Surface finish: Box
Layout: 60 x 5″ x 75
PAP: 3 15/16″ over and 1 5/16″ up
Speed: 17mph
Revrate: 340 rpm
RG: 2.51
Diff: 0.057
Ball review:
The new 503T uses the same core as the 503c, but with a much stronger coverstock.
The 503T provides a lot of hook for a mid performance ball with a heavy rolling backend. The coverstock is strong enough to handle a lot of oil, but the motion is smooth enough for it to also work well on medium oil patterns.
With the box finish the 503T is really earlier and hooks a lot, so putting a higher grit surface on it or polishing it might be a good option as I think it will still be plenty strong to handle a lot of oil.
Tested on Pro Anvilane on Kegels Middle Road.
Surface finish: 1000
Layout: 5 1/2″, pin under, 45 degrees
PAP: 3 15/16″ over and 1 5/16″ up
Speed: 18mph
Revrate: 340 rpm
RG: 2.48
Diff: 0.045
Ball review:
I decided to drill my Rhytm pretty weak to get a normally stronger ball, that would be able to get through the dry and be controllable. Whether it was a success is too early to say yet, but it is very smooth and gets through the fronts easily.
I think the Rhtym will do well for me on short patterns or very dry patterns with the layout I chose.
With a stronger layout I think you will get a very good benchmark ball. It is smooth and the core doesn’t force you to move left, but the coverstock is still strong enough to handle some oil.
Surface finish: Box
Layout: 4 3/4″, pin in middlefinger, MB 40 degrees
PAP: 3 15/16″ over and 1 5/16″ up
Speed: 18 mph
Revrate: 340 rpm
RG: 2.49
Diff: 0.054
Ball review:
The new Pursuit from Ebonite has a really nice and smooth motion. It is fairly strong and can handle its fair share of oil without being a true heavy oil ball.
I think it will do well on fresher medium to long patterns. The Pursuit gives me a nice control of the midlane and backend, but still creates a nice amount of continuation. I think it will be a very versatile ball.
Comparing the Pursuit to the Pursuit-S I was a little surprised. The Pursuit is smoother and has a more rounded shape than the Pursuit-S. For me it is normally the other way around; the asymmetric balls being stronger on the backend and the symmetrics more smooth and blends out the pattern better.
I think these two balls will give me some nice options as I will have a heavy rolling, but smooth asymmetric ball and a symmetric ball that can still get around the corner. I think this will help me both on medium-long patterns and when the lanes break down.
Surface finish: Box
Layout: 4″, pin under, cg 45 degrees
PAP: 4 3/8 over and 1 up
Speed: 18 mph
Revrate: 340 rpm
RG: 2.49
Diff: 0.054
Ball review:
The Pursuit-S is a lot different than my other symmetric balls. It has a stronger and sharper backend than balls like the Gamechanger. It is a strong ball, so it still reads the midlane and doesn’t slide to far down the lane, but still maintains plenty of energy for the backend and through the pins.
The Pursuit-S reacts stronger off the dry than the Pursuit and is able of covering more boards and is probably better suited for a little more open angles on the lanes than other symmetric balls.
Comparing the Pursuit to the Pursuit-S I was a little surprised. The Pursuit is smoother and has a more rounded shape than the Pursuit-S. For me it is normally the other way around; the asymmetric balls being stronger on the backend and the symmetrics more smooth and blends out the pattern better.
I think these two balls will give me some nice options as I will have a heavy rolling, but smooth asymmetric ball and a symmetric ball that can still get around the corner. I think this will help me both on medium-long patterns and when the lanes break down.
Surface finish: Box
Layout: 5 1/2″, pin over, 45 degrees
PAP: 4 3/8 over and 1 up
Speed: 18 mph
Revrate: 320 rpm
RG: 2.51
Diff: 0.057
Ball review:
The 716t is the follow-up to the 715t. The 715t was a strong ball that had a strong, arcing backend. The new 716t provides an even stronger ball that starts up earlier than the 715t, but still continues on the backend. This makes it suited for longer patterns, higher volume patterns or when there’s a lot of carry down.
The 716t is a ball I will choose if I’m bowling on a longer pattern, where I need an early ball, but still create a little bit of angle.
Surface finish: Box
Layout: 4 1/2″, pin under, 45 degrees, hole down
PAP: 4 3/8 over and 1 up
Speed: 18 mph
Revrate: 320 rpm
RG: 2.51
Diff: 0.049
Ball review:
The new 508a is a medium strength ball that is well suited for when the lanes have broken down and there is some friction on the lanes.
The 508a creates more length and a stronger backend than most medium balls on the market right now. It is also asymmetrical, which makes it create a stronger move on the backend than the symmetrical medium balls.
Surface finish: Box
Layout: 4 3/4″, pin over, 65 degrees, hole 1/2″ over midline
PAP: 4 3/8 over and 1 up
Speed: 18 mph
Revrate: 320 rpm
RG: 2.50
Diff: 0.052
Ball review:
The new Brick from Hammer provides a medium-strong ball that creates more length than most dull balls in that category. The longer reaction also creates a stronger backend reaction with more continuation through the pins. This makes it suitable as a ball between the dull and early balls and the shiny and long balls on medium or medium-long patterns.
The backend reaction and continuation allows me to use the Brick from both deep lines and more direct and I can use it for longer period of time, becuase it is able of getting down the lane better than most dull balls.
Surface finish: Box
Layout: 5 1/2, pin under, mb 50 degrees
PAP: 4 3/8 over and 1 up
Speed: 18 mph
Revrate: 320 rpm
RG: 2.50
Diff: 0.052
Ball review:
The Dark Encounter takes the great motion from the Encounter and improves it. The Dark Encounter is stronger and where the Encounter will wiggle the Dark Encounter will keep rolling and go through the pins.
The Dark Encounter is strong without being early and has a nice rolly, controllable backend as Columbia is known for. This allows me to stay closer to the dry with this ball and still have it hit. This also makes it a great compliment to the other balls in Columbia’s line. The Dark Encounter is sooner and smoother than the Ransom Demand, but not as early and rolly as the Omen. This allows me to transition nicely between these three balls on longer patterns.
Surface finish: Box
Layout: 5 1/4, pin under, MB 30 degrees, small hole on midline
PAP: 4 3/8 over and 1 up
Speed: 18 mph
Revrate: 320 rpm
RG: 2.50
Diff: 0.046
Ball review:
The new 811A fills a gab in Track’s line with the strong backend from 5 and 7 series and the midlane from the 9-series. With a rolly layout as the one I have the 811A gives me good lenght and a very continous backend. This allows me to both play straight and get the ball through the dry, but I can also move in and make it backend.
The 811A will be a great ball for when the lanes are starting to break down, but I still need to control my breakpoint and make the ball roll.
Surface finish: 1000
Layout: 4 3/8″ pin under, 40 degrees
PAP: 4 3/8″ over and 1″ up
Speed: 18 mph
Revrate: 320 rpm
RG: 2.49
Diff: 0.046
Ball review:
The Warning Sign follows the tradition fom the other balls in the Vital-series of clearing the fronts, but still creating a strong midlane and angular backend.
The Warning Sign is stronger than both the Vital Energy and Signals. It is strong enough for longer patterns, but clears the front better than other strong balls and creates a more angular backend motion.
The Warning Sign will be able to get back from more severe angles on patterns in the 40-42 foot range, but still get into a roll through the pins.
Surface finish: Box
