The specifications of the Vortex II are: Factory Finish: 1,200 grit factory sanded Trimax reactive resin; Color: Black and Blue; Core Shape: Low RG version of Nitro R2; RG Rating (actual): 2.45 (16 lb.), 2.45 (15 lb.), 2.44 (14 lb.); Differential (actual): .046 (16 lb.) .051 (15 lb.) .061 (14 lb.); Length: scale 1 to 10 (early to late) with factory finish: 3.0; Backend: scale 1 to 10 (least to most): 10.6; Overall Hook: scale 1 to 23 (least to most) dull/shiny: 22.4 dull/13.5 shiny; Hook Style: early rev with strong, controlled backend.

I did some spring cleaning, traded for a used V2, finally got the drilling straightened out and had a chance to spend some time with it over the last month or so.

Light 15#, 2" pin that we did in the #5 drilling. I put pin under ring and needed a weight hole about 4" below my PAP and on the thumb side of my VAL. I had never been able to throw pin under ring before, so I was very pleased that we were able to get it working, thanks to some help from the experts on this board. It is an extremely strong layout.  

Two words jump out at me: versatile and powerful.

Even with my humble skills, it's easy to understand why the pros like this guy so much. V2 doesn't just reflect your release, it honors it. I was fiddling around with different releases, seeing what it liked. I suitcased it and rode the oil line, Boom! I hit it hard and swung it from 4th arrow, Boom! I opened my hand, sent it out in a soft swing, Boom! I led with the ring and tried to get it as long as possible down and in, Boom! It had no bias that I could detect, and gave me several playable lines. I could choose the one that carried best. Another bowler commented that it looked like I threw 4 different balls that game.

I started off with some polish over the the factory 1200 surface. It was not skiddy by any means, and I still found it playable on quite a bit of oil. The backend was ferocious. I would be afraid of 2-10s with this surface. I took the polish off and left it at box finish. Like nearly everything, I prefer it dull-it still has good length and, in this drilling, is the biggest hooker with the most overall backend of anything in my bag. It was also quite good on carrydown.

Ebonite/Hammer seems to have perfected the art of building a hook monster that keeps on coming on the backend. I could generate a lot of angle on the pocket when the shot called for it. V2 was not the biggest hitter I have available (my Hammer and Visionary equipment are the gold standard), but it proved effective.

When I was able to swing it, I did not experience the carry problems that others have noted as a concern. Its modus for me was for the 6 to come off the wall and lop the 10 off at the knees. However, when I played it up the boards on a lot of oil, I rang an inordinate number of 10s that I could not seem to adjust out.

For your strongest solid resin, this seems a great default no-brainer choice. With cover, drilling and release adjustments, you can turn it into anything you want. If you have access to a spinner, you have an arsenal-in-a-box.

My criticisms: Mine is really snappy when it hits the dry. If you don't have any hold, you have to put it up because the backend won't quit. When I lost the shot, it tended to go away all at once. With my other equipment, I'll usually get a 4 pin as a red flag. V2 wasn't like that - one ball was a flush strike and the next plowed through the face. I haven't spent enough time to know how to listen to it.

Even though it's a slighly smaller overall move and backend, I still find the Blade Particle to be somewhat more controllable.

Control: 8.5. A lot of counterbalances - take away a little for being jumpy on the dry, add a little for good breakpoint behavior, take away a little for this moby drilling, add something for responding nicely to your release.

Versatility: 10. Everything for everybody.

Hit and carry: 8.5. Very good, effective. Not bad, not awesome.

16 lb. Vortex 2 Solid
Pin out 2 inches
top unknown

Layout:
5 1/2 x 5 1/2
Pin under bridge, label on gripline.

Big, strong, angular backend reaction. Hits hard and keeps pins low. Have used it on numerous conditions and patters, and it gets back better than any ball I have. Even on more oil with the polished surface, it still makes the corner better than any other ball in the bag. Does the same thing on everything-goes long and hits hard. If the Shooter won't make the corner, this ball is next in line. I haven't got as many games on this one as the rest, but it is definitely a good ball and comes up big when I need it. Has never let me down when I call on it.

Ebonite, you'd better never quit making this one. It would be the best ball in your line for years to come if you let it.

UNO

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UNO Mens Bowling, representing Omaha and Nebraska at the 2003 IBC Sectional Tournament in St. Louis, Mo.

GO MAVS!

I have two V2's, one lightly polished and one dull.  The dull/matte finished V2 is drilled with the pin next to the ring finger and the cg towards the center of my grip (4 x 4 3/4) to create a 85 degree drilling.  The other is drill with the same pin location, but with the CG kicked right to create a 45 degree drilling.

The lightly polished V2 with the 45 degree drilling revs up extremely well in the mid-lane and makes a strong but controllable move off dry.  The V2 with the matte finish and the 85 degree drilling pushes much farther down the lane and has a more angular move off dry.  Both of these balls hit very hard and have worked well on a variety of conditions.

I have owned both of these balls now for nearly two years and they have seen a lot of use.  The only complaint I have is that both of my V2's seem to lose some of their backend drive and hook much quicker than my other resin balls (before you ask, yes I always clean my equipment after use).  Resurfacing did not help much, but I had the oil removed from both of the V2's in a "Revivor" and they returned to their original pin crushing form.

Overall I would give my V2's a 9 out of 10.



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Dan Knight

dknight1@wi.rr.com

After hearing and seeing so much good from the v2 I decided to pick one up for myself and see what all the hype was about.  Punched it up with the Pin directly above the bridge and the CG kicked out from my palm.  Ball revs up in the midlane very nicely but seems to be too erratic after that.  One shot will absolutely smash the hole, the next will skid too far and leave me a washout or worse, and the next will check up too early and go through the beak.  I will possibly either attempt to redrill or just cut my losses and trade it to a good friend of mine for something less condition specific.

Good ball, again, just not for me.
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Andrew Loose
Illinois State University Men's Team

Ebonite:Vortex 2 Sanded Update
Pin: 2-3"
Topweight: 2.54 oz
Weight: 15.53 lb
Surface: I scuffed the surface with a green scot brite pad
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I was finding that I was leaving this ball at home for tournaments, because the ball had to much jump on the backend when the backends were clean and not enough jolt when there was some carry down. Therefore, I was not throwing this ball a whole lot and found others to work. A couple weeks ago I decided on selling my Swamp Monster (Brunswick) so I had a spot to fill in my arsenal. I thought long and hard and said to my self I need something that is drilled to go long but has some surface so I can still get some recovery in oil/carrydown. This ball works great and fits better then the Swamp Monster.

Overall
Like I said before I scuffed it up to get a more desirable reaction out of this ball. Staying behind this ball is a dream (I very rarely have to get around the ball) as long as I keep it in the oil. When I hit a dry spot it is just like it is polished even though I hit the pocket it still doesn't carry well because too much energy is wasted by crossing more boards. I think this ball will be good playing down and in on a flat pattern (I always had a little trouble with my V2 Patical after the first few shots, because a dry spot would developed). In general the reaction as smoothed out alot however still crossing quite a few boards.

Fresh house shot 10 to 10
Most nights I start off by shooting 18-19 board to the 10 board and if I throw it right the desired action is obtainedt. However some nights the carry just in not there so there are two options move left lighten the speed and add more grip pressure, or speed up the ball and take my wrist and grip pressure out. Usually I choose to lighten up my speed and move left. On this shot I can move as far as 30 board, but I must get to the dry boards or I leave a headpin wash out. Usually I can't pull anything more then a 720 with this shot. Know I will get into moving to the right and upping my speed. I can make this shot work but I have to play my break point (which is usually the ten pin shadow reflection. Tend to hit the pocket shooting this way but the six pin gets drooped in the channel most of the time.

Pro's
The ball has plenty of length and good recovery

Con's
Kind of hits like a marsh mellow if the angle is not right on.

Great ball for when there is a lot of oil. Reads the lane great and never fails to hook when nothing else will. Must have oil though in order to throw it.
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Not just any athlete can handle a bowling ball!!

I've been using Hammer bowling balls for quite some time now, and recently decided to add a new ball to my bag.  I was talked into the Vortex II Sanded by my pro shop and had it drilled very aggressively for a lot of backend snap.  

The alley I bowl at varies a lot when it comes to oil on the lanes.  Some days its pretty heavy, some days it's not.  On the heavy days the Vortex II is pretty good, hitting the pocket reletively hard.  I do have a problem with the pin reaction to this ball, which I'll get into later on.  It just doesn't really send the pins flying like it's said to do.  Also, it's still a little hard to control, sometimes snapping way to hard on the backends leaving me with an open frame.

When the lanes are slightly drier is when I really hate this ball with a passion.  Plan on having your average drop about 50 points on lighter oil.  The ball has way to much hook and angle.  I've tried a myriad of different throwing styles to see if I could find something that would match this ball up with drier conditions and there is nothing that works.  Yeah maybe if you are a 250+ bowler you can figure something out but I can't.  I've even had the ball polished to delay the action and still I can't get it to work for me.

Now to the hitting power of this marshmallow of a ball.  I have had more 9-pin frames than I can count.  I will bury this ball so perfectly in the pocket and still come up with 9 pins, leaving one measley little pin still standing and laughing at me.  The pins rarely go flying.  It's a 16# ball that hits like a 6# house ball.  

Bottom Line:  I am happier using my Father's 20 year old AMF Strikeline than my Vortex II Sanded.  I feel that I wasted my money.  I've since gotten a Lane Masters Deep Impact (which is amazing... but that's a whole 'nother review) and my Vortex rarely comes out of the bag.  So... if you bowl heavy oil and want major snap and hook in a ball, you'll probably like the action of the Vortex, but not the hitting power.  I know every bowler is different and perhaps this is an excellent ball in the hands of someone else, but it's just not for me.  Nor would I recommend it.

Good luck and see you on the tour.

Tommy T.