My IQ Tour Fusion Layout: 65 degrees x 4" X 3 3/8" (65 degrees)

Of the first two releases in this series I am a bigger fan of the IQ Tour Pearl while the IQ Tour has served me well at times as well. I've found it easier to lose my angle with the solid at times while being able to stay with the Pearl for more games at a time. I was pretty eager to see what the Fusion would do. In comparison to the first two the Fusion provided more length than the IQ Tour and a slightly more violent reaction at the breakpoint than the IQ Tour Pearl.

Since drilling the Fusion with the layout above I have drilled a second one. The second one is a pin up layout with an initial angle of 70 degrees and a pin to PAP distance of 5 inches. This layout provides a bit more length with a much stronger backend reaction.

Conditions I have used the IQ Tour Fusion on: Mostly house shots (41' on AMF, 42' and 43' on Brunswick). I also used the 70 degree Fusion for a couple of games at the 2014 Masters on the burn.

Prior to scuffing the pin-down layout Fusion I stayed away from it on a fresh condition. I just found it to be too skid/flippy on the fresh. Usually by the second or third game of league it was a great ball to go to. Once the lanes broke down a bit it seemed nearly impossible to throw the ball too far right for it to recover while still retaining enough energy to strike after recovering.

One night bowling on lanes following a couple of teams who used nothing but plastic gave me an opportunity to break the shine off. I had been tempted to do this since I got the ball to try it on a fresh condition. Nothing else was reacting well with all the carry down we were seeing in practice so I felt it was as good a time as any. I hit the surface by hand with a 1000 pad and then smoothed it out with an old 2000 pad. This gave me a great down lane reaction, one I didn't have with either solid I had with me (Marvel-S and Zero Gravity).

Last night I tried the same IQ Tour Fusion on the second shift pattern again and was a bit too strong under normal circumstances (not a full shift of plastic balls dragging oil down the lane) so I took it down to 4000. I've decided to keep my pin down layout at 4000 matte finish for now. This finish seems or fit the layout better but will leave the 70 degree pin up layout box finish since I'm looking for more of a skid flip reaction from that layout.

Where the IQ Tour Fusion fits in my bag: The IQ Tour Fusion is in between my Marvel-S and my IQ Tour Pearl. It's a good 3 to 4 boards weaker overall than my Marvel-S and 4 to 5 boards stronger overall than my IQ Tour Pearl.

When I use the IQ Tour Fusion: I would use the scuffed IQ Tour Fusion when I'm not getting enough backend reaction from my Marvel-S and want to stay with a symmetric ball.

Overall I would say I still prefer the more predictable motion I get from my IQ Tour Pearl but the Fusion is still a perfect option when the IQT Pearl isn't quite enough ball.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQitHKhUDVg