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- Color: BLACK/BLUE /CARAMEL
- Core: Robot
- Core Type: Asymmetrical
- Coverstock: UMP Gen 4A Reactive Pearl
- Finish: 800, 1000, 2000, 2000 Abralon sanded, polished with Powerhouse Factory Finish
- RG: #16-2.51, #15-2.50, #14-2.48
- Differential: #16-.055, #15-.058, #14-.054
- Reaction: Extremely Angular At Break Point
- Recommened Lane Condition: Medium to Medium-Heavy
- A few tiny pit holes in the cover stock of the ball are normal
- Description: This all new 7 Series ball, the 718A, was designed to be a new and improved version of 2009’s 715A. In the two years since the introduction of the 715A, we have been working to design a more usable product for the masses. We used your feedback to design the 718A.
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LANE CONDITION
Volume:26
Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc):sport. 2010 USBC pattern
COMMENTS
I am a high rev player with 16.5 to 17.5 ball speed. Ball was drilled with the pin 4" from my PAP. Mass bias 1/2" right of thumb. Knocked the box shine off with 4000 abralon. This ball was very controllable and suprisingly not too flippy on the backend. My other A's were too much on the back for this pattern. It was still very strong just not jump off the lane strong. This will be a great THS ball. My other one I drilled I put the pin 5 and 1/2 inches from my PAP and the Mass bias almost under my thumb. Left the surface out of the box. This was a more typical A ball reaction. Very long and jumped of the backend. This will be more suitable for drier fronts and shorter patterns. Overall I think this will be a great ball. The pins stayed very low on the deck. Al you bowlers that love the skid flip reaction this is the one for you.
Likes: Great pin mixer. Great house shot ball
Dislikes: Not as versatile. Long and strong is what you get.
BJ Hines
Track Staff
Edited on 1/13/2011 at 9:57 AM
Edited on 1/17/2011 at 8:31 AM
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LANE CONDITION
Volume: Med-Heavy
Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc): Sport Pattern (Short buff thru the Track area)
This ball is very clean through the front part of the lane retaining lots of energy to make its move on the backend. I have thrown this ball on a couple of tournament shots as well as THS and have been pleasantly surprised with its reaction down lane. In a tournament this past weekend with heavy volume everywhere but the track area this ball allowed me to keep my angle much simpler by getting the ball through the heads creating that just right entry angle on the back part of the lane. On a THS this ball has all the right moves for a high speed/high rev player. A lot of length and plenty of backend motion. If you were a fan of the 715A go ahead and treat yourself to the new model year upgrade that is the 718A.
Mike McDonnell
Track Regional Staff
Richmond, VA
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LANE CONDITION
Volume:Medium
Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc): Dick Weber and THS
Likes:The 718A is layout like the old drill pattern #1, Pin on center line 1 inch up from center span and Mass Bias kicked out 3 inches from thumb. I do have a weight hole and it is on Mass Bias. Surprisely,the ball is clean through the fronts and gives you a strong but readable reaction. I am a more up the back guy with a low rev rate around 300 and like to play on top of the friction and to the right. The 718A allowed me to play an area of the lane that no one else could. In other words it opened up the lane. The 718A is stronger and more readable than the 715A is more aggressive on the backend.
Dislikes: Sometimes the 718A has a tendency to be too aggressive at the spot and you have to open up the angle.
Dan Schaden Jr
Track Regional Staff Member
Vise Staff Member
Edited on 3/1/2011 at 7:02 AM
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LANE CONDITION
THS
Likes: Had this ball drilled requesting the #2 layout (skid/flip). This ball lets me open up the lanes more, and we have produced some high scores. After 12 games, including a doubles tournament, I have shot 246, 247, 278, 279, and my first 300. I am 48 years old, carrying a 210 avg, and do not consider myself a cranker. I am more than happy with this Track Ball, and would recommend it to anyone that throws second arrow that does not think you have enough hand to go down and in.
Dislikes: N/A
Edited on 3/8/2011 at 4:20 PM
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LANE CONDITION
Length: 1st house huge wall 39' 2nd house 41' with oil to the gutter, still classified as a house pattern
Volume: medium to medium heavy in 1 and medium in 2
Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc):THS
Likes:Let me start by saying I won this ball in a raffle a few weeks ago. I had been looking at it anyway, to replace my EGO. This is my first track ball since ebo bought them. I still use a havoc and arsenal artillery today. This ball hooks. I have been surprised by how much it reads the midlane. The cover wants to slide, but the core revs fast enough to get it to read earlier. On a sport shot it may skid/flip but once the lanes start to open, this is a great choice to give a little more length and a strong arc. It fits under my artillery by 2-3 boards. It's drilled with a 4.5" pin and a 50' drill angle. I can't remember the other angle. It looks like the pin is at 1 oclock to my ring and the mass bias roughly 2.5" from the thumb. X hole is 1/2" above axis on the VAL 15/16" X 1.75" deep. My friend also has a brand new 715C with a very similar drill, and these 2 balls roll alike. I feel like if I matched surfaces to his, it would be the same ball. Hope this helps.
Dislikes: Only had it 3 weeks, haven't come up with any yet.
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BALL SPECS
Pin Length:3.5
Starting Top Weight:2.75oz
Ball Weight:15.4
DRILL PATTERN
Pin to PAP: 5"
CG to PAP: 5"
X Hole (if there is one):none
BOWLER STYLE
Rev Rate:500
Ball Speed:17.5mph
PAP/Track:5 7/8x 3/4up
SURFACE PREP
Grit:OOB
Type: (Matte, Polish, Sanded):polished
LANE CONDITION
Length:42ft
Volume:med/heavy
Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc):THS
BALL REACTION
Length: great length
Back End: WOW
Overall Hook: fairly strong overall
Midlane Read: minimal but enough
Breakpoint Shape: extreme hockey stick by far the most angular ball i have thrown
COMMENTS
Likes:ball is money, just find a line in practice and your done..ball is aggressive but its a controlable aggressive ball is amazing def my go to ball at the moment
Dislikes: not one
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LANE CONDITION
Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc):ths
Likes:this ball i drill got the 4inch pin out and it hooks like crazy have to move left 5 to 6 boards and still comes back hard and tears up the rack and its a great ball looking forward to throwing in again shot 226 avg for 3 games looking to see what its does next week under a different house shot
Dislikes: none right now
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LANE CONDITION
Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc):ths
Likes:this ball i drill got the 4inch pin out and it hooks like crazy have to move left 5 to 6 boards and still comes back hard and tears up the rack and its a great ball looking forward to throwing in again shot 226 avg for 3 games looking to see what its does next week under a different house shot
Dislikes: none right now
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LANE CONDITION
Length: 41'
Volume: medium to medium-heavy volume of oil, fresh pattern
Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc): THS
--and--
Length: 39'
Volume: medium to medium-heavy amount of volume, quick breakdown
Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc): Modified USBC OC pattern (Baton Rouge, 2012, adjustment = decreased volume outside of 5 by 50%)
COMMENTS
Likes: Track's 718A was designed with the intention of being an upgrade to the 715A which was the very first ball released in the "7" series Upper Mid Performance line; this ball has the UMP (Upper Mid Performance) Gen 4A Reactive Pearl coverstock designed to give easy length with a nice strong Angular motion in the backend
The layout I chose for this ball was the ever popular "RICO" layout (pin in the palm, MB at 45 degrees with a weighthole 6 3/4" from the pin...in this case directly through the MB) to have this ball be a compliment to my first 718A which was pin over middle finger (approximately 6" from PAP) and MB near the thumb (will get Dual Angle measurements shortly).
The RICO layout on this ball allows it to grab the midlane much earlier than any other 718A i've seen, whether pin up or pin down, but the cover and core of the ball still allow the ball to retain energy and use it all up on the backend; this combination of layout plus a different surface prep (sanded the ball to 1000 grit before drilling and polished with Powerhouse Factory Finish) gives the ball a uniquely strong reaction which is very useful on medium volume patterns, both house shot and sport
Dislikes: Once the oil in the heads starts to disappear and I have to chase the pattern left, because of the stronger pin this ball struggles from deeper inside angles, however, there are other balls with more conventional layouts that will let me have success from deeper angles (please note this is more of a commentary on the limitations of the layout rather than the limitations of the ball, my previously described 718A with the pin over the middle finger is a great example of a ball with a more conventional layout that allows me to get left quickly and really open up the lane)
PICTURES AND/OR VIDEOS