higher vs. lower end balls

[rv driver]

I haven't seen anyone throwing the lights out but the owner of the alley I bowl at has a wrecker and about 6 other balls usually if he is bowling with anything other than the wrecker at the end of the game he walks by says that was stupid and gets the wrecker

I have a wrecker and it' a solid ball. I used it last night on a Cheetah pattern around 5-8 board and when I threw it correctly, speed, spot etc.. It when long and then snapped right in the pocket or brooklyn hehehe. I wished I had used it the whole night instead of my Hyper Cell.

Yeah, I'm really liking the looks of this ball. I'm thinking that Bowling Boards needs to do a giveaway with this ball and I need to win it...

[Aslan]

I found both balls on Bowler X, for $2-10 cheaper than Bowlingball.com.

I'm willing to bet bowlingball.com would match that price for a new forum member.

[rv driver]

I'm willing to bet bowlingball.com would match that price for a new forum member.

When I had trouble getting registered (a technical glitch), I got immediate help and the nicest e-mail response from the owner. I've gotten a lot of help and good service here. I'd really like to do business with them.

[rv driver]

After looking at all the stats, watching some vids, talking to some folks, and connecting with people at Brunswick and Motiv, the Ascent and Misfit have climbed to the top of my short list. Since I'm gonna have to throw a lighter ball, the Wrecker really suffers at a lower weight numbers-wise. The Misfit's numbers are actually better than the 15 or 16#, and the Ascent's are close + they use the same core in their lighter balls.

I never could get hold of the folks at Columbia -- tried several times -- so Freeze is out. The DV8 folks were really helpful, and the folks at Motiv were extremely helpful.

[Amyers]

Which ascent are you looking at?

[rv driver]

Which ascent are you looking at?

Pink and purple.

And the red/orange Misfit.

[Amyers]

Pink and purple.

And the red/orange Misfit.

Oh okay I have a friend who got the new blue apex ascent and loves it don't know anybody throwing the ones you have listed here. I have a team mate that throws the venom toxin and shock also all of the have looked good

[rv driver]

Oh okay I have a friend who got the new blue apex ascent and loves it don't know anybody throwing the ones you have listed here. I have a team mate that throws the venom toxin and shock also all of the have looked good

the Apex is quite different from the pink/purple.

[Perrin]

I don't think you would go wrong with either of those balls.

The Ascent is a great ball. Very controllable and made in Michigan. I am also a big fan of the neomark graphics process they use.

The Misfit(red/orange) I can't speak to directly. I can tell you that I really like my misfit(Orange/blue) but when I go it it was actually more ball than I expected it to be

Since the changes to the red/orange are supposed to make it a little longer and easier to control that would likely be a good choice also.



Motiv is building quite a reputation here in Illinois. The word is they are very consistent in reaction and I know several folks who have completely replaced their arsenals to Motiv.

[Aslan]

Motiv is building quite a reputation here in Illinois. The word is they are very consistent in reaction and I know several folks who have completely replaced their arsenals to Motiv.

It's hard to say. DV8 was HUGE for awhile...all the younger (teen/young adult) seemed to really like them and I think thats who they were marketed towards. Kinda like the way Hammer was many years ago. Motiv has seemed to grab that excitement/momentum now and I'm seeing more new Motiv balls than other brands (except Storm). But, that being said, Storm still seems to have a stranglehold overall. I can walk up and down the lanes on league night and I'll see a good mix of ball companies...but Storm is probably 40% or more.

They just seem to do so much better with marketing and product placement. I'm personally not a HUGE fan because I don't like the "smell gimmick"...but as far as respecting their ability to control the market from a business standpoint...it's very impressive. Pro shop guys will likely have a better take on the different companies...but if you look at product lines...it just seems like Storm has a massive array from top to bottom, all different specs, etc... Then you go to Columbia or Ebonite and they seem to have a few high end balls...some plastic stuff...and blah. And thats a shame. Because I think from an engineering and historical perspective...Ebonite, Brunswick, and Columbia are top of the line. But a person (especially a new bowler) almost has to go out of their way to bypass the Storm "machine" and consider another brand.

And as a casual bowler/purchaser...here's where I see the glaring problems:

- TRACK...I realize you brand prides itself on engineering/numbers...but naming your balls NUMBERS (512t, 621g, 714c, etc...) is STUPID. People like me (dorks) don't care...but the average person simply CANNOT relate to balls that are given numbers instead of names. Single WORST marketing strategy.

- Brunswick....the Nexxus series were great balls....with stupid names. It was too hard to figure out. I mean, you names a ball the "Nexxxus (f+p)". Thats just a dumb name. Brunswick...great company...great products...but a dumb marketing move.

- And Ebonite...don't laugh....your Pursuit and Pursuit-S...SAME problem. Then there was the "Challenge" and the "Champion". Too close! It confuses people!!

If you took the "names" from Lane #1...and put them on the actual BALLS produced by Brunswick or Ebonite or Track...I think you'd see increased sales. Lane #1 does a GREAT job with naming..."Stealth Bomber" and "Ripsaw"...but they have such low distribution and higher price points (most likely volume related) that the names are wasted.

Mini-rant over...just annoys me to see great bowling ball companies like Columbia, Ebonite, and Brunswick lose sales because or in part because they can't seem to market their way out of a paper bag. Maybe that will be their next release, "The Ebonite paper bag".