Ball Review HAMMER:
Black Widow Legend Hook 56 • Length 15.5 • Breakpoint Shape 16 //////////////////////////////////// //////////
Manufacturer’s Intent: The Black Widow Legend is designed to go long and make a strong move off the spot with good contin- uation.
Core: The Legend uses the famous Gas Mask core from the original Black Widow (July 2006), with its RG of 2.50, differential of .058 and intermediate differential of .014. We saw well over 5 inches of flare.
Coverstock: The black and red NBT Hybrid reactive cover was used on the First Blood (February 2013). The Legend comes out of the box sanded with 500/500/500/1000 Abralon and topped off with Powerhouse Factory Finish polish. We measured an RA value of 1.98 and effective surface grit of 5000.
Overview: The Legend is here and ready to bite the pins. This is the first time that a hybrid cover has been used with the Gas Mask core. This ball gives just the length you need by not starting up too quickly and saving the energy off the breakpoint. It hits the pins hard with good mix. We could use this ball easily on Stone Street with its heavier vol- ume. The ball did not push too far to the breakpoint. We saw a decent amount of hold, but most of all, we could miss to the right, recover, and have the ball drive hard back through the pins. On the fresh USBC Doubles/Singles pattern, we could move our target in around 15 to the 9-board at the breakpoint and create a little hold with miss room right. We could get in deep with it on our lighter house pattern, and the ball still would recover off the breakpoint. The Legend is easily an arrow more hook overall than the Black Widow Assassin (March 2014). They make a great 1-2 punch. Black Widow lovers won’t be disappointed when they take to the lanes with the Legend because the name lives up to the hype. Bill O’Neill used the Legend to win the PBA Summer Series Badger Open the first week this ball hit the lanes, and on the King of Swing rolloff later that week. The Black Widow Legend matches up for all types of players on most medium to oily lane patterns.
THE SKINNY ON THE LATEST AND GREATEST
RADICAL: GREASE
Monkey Pow Hook 53 • Length 14 • Breakpoint Shape 14 //////////////////////////////////// //////////
Manufacturer’s Intent: The Grease Monkey POW is designed to provide more total hook on medium to heavy oil condi- tions.
Core: The Grease Monkey POW symmetric core produces an RG of 2.54 with a differ- ential of .048. We saw more than 4 inches of flare.
Coverstock: The POW is surrounded by an aggressive purple and green solid reac- tive coverstock. It is sanded with a 500 Siaair micro pad and polished with Royal Compound. We measured an RA value of 3.97 and an effective surface grit of 4200.
Overview: The Grease Monkey POW brings more hook to the Radical EZ-use line, and I do mean more hook. This monkey will allow a bowler to get that hook at a reasonable price for heavier and longer lane patterns. We could use this ball on the USBC Doubles/Singles pattern, but we had to move in to about 17 at the arrows and to 10 at the breakpoint. That’s deeper than I would suggest for the start on the fresh, but we were able to get lined up nicely, creating some area to the track area. On the Stone Street pattern, we got lined up 14-to-8 and had some hold left and miss right. This will be a good ball for house patterns like this for medium and lower rev players. The Monkey was too much for us on the lighter house pat- tern, but that’s where the original Grease Monkey (February 2014) would fit in. On Stone Street, it was easy to see with our eyes, and the CATS confirmed, that the POW played about five boards deeper at the arrows and about seven boards deeper with our feet than the original Monkey. The angle off the break point with the POW was a smooth but driving arc through the pins, and it kept the pins very low. The carry percentage was noticeably high. This is a strong ball that can strike close to the track area and keep its hitting power as the lanes break down and we move in.
TRACK:
HX10 Hook 50 • Length 15 • Breakpoint Shape 14 //////////////////////////////////// //////////
Manufacturer’s Intent: “For the Hx10, we wanted to create a ball that offered great length with a strong and continuous back-end reaction for those with higher rev rates,” says Track Group Marketing Director for Communications, Bugsy Kelly. “In order to achieve the targeted ball motion, we’ve com- bined a brand new Delayed Reaction cover with the proven Face core.”
Core: The medium-strong Face asymmet- rical core has an RG of 2.50, differential of .049, and intermediate differential of .010. This is the same core used in the Mx10 (March 2014). We saw 4-plus inches of flare.
Coverstock: The smoke pearl and red and sky blue DR-6 Hybrid coverstock is sanded with 500/1000-grit Abralon and polished with Powerhouse Factory Finish polish. We measured an RA value of 2.16 with an effective surface grit of 5017.
Overview: The Hx10 is designed for high-rev players, with a medium intermediate differential (.010), like the first Hx (Hx05, March 2014) in the letter series. This ball worked well for both of us on the USBC Doubles/ Singles pattern as well as on Stone Street, enabling us to get lined up easily and create some area to the pocket. We just had to stay inside the track area at the breakpoint. I could see this ball being in play on the USBC Team pattern as well. We could even use it on the lighter house pat- tern from deep inside and still create enough angle at the breakpoint to produce a strong drive through the pins. Terrance really loved this ball and said it hit like a truck. I agree. The Hx10 was about three to four boards more hook than the Hx05 on our lighter and Stone Street house patterns. It is the cleanest of the new trilogy series from Track in this month’s reviews. It was about three boards less hook, obviously stronger off the midlane and more continuous through the pins on our house patterns, than the Mx16 (reviewed this month). The Hx10 is for more medium lane conditions. It is a step up from the Hx05, complementing it nicely. This is a ball that gives you a clean push through heads but reads the midlane well and stays strong through the pins, keeping them low for better carry. It could be used by more than just high rev rate players and would fit in most bowlers’ bags.
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