BALL SPECS
Pin Length: 3 inches
Starting Top Weight: 2.8 oz
Ball Weight: 15 lbs 2 oz
DRILL PATTERN
http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l525/gilesdtg/DV8%20Bowling/IMAG01242-1.jpg
BOWLER STYLE
Rev Rate: 350
Ball Speed: 16 mph
Track: Medium to Low
SURFACE PREP
Grit: Multiple surface grits used in review
Type: (Matte, Polish, Sanded): Multiple finishes used in review
LANE CONDITION
Length: 38 foot, 43 foot
Volume: medium to medium/heavy, heavy
Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc): THS and PBA Shark pattern
BALL REACTION
Length: 8/10. Out of box finish this ball provides great length and recovery. Also this ball takes great to surface adjustments. Don't be afraid to adjust the Hell Raiser's surface to get more or less length.
Back End: 9.5/10. Back end is what the Hell Raiser is all about. I cannot tell you how many times I have sent the Hell Raiser wide and watched it fly back. This ball brings a new definition to back end...from your THS to the heaviest of sport patterns this ball will find its way back to the pocket.
Overall Hook: 9.5/10 Right in line with its back end hook potential, the overall hook of the Hell Raiser is second to none!
Midlane Read: Midlane is one of the first things I look for in a ball, and the Hell Raiser fits the need. The Hell Raiser gets clean through the heads, and ever cleaner though the mids. For a high end ball you will find yourself in awe of how clean this ball is, even on your medium ths patterns.
Breakpoint Shape: Aggressive Continuous Motion
COMMENTS
Likes:
Where do you start with the Hell Raiser? From its flashy attractive color scheme to its unmatched high end performance, this ball is second to none! First let me comment on this balls performance on my ths pattern. I bowl on a 38 foot medium ths, and the Hell Raiser has found its place as the first ball out of my bag. I love to take advantage of the strengths the Hell Raiser offers and show off its versatility in league. The H.R. allows me to get in deep and wheel! This ball surprised me quiet a bit with how clean it was through the front part of the lanes and how much hitting power it saved for the pins. Being used to most other high end balls I have ever thrown I was expecting to have to put the Hell Raiser away after the first game, but I didn't. This ball never burned up or lost energy, rather it seemed as the night went on the Hell Raiser found a way to come around the corner harder. As much as I have enjoyed this ball on my house shot, I enjoy it even more on the heavy volume patterns. Last week I had a chance to throw this ball on the Shark pattern, and it did more than I could have ever asked for. The Hell Raiser allowed me to get 2-3 boarders deeper than anyone else with ease...which is a big advantage because it let me play in an area by myself...so all I had to do was make the shots. There were a couple shots I put in what I thought was no mans land, but the Hell Raiser proved me wrong. There is not a better ball for heavy volume patterns on the market! With all of the strengths talked about so far, I have yet to mention its best strength yet. This ball takes to surface adjustments very well, which is essential to all bowlers. I feel like having this ball in my bag is like having 3 balls in 1 because it takes so well to surface adjustments and gives me any motion I need. And the messengers....oh the messengers! Do yourself a favor and go raise some Hell with a DV8 Hell Raiser.
Dislikes:
The only dislike that could even be considered about the Hell Raiser is that it didn't come out sooner!
PICTURES AND/OR VIDEOS
See Direct Link above listed under drill pattern.
Also visit Link listed below for full album of my DV8 Hell Raiser before and after drilling:
http://s1122.photobucket.com/albums/l525/gilesdtg/DV8%20Bowling/
Video Review soon to follow!
-Denny Giles
Edited by gilesdtg on 9/12/2011 at 8:35 AM
Reckless Ball Review
BALL SPECS
Pin Length: 3.5 inches
Starting Top Weight: 2.1 oz
Ball Weight: 15 lbs 3 oz
DRILL PATTERN
http://i1122.photobucket.com/albums/l525/gilesdtg/DV8%20Bowling/537-1.jpg
BOWLER STYLE
Rev Rate: 350
Ball Speed: 16 mph
PAP/Track: Medium to Low
SURFACE PREP
Grit: Box Surface. 500 Siaair Pad with Rough Buff
Type: (Matte, Polish, Sanded): Rough Buff
LANE CONDITIONVolume: Medium to Medium/Heavy
Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc): THS
BALL REACTION
Length: 7/10. The out of box surface of this ball provides for medium length. If more length is desired adjustments can be made with a higher surface pad and/or polish. As the Reckless comes out of the box you will find this ball clears the heads very clean (even with the rough buff finish) and picks up quickly in the midlane.
Back End: 8/10. The Reckless provides for a strong continuous back end motion. This ball does all the right things on the back end. It seems like you cannot put the Reckless in the wrong place. The Reckless finds a way to pickup when you put it wide and it holds line when you pull it in.
Overall Hook: 7/10. Although this is not the ball you will be going to on a fresh heavy oil lengthy pattern, its serves its purpose very very well. This is a ball that will be able to be thrown on an array of patterns and will allow you to play out or play in. The only patterns you would really want to keep the Reckless away from is your "burn patterns" and the higher volume lengthy patterns, but thats what the H.R. and Misfit are for!
Midlane Read: 10/10. This ball deserves much credit and praise for its midlane performance. This ball is second to none when it comes to reading the midlane the right way. As I have already expressed the Reckless seems to find a way to pickup where you don't think it will and push when you don't think it will. Another great asset of the Reckless is that it will quickly allow you to identify what the midlane is doing...which will help you to make the decision to ball up, ball down, or stay with it.
Breakpoint Shape: Smooth heavy rolling motion
COMMENTS
Likes: This ball is the definition of what I look for in a benchmark bowling ball. By definition a benchmark bowling ball is one that will allow us to get a good read on the lane and will work on multiple patterns from multiple angles, and the Reckless does it all. The reckless has proved to be a ball that will be first out of the bag and performs on most patterns. I can honestly say I have never had a more valuable ball in my bag. The Reckless works on 80% of the patterns that I see (including tournaments). Not only does it work on so many different patterns, but I can play numerous angles with this ball. I find myself being able to play from out around the first arrow all the way into the fifth arrow with no problem. Even on the patterns that the Reckless does not work on, I still find alot of value in the Reckless. For those patterns the Reckless doesn't work on I bring the Reckless out and throw it down the lane a couple shots. The Reckless will give me a quick read on where the oil is at on the lane and what ball I need to go to. Another mark of a great benchmark ball. DV8 really got it right with the Reckless core in this ball...I see this core being in many DV8 balls in the future. The Reckless core in this ball gives it much of its versatility and is driller friendly.
Dislikes: The only weakness of the Reckless is the extreme oil patterns (the burn patterns and the high volume patterns)
PICTURES AND/OR VIDEOS
Video to follow
-Denny Giles
Edited by gilesdtg on 9/12/2011 at 8:35 AM