I was really excited to get my hands on the new Tribal Fire. I knew the ball had a lightbulb core, which is one of the most proven, steady performers out there.

For those that love the original Tribal, you will really love this one. Compared to the original Tribal, I saw a noticeably quicker & decisive response to friction. Overall I found that the Tribal Fire hooks about 4 to 5 boards more, due to the stronger cover. But, I would still classify the Fire as a “medium oil” ball.

I’ve used the Tribal Fire so far on a couple of house shots of different lengths, as well as the 46 foot Mark Roth Sport pattern. I am quite pleased with the versatility of this ball. I am able use it for a complete 4 game league sessions in each case. Typically I will change balls mid-way to maintain carry, but I didn’t need to do it with the Tribal Fire.

Here is a link to my ball reaction video. In the video I compare the Tribal Fire to the original Tribal, Octane, Ascent Apex and Venom Shock.



This ball gives me a good feel for what the lanes are offering me that day - It is now the first ball out of my bag during practice for that reason. In fact, I would go on to say that if I had just 1 ball to bring to a tournament or league session, the Tribal Fire would be my choice. The only possible exception would be in a short oil situation, when the response to friction may be a bit too much. In that case, the Original Tribal or Ascent would be a better option for me. But the Tribal Fire would definitely be classified as a “benchmark” ball for me.

--Kevin Gallagher—
PBA Member
MOTIV Staff