PDA

View Full Version : Storm Reign Review from Kurt Gengelbach



oldschoollefty
09-22-2009, 12:32 PM
and now from the left side of the big dot...

I drilled mine 5" pin to PAP, 4 1/2" MB to PAP with a 3 1/2" pin buffer.

I really tried to drill this piece weak and it just wouldn't cooperate. First set was on scorched house shot on HPL, four game set. I got through 2 games before moving on to an equally weakly drilled Fast. I was an arrow and a half right of anything I played in this center on their house pattern fresh or otherwise with comparable equipment. I have never seen a pearl move this hard off the dry before this one. This combination of the R2S pearl cover and the new C.A.M. weight block is another core/cover marriage made in heaven.

Next experience was fresh house shot on wood the following week. The Reign was more at home on heavier head oil and was good for the entire set. Our house condition features a lot of fallback on both sides and only my stronger drilled Virtual Gravity respects the fallback less than the Reign. The only obstacles I faced all set were the few strategically placed smash 8's and 9's I left along the way.

I'm with Riggs, the Reign was closer to the original Firestorm than the Fired Up but still stronger than both. This ball picked up a great continuous roll off the break point but didn't quit or "roll out". On light hits, the Reign was just devastating.

This will be a ball that will be first out on most late shifts and shorter PBA patterns, similar to my Virtual Energy which is drilled slightly stronger. Next up for the Reign is a regional in Austin, TX bowled on Cheetah. I am anxious to see what this ball can do on that much friction. I'll keep everyone posted.

9/22/09
A brief update on the Reign...

I bowled a SW regional tournament in Austin this past weekend. Pattern was Cheetah on an old Murray synthetic surface, weather outside was very warm and humid which affected the climate inside every time the doors opened and closed.

This was Cheetah classic. Lots of bounce off the first three boards, not much fallback, scoring pace was high.

I opened with a Furious on the fresh, ball drilled fairly weak with a 5" pin & 3" pin buffer. This ball blended out the early wet/dry look the pattern offered. As they transitioned, I swung between a Virtual Energy (4 X 4 1/2 w/a 2 1/2 pin buffer) which gave me more bounce off the dry when the lanes got tighter, and a Reign which gave me better length than the VE and equally impressive backend. I used the Reign most of the rest of the block with a 230+ game and a 250+ game to close the day.

Sunday, the lanes played tighter from the start with the Furious seeing the most action in the semis. I opened match play with the VE and stuck with it through the round of 16. My day ended at the hands of eventual champion Randy Shewmake in the round of 8 as I swung between the Furious and the VE. I can't blame equipment for the drubbing I took, my tired old body just kind of ran out of fuel.

Thank you again Storm for putting equipment on my hand that helps keep me competitive against younger, stronger, and talented bowlers.

Kurt G.

[ 09-22-2009, 09:31 AM: Message edited by: oldschoollefty ]