win a ball from Bowling.com

Author Topic: urethanes out  (Read 5425 times)

2handedrook12

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1702
  • Be yourself and keep it simple.
urethanes out
« on: July 14, 2013, 12:45:07 AM »
So what's the latest on the supernatural and polar ice hybrid? Im in the need of a urethane  ball reaction and i was looking at these two mostly. What's the word on them?
League: Pitch Purple, Destiny Magenta
Testing: MVP
Interests: Black Widow, Proof Solid, Idol Pearl

 

charlest

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 24523
Re: urethanes out
« Reply #1 on: July 14, 2013, 05:09:09 AM »
I almost wish you hadn't asked this question. I just drilled up both, with the Blue/Black Polar Ice intended as a spare ball and the SN (75x 4.75 x45) intended as a dry lanes strike ball.
(Keep in mind that I am just returning to bowling after a 3 month "injured reserve" for a sprained slide ankle; so my ball speed and rev rate aren't up to normal yet.)

I've used the SN twice in practice session and its reaction so far is almost hyper sensitive to any carrydown or spottiness. If it sniffs oil in the breakpoint area, it doesn't seem to make the turn. So much so that the Polar Ice seems more consistent in the small hook I like for most spares. Since I throw it all over the lane, to make spares: 2/4/5, 4 pins, 10 pins, 3/6/10s and so on, it hits almost every board in the house at one time or another. So it's bound to hit oily spots here and there. (Remember that the SN and the Polar Ice use 2 different urethane formulations!)

This is only an initial report and it could be the summer oil or carrydown from open bowling AND I'm just not up to par yet. But I don't like the SN's reaction so far. I just joined a summer league to bowl on regular oil; they oil just before league starts. There was plenty of oil, too much for a urethane for my current release. I used a 4000 grit Shout and intend to bring a 4000 grit Karma solid and an IQ Tour Pearl next week to this league. 

With your rev rate, the SN should be a much more appropriate ball. My normal rate is in the 300 - 350 range; my current rate is probably 250 - 275, roughly. These lanes are usually on the drier side but the SN's reaction was so bad, I was actually considering adding some surface. It's too early to do that, though.
« Last Edit: July 14, 2013, 05:11:22 AM by charlest »
"None are so blind as those who will not see."

riggs

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1158
Re: urethanes out
« Reply #2 on: July 14, 2013, 06:44:01 AM »
My review of the SUPER NATURAL:

http://www.11thframe.com/page/reviews_id_12

riggs

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1158
Re: urethanes out
« Reply #3 on: July 14, 2013, 06:44:44 AM »
I retired plastic and it is not my spare ball all the time. And I use it some on hooking shots for strikes.

2handedrook12

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1702
  • Be yourself and keep it simple.
Re: urethanes out
« Reply #4 on: July 14, 2013, 09:45:17 AM »
Ok thanks for the input. The main reason i asked about these two is because my home house is normally on the dryer side or at least is after i bowl 8 games or so.  It gets to the point where my scream would have to be highly polished to get it through the midlane. But since changing the surface to  about 4000 (from 1000 because of a project), it is a light oil ball again. And being  a one-handed bowler for 10 years, i learned a lot of hand tricks that i taught myself  again when i converted. So using a highly polished urethane for me will clear the heads and midlane with a smooth breakpoint shape. I may actually end up buying both because they can be useful on their intended lane conditions. Im still trying to get that video uploaded.
League: Pitch Purple, Destiny Magenta
Testing: MVP
Interests: Black Widow, Proof Solid, Idol Pearl

avabob

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2777
Re: urethanes out
« Reply #5 on: July 14, 2013, 08:48:13 PM »
I have a hard time imagining the need for 2 urethane balls under almost any circumstance.  I have owned the original Natural for 2 years.  It has totally replaced my plastic spare ball.  I also use on some house shots where my low rev rate just labors too much to carry when I have to move in and throw out around the puddle in the middle.  I have also used it on some low volume short patterns where I could play outside 5 and square up.  The last thing I want to see this ball do is hook enough that I have to go away from the pocket. 

Also I have baked the oil out of the Natural 4 times. 

charlest

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 24523
Re: urethanes out
« Reply #6 on: July 14, 2013, 10:01:46 PM »
I have a hard time imagining the need for 2 urethane balls under almost any circumstance. ...

You have to remember that circumstances changing with the environment. Part of that environment is the bowler's rev rate/ball speed ratio. It is often a factor that is  not easily changed.

If  you have the low revs and adequate ball speed that you say you do, thankfully, you will not need more than one. If others, like myself, are rev dominant or just have a higher rev rate and see lots of dry regularly, you may need more than one urethane.

I bought the pancake cored Polar Ice as a more durable (than plastic) spare ball. I bought the SN with a real core, as a lighter oil strike ball. Right now I'm seeing more oil than I usually do and do not have a need for the SN. I hope that continues but it may not.
« Last Edit: July 14, 2013, 10:04:41 PM by charlest »
"None are so blind as those who will not see."

avabob

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2777
Re: urethanes out
« Reply #7 on: July 15, 2013, 11:34:24 AM »
I see your point, but I would still think a low end, low flare resin ball might be preferable to a second urethane, even for higher rev players.  The big difference between urethane and resin is not how they react off the dry, but how little carry down it takes to impact a urethane ball.     

charlest

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 24523
Re: urethanes out
« Reply #8 on: July 15, 2013, 03:42:56 PM »
I see your point, but I would still think a low end, low flare resin ball might be preferable to a second urethane, even for higher rev players.  The big difference between urethane and resin is not how they react off the dry, but how little carry down it takes to impact a urethane ball.     

Oh, I understand what you're saying 110%. That's why I'm actually happy that my center is using slightly more oil recently and I don't have to use even polished urethanes like the SuperNatural. At least I hope it remains that I don't have to.

Unfortunately, 99% of even the mildest resins have very strong backends. The few that don't, actually, didn't, like the Slingshot ans the Motiv Silver Recon are all being discontinued and replaced. You have to dull many of them, like the Tropical Breeze and the Ascent Pearl and the Scream to smooth out their reaction; then they handle less dry. It becomes a vicious circle.
"None are so blind as those who will not see."

kidlost2000

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5789
Re: urethanes out
« Reply #9 on: July 15, 2013, 05:37:22 PM »
I just recently got a red urethane groove and love it. It has a pancake weight block and works great for spares and responds well for a strike ball on the right condition. Even with a strong drilling the ball doesn't over react. The lack of core wont allow it.
…… you can't  add a physics term to a bowling term and expect it to mean something.

2handedrook12

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1702
  • Be yourself and keep it simple.
Re: urethanes out
« Reply #10 on: July 18, 2013, 09:41:01 PM »
I have a hard time imagining the need for 2 urethane balls under almost any circumstance. ...

You have to remember that circumstances changing with the environment. Part of that environment is the bowler's rev rate/ball speed ratio. It is often a factor that is  not easily changed.

If  you have the low revs and adequate ball speed that you say you do, thankfully, you will not need more than one. If others, like myself, are rev dominant or just have a higher rev rate and see lots of dry regularly, you may need more than one urethane.

I bought the pancake cored Polar Ice as a more durable (than plastic) spare ball. I bought the SN with a real core, as a lighter oil strike ball. Right now I'm seeing more oil than I usually do and do not have a need for the SN. I hope that continues but it may not.
that's the problem. I see dry quite often. About 50% of the time i go to my home lanes, it a light to dry pattern from the start. If you go to riggs blog, you'll see in the tournament at Oak forest Bowl in Oak Forest, Illinois, there lanes don't hold oil that long. And y the way, i have a scream that does have it's spot specifically fort hat house. But sometimes i need a controlled reaction that reactives sometimes cannot yield. But from the looks of it, it sounds like the polar ice would be right up my alley because i have zero carry issues with the pancake cores. In fact, sometimes my pancake cores hit harder than my scream does lol.
League: Pitch Purple, Destiny Magenta
Testing: MVP
Interests: Black Widow, Proof Solid, Idol Pearl