I can speak to the integrity issue....
Lane 1 does not put out a ball unless it is significantly different or better than what they already have.
The Super Carbide has come and gone..why? The Super Carbide Bomb is simply better.
The Green Bomb is gone...why? It was a dud for most bowlers and between the Cherry Bomb and Blueberry, this slot was covered.
The Pearl Bomb is on it's way out....why? the core design of the Cherry Bomb allows more versatility and more options for different reactions.
Lane 1 simply does it's homework. When we visited Lane 1 Richie asked me and SawMill what we thoughtt hey needed in their line. We both said middle of the road solid resin and a dry lane ball. How many other ball companies actually listen to what the visitors of their websites have to say?
They are not just putting out balls for the sake of something new to sell. I remember when Storm intriduced the El Nino...WOW!!!! BIG NEWS!!!! How long was it until the Wrath came about??? Quite awhile...then it was big news again. It's big news when Lane 1 brings out something because they are not releasing balls every 3 weeks.
I remember the Brunswick Zone days...there were more flops in that line than in a cow pasture!!!! Why? Too many balls, too fast and people could not keep up. Or they tried to keep up and got burned by something that didn't do what they said it did because not enough R&D goes on.
Every company produces good balls that should never be remoived from their lines....
Brunswick....Danger Zone, Inferno
Columbia...Beast, Cuda/C, SPirit
Hammer....3-D Hi Rev
Ebonite...turbo X, Nitro/R2
Lane 1...Blueberry, Cherry Pearl C2
Storm...Eraser, tour Power
Visionary...Green gargoyle, Orange Warlock
Track...VooDoo, Hex
Lane 1 makes the best balls I have seen. Overall they are more expensive per ball BUT I have found that you need fewer balls to cover the conditions. It's real easy to get a 4 ball arsenal with Lane 1 to cover it all.
XXL, Cherry Bomb, Blueberry and Super Bomb...should cover it all.
See more dry? Delete the Super Bomb and add the Emerald or Silver Diamond.
That's my take on things...not getting defensive but the more I use their stuff the more convinced I am that they are either at or one rung down from the top of the heap.
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Doug Sterner
Doug's Pro Shop
Owego, NY
http://dougsproshop@aol.com
www.dougsproshop.net
Think about it....pins are wood, lanes are wood...
the weapon of choice is obvious...
CUT 'EM UP BABY it's BUZZSAW TIME!!!