DV8 Marauder
Bowler Stats:
Right handed
PAP: 4 ¾†right
Speed: 18-18.5 mph
Rev Rate: 450 rpm
Axis rotation: 20-45 degrees
Axis Tilt: 15 degrees
Layout:
50* by 5†by 50*
Purpose:
Along with everyone I’ve talked to, I loved the Too Reckless with this same exact layout and thought it was a great medium oil ball. I wanted to drill the Marauder with this same layout to give me just a little more length and overall hook.
Observations:
To get to the point, this is my favorite DV8 ball to date. Those that liked the Too Reckless with LOVE the marauder. I saw a similar midlane read with both balls, with the Marauder skidding just a bit further downlane but having about 2 boards more hook in the backend. The Marauder for me was a solid 2-1 move inside of the Too Reckless for me, with the difference being made up completely on the backend. Hybrid balls are a godsend to me because I really like the versatility of having practically both a solid ball and a pearl ball all in one. Due to this hybrid cover, I can square up to the lane and play straighter and/or closer to the friction and I can use it to really hit on it and loop the lane like a pearl. Hard to get the best of both of those worlds into one ball but DV8 did it. My understanding is that someone asked DV8 to make something equivalent to the Brunswick’s Versa-max and the replay was “We’re going to make a ball better than the Versa-max.†While you’ll have to pry my Versas from my cold dead hands, the Marauder does indeed live up to the hype. The only reason that I’d still give my personal nod to the Versa is because it is a solid symmetric, and nothing puts money in my wallet like a solid symmetric. That being said, in a heads up comparison, I’d say the Marauder is 3 boards stronger overall than the Versa; one board stronger in the midlane and a two stronger on the backend. I’m currently thinking about sanding the surface to 4000 just to enhance that midlane roll that I’m seeing. On Scorpion, I saw a smoother read throughout the midlane, exactly what you need on tougher patterns, from the start when I could square up more and play outside around 5. This ball surprisingly gave me the best look on this pattern from the outside than any other ball I brought with me. To me, that really shows how versatile this ball is even with the polished box finish. As the pattern broke down, moving inside was never a problem. This ball kept slapping out 10s all the way in to 5th arrow. Like every other DV8 ball I’ve thrown, this ball keeps the pins really low to the pin deck which increases carry percentage. No other line in bowling offers a look through the pin deck like DV8.
Final thoughts:
The new Marauder is the new benchmark ball in the DV8 line. For me it picks up just the right amount in the midlane and then offers a strong move to the pocket off of the friction. It’s a great compliment to the Reckless, Too Reckless, and/or the Versa-Max so if you have one of those in your bag and love it, it’s hard to go wrong with the DV8 Marauder.
If you have any questions regarding the Marauder or any other DV8 or Brunswick equipment, don’t hesitate to send me a message. Thanks for reading. Good luck and good bowling!
The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer and not of Brunswick Corporation.
