as has been discussed here many times, a weak hit is not caused by the ball, but by the incorrect match up between the ball and the lanes.  entry angle and what the ball is doing at the pins (roll out, skidding, or hook and roll) are the main factors that determine the ball's "hit".  it's a matter of physics, not opinion.  make the variables the same, and a ball will hit the same.

IMHO, columbia makes outstanding equipment and provides excellent service.  i can't wait to try their first true assymetric core . . . the alter ego.

next to hammer, i think columbia provides the best choices for building a full arsenal with one company's equipment.

the number of balls released is a function of marketing, not quality.  i'm actually pretty excited to see what's next for columbia after the alter ego.

unlike other companies with suspect coverstocks (you know who they are), i think columbia balls hold up very well over the long haul if properly maintained.

columbia rules!!
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That which does not kill me makes me stronger . . .

Maybe you just dont match up with some of their newer balls like you did on older lane conditions with their older balls?  I wasnt around for those balls, but every columbia ball I've thrown hits like a truck, so long as your matched up right.  The cores are very solid, and the covers durable.  The only weakness I saw with them was the lack of a lower rg strong resin ball and an asymmetrical ball......with the Full Throttle and Alter Ego, it sounds like Columbia has the total package and has listened to the voices of their fans, nuff said.

Edited on 2/29/2004 8:18 PM

I've never been able to match up with a Columbia ball and I've tried plenty of them. It must be the same way for the better bowlers as well as the winners on the Pro Tour as you see them throwing Storm, Ebonite, Brunswick, Roto-Grip, Dynothane, etc., but no Columbias. That should tell people something about the performance and quality of Columbia balls.

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Nothing hits as hard as an Uranium

Enigma - saying "Columbia balls are not good" is an opinion just like saying "Columbia balls are awesome" is an opinion.  I wonder how many people offering the former opinion use a white dot or blue dot or as their spare ball or used a white dot as their first ball when they started bowling...

Those of us who have truly sampled a company's equipment (and I don't mean 1 or 2 balls) may shy away from the equipment because we don't find something that we like.  Even those that have tried 3+ balls may not have used the equipment on the ideal condition (or may never even see the ideal condition) or have the layout botched.  Some people purchase a ball expecting one thing (big hook monster) and get something else entirely ("I threw that big hook monster on a lane with fried back-ends and it "hit" like a little girl, so it sucks") so the opinion is instantly poor.

Of course there are also those who have truly sampled the equipment and found it to be lacking or not matching up to their game.  Usually, bowlers of this knowledge and caliber will say something to the effect of "it doesn't work for me" instead of "all their stuff sucks".

I will confess, I haven't sampled much of Columbia lately, but my arsenal is aready built.  If there was a Columbia "demo-days" or "ball fair" or whatever you want to call those things, I'd surely go and throw a bunch of their stuff.  Until then, I won't say good or bad of their products.
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Kill the back row

I, personaly, cannot say which comlumbia balls are good, bad or or if they are just or good or bad in general. Its just this site had half-led me to beleive that columbia balls are not good, but in the area which I live, many people use columbia equipment and do very well with it. Its just now I am kind of confused about if they are good are not, but like many people have stated, some companies work better than others for individuals.

I am starting to want to go away from storm because some of there newer stuff I have not liked, but columbia has a few balls that I am interested in along with a few other companies. The only columbia ball I have rolled was the jade scout reactive, but that was a long time ago, so it is just hard to say what that, and there other balls, might be like for me now.

Overall, columbia probobly has the most balls that I am interested in.







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FINAL

Formerly known as Maelstrom44