What's In The Bag for the 2017-2018 Season

Bowling ball related topics including new products, arsenals and comparisons.

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jbungard
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Positive Axis Point: 5 1/4" over, 3/8" up
Speed: 17 foul line, 15 pindeck
Rev Rate: 330
Axis Tilt: 13
Axis Rotation: 45
Heavy Oil Ball: Radical Ridiculous Asymetrical
Medium Oil Ball: Radical Guru Limited
Light Oil Ball: Radical Rack Attack Solid
Preferred Company: Radical
Location: Festival Ranch, Arizona

What's In The Bag for the 2017-2018 Season

Post by jbungard »

Looking forward to the upcoming fall/winter/spring season.

One league on about 25 ml, 40 feet of conditioner with ratios in the challenge to recreational range. Two other leagues on 19 ml, 38 feet or so with recreational ratios, close to the recreational/challenge boundary, and many tournaments ranging from sport to challenge to recreational patterns.

The league arsenal consists of a pancake core, polyester coverstock spare ball, followed by a Rack Attack Solid with a 2,000 grit surface, drilled 45 x 3 3/8" x 45,followed by a Guru Limited, 500/compound surface, drilled 50 x 5" x 40, followed by a Ridiculous Asymmetrical, 500/4000 surface, drilled 50 x 5" x 40.

For more challenging conditions, I add a Cash, 500/1500 surface, using a low flare drilling 90 x 2 1/4" by 50, a Zeno, 500/1500 surface, drilled 65 x 4 7/8" x 65, and a Reax Version 2, 500/2000 surface, drilled 30 x 4 1/2" x 65.

The Rack Attack Solid is usually my first ball out of the bag on light volumes and/or short patterns. The RAS allows me to keep my line in front of me and allows me to play the end of the pattern while minimizing the effect of the side of the pattern. It works well on light and/or short recreational patterns as well as shorter challenge and sport patterns.

The Guru Limited is my next ball out if the back ends are too tight for the Rack Attack Solid. The Guru Limited is my only pearl currently. It gives me length, recovery and continuation without jumping left at the back of the pattern (or left off the side of the pattern). The Guru Limited gives the most miss room on recreational and challenge patterns.

Next out is the truly underrated Ridiculous Asymmetrical. This is my first out on longer and/or higher volume recreational patterns. It slows down and faces up well for me when the Rack Attack Solid or Guru Limited won't with their current surface preparations. If I'm rolling in a house or pattern I'm not familiar with, the Ridiculous Asym comes out first. It gets down the lane well and recovers well on a wide variety of patterns without jumping off the back or side of the pattern.

My low flare Cash is more of a specialty piece that is useful on sport patterns or challenge patterns where I need to control the back ends but still have the surface and core to have continuation through the pocket.

The Zeno gives me a different shot shape on these tougher patterns.

The Reax Version 2 yields yet another shape to the pocket that is unlike the Cash or Zeno and gives me an opportunity to increase pocket carry on tougher conditions.

My specs: 15 pound equipment, PAP is 5 1/4" over and 3/8" up, ball speed 17 mph at release, 14 1/2 to 15 mph down lane, 13 degrees of axis tilt, 45 degrees of axis rotation, 330 rpm, for my normal release.
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Qman
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Positive Axis Point: 4 1/8 1/2 up
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Heavy Oil Ball: Roto Grip Sinister
Medium Oil Ball: IQ Tour Solid
Light Oil Ball: Rack Attack Pearl
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Location: Montevideo Minnesota

Re: What's In The Bag for the 2017-2018 Season

Post by Qman »

Looking at the Brunswick Magnitude 035. More continuation less deflection than my IQ Tour solid.
Adapt or perish!

PAP 4 1/8, 1/2 up
Axis Rotation 20
Axis Tilt 23
Rev rate 280
Speed Dominate / Rev Challenged
14-16mph at monitor
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kajmk
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Re: What's In The Bag for the 2017-2018 Season

Post by kajmk »

Looking forward to the upcoming fall/winter/spring season.
Enjoy!
May all beings everywhere be happy and free,
and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life
contribute in some way to that happiness
and to that freedom for all.

John
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Re: What's In The Bag for the 2017-2018 Season

Post by LookingForALeftyWall »

Here's how my bag usually lines up:

Short Sport:
IQ Tour Solid
Tundra
The Crow

Medium Sport:
Sure Lock
IQ Tour Solid

Long Sport:
Sure Lock
Phaze II
Emerald Kinetic

THS:
Phaze II
Emerald Kinetic
Tundra

Use a plastic TZone for all my spares that are not double wood on all conditions.

I will be replacing the Phaze II with a Dare Devil Trick. The Trick has less backend pop than the Phaze II - and after bowling nothing but WTBA patterns and White #2 this summer, I'm looking for more control and less down lane motion without sacrificing total hook potential.
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kajmk
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Re: What's In The Bag for the 2017-2018 Season

Post by kajmk »

Suggestion.
Please consider adding the Ball companies.

Cheerio!
May all beings everywhere be happy and free,
and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life
contribute in some way to that happiness
and to that freedom for all.

John
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Re: What's In The Bag for the 2017-2018 Season

Post by Bahshay »

Good thread, it's always interesting to see how other people set up their arsenals. Doesn't hurt to organize my thoughts either.

THS lineup -

Storm Mix

Storm IQ Tour - midlane layout, 2000 grit
Storm IQ Tour - low flare layout - polished

I'm putting the description of these two together, because I simply love the shape I get out of my IQ Tours. Super controlled, super easy to throw, and for me they carry the world (and make it obvious when I shouldn't be throwing it). Between the two of them, most fresh THS conditions are covered.

Storm Code Black - long and strong, 2000 + lane shine

When the IQs won't quite turn the corner, the Code Black will with authority. Pearlized version of the same cover formulation as the IQs, which makes it easy to adjust off of the IQs.

Added for sport -

Brunswick Mastermind, 50x4x40 OOB
Radical Guru Mighty, 50x4x40 OOB

I brought both of these fairly often to our sport league this summer and found little use for either. I favored my THS balls all summer, which is odd (though granted, the IQs are very controlled to begin with). Both are getting long in the tooth, and they'll both be replaced before nationals with two new Asyms. In its day, the mastermind was my favorite ball I owned, but I think it simply has too many games in it at this point. Guru Mighty gave me a similar Mastermind heavy roll but a little later downlane.

Under consideration -

Radical Jackpot - benchmark with P3, OOB

I really like the roll of this one, it's like my IQs with more midlane pop. This came to the sport league in place of the Guru Mighty a lot for that reason, but it seems to punish release mistakes much more than my IQs.

Storm MatchUp Solid, Storm Torrent - Both control drills, both OOB

I like both of these, but so far they roll too similarly to reactions I already have (Torrent to sanded IQ, MatchUp to polished IQ).
PAP- 4 1/8 over, 3/4 up
Speed - 17-18 monitor
Rev Rate - 475
Rotation - 65
Tilt - 12
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mrbean
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Re: What's In The Bag for the 2017-2018 Season

Post by mrbean »

only have 3 balls: motiv octane carbon, track paradox tx3, and my alpha crux
If I had 6 hours to chop down a tree I would spend the first 4 sharpening the axe.

-Honest Abe
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kajmk
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Re: What's In The Bag for the 2017-2018 Season

Post by kajmk »

An interesting follow up or companion to this topic, might be a ball diary.
May all beings everywhere be happy and free,
and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life
contribute in some way to that happiness
and to that freedom for all.

John
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magicmike
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Positive Axis Point: 4-1/2"> 3/4"^
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Rev Rate: 325
Axis Tilt: 17
Axis Rotation: 55
Heavy Oil Ball: Jackal Ghost, Forge Flare
Medium Oil Ball: Forge Fire, Jackal Flash, Venom Shock
Light Oil Ball: Supra, Desert Tank
Preferred Company: Motiv
Location: Wenona, IL

Re: What's In The Bag for the 2017-2018 Season

Post by magicmike »

Man, i've been gone for too long.

Calling this year "The Return" lol

In the bag as of now (all motiv stuff)

Covert Revolt
Forza SS
United Revolt
Venom Shock
Octane Carbon
Rebel Tank
Hyper Sniper

Likely will have some further additions as tournament time comes back in to swing.
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Re: What's In The Bag for the 2017-2018 Season

Post by JMerrell »

magicmike wrote:Man, i've been gone for too long.
A ghost from the past, Welcome Back!
-JMerrell
"Simplify the Motion.....Maximize the Results"
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Heavy Oil Ball: Optimus solid
Medium Oil Ball: Antidote, Zero Gravity
Light Oil Ball: Rave On,Pathogen
Location: Lake Geneva WI

Re: What's In The Bag for the 2017-2018 Season

Post by Lledsmarttam »

Pyramid Pathogen-70x4 1/4x55 w phole 2" below midline on Val
Pyramid Pathogen X-75x4 3/4x30
Pyramid Curse-60x4x30
Pyramid Blood-moon-60x5 1/2x25
Pyramid Antidote-70x2 7/8x35 w p2. Hole
Pyramid Path-label drill spare ball
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PAP-5 1/16 by 3/4 up
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bowl1820
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Re: What's In The Bag for the 2017-2018 Season

Post by bowl1820 »

Pyramid Blunt Force
Pyramid Curse
Motiv Paranoia
DV8 Dude
"REMEMBER, it isn't how much the ball hooks, it's where."
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Re: What's In The Bag for the 2017-2018 Season

Post by RobMautner »

I'm looking forward to bowling in my first recreational league with my wife in several years. I have not anticipated a league this much in a long time. In the bag: two Brunswick T-Zones, one polished for spares, and the other with a 500 abralon surface for my strike ball.
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Heavy Oil Ball: Optimus solid
Medium Oil Ball: Antidote, Zero Gravity
Light Oil Ball: Rave On,Pathogen
Location: Lake Geneva WI

Re: What's In The Bag for the 2017-2018 Season

Post by Lledsmarttam »

bowl1820 wrote:Pyramid Blunt Force
Pyramid Curse
Motiv Paranoia
DV8 Dude
Have you thrown the Blunt Forse yet? How does it compare to the Curse? Are they OOB finish?
-Knowledge is power-
PAP-5 1/16 by 3/4 up
Speed-14-15mph on monitor
Rev-325rpm
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Re: What's In The Bag for the 2017-2018 Season

Post by bowl1820 »

Lledsmarttam wrote: Have you thrown the Blunt Forse yet? How does it compare to the Curse? Are they OOB finish?
Yes I have, the company sent me one a few weeks back to try out before the WWR (Today) date.

I haven't tried it on a THS yet, I've been bowling on a sport league doing short patterns the last few weeks. So couldn't quite use it much, with my lower speed.

On the few times I was on more oil volume, I needed a bit more surface than the OOB. Maybe if I had more revs it might would be okay.

Now I used it on Turnpike 41' last night, The Blunt iwas pretty smooth and had a consistent motion. I was using a 400 US grit surface (thats about a P600 in Abralon), it made nice turn on the backend.

The Curse is a bit longer and snappier compared to it. I've been looking at starting with the Blunt, then as I moved in. Switch to the Curse for some length and to turn the corner.


Here's one shot with it on the 2004 ABC Nationals 38' pattern, which has a volume of 21.80ml
[youtube][/youtube]
"REMEMBER, it isn't how much the ball hooks, it's where."
Lledsmarttam
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Posts: 136
Joined: August 8th, 2017, 1:40 am
THS Average: 198
Positive Axis Point: 5 1/16 by 3/4 up
Speed: 14-15 mph on monitor
Rev Rate: 325
Axis Tilt: 10
Axis Rotation: 70
Heavy Oil Ball: Optimus solid
Medium Oil Ball: Antidote, Zero Gravity
Light Oil Ball: Rave On,Pathogen
Location: Lake Geneva WI

Re: What's In The Bag for the 2017-2018 Season

Post by Lledsmarttam »

bowl1820 wrote:
Yes I have, the company sent me one a few weeks back to try out before the WWR (Today) date.

I haven't tried it on a THS yet, I've been bowling on a sport league doing short patterns the last few weeks. So couldn't quite use it much, with my lower speed.

On the few times I was on more oil volume, I needed a bit more surface than the OOB. Maybe if I had more revs it might would be okay.

Now I used it on Turnpike 41' last night, The Blunt iwas pretty smooth and had a consistent motion. I was using a 400 US grit surface (thats about a P600 in Abralon), it made nice turn on the backend.

The Curse is a bit longer and snappier compared to it. I've been looking at starting with the Blunt, then as I moved in. Switch to the Curse for some length and to turn the corner.



Here's one shot with it on the 2004 ABC Nationals 38' pattern, which has a volume of 21.80ml
[youtube][/youtube]
Thanks! As you can see from my arsenal I have started to go with pyramid. So far my experience has been good. My next will either be the Force or Blunt Force just trying to make up my mind. Thanks for the info.
-Knowledge is power-
PAP-5 1/16 by 3/4 up
Speed-14-15mph on monitor
Rev-325rpm
Tilt-10*
Rotation-70*-90*
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Re: What's In The Bag for the 2017-2018 Season

Post by fufu »

All conditions:

Motiv Forza GT -- 2000 Abralon -- 50 x 4.5 x 60
Motiv Octane Carbon -- 1500g -- 60 x 4.5 x 35
Motiv Apex Ascent -- 4000g -- 60 x 4 x 40
Hammer Black Widow spare

Incoming: Motiv Jackal Ghost.
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Re: What's In The Bag for the 2017-2018 Season

Post by EricHartwell »

fufu wrote:All conditions:

Motiv Forza GT -- 2000 Abralon -- 50 x 4.5 x 60
Motiv Octane Carbon -- 1500g -- 60 x 4.5 x 35
Motiv Apex Ascent -- 4000g -- 60 x 4 x 40
Hammer Black Widow spare

Incoming: Motiv Jackal Ghost.
What do you have for a layout on the Black Wido Spare?
Eric Hartwell

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PAP 4.75" up 1/2"
45* rotation
12* tilt
330 rev rate
16 mph off hand
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Re: What's In The Bag for the 2017-2018 Season

Post by fufu »

EricHartwell wrote: What do you have for a layout on the Black Wido Spare?
I'm guesstimating somewhat but 65x4.5x35
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Re: What's In The Bag for the 2017-2018 Season

Post by snick »

I'm ordering the EBI Affinity for house conditions.
70x4.5x35
Benchmark Bowling Pro Shop
Byron

RH
PAP: 5.5625 x .625 up
REVRATE: 360
SPEED: 17mph at release
AR: 55º
AT: 17º
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