Ball Review


900 Global: War Eagle Hook 52.5 • Length 14.5 • Breakpoint Shape 16


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Test Results: The War Eagle


“The War Eagle uses the same core shape as the Eagle [May 2011], but has been modifi ed to produce a higher RG and lowered diff erential,” says Paul Figlio- meni, 900 Global’s new direc- tor of sales and marketing. “The coverstock and surface are unchanged, so the War Eagle provides more length with more angularity to the pocket. It is also the fi rst multi-color ball in the Eagle line.”


Core Design: The modifi ed asym- metric core’s RG has been raised from 2.48 to 2.50. The diff erential and PSA have been lowered to .047 (from .058) and .019 (from .024). We saw upwards of 5 inches of track fl are with stronger fl aring layouts such as our 65x4x30 and 60x4.5x60 dual angle varieties.


Coverstock: The War Eagle has the same S-70 cover formula and 4000-grit fi nish found on the original Eagle and Black Eagle (March 2012). Colors this time around are a mix of red and sky blue. Response time is moderate off friction, and oil traction is slightly above average. The Ra is 4.6. The eff ective surface grit is 4550.


matched up on most fresh house and medium Sport patterns. The entire Eagle lineup provides an impressive array of aggressive motion choices for most medium to medium-heavy oil conditions — in other words, about 80 percent of the typical house or Sport lane conditions that most bowlers will see. The S-70 coverstock can be polished by those looking for a more skid/fl ip motion shape, or sanded with lower grits for even


heavier oil patterns. The War Eagle has a well-balanced core/cover, and emphasizes moderate mid-lane traction with a continu- ous breakpoint in the last 20 feet. 900 Global covers have proven themselves to perform (roll predictability with good carry power) and last longer than some others on the market. When to Use: Use the War Eagle when facing fresh or slightly broken-down pat- terns, requiring an assertive down-lane motion. We’re seeing growing numbers of asymmetric core designs excelling on fresh patterns — more so than on beat- en-up patterns — probably because asym- metric cores can provide a quicker break- point read in the midlane. Another plus is the versatility of the S-70 coverstock, one of the strongest formulas available when surfaced at 500 or 1000 grit.


TIPS AND TRICKS TO MAKE YOU A BETTER BOWLER


Amf: King Cobra Hook 48 • Length 14 • Breakpoint Shape 14.5


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“There’s a new Cobra in town, boasting a lower RG and nearly twice the diff erential of its predeces- sor,” says Paul Figliomeni. “The King Cobra features the traditional light-bulb core, matched with our F55 coverstock, to provide a smooth, continuous motion on medium lane conditions.” Core Design: The vener-


able light bulb-shaped core is one of the more simplistic yet eff ec- tive symmetrical cores ever produced. Its shape contributes to more release forgiveness, while its low RG of 2.46 and .030 diff erential off er plenty of control downlane. Coverstock: The F-55 solid reactive


coverstock formula is average in overall strength. This ball is colored in red and black swirl. The factory grit is advertised at 4000, although we measured the eff ective surface grit to be 3800. The Ra is 8. Oil traction is above average, while the response time off friction is moder- ate to slightly slow. Test Results: The fi rst Cobra reactive,


the Cobra SE (August 2012), incorpo- rated a strong cover formula (F-74) and


a high RG core (2.57), with a low fl aring diff erential (.017). The King Cobra features a less aggressive cover formula, a faster revving core and more diff erential for added fl are. The result is easier length with a more predictable end game on many lane conditions. We felt the King Cobra handled oil carrydown quite a bit better than the SE version. The King Cobra is far more versatile and will appeal


to a much more diverse audience of players. It can be a benchmark type of ball because of the predict-


ability and control it off ers. When to Use: The King Cobra will shine


on light-medium to medium oil volumes when pattern length is not too long. We had excellent looks and great pin carry on our 37-, 39- and 42-ft. house and Sport shots, but horrible looks on our heavier volume and 44-ft.-long oil patterns. Since AMF and others off er better choices for these types of patterns, we’ll simply use the King Cobra when not facing the heavy stuff . We felt the pin above and pin below the fi ngers rolled very similar- ly, with the 4.5-inch pin distances at the 4000-grit box fi nish. When polished, the ball provided much more of a skid/fl ip breakpoint shape as a result of the F-55 cover and low-fl aring core.


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