-About me:
Right handed. 15lb. Power tweener. 16mph. Higher rev rate. PAP: 5.25†level. Thumb slug and oval grips.
-About the ball:
This ball has a solid reactive cover (Reactive+, 4000 grit no polish). The core is symmetric (High Impact, RG:2.57, Diff: 0.041).
-Layout:
This particular ball weighed 15.2 lb, has 3.5†pin and 3.4oz of top weight. The pin is just above the inside of the ring finger with the CG kicked out (we didn't lay it out dual angle, but eyeballing it looks about 45ishx5.25x45ish). It now has just under an ounce of positive weight. Box finish.
-On the lane:
The Power Strike is one of the best medium pieces I have thrown in a long time. It looks and kinda rolls like a mid-priced ball; it’s a very plain, predictable, unimposing ball. However, the results are the same or better than many higher priced options. It is deceptively good. The relatively weak solid reactive cover clears the fronts like a good medium ball should, it has a smooth read and transition at the end of the pattern, and then a long continuous roll/hook. This ball has great continuation thru the pins for a ball that wasn’t designed to hook out of the building like most equipment these days. It retains energy thru the break point for a surprising hit thru the pins. It will hook a little in oil/carry-down, but is not jumpy off the friction (sometimes medium/dry balls push too long in oil and are too strong off the dry. The Power Strike typically does not have that problem).
This ball is just a work-horse that does what it is supposed to do and that’s it… nothing more, nothing less. It doesn’t go forever down the lane, it doesn’t have a big strong backend, it doesn’t make a dramatic move at the end of the pattern, and without any swirls it’s pretty plain looking too. It just does what you tell it to do and hits the pins hard. I wish this ball had more “flash†so more people would notice it, but the only recognition this ball will get is on the scoreboard next to your name (and the occasional bird-dog).
The Power Strike is also what I call “user-friendly†when it comes to the release, which has been pretty common for me with Lane Masters / Lord Field. This ball doesn’t roll drastically different if you tweak your release at the bottom of your swing. What you get is another ball from Lane Masters that is pretty forgiving when you don’t let it go perfectly.
-Compared to Other Equipment:
This ball is like a medium version of the Brunswick Speed Zone for me, or maybe what a new Speed Zone would roll like on today’s conditions. It’s earlier, but weaker and smoother than my Buzz Legend, and longer and more continuous than my Judgement. I could also compare it to a more continuous version of the Storm Furious, but a little weaker yet harder hitting. Perhaps a longer version of the Columbia Tremor, or a smoother version of the original Eruption.
-Dislikes:
My biggest dislike about this ball is how boring it is, and that is just because it will keep some people from noticing it. It’s like an offensive lineman in football, or a good catcher in baseball… a lot of work but not many highlights. It’s not a “hey, come see what this ball can do†kind of ball. It’s just a ball where your average will probably go up a few pins because you’ll hit the pocket more with its predictability, and carry more with its hitting power, and after a few months realize that you throw it more than anything else in your bag.
-Summary:
I would recommend this ball for anyone who wants a great ball for medium to dry conditions, and/or folks with high revs and/or lower ball speeds. If you normally see oil a lot, this will be a good ball to add to the arsenal to move to during/after transition. If you normally see medium-dry, then this could be one of the only balls you need.
-Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFS0Gs-QGvw
