higher vs. lower end balls

[Aslan]

Rob I believe with most companies you would be correct but Motiv actually uses more than just 1 or 2 cover stocks. Storm basically puts a version of R2S on just about everything or it feels that way to me. I'm pretty sure Motiv is using at least 4 different cover stocks. Seems like the cores are more similar than the covers with them.

I think I agree with Rob's overall point, that as you become a higher level bowler you tend to find a brand that reacts consistently a way you like. I've heard more than one person talk about how Storm/Roto seem to have more "sticky" overstocks which many people like because they tend to "grab". I've heard that Brunswick cover stocks tend to almost be more dense or "harder" and don't have that same reaction.

I think it's more advanced of a concept than most bowlers need to consider (sticking with one brand) because quite frankly…it's like this:

A new bowler is like a guy that owns a used Honda Civic. One day he decides to step up and get a bigger car. No matter what he gets, (Accord Camry, Fusion, Malibu, etc…) he's going to notice an improvement/difference. Where as a more experienced/higher level bowler is more like a former Nascar driver that drives a Camry and he's not going to switch to an Accord because he feels that the engine timing in the Camry is better suited to how he drives than the Accord engine timing. Lower level bowlers actually buy balls based on such stupid things as:

A) Smell
B) Color
C) Cool sounding name
D) Matches the brand of roller bag they already own.
E) Price <----had to be fair and add this one since it nearly 95% drives my decisions. I LOVE DEALS!!

So if a guy buys a Motiv because it's Fluorescent green and has a snake imprinted on it…he's probably not making arsenal decisions based on the overstock chemistry and slight differences in reactions brand to brand.

[Perrin]

For my own curiousity, I'd like to know what the consensus is on Storm balls. I came to bowling from golf, where Taylor Made sells the most woods by a mile. But that doesn't mean they are the best in my opinion, just that they pay the most and have the most pros. People want to emulate the pros, so they buy TaylorMade drivers. I've always wondered if that's the case here, or if Storm really just makes the best balls by a mile, because I'd say 2 out of 3 people I see on TV are throwing Storm equipment. Is it the same deal? Anybody know?

Same deal. They put the most money into being visible and pay the most pros an people like to throw the ball they see on the broadcasts.


*side note sorry for the multiple posts I am responding to things in order

[Amyers]

I agree with Storm's Tour line all of those balls look great. A lot of the upper level guys in my leagues are throwing something from that line thought about one myself. I haven't seen anyone here playing Brunswick period I guess they aren't big in this area. I would say from what I see its about 40% Storm/Roto, 20% Motiv, and about 20% throwing older Hammer stuff (usually not the top level people) with the remainder being a mix.

Storms marketing is masterful between what the do with pro/tournaments stuff and their match maker try out program I think it really gives them an advantage over everyone else. I did see an advertisement the other day for Hammer doing something similar to the match maker program first I had seen of that from anybody else.

[Aslan]

I came to bowling from golf, where Taylor Made sells the most woods by a mile.

Think of it like this. In golf…many of the better golfers prefer a brand of clubs and a brand of golf balls. The "better golfers" I've golfed with were what I'd call "golf ball snobs" in that they HAD TO hit Nike balls or Taylor Made balls or otherwise they just wouldn't play.

Yet study after study after study has shown that golf ball technology isn't that much of a variation from brand to brand. And the only people that can truly take advantage of those slight differences…are on the PGA tour. It doesn't matter what ball you hit to most golfers…because every 3rd shot is going to hit a cart bath, a rock, or a tree…so just buy something on sale.

Most bowlers witha 175 average or less…can't hit their mark with a 1-2 board degree of accuracy….so the differences in ball specs much less difference from manufacturer to manufacturer…not going to be noticeable. IMO

[Amyers]

For my own curiousity, I'd like to know what the consensus is on Storm balls. I came to bowling from golf, where Taylor Made sells the most woods by a mile. But that doesn't mean they are the best in my opinion, just that they pay the most and have the most pros. People want to emulate the pros, so they buy TaylorMade drivers. I've always wondered if that's the case here, or if Storm really just makes the best balls by a mile, because I'd say 2 out of 3 people I see on TV are throwing Storm equipment. Is it the same deal? Anybody know?

This just comes from what I see on the lanes and read about online I'm sure there will be a lot of other opinions on this but If you are looking top to bottom I believe storm has the best mix of midrange to upper range pieces on the market right now. They also tend to be more flexible than a lot of other companies offerings work on more conditions. I believe every manufacture has at least a couple of good balls out right now but a lot of the other ball companies seem to produce more condition specific pieces or at least they turn out that way. I would also say Motiv is #2 and it is very close really liking a lot of what I see there even though there is not a pro shop in the area that really focuses on them the way they do with Storm/Roto or EBI(Track, Hammer, Colombia) The amount of stuff I'm seeing on the lanes from them seem to grow every week.

My question is if you could take the best from each company could you build a better arsenal than you could from Storm/Roto? I think probably so but you would end up with some stuff you didn't like too.

This is for Aslan I know your a big Brunswick fan have you seen the video for the new Forterra Exile yet? It looks awesome

[rv driver]

I think I agree with Rob's overall point, that as you become a higher level bowler you tend to find a brand that reacts consistently a way you like. I've heard more than one person talk about how Storm/Roto seem to have more "sticky" overstocks which many people like because they tend to "grab". I've heard that Brunswick cover stocks tend to almost be more dense or "harder" and don't have that same reaction.

I think it's more advanced of a concept than most bowlers need to consider (sticking with one brand) because quite frankly…it's like this:

A new bowler is like a guy that owns a used Honda Civic. One day he decides to step up and get a bigger car. No matter what he gets, (Accord Camry, Fusion, Malibu, etc…) he's going to notice an improvement/difference. Where as a more experienced/higher level bowler is more like a former Nascar driver that drives a Camry and he's not going to switch to an Accord because he feels that the engine timing in the Camry is better suited to how he drives than the Accord engine timing. Lower level bowlers actually buy balls based on such stupid things as:

A) Smell
B) Color
C) Cool sounding name
D) Matches the brand of roller bag they already own.
E) Price <----had to be fair and add this one since it nearly 95% drives my decisions. I LOVE DEALS!!

So if a guy buys a Motiv because it's Fluorescent green and has a snake imprinted on it…he's probably not making arsenal decisions based on the overstock chemistry and slight differences in reactions brand to brand.

I wonder if some houses actually tailor their lane dressing to what will work best with certain balls, and then contract with the companies to promote and sell those particular balls?

[edit]: Stoopid auto-correct corrected "tailor" to "taylor." I have corrected the auto-correct in this regard.

[Aslan]

This is for Aslan I know your a big Brunswick fan have you seen the video for the new Forterra Exile yet? It looks awesome

I have not.

[Amyers]

I have not.

Here you go I know you were a fan of the aura.

http://youtu.be/rOWDB-Tb43M

[Aslan]

Here you go I know you were a fan of the aura.

Yes. The Aura Mystic is my dream ball. I wanted to get it at 14lb and experiment with lower weights. But, even though it HAS come down significantly in price, just never enough for me to rush out and get one. But if I won some "ball of my choice" contest...thats the one I'd get.

Just not sure though given my current 12-ball stockpile. At this point I'm trying to stay away from assymetric pearls or hybrids because I have so many of them. Any assymetric core pearl or hybrid I get will likely spend most of the next few years in my closet waiting it's "turn". Where as, I have relatively few symmetric core balls so getting one of those would find it's way to use a little faster. So it would make more sense to get a RotoGrip Rumble, a Storm Hy Road, or a DV8 Dude to fill some "holes" in future arsenals. Thats why the Asylum I won will actually get used much sooner than some of the other balls I have in my closet (closet of destiny as I like to call it)...because it's symmetric core and a perfect replacement for the 900 Global Bullet Train once I transition to 15lbs from 16lbs.

But year, I don't see anything special with the Forterra Exile. Their Nexxxus balls were impressive. I think their Aura line is second only to Storm's IQ line in terms of an "overall line". And I think their Mastermind and Mastermind Genius are impressive. But I wouldn't say I'm any more of a Brunswick fan than any other company. Like I said before, despite not liking the smell gimmick, I'm most impressed with the RotoGrip/Storm brand than any other.

[Amyers]

I don't know for some reason the exile looked special to me not sure what it is I'm a big fan of storms line too