Took my new "USBC compliant" Strike Zone out to play today. Threw it a game before league, a few shots during league, and a few games after league. The lane conditons weren't what you would want for a ball this aggressive, but what the heck - I can't just leave it in the bag! Anyway, the shot is our typical house shot - shorter than most - I think 34 or 35'. Medium oil by today's standards. My best look in this house recently has been my PBA-Inferno with the tame layout (approx 5-1/2 x 6):
[http://www.pipeline.com/~randyo/arsenal/15pba_tour.jpg

Obviously, throwing the Strike Zone requires a move to the left. Problem with this house is you can't just keep moving left, as the pattern is too short to give you hold inside with a breakpoint that far outside. The young hi-speed hi-rev players or those with high rotation numbers can move deep and get it back, but I can't and still expect to carry. However, given these constraints, the ball was still playable due to it's core-cover combination.
Solid Activator for me is useful only for it's "blend" characteristic - i.e. it's so strong that in the oil it skids less and when it hits drier boards it's so strong that rather than snap/jump it moves smoother than other covers.
This ball in box surface is SCARY STRONG. When I threw my Ultimate Inferno's in box condtion they were useless for my game - just not enough back end due to the cover strength and quick revving core - mostly burn-up with little back end.
This new Strike Zone showed the same burn tendencies on this shorter house shot but because of the higher RG and mass bias the core was still able to provide back end movement and hit. Pin crunching hit. Just an impressive ball all the way around. Nice looking too. I like dark balls with subtle labels. OH - it's a flare monster. Mine is a 5" layout with a pretty strong mass bias location (no x-hole):
http://www.pipeline.com/~randyo/arsenal/15SZ.jpg
I'm seeing at least 7 to 8" of flare.
This ball warrants a companion - perhaps something with a similar pin, weaker PSA, and a sheen surface. Time to save them pennies up.
This one just bumped the Ultimate out of the bag. The everday lineup now is:

Strike Zone
Absolute
PBA Inferno
Fuze Elimator
Danger Zone

My how times have changed. Who'd have thought a Danger Zone would be a medium-light oil ball?



Edited on 7/1/2005 6:17 PM

Edited on 7/1/2005 8:15 PM

I don't think anyone's speechless - they're just busy driving around trying to find a Strike Zone!
When I get some time I'm gonna make a few short videos, perhaps comparing the ball to a few others. Videos are worth 10,000 words.

Edited on 7/2/2005 3:49 PM