Need advice/opinions on which ball I should get...

[kx90]

Hi all, I'm new to the forums. Been reading and researching and since I'm getting close to purchasing my first new ball in over 18 years I figured it would definitely help to get some information from the knowledgeable membership here. :)

Firstly some background info, I bowled in a league until I was 19 years old. Junior league up to 18 then one year in an adult league. Got away from it for a long time until recently when my mother signed my kids up for a junior league (they are 11 and 8 years old). So now I'm getting the itch to start bowling again. The last ball(s) that I had were a Rhino (Teal) and a Hammer Blue (Urethane). My brother took my Rhino about 10 years ago and had it re-drilled to fit him, so I'm taking that as an oppurtunity to buy myself a new ball. I have thrown the old Hammer for five games over the past couple of weeks and I averaged about 180ish (if I recall correctly my average during my last league bowling season was mid to high 190's).

So now I'm looking for a new ball. Things sure have changed quite a bit in 18+ years. Doing a bit of research I've narrowed it down to what I believe would be a few good choices for my style which IIRC was a medium to long slide and a hard left hook at the end with the Rhino. The Hammer was used more for spare shots that I wanted to keep from hooking too much and/or for lightly oiled lanes. I plan to keep the Hammer in the bag now too. I've been told by a number of people that I trust that I will want to definitely make sure I get a ball with a 'reactive resin' coverstock especially if I plan on getting back into league bowling (which I am).

So the balls that I've been thinking about buying are:

Brunswick C-System Versa-Max
DV8 HellRaiser Terror or Revenge
DV8 Marauder
Hammer Ratchet

If there are any out there that I should be including on this list or any that I should cross off right now please let me know. :)

So any information, opinions, etc. would be greatly appreciated, thank you. :)

[Ball99999]

I don't know how slide length relates to style but my opinion is to get the Versa-Max or Marauder from that list. Or maybe something like Storm Hyroad or Crossroad.

[noeymc]

hammer still makes good bowling balls DV8 seems to be the best now ask around pro shops and i bet you they say dv8 are good balls i my self i am a hammer guy storm makes good balls still this question is best asked by and check this site out http://www.bowlingball.com/ you know that the terror and hell riser are the 2 balls that will hook alot! but yeah i dont know what type of bowler you are

[Zothen]

Roto Grip Defiant or beserk are nice balls that can be used on most light/medium-heavy oil. Brunswick C-(system)Maxxed Out,possibly DV8 Maurader Madness or nightmare,Hammer Taboo Purple,Columbia Violent or Mass Eruption,900 global Train or Frieght Train,Storm !Q Tour-Vivid or Lucid.

Zothen

[Brother_jd]

Roto Grip Defiant or beserk are nice balls that can be used on most light/medium-heavy oil. Brunswick C-(system)Maxxed Out,possibly DV8 Maurader Madness or nightmare,Hammer Taboo Purple,Columbia Violent or Mass Eruption,900 global Train or Frieght Train,Storm !Q Tour-Vivid or Lucid.

Zothen

Arent all the balls in your last sentence heavy oil balls?

[kx90]

I don't know how slide length relates to style but my opinion is to get the Versa-Max or Marauder from that list. Or maybe something like Storm Hyroad or Crossroad.

I guess what I was trying to get at was the length the ball goes before taking any action.
And I suppose as far as what style my form is it would be a "Tweener" with a lean towards a Stroker.

[billf]

Your description told me tweener to stroker as most crankers plant or have a very short slide. Out of your list I would choose the Terror. The polished cover allows it to clear the heads nicely before reading the mid-lane and has a beautiful, angular hook at the end. I am biased though as this is currently my favorite ball. The Marauder also is polished with an angular back end hook but is more suited to slightly less oil. Before making your choice I would suggest talking to some of the more experienced bowlers in the league to see how they would interpret the amount of oil commonly found there during league play. If it dries up you will definitely want to use your urethane ball so I'm pleased to hear you plan to keep it.
**If your rev rate is extremely low the Revenge will work well. If it's higher with a high axis rotation then the Revenge will be too much ball for league. It is however, a great ball for certain sport patterns and tournaments.

[BoomGoesTheDynomite]

From that list I would go with the versa max. It is the most versatile ball I have thrown in a while. I would also highly recommend the storm tropical heat hybrid.

[Zothen]

Brother_jd-Yes they are listed as heavy oil! In my experiance most heavy oil balls can be used for light/medium-heavy oil depending on how their drilled and coverstock adjustment. The only ball that is strickly for heavy oil FOR ME is the neXus Soild(Pink/Blue)because of how it's drilled it won't stay on the lane unless it's heavy oil. I have tried various coverstocks and nada. That is why I left it off the list! I have seen the Trains,!Q Tour,Vivid,Violent Eruption and C-(System)Maxxed Out used on most lane conditions with some nice results.

Zothen

[Davec13]

hammer still makes good bowling balls DV8 seems to be the best now ask around pro shops and i bet you they say dv8 are good balls i my self i am a hammer guy storm makes good balls still this question is best asked by and check this site out http://www.bowlingball.com/ you know that the terror and hell riser are the 2 balls that will hook alot! but yeah i dont know what type of bowler you are

DV8 has a great reputation around these forums, once you get to the pro shops (at least around here) you don't even see them stocked. Some of the shops see them as "only brunswick balls" and brunswick took a hit to their rep when they moved manufacturing to Mexico. DV8 also doesn't pay for shelf space like some companies (airfresheners) do. I had such a hard time last year trying to get my first DV8 I ended up ordering it online to save myself the headache. Sooner or later though shops will not be able to ignore DV8 as their balls are definitely gaining in popularity.

[noeymc]

my pro shop both in my city love dv8 and they only hear good things about them

[kx90]

Thanks to all for the info thus far, I really appreciate the help. :)

Another thing I've been trying to make a decision on is the weight. My Rhino was 16lbs., my Hammer is 16lbs. I was thinking about going with a 14lb. ball this time for a few reasons the most important would be due to my back issues (lumbar surgery, neck surgery which they replaced a couple discs in my neck with titanium hardware, etc.). So when I decided to start bowling again a month or so ago I was deathly afraid that A) I wouldn't be able to do it and B) I would hurt myself doing it. Luckily neither of those have been answered "Yes." to this point, amazingly enough bowling does not bother my lower back much at all which doesn't seem to make sense but I'm going with it. :D

Anywho, would a 14-15lb. ball be a disadvantage versus a 16lb. ball?

Also to answer billf's RPM point in post #7: I've never had the RPM's actually measured on any of the balls I've thrown but, if I had to guess I would probably say it would be somewhere between 300-350.

I think whichever I decide to get I will probably buy from bowlingball.com and have it drilled somewhere locally.

[Zothen]

Kx90-I was just as puzzled! I have had low back problems as well and I had my neck fused at C6 & 7 @ T2 back in 2008. I attribute not having back or neck problems to my trainer who is helping me strengthen my core.

Zothen

[Zothen]

Wont let me edit! I forgot to mention I started with 14lbs and now i'm using 15lbs.

Zothen

[billf]

With today's balls there is not advantage, or very little, to a 16 pound ball over a 14 or 15 pound ball. http://www.bowl4fun.com/ron/tip14.htm great read by Ron Clifton

[75lockwood]

Anywho, would a 14-15lb. ball be a disadvantage versus a 16lb. ball?

Absolutely not! You should always select a weight that is right for you, if 16 is to heavy don't use it. The idea is that you want enough force to get good pin action, if you can throw let's say 16mph with 15 but only 12mph with 16, then you actually loose force and as such pin carry.

Don't get caught up in the crap that 16 is the only good weight!

[75lockwood]

Wont let me edit! I forgot to mention I started with 14lbs and now i'm using 15lbs.

Zothen


With today's balls there is not advantage, or very little, to a 16 pound ball over a 14 or 15 pound ball. http://www.bowl4fun.com/ron/tip14.htm great read by Ron Clifton

Curse you both! I just spent 10 min typing that out on a tablet and you posted before me! Lol

[kx90]

So after reading billf's link about lighter weight balls I do believe I will be buying a 14lb ball. Leaning towards the DV8 HellRaiser Terror.


Kx90-I was just as puzzled! I have had low back problems as well and I had my neck fused at C6 & 7 @ T2 back in 2008. I attribute not having back or neck problems to my trainer who is helping me strengthen my core.

Zothen

I've had a discectomy+laminectomy on my lumbar L5/S1 disc and vertabrae; my C4-C5 and C5-C6 discs in my neck were removed and replaced with very expensive metal. :D

I still have nerve damage in my lumbar that effects my left side mostly, my neck is the same but I'm about 3 years removed from the surgery and I no longer get constant pain and numbness in my left arm+hand. Most of the neck issues are local to the neck now and mostly on the left side. I figure at this point whatever problems I'm having are probably permanent and won't get better if any but will get worse the older I get (36y/o right now). This was all due to a car accident about 7.5 years ago.

I've had to quit playing hockey and basketball and can't play any other contact sports. Doc doesn't even want me getting on ice skates even just to skate around. So I tried golfing again and while I can do it, it does sometime cause some pain flare ups that last for a few days after hitting a round. Now that I finally tried bowling I can't believe it doesn't give me much grief at all, I just find that amazing.

[Zothen]

My neck doctor was'nt happy I tried to snowboard,since I should up last yr complaining of severe neck pain and tingling. MRI & x-rays showed a crack in my neck where I had my neck fused together. So i'll just stick to skiing! Also my discs are showing sings of degenerating(wear down to nothing)and bone spurs the size of a baby parrot beak up & down my neck. I have just been diagnosed with the start of arthritis & degenaration of discs in the lower lumbar and tailbone. I will keep doing what i'm doing til I can't do it anymore!

Zothen