BallReviews

General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: janderson on November 11, 2003, 08:50:18 PM

Title: Dry Lane Recommendation
Post by: janderson on November 11, 2003, 08:50:18 PM: Since there seem to be some intelligent and experienced bowlers that
read and post to these boards, I thought I'd post here.

What resin ball(s) would you recommend for dry lane conditions? In general. Let's just assume "dry" means that overall, your ball is hooking more than you want and you're sick of moving left. I understand the options of urethane and
plastic equipment (I have both), I'm just looking for that slight notch up from the older urethane equipment. If there is a strong urethane ball you like for dry lanes also, let me know.

Thanks in advance
-j (sick of fighting with the ball return)

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Questions? Drop me a line: haestas-(at)-yahoo.com
Title: Re: Dry Lane Recommendation
Post by: DP3 on November 12, 2003, 11:52:19 AM: I heard there's a ball out there called the V2 Dry....not sure what lane condition its for though.

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-D. Marshall
ScratchBowling.com Shirt Staff 2003-2004
Title: Re: Dry Lane Recommendation
Post by: 9andaWiggle on November 12, 2003, 11:56:21 AM: quote:
I understand the options of urethane and
plastic equipment (I have both), I'm just looking for that slight notch up from the older urethane equipment.

Just to mention, in case you aren't aware, Lane 1 has a polyester ball with the diamond core called the XXXL. Visionary also has recently released the urethane Slate Blue Gargoyle, it has a similar core to their higher end Gargoyle line. I have heard good things about both of these - currently trying to save some $ and make up my mind which one I want.

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9~
Title: Re: Dry Lane Recommendation
Post by: Saw Mill on November 12, 2003, 11:56:24 AM: Well, Lane 1 just happens to have a great Urethane ball out called the XXL. Pearlized and Urethane, and it goes long, and would definitely be a great DRY lane ball.

Dave
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If You Are Not Using a BuzzSaw, All You Get is SAW-dusted!!
Title: Re: Dry Lane Recommendation
Post by: bowlingstickboy on November 12, 2003, 12:03:37 PM: A few other balls you may want to look into is the new Monster Slayer from Brunswick or possibly a Groove also made by Brunswick. The Groove line is a step up from urethane.

Pete
Title: Re: Dry Lane Recommendation
Post by: bamaster on November 12, 2003, 12:03:48 PM: Dyno-thane Barrage.

Solid resin coverstock and a puck weight block. Very simple design without over/under. I have mine drilled rather stacked and it always clears the heads. But it does need dry boards, otherwise it's a dart.

Sells for $68 on BirdDogBowling.com. Hard to beat the price. My pro shop guy sells a lot of these for people who need a dry lane ball.

Link to BirdDogBowling.com (http://"http://www.birddogbowling.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=9&products_id=161")

Tony
http://www.allBowling.com
Title: Re: Dry Lane Recommendation
Post by: janderson on November 12, 2003, 12:31:38 PM: Thanks to everyone who has posted a recommendation so far. From the reviews on
this sight, the V2 Dry seems to be a good choice. Anyone knows how it compares
to the others suggested (anyone thrown both and compared?)

(Maybe this helps others as well)
I have a Power Groove Reactive - I've found it is too much/snappish
on short or medium-light patterns.
(Thanks for the suggestion though Pete)

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Questions? Drop me a line: haestas-(at)-yahoo.com
Title: Re: Dry Lane Recommendation
Post by: bamaster on November 12, 2003, 03:51:48 PM: From the weight block of the V2 Dry, I'd say it would be less angular than the Barrage. Something to consider depending on where you play the lanes. Angles can be good or bad. I've heard good things about the V2 Dry from the staffers. But it is $50 more than the Barrage... hehe

Whatever you get, let us know how you like it.

Tony
http://www.allBowling.com
Title: Re: Dry Lane Recommendation
Post by: Phillip Marlowe on November 12, 2003, 04:15:39 PM: Barrage. Very mild ball with the best hit on a mild ball I have seen. And at the price, you're going to buy something else?
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"I don't mind if you don't like my manners. I don't like them myself. They're pretty bad. I grieve over them on long winter evenings."
Title: Re: Dry Lane Recommendation
Post by: charlest on November 12, 2003, 04:28:44 PM: I have to go with the Barrage also. I thought the best resin dry lanes ball ever was the Blue Hot Flame. So much so I got a back-up for when my current one died. I tried a Barrage and sold both the current and my back-up BHT.

FYI Doug Sterner lists the Barrage for $65 on his website.

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"Just because you can do something does not mean you should do it."

Edited on 11/12/2003 5:25 PM
Title: Re: Dry Lane Recommendation
Post by: Ol Stranker on November 12, 2003, 10:22:09 PM: janderson-- If you'd care for my opinion I'd like to reccommend the Columbia Spirit II. It is a good ball for dryer lanes--rolls quit a bit like urethane and has good hit. Very reasonably priced. I own a fairly extensive Lane 1 arsenal and find that the XXXL and XXL, while quite good balls, are not significantly superior to other companies Polyester and urethane balls. i.e. Ebonite Clear Wolf and Visionary's Red Sorcerer. Just my opinion and experience. thanks.
Title: Re: Dry Lane Recommendation
Post by: janderson on November 16, 2003, 12:05:43 AM: Thanks again, everyone, for the suggestions. In summary, here's a list of balls that have been suggested that I haven't tried as of yet:

Lane 1 XXL (Urethane)
Lane 1 XXXL (Plastic)
Visionary Slate Blue Gargoyle (Urethane)
Brunswick Monster SlayR (Reactive)
Ebonite V2 Dry (Reactive)
Dyno-Thane Barrage (Reactive)
Storm Barbed Wire (Reactive)
Columbia Black Messenger (Urethane)
Columbia Spirit II (Reactive)
Ebonite Optyx Illusion (Reactive)

Other balls I've considered:

Columbia Scout/R (Reactive)
Roto-Grip Sonix X Solid (Reactive)

I'm leary of the Barbed Wire because it is supposed to be using the same coverstock as the Big Hit and Hit. I already have a Big Hit and (again) it is too much ball on the light short oil. And the ball people say that the coverstock is 80% of your ball reaction.

Right now my "dry" lane reactive is an Ebonite Red/Silver Tornado. The drilling basically attempts to neuter the thing and it is still too much.

IceEm compared the XXL and XXXL, Toma the V2 Dry and the XXXL, and charlest the Barrage to the "Too Hot", and crested the Scout (urenthane) and the V2 Dry.

Has anyone else thrown two of the above balls? What is the comparison?

I'll likely order two of them them tomorrow or Monday. By the time I get them in it will be Thurs/Fri ... So I won't be able to let everyone know the results until probably a week and a half. Check back.

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Questions? Drop me a line: haestas-(at)-yahoo.com
Title: Re: Dry Lane Recommendation
Post by: janderson on December 02, 2003, 09:42:00 AM: Here's a quick update.

I ended up purchasing both an Ebonite V2 Dry and a Dyno-Thane Barrage.
Both were drilled to get maximum length with medium back end.

Unfortunately, with the holiday season, there are few people bowling in this area and I haven't been able to find any dry lane conditions to shoot on. However, I have used both balls on medium conditions and they both go pretty straight.

So far both balls seem an ideal match to what I was looking for. Even throwing the Barrage on medium-volume medium-length oil with little hook (See my profile for how I throw the bal) the ball did not "pop out" of the pocket when it got there (ie. no 5-7's or 8-10's) as my plastic and (sometimes) older urethane balls are prone to do.

I'll post another update as soon as I find some scorched lanes.

Again, thanks to everyone who posted advice. Don't feel slighted if I didn't try your particular recommendation - I don't have enough money to buy every ball I'd like to have!

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Questions? Drop me a line: haestas-(at)-yahoo.com
Title: Re: Dry Lane Recommendation
Post by: thegame on December 02, 2003, 09:58:37 AM: Sonic X is an excellent choice for dry lanes. If you have a lot of hand, the XXXL is a good choice as well. If you don't put that many revs on the ball, the XXXL will skate a little bit in carrydown, and you will need a lot of dry to generate entry angle. I have not seen the V2 Dry or Barbed Wire, but I can't imagine a reactive ball that hooks less on dry boards than the Sonic X.
Title: Re: Dry Lane Recommendation
Post by: janderson on December 11, 2003, 04:11:30 PM: Update on progress.

I finally got a chance to throw both the Dyno-Thane Barrage and V2 Dry for a couple of games on the same pattern. The overall performance is similar for both balls. The V2 dry seems to hook just a small amount (1 board total) more than the Barrage. Neither ball "pops out" of the pocket on pocket (flush or light) hits as my old urethane and plastic equipment tends to, even when I "nurse" the ball to the pocket through a heavy pattern of oil.

I'm looking forward to facing a dry pattern with either of these balls. I believe either of them will be exactly what I was looking for.

Thanks again everyone.
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