I've thrown some Hammer stuff, most recently the Brick.  While it is a good ball, I decided to sell it since it really didn't get a ton of use.  I also noticed that I didn't carry as well as my Storm/Roto Grip stuff.  The other thing I noticed was that as I threw the Hammer stuff more, it was more sensitive to speed and/or conditions. 

Same goes for all of my other EBI stuff except the Track 505T.  Now that is a good ball and the only EBI product I have kept.

Just like any brand, people will match up really well with Hammer.  Same goes for Track, Brunswick, Storm, Roto Grip, 900 Global, AMF, or anything else under the sun.    I think Hammer fans are just that much more vocal about how their stuff matches up really well and they love to promote it.  Nothing wrong with that at all.

I stayed away from Hammer for years...I wasnt impressed. I started playing with them when I needed a very clean ball for old wood lanes, purchased the Midnight Vibe and loved it for what it was. Then I saw the Jet Black and loved the videos, bought it and it has become one of my all time favorite balls....Now on to the Deep Purple....another great ball for me, but I struggled with it until it got a few games(10) and I changed surface(to 4000)..Now its been money for me.....
I can say the newer stuff I own has been great, I know all about the widow core being used over and over, but I never had any of the old stuff, so to me its new and I love it.

So right now I am a very happy hammer owner after yrs and yrs of being a Storm guy. I also really do not see any difference in carry from Storm, I actually think the two Taboos are amongst the hardest hitting balls I have ever thrown, with the Deep Purple being unbelievable when it goes through the pins. I also seem to have more luck with less maintenance on the Hammer cover stocks. I loved my storm/roto gear but I was constantly refreshing, sanding or baking the surfaces. I will say my favorite ball of all time is a Roto Nomad Solid.....No ball will ever match up with me as well as that did.

I havent thrown any of a Hammers mid priced line, Thats where I believe that Storm and Roto cant be beat.

Everything was much earlier and smoother. The Pearl Panther was a real good ball. I kept the SOS. Best dry lane ball I ever owned. They all carry well and is good stuff. I'm a ball whore so I go through stuff quickly.  But I do really like the two taboos I own a lot and plan on keeping them around. The jet black has made it a long time for me. Lol

I never threw a dagger but I loved the nomad solid. I have one drilled in my closet I pull out for tournaments. It's my go to ball when nothing else works. I'm bidding on another on eBay right now that's nib

Historical success over recent success is why the hammerheads are loyal and hardcore fans of the brand...a lot of people don't understand this or realize that our industry is very circular.  Everything comes around and everyone gets their shot...remember a time when ebonite was on tv all the time.,,then Columbia. Then Brunswick.  He'll even global 900 had a good run with haugen Walter ray and missy Parkin making tv...

Right now or at least the last two years storm has been on top...I used to be on staff with them but for the last five years have been with ebonite international exclusively..storm has great equipment and does seem to match up with a wide variety of bowlers...they have a good share of the market for sure.. When they won every World Series show last year, they got a lot of attention...

On the local level, I still hear a lot from the hammer and Columbia fans.  They and Brunswick are historically recognizable...a lot of people don't know what "they match up " with. That is a term experienced bowlers throw around..,put a new bowler on the lanes with one ball in the same performance range from each company with no labels. They will most likely not see much difference and you would be surprised which might be their favorite.

Each company has it's fans...they talk for them. To a point you would think a lot of people in social media actually work for a company or are on staff with a particular brand because of how much talk they do...that has a big influence at the local level. More so than tv and national publication