My personal opiniom, this question is asking two different things. In some cases, heavy oil requires a ball that will slow down quite a bit creacting traction in oil. The last couple of years, companies are focusing on making balls that don't read the fronts as much to have more energy down the lane, but still create a good amount of traction. The Sure Lock and RipD are capable of doing both, but they don't do the first option as well. Balls like the Hyper Cell and Inception DCT grip from the moment you release, but don't shape up as much downlane. Since it sounds like you want the second option more, I would go Rip'D Solid or Sure Lock (pick your favorite brand). Worst case scenario, you could add more surface to try and get them to slow down more.

Good advice from Impending about where you want the shape.
I was able to throw the Ripd solid and the Ripd hybrid at a demo days
the solid is alot of ball for sure, to much for me, not many places have enough volume for that ball
I ended up with the Ripd hybrid and that it to much for most places even with a shiny surface on it.
I used the Ripd hybrid at Nationals and it was great for the team pattern although i switched to it in game three which was 2 games to late.
I sure wished I had the Ripd solid for the minors pattern there, plenty of volume and length IMO. used the Alias Asym layout and it was enough, but still cold have used a stronger, higher flaring ball

I’m gonna say core dominant balls, where the core is stronger than the cover. If you push the layout to the edge of being legal and roll it really good, it will kill.

So like the Hypercell Fused is an example. With the out of box surface to get the core in motion and the giant Nucleus core, it will turn hard even in carry down. But you have to roll it good or it will die.

But a surface dominent ball being played up the middle needs surface to get the core in motion, or else it will skid or lobe; thus dying in the backend and never come back. Good for playing tighter lines.

I don’t have the RipD and I don’t think its any better than the Surelock or Jackal personally, but does have  a better warranty. The DCT that Doom is gong with is just as good,  but it’s very core dominent and the cover is weaker.

For me, I’ve been in really heavy heavy oil and almost cried. I have 3 Jackals and found that perhaps a mild pin down with 500 surface works the best all around. I only need to move the ball 8 boards on the outside and 5 out and 3 in on the inside.

But What is heavy oil to you?
Just get the RipD.

I had a jackal ghost and a Jackal LE.  The ghost was a bust for me.  Never hooked more or did better in heavier oil than the Jackal LE.  Jackal LE was decent but I didn't think it was a  super strong ball for long patterns or heavy oil.  Radical Cash, dud... Original Cell, dud, Raptor Talon dud.  Right now my Radical Grease Monkey Whack out hooks and out performs everything on all patterns.. I know people will say then there isn't enough oil.  I have bowled on a flood when nothing moves and the heavier oil balls don't look better than anything else.  Right now I have the Cash with a 3" pin to PAP... First time I threw that ball the pro shop guy said, "WTH, why didn't that ball move or read the lane at all"  I put a weight hole on the PSA and it looked a little better and gave it some motion

I had a jackal ghost and a Jackal LE.  The ghost was a bust for me.  Never hooked more or did better in heavier oil than the Jackal LE.  Jackal LE was decent but I didn't think it was a  super strong ball for long patterns or heavy oil.  Radical Cash, dud... Original Cell, dud, Raptor Talon dud.  Right now my Radical Grease Monkey Whack out hooks and out performs everything on all patterns.. I know people will say then there isn't enough oil.  I have bowled on a flood when nothing moves and the heavier oil balls don't look better than anything else.  Right now I have the Cash with a 3" pin to PAP... First time I threw that ball the pro shop guy said, "WTH, why didn't that ball move or read the lane at all"  I put a weight hole on the PSA and it looked a little better and gave it some motion

Sometimes people just don't match up with the heavy oilers out there. I know/bowl with a guy that has the same trouble with high-end symmetric or asymmetric equipment. The ball definitely isn't burning up, just isn't doing anything. Drilling may be a factor but he has a much better look with lower-mid tier balls.

My Kingpin Max has yet to find a pattern too slick to roll the way I want.  Very early rolling and controlled off the spot.

I've heard the kingpin max is a good ball too. 

Lol if a heavy oil ball isn't hooking but isn't burning up, then what's it doing??  If a heavy oil ball isn't hooking, there just isn't enough oil . .

Quote from: CoorZero on May 06, 2018, 07:16:08 PM

Quote from: J_w73 on May 05, 2018, 10:19:04 AM

I had a jackal ghost and a Jackal LE.  The ghost was a bust for me.  Never hooked more or did better in heavier oil than the Jackal LE.  Jackal LE was decent but I didn't think it was a  super strong ball for long patterns or heavy oil.  Radical Cash, dud... Original Cell, dud, Raptor Talon dud.  Right now my Radical Grease Monkey Whack out hooks and out performs everything on all patterns.. I know people will say then there isn't enough oil.  I have bowled on a flood when nothing moves and the heavier oil balls don't look better than anything else.  Right now I have the Cash with a 3" pin to PAP... First time I threw that ball the pro shop guy said, "WTH, why didn't that ball move or read the lane at all"  I put a weight hole on the PSA and it looked a little better and gave it some motion

Sometimes people just don't match up with the heavy oilers out there. I know/bowl with a guy that has the same trouble with high-end symmetric or asymmetric equipment. The ball definitely isn't burning up, just isn't doing anything. Drilling may be a factor but he has a much better look with lower-mid tier balls.

It isn't burning up in that it is rolling forward  and not hooking, but I think it may be burning up just enough to kill the revs so that the ball does nothing when it gets to the back of the lane.  Issue is, the ball doesn't look any better on heavier oil either.  I've heard you say that you don't do well with balls below 2000.  Do you end up going to a smoother surface on your heavier oil stuff, like the sure lock or solid covers?  I saw your Idol review.  I'm considering that ball as well.

For League Heavy oil (dry to the outside)I love Strong Cover Symmetrical balls like my Particle Favorite the Reaction Roll!  Rounded predictable and rolled in to the side friction.

For Flat oil the lefties nemesis if they don't know this, pick balls that allow one to point in the early games.  This often means higher rg balls that create little midlane through core.  My favorite in the Particle days was a the lighter load Track Spell pointed from the 5 6 up to the 9 board.  I would love to watch the righties take a heavy oil ball like a Mayhem or try a today's compliment say a GB3 or AlphaCruz and expect in the first game to aim away from the pocket.  Their mistake after a lower first game often gets rectified by the development of a hook spot downlane somewhere in the second game!

Surprising I even once had a wonderful performance on a flat shot pointing a Battle Zone Bullet up the 4 board.

My feeling is the key is a low midlane setup for flat, surface for flat usually but not always,,Lots of midlane and surface for league heavy oil with dry to the sides.

Regards,

Luckylefty
PS one idea that has always intrigued me mentioned by T-God out here was using Lefty drilled balls for righties and righty drilled balls for Lefties where the first friction one sees if at the end of the pattern(ie flat oil).  This eliminates the jerk off the first dry seen by the ball!