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Ball Review


Track: 910A Hook 53.5 • Length 15 • Breakpoint Shape 17


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Manufacturer’s Intent: “When developing our brand new high-performance release, we wanted to bring a ball motion that’s never been offered in our 9 series,” says Track’s Rich Hanson. “In order to develop the 910A, our R&D team had to go to extreme measures to find the perfect combination of core and cover.” Core Design: The Face asymmetric core provides the internal dynamics for the 910A. The RG measures 2.50, the differential .049 and the PSA a low .010. This new core design revs up quickly and encourag- es a strong back-end motion. Coverstock: The Gen EA (Extreme Angle) coverstock glides easily through the fronts and has a quick response off friction. Colors are a mix of steel blue, lemon and sapphire. The factory surface is sanded with 500 and 1500 Abranet and soft polished with Powerhouse Factory Finish Polish. The Ra measures 2.0 and the effective surface grit is 4900. Test Results: The 910A is a beast, as it handled medium and medium-heavy


oil volume patterns, but went a touch long on some of the heavier pat- terns. That said, readers should be aware of the “A” after the 910. To provide an angular motion shape, a ball must skid easily through the fronts and react quickly when encoun- tering friction. The 910A does just that. Total hook wasn’t off the charts, but that didn’t bother us one bit during testing. The 910A’s aggres- sive motion, roll predictability and pin carry were outstanding, to say the least. We all felt the ball had more of an aggressive, strong arc than a skid/ flip shape — which we prefer, as it’s easier to stay with through oil transition phases. When to Use: The 910A was a treat to use on fresh house patterns with the appro- priate oil volumes of heavy in the middle and light in the track. Through transition, we simply chased the pattern inward, preserv- ing our carry percentage quite nicely. Even as the pattern became more wet/dry side to side, the 910A could be used by bumping in enough. When we tried reducing our axis rotation to play closer to the friction in the track, the 910A responded too much for our liking. Therefore, if you want a send-it and bend-it ball reaction, consider the 910A.


TIPS AND TRICKS TO MAKE YOU A BETTER BOWLER


Ebonite: Source Hook 54 • Length 15 • Breakpoint Shape 15.5


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Ebonite’s website states that the Source is a ball with matching core and cover strengths, providing length and strong back- end continuation for medium to heavy oil.


Core Design: The Mission asymmetric core is at the heart of this pre- mium release. The RG is low at 2.49 and the differ- ential is strong at .050. The PSA strength also is aggressive at .013, which can help control the motion shape of the ball. Coverstock: Ebonite has surround- ed the successful asymmetric core found in the Mission series, circa 2010- 11, with a more aggressive XL2000 pearl coverstock. Colors are a subdued black and purple. The ball is sanded with 800, 1000 and 2000 grits, then highly polished. Oil traction is slightly limited and response time is quick. The Ra reading is 1.6, with an effective sur- face grit of 5100. Test Results: We first tested the Source with its box finish and


felt it read the lane very nicely on medium to medium-heavy oil amounts. By “nicely,” we mean it was predictable and controllable in both oil and dry. We rarely noticed any skid/ flip motions, but we did feel the ball carried well, even from left of the 4th arrow. Hitting and carry power were top notch for our low, medium and higher rev rate testers. Scuffing the surface to near 1000 created quite a bit more hook — four to six boards on average — and a much stronger move in the midlane. When to Use: Ebonite’s choice of a proven strong asymmetric core married to a stronger coverstock appears to be a winner. The Source was easy to use, provided a good read on many patterns, and went through the pins with authority. Pay close attention to layout choice, as we feel the strength of this core changes quite a bit with weaker drillings. On the flip side, stronger layouts will impress. Choose the appropriate ball surface, then use confidently on medium oil and heavier.


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