Anyone attend one of these events? It's $25 and there is one coming to my area this Sunday and wasn't sure whether it was worth it. I figure if they allow so many people to come it won't be the same demo day experience.

Just in case someone has a question before I get to the actual mini-review here are the balls I had the chance to try out:

Brunswick Nexxxus Æ’(P+S)
Brunswick C·(System) Maxxed-out
Columbia Wicked Encounter
Columbia Oath
Columbia Violent Eruption
Ebonite Innovate
Ebonite Endure
Hammer Arson Pearl
Storm IQ
Storm IQ Tour
Track 912T
Track 503T
Track 706A

There were many others I tried, but these are the only balls that left an impression good or bad.

Here is the necessary information:
Ball Speed 17.5 mph
Revolutions 425
Right Handed
Very much a tweener

Every ball essentially had a variation of the same layout: Pin above the ring fingers with the MB to the right of the thumb.

I haven't thrown anything other than Track for the last 3 years, so I must say I was very impressed with the Columbia equipment.

First, if you are looking for an oil piece, than you really don't have to look any further than the Wicked Encounter. The ball is not only strong, but even with such a strong surface it really has no quit in it. I was able to move deeper and deeper with the ball and had no issues with the ball fizzling out and hitting like the pocket with no energy. The impressive thing is that when you take the surface down you get an entirely different shot shape. With the box finish the ball is even and really strong, but when you take the surface down it is long and strong. Roughly 7 boards weaker than box, but man does the ball make the corner.

The Columbia Oath was a great piece, and for those that like Ebonite International in general, you are going to find 3 balls among their manufacturers that all do essentially the same thing but in varying degrees (the other two are the 503T and the Ebonite Endure). The Oath was probably the middle ball of the three that I listed. The Oath is the ideal sport shot ball. It doesn't do one thing better than the other, because it just does everything very good. It is super even and essentially made for sport shot conditions. I know Colombia has a ball called the benchmark, but personally this is the ideal benchmark ball if you are looking to start your next arsenal and your a Columbia fan.

For me, the Columbia Violent Eruption was the best ball I threw all day. You rarely find a piece of equipment that in your hands is just special. I would rate this ball up there with the best of all time. If you want a pearl that doesn't act like a pearl, there is something about this low RG ball that is just amazing. It is the epitomy of hook in a box, but not jerky in any way. The ball owns the mids, and just has this ability to always find the pocket regardless of where you use it on the lane. For me, if you were ever looking for a pearl compliment to the original V2, this is that ball. Not suprising, like everything in the Columbia lineup the ball is pretty even overall, but where this ball is different is that it's a pearl that just isn't all that long. I would almost rate this as the perfect auxillary benchmark ball for when your solid benchmark ball is close, but just not quite. Personally, I'd make this the first ball out of my bag on pretty much any pattern. I expect really big things out of this ball.

The Hammer Arson Pearl was the perfect ball for dry lanes or when you want to face up to the lane. What surprised me was how well the ball carried when you faced up to the lane on the fresh. I was able to play fairly close to the gutter with a great deal of speed, and pocket hits that appeared fairly flat just kept carrying over and over again. Once I was able to create a little spot with the ball it only got better and better. This is a great piece, and while I think most won't give it a chance considering how long and clean it is on the right shot this ball will make you a lot of money. However, I will note that I really wanted to try the 300A to compare to this piece, but unfortunately they didn't have one available. The staffers that were there told me that the would would of been even longer and much more angular.

Okay, now for the homerism. I am a Track whore, so take what I say with a grain of salt on these balls.

Track 912T is probably the most amazing heavy oil ball I've ever thrown. I would say the key difference between the 912T and the Wicked Encounter was that when you take down the surface it's still the same shot shape, just weaker. Knocking the surface down, you get about a 5 board different in strength. The 912T just is clean through the front, but once it reads the late midlane it just continues and doesn't stop until it's through the pins. I've never had a ball with such an aggressive surface just not quit. I know for many the 9-series has been pretty hit and miss. I didn't like the 916AT or the 919C, but you couldn't pay me to get the 920T and the 920A out of my bag. Relax bowlers, the 912T has the goods. If you need a heavy oil piece that then you don't really need to look any further than the 912T.

Outside of the IQ Tour, the Track 503T was the ball I was most looking forward to trying out. Overall, I must say that this was my second favorite ball of the day. It just does everything well. It was probably the weaker of the Endure and Oath, but it was only a board weaker than the Oath, but much more continuous in the backend.  For those of you that want a benchmark ball that has a little bit more bite in the back part of the lane than the 503T is for you. I didn't think you could possibly improve on the 505T, which I was rightly pissed with they discontinued way to soon, but the 503T does everything the 505T does, but better. The 505T had a tendency to get a little flat in the back, but the 503T just keeps going and going. Overall, that was the key difference of why I would pick it over the Oath. As I stated previously, my key miss is getting firm with the ball at the bottom, of the three ball I mentioned the 503T was the only one that still got back to the pocket even when I messed up. I would note though, I got the best carry of the three with the Oath, but not by much.

The Track 706A was just a good ball, but I didn't leave the Supershow thinking it was a ball I had to have. When I think back, I know it has a place in my bag, but the 706A is the ultimate in vanilla. The ball was about 4 boards stronger than the Hammer Arson Pearl, but where this ball shines was that it was so clean and smooth I could get slower and slower with it near the gutter and the ball never once jerked early towards the pocket. I think I got out of this ball what I was expected out of the 300A, but without the 300A being at the Supershow I wasn't able to accurately compare. However, the staffers told me that the 300A would be longer and much more angular. The 706A is just long, clean, and super smooth.