How many people remember the show "In Search Of..."?
I'm wondering how many of you have experienced an extreme ball reaction in the last year or so. By this I mean a new (to you) ball either barely hooked at all, hooked out of the house, went crazy on the back end, was ultra-smooth, etc. something radically different from all of your other equipment on the same pattern you bowl on a regular basis.
The source of my question is simple. It seems that anything I buy today reacts just about the same as my stuff from 7-8 years ago. Sure some saves more from the backend and some hook sooner, but not to any radical degree. Even the total amount of hook is within 2-3 boards for balls of the same general design. For example, I have a Storm Tour Power (2001-ish) the is almost identical in reaction shape, length, and total boards covered to a Brunswick Smash Zone (2008) though the Tour Power has a weaker layout.
The last time I saw a radically different ball reaction was from a Dyno-Thane Barrage, which was a throw back to the days of three-piece urethane. The Power Grooves were a overly pronounced V-shape, but that seems like it was more of an oddity.
Anyone see something significantly and radically different from the norm in the last year or so? In what way?
If not, it makes me wonder why we bother buying new equipment.
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J.J. "Waterola Kid" Anderson - "Better than Jello" - Kill the back row