to pipe it up 10, play from 30(laydown) to 5(breakpoint) and anywhere in between.

    I’ve also had the chance to throw it on the 2008 Open shot with a very smooth look up 9. On the old Viper, I had success playing up the ditch with it at 2000 grit and up the 5 board on the old Chameleon with a stronger release and less speed.

    It’s definitely a ball that will be in my bag for a while. Its versatility is unmatchable in my opinion and should have a spot in any bowlers bag.


    --------------------
    Volunteer Brunswick Staffer

    Jared Wolf
    Jonesboro, AR
    http://brunswick802.bowlspace.com/
    www.bowlingchat.net
    Jared Wolf
    Jonesboro, AR
    Brunswick Advisory Staff

    The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer and not of Brunswick Corporation.

    joshs

    • Jr. Member
    • **
    • Posts: 88
    Re: Smash Zone
    « Reply #13 on: May 06, 2009, 12:01:28 PM »
    layed out with pin above middle finger 1 1/2 in, cg slightly to the right of the center of grip.  This works out to be about a 5 in pin-pap for me  
    box surface

    it's a little less overall than i originally thought, but it fits into my lineup very well.  it allows me to get the ball through the lane with minimal effort on the lower oil volume conditions.  

    i pulled it out of the bag at a regional i was at (chameleon) and played around 4th arrow with it and it gave me the best look as the day went on.
    --------------------
    "Every Strike brings me closer to my next homerun"

    FastTracker33

    • Hero Member
    • *****
    • Posts: 3472
    Re: Smash Zone
    « Reply #14 on: July 09, 2009, 04:43:31 PM »
    Smash Zone specs:

    14lbs
    5" pin over ring finger.
    No extra hole.
    Surface finish is OOB, with the polish slightly knocked off.

    After throwing this ball for probably close to 75-100 games by now, I think I can give a good review of it. I fell in love with my Smash Zone since the first day throwing it. It's really been a good addition to my arsenal since day one. The first thing I noticed is the control and predictability out of it, for being a pearl. The next thing I noticed is the extreme hitting power this ball provides on a variety of conditions. The messengers I get with this ball are awesome. Anyways, the Smash really makes its' move through the heads clean and smooth, reads the mids nicely and really comes smooth/hard off the spot. I can play a variety of lines/angles with this ball as well. Deep line to almost a more direct line, this ball still continues to hit and go through the pins perfect. Hand position changes are also not a problem.

    Here's a quick clip of the Smash on a THS, just a bit broken down after a mixed league with 10 people per pair.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewgvzSeaPrI

    I hope this review helped some. If anyone needs any help with this ball, i'd be glad to try.

    Thanks for reading!
    --------------------
    - Brian
    http://BeansProShop.com