BallReviews
General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: DrBwlr15 on December 24, 2017, 03:22:45 PM
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Why is Storm so popular? What makes them so special? I see so many bowlers in my area throwing Storm but I also hear so many people talk about how they wont throw Storm ever again, its weird... I have a 50% success rate with Storm. Half the balls have been duds. I just don't get it
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It's just what's popular. Like Northface said below me, their good stuff has been really good which has afforded them a lot of leeway.
Storm and Roto are big all around me living in Utah so I like to throw other stuff even though I've had a lot of success with the Crossroad, Ride, and Rogue Cell. I get asked a lot more often what I'm throwing because people around me are so used to Storm/Roto
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Their good balls, are legendary and that affords them a lot of clout with bowlers to make up for shit offerings like the Fight, Timeless etc.
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Nothing much to add to what’s mentioned above..... They also have the resources that also give them more leeway as well.
More leeway, means more opportunities and that’s the name of the ball Manufacturer’s game today, to design and move product, as in any business today.
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For me, Storm has been committed to creating complimentary pieces from top to bottom of their lineup while other companies were looking for a home run balls. That said, I think manufacturers have done a much better job the last few years and most are releasing quality stuff so in my opinion there aren’t really bad balls, just bad matchups.
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Why is Storm so popular?
Who knows? They make good stuff, but so do others. I think maybe, somehow, they started being considered “cool†and “hip†by the newer guys coming into bowling.
What makes them so special?
Nothing really. They make lots of different models, and so have many more options than some of the other guys, but that, by itself, doesn’t make them “specialâ€. I really just think it’s a combination of the wide selection and public perception.
I see so many bowlers in my area throwing Storm but I also hear so many people talk about how they wont throw Storm ever again, its weird... I have a 50% success rate with Storm. Half the balls have been duds. I just don't get it.
Same here. In fact, I’ve had a less than 50% success rate with them, and hadn’t actively, knowingly, thrown a Storm based product in years, until I got my hands on a Roto Grip Wreck-em. Pretty good ball on our medium house shot.
Storm stuff has always been pretty “hit or miss†for me. I tend to either really love one, or really hate one.
Oddly enough, they have a couple out right now that I am having a hard time not buying, and those are the RG Hustle Ink, and the Storm Matchup Hybrid. Literally everyone I’ve seen throw the Ink has been pretty impressed with them, and I have seen them work for basically everyone who has one.
The Matchup Hybrid just has the most “eye appeal†to me of nearly any ball I’ve ever seen. Never bought a ball just because it was “pretty†(except for a spare ball), but I may this one.
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Storm equipment mostly gives people the shape their eyes want to see. Clean and angular off the spot so they don't have to have a bunch of hand. Toss it at the friction, watch it bounce. It's a reaction shape that Storm has down to a T. Every company has a ball.or two with that reaction shape, but you ask a normal house bowler if they want a Honey Badger, Paranoia, or HyRoad Pearl, you're probably going to go with the HyRoad Pearl.
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Absolutely correct fellows.....
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Why are they so popular? They by far spend the most on marketing.
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Storm equipment mostly gives people the shape their eyes want to see. Clean and angular off the spot so they don't have to have a bunch of hand. Toss it at the friction, watch it bounce. It's a reaction shape that Storm has down to a T. Every company has a ball.or two with that reaction shape, but you ask a normal house bowler if they want a Honey Badger, Paranoia, or HyRoad Pearl, you're probably going to go with the HyRoad Pearl.
not entirely true. I have my HRN and SF drilled pin down and they both offer more mid lane while my pin up DV8 stuff has more backend then I ever need. Layout and cover's are the deciding factor's.
For me I like the fact they tell you the strength of the cover's much like Global does. trying to decide where the strength of maxx hook double back composite hybrid will fit in your arsenal can be difficult.
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Why are they so popular? They by far spend the most on marketing.
This pretty much nails it. They've bought far more exposure (advertising and star staffers) than any other company.
I'm a major ball whore and I've bought more Storm balls over the past few years than I realized. It wasn't by design -- it just kind of happened. There have been a few I really like. My current favorite is the Rocket Ship. It bailed me out for a few cashes in PBA50 tournaments. The Torrent is more condition specific, but when it matches up it's a winner. More recently the Match Up solid and pearl have been disappointing. They're not drier lane balls, and they're not the best medium choices either. The Optimus Solid is so-so at best. The Sure Lock is a distant third in choice after my Columbia Lit and Track Paradox. Overall, there have been more misses than hits.
It's different for everyone, but that's my take given the multiple choices and companies I have in my stash.
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Why are they so popular? They by far spend the most on marketing.
This pretty much nails it. They've bought far more exposure (advertising and star staffers) than any other company.
I'm a major ball whore and I've bought more Storm balls over the past few years than I realized. It wasn't by design -- it just kind of happened. There have been a few I really like. My current favorite is the Rocket Ship. It bailed me out for a few cashes in PBA50 tournaments. The Torrent is more condition specific, but when it matches up it's a winner. More recently the Match Up solid and pearl have been disappointing. They're not drier lane balls, and they're not the best medium choices either. The Optimus Solid is so-so at best. The Sure Lock is a distant third in choice after my Columbia Lit and Track Paradox. Overall, there have been more misses than hits.
It's different for everyone, but that's my take given the multiple choices and companies I have in my stash.
Yeah, Id agree with this and im a Storm/Roto Grip whore. Sure Lock was trash, it has to be that color combo because the Optimus pearl was one of the worst balls ive ever thrown. The match ups are "just balls", Torrent real specific as you mentioned. Storm misses too, often actually.
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This was going to be my answer before I saw yours. Their marketing is arguably the best by a mile. If you don't get anyone to look or don't get them interested, doesn't matter how good the equipment is. The scents are unique and draw attention, USUALLY the balls look really good, and all their designs and logos are very stylish and "cool." Then when you have balls like the Hyroad and IQ Tour Solid, and a "magical" cover in R2S, they can often back up their marketing.
The absolute key for me though behind the marketing is that everyone else but Storm has had bad periods where everything they made for a couple years was bad, Brunswick had a couple bad years 7-8 years ago, really hurt them. Right after that, Ebonite had a couple bad years, all 4 brands, and now Motiv is having a couple rough years including the Jackal scandal. Storm has really never had anything like that, and even if they did have some bad releases, the Hyroad was always there, the IQ Solid has been there, etc., and the other companies just don't have the marketing to overcome some bad releases. There's nothing that draws me to any other company, and honestly there's a lot of good stuff out there right now, but I couldn't see myself enthusiastically getting behind any other brand right now because there's a major part or major flaw with every other company right now that I don't like. I like what Storm/Roto are doing right now with everything top to bottom and even though they've had some awful releases here and there, just identify those, skip/avoid them, and you still have 15 really solid balls left to choose from between the brands.
The bottom line is that Storm is just doing "it," I.E. a combination of everything, better than everyone else right now, and I don't think I'm being a homer or a "staffer" saying that. That's why I'm here, I don't want to be with a company that I feel like I have to lie for or "fake" it, because I'm not going to do that in the first place, but I don't know why another company would want me on board just to talk shiatsu about something they're doing.
Why are they so popular? They by far spend the most on marketing.
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This was going to be my answer before I saw yours. Their marketing is arguably the best by a mile. If you don't get anyone to look or don't get them interested, doesn't matter how good the equipment is. The scents are unique and draw attention, USUALLY the balls look really good, and all their designs and logos are very stylish and "cool." Then when you have balls like the Hyroad and IQ Tour Solid, and a "magical" cover in R2S, they can often back up their marketing.
The absolute key for me though behind the marketing is that everyone else but Storm has had bad periods where everything they made for a couple years was bad, Brunswick had a couple bad years 7-8 years ago, really hurt them. Right after that, Ebonite had a couple bad years, all 4 brands, and now Motiv is having a couple rough years including the Jackal scandal. Storm has really never had anything like that, and even if they did have some bad releases, the Hyroad was always there, the IQ Solid has been there, etc., and the other companies just don't have the marketing to overcome some bad releases. There's nothing that draws me to any other company, and honestly there's a lot of good stuff out there right now, but I couldn't see myself enthusiastically getting behind any other brand right now because there's a major part or major flaw with every other company right now that I don't like. I like what Storm/Roto are doing right now with everything top to bottom and even though they've had some awful releases here and there, just identify those, skip/avoid them, and you still have 15 really solid balls left to choose from between the brands.
The bottom line is that Storm is just doing "it," I.E. a combination of everything, better than everyone else right now, and I don't think I'm being a homer or a "staffer" saying that. That's why I'm here, I don't want to be with a company that I feel like I have to lie for or "fake" it, because I'm not going to do that in the first place, but I don't know why another company would want me on board just to talk shiatsu about something they're doing.
Why are they so popular? They by far spend the most on marketing.
Well said. Its Storm/Roto Grip and everyone else playing catch-up ball.
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Marketing and star power sells balls. The old "win on sunday, sell on monday" mentality comes into play for impressionable bowlers looking for any edge for improvement.
Shoot, it work with me,with Ole Petey throwing a Trauma Recovery soo many years ago (I still have mine).
But,for me I had a lot of their duds over the years, and broke away. Went with Dynothane, AMF, and 900 global since. Had one ball from those three,the Clutch that was a turd, but been pretty happy with the rest
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Marketing and star power sells balls. The old "win on sunday, sell on monday" mentality comes into play for impressionable bowlers looking for any edge for improvement.
Shoot, it work with me,with Ole Petey throwing a Trauma Recovery soo many years ago (I still have mine).
But,for me I had a lot of their duds over the years, and broke away. Went with Dynothane, AMF, and 900 global since. Had one ball from those three,the Clutch that was a turd, but been pretty happy with the rest
Man, I remember Weber floating that Trauma Recovery on TV, only problem is I dont throw it like him.
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I broke down and ordered a HyRoad today...
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Also, if you go back 15 years, the Storm guys have always been out their for us tournament bowlers. That have a huge smatuer staff. Do they make dome junk? Yes, but everyone does and their good stuff is really good.
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Marketing and star power sells balls. The old "win on sunday, sell on monday" mentality comes into play for impressionable bowlers looking for any edge for improvement.
Shoot, it work with me,with Ole Petey throwing a Trauma Recovery soo many years ago (I still have mine).
But,for me I had a lot of their duds over the years, and broke away. Went with Dynothane, AMF, and 900 global since. Had one ball from those three,the Clutch that was a turd, but been pretty happy with the rest
Man, I remember Weber floating that Trauma Recovery on TV, only problem is I dont throw it like him.
If only I had a dime for every single person that came in to the shop over the years, that said they DID throw it like Pete, Walter, or Duke, when asking them to go out and watch them throw some shots! :o
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Marketing and star power sells balls. The old "win on sunday, sell on monday" mentality comes into play for impressionable bowlers looking for any edge for improvement.
Shoot, it work with me,with Ole Petey throwing a Trauma Recovery soo many years ago (I still have mine).
But,for me I had a lot of their duds over the years, and broke away. Went with Dynothane, AMF, and 900 global since. Had one ball from those three,the Clutch that was a turd, but been pretty happy with the rest
Man, I remember Weber floating that Trauma Recovery on TV, only problem is I dont throw it like him.
If only I had a dime for every single person that came in to the shop over the years, that said they DID throw it like Pete, Walter, or Duke, when asking them to go out and watch them throw some shots! :o
The unfortunate life of the PSO, people think they throw it like Pete when in actuality they throw it like Jethro Bodine.
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The unfortunate life of the PSO, people think they throw it like Pete when in actuality they throw it like Jethro Bodine.
Jethro Bodine here... ;D
What most bowlers don't realize is that in addition to the unreal talent of most Storm staffer/tour guys, they have unparalleled hands on tour representative support from Storm itself.
At the Las Vegas PBA50 events I bowl, Jim Callahan (Storm Rep) runs around like the Energizer bunny watching and servicing his bowlers. He'll do everything from observing and precision scuffing covers with Abralon during practice session/warm-up, to quickly getting new balls drilled up in the truck to provide more optimal match ups.
So of course these guys are going to look great throwing Storm equipment. Just like most of the quality tour staffers from other companies look pretty good. Then average Joe Bowler goes out and suffers extreme over/under with his 1500 grit polished Code Red, and wonders what's going on. It's really not a mystery.
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The unfortunate life of the PSO, people think they throw it like Pete when in actuality they throw it like Jethro Bodine.
Jethro Bodine here... ;D
What most bowlers don't realize is that in addition to the unreal talent of most Storm staffer/tour guys, they have unparalleled hands on tour representative support from Storm itself.
At the Las Vegas PBA50 events I bowl, Jim Callahan (Storm Rep) runs around like the Energizer bunny watching and servicing his bowlers. He'll do everything from observing and precision scuffing covers with Abralon during practice session/warm-up, to quickly getting new balls drilled up in the truck to provide more optimal match ups.
So of course these guys are going to look great throwing Storm equipment. Just like most of the quality tour staffers from other companies look pretty good. Then average Joe Bowler goes out and suffers extreme over/under with his 1500 grit polished Code Red, and wonders what's going on. It's really not a mystery.
I knocked the shine off my code red before i drilled it, its the shape on house that i dont like.
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runs around like the Energizer bunny watching and servicing his bowlers.
No need to make things sexual...... :P
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I knocked the shine off my code red before i drilled it, its the shape on house that i dont like.
Yea, sometimes even cover adjustments won't save a ball. My PSO who's a Storm staffer literally refused to sell me one. He made the same shape observation to me.
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I knocked the shine off my code red before i drilled it, its the shape on house that i dont like.
Yea, sometimes even cover adjustments won't save a ball. My PSO who's a Storm staffer literally refused to sell me one. He made the same shape observation to me.
Thats a stand up PSO.
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I knocked the shine off my code red before i drilled it, its the shape on house that i dont like.
Yea, sometimes even cover adjustments won't save a ball. My PSO who's a Storm staffer literally refused to sell me one. He made the same shape observation to me.
Thats a stand up PSO.
He definitely is. He strongly recommended a Marvel Pearl instead. We'll see how that works out when he drills it up next week.
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I knocked the shine off my code red before i drilled it, its the shape on house that i dont like.
Yea, sometimes even cover adjustments won't save a ball. My PSO who's a Storm staffer literally refused to sell me one. He made the same shape observation to me.
Thats a stand up PSO.
He definitely is. He strongly recommended a Marvel Pearl instead. We'll see how that works out when he drills it up next week.
Much better choice IMO
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>> Storm is really good at marketing, they can sell ice cubes to an Eskimo.
I also hear Storm can "sell an elevator to Geronimo."
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I knocked the shine off my code red before i drilled it, its the shape on house that i dont like.
Yea, sometimes even cover adjustments won't save a ball. My PSO who's a Storm staffer literally refused to sell me one. He made the same shape observation to me.
Thats a stand up PSO.
He definitely is. He strongly recommended a Marvel Pearl instead. We'll see how that works out when he drills it up next week.
Much better choice IMO
I just got the ball Marvel Pearl drilled and threw a few games with it. You're absolutely right.
The MP exceeds my expectations. I like the way it revs up and moves off the spot. It's an aggressive move but I wouldn't call it flippy. The 1500 polish finish seems to match up well (at least on a THS).
After wasting money on the Sure Lock, Match Up Solid and Match Up Pearl, it's refreshing to throw something outstanding from Storm. In the future, I'm just going to have to be really careful buying anything from the company.
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If a ball sucks a company generally won't re-release it 5 years later with only a different paint scheme at $150+. That said done paying top shelf for any balls any more. Just not worth it. Only took having a 25 ball arsenal to come to that realization (only paid $150+ for like three balls though). Oh well. Only Storm ball I regret price tag on really is my IQ Tour and only because don't bowl sport patterns. Still darn solid piece regardless. It really should be priced same as the Hy-Roads at this point imo.
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The Marvel Pearl was a great piece and I would have bought another one but I guess our distributor has already sold out their supply.
Storm didn't get to the top by releasing a lot of duds.
Depending on your game and condition you bowl on many balls can match up well. I have had good luck with storm in the past. In the last 4 or 5 years I've had pretty good luck with rotogrip.
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The Marvel Pearl was a great piece and I would have bought another one but I guess our distributor has already sold out their supply.
Storm didn't get to the top by releasing a lot of duds.
Depending on your game and condition you bowl on may balls can match up well. I have had good luck with storm in the past. In the last 4 or 5 years I've had pretty good luck with rotogrip.
Honestly my personal opinion is Storm has plenty of duds (relatively speaking) but they also put more balls in the greatest ever list than just about any other maker (especially last 5 to 10 years). Their stuff is too pricey imo (they rarely discount) to just buy and hope for the best but doesn't take much research to realize you absolutely need some of their legendary pieces in your arsenal. MP is one of those if you match up well with pearls which I usually do not outside some specific conditions.
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Too pricey? Their stuff costs pretty well exactly the same as what comparable balls from other companies costs . . ? And do you mean the websites or pro shops rarely discount Storm stuff?
The Marvel Pearl was a great piece and I would have bought another one but I guess our distributor has already sold out their supply.
Storm didn't get to the top by releasing a lot of duds.
Depending on your game and condition you bowl on may balls can match up well. I have had good luck with storm in the past. In the last 4 or 5 years I've had pretty good luck with rotogrip.
Honestly my personal opinion is Storm has plenty of duds (relatively speaking) but they also put more balls in the greatest ever list than just about any other maker (especially last 5 to 10 years). Their stuff is too pricey imo (they rarely discount) to just buy and hope for the best but doesn't take much research to realize you absolutely need some of their legendary pieces in your arsenal. MP is one of those if you match up well with pearls which I usually do not outside some specific conditions.
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Too pricey? Their stuff costs pretty well exactly the same as what comparable balls from other companies costs . . ? And do you mean the websites or pro shops rarely discount Storm stuff?
The Marvel Pearl was a great piece and I would have bought another one but I guess our distributor has already sold out their supply.
Storm didn't get to the top by releasing a lot of duds.
Depending on your game and condition you bowl on may balls can match up well. I have had good luck with storm in the past. In the last 4 or 5 years I've had pretty good luck with rotogrip.
Honestly my personal opinion is Storm has plenty of duds (relatively speaking) but they also put more balls in the greatest ever list than just about any other maker (especially last 5 to 10 years). Their stuff is too pricey imo (they rarely discount) to just buy and hope for the best but doesn't take much research to realize you absolutely need some of their legendary pieces in your arsenal. MP is one of those if you match up well with pearls which I usually do not outside some specific conditions.
They have good price discipline and stick to their price points fairly well. Some of their prices are excellent like on the Thunder line and say the Hustle Ink on the Roto side. But some can seem a bit high for a ball being on the market for years (their stuff doesn't tend to naturally discount over time much is what I meant). That said hey if they can get it who cares about a whiner on an internet forum. They keep their factories busy which is basically saying scoreboard.
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The Marvel Pearl was a great piece and I would have bought another one but I guess our distributor has already sold out their supply.
Storm didn't get to the top by releasing a lot of duds.
Depending on your game and condition you bowl on may balls can match up well. I have had good luck with storm in the past. In the last 4 or 5 years I've had pretty good luck with rotogrip.
Honestly my personal opinion is Storm has plenty of duds (relatively speaking) but they also put more balls in the greatest ever list than just about any other maker (especially last 5 to 10 years). Their stuff is too pricey imo (they rarely discount) to just buy and hope for the best but doesn't take much research to realize you absolutely need some of their legendary pieces in your arsenal. MP is one of those if you match up well with pearls which I usually do not outside some specific conditions.
Regarding the Marvel Pearl, I don't think it matches up to people that generally like pearls. It's a lot smoother than most pearls and that can make people not like it when they expect a ton of backend that most people expect.
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Regarding the Marvel Pearl, I don't think it matches up to people that generally like pearls. It's a lot smoother than most pearls and that can make people not like it when they expect a ton of backend that most people expect.
Interesting observation. I kind of expected what you described, especially since I still have the Marvel-S which defines rolly. I brought this up to my PSO before agreeing to buy the MP, and he said to trust him -- the pearl is a different animal. It is smoother than many pearls, but it has plenty of backend. I like that it doesn't make an uncontrollable hockey turn. I think it will match up well to many sport patterns.
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The ball that I totally trust and believe in without question, is the INTENSE. Since I bought this ball I just can't put it down. I did have to get used to how to roll this ball. But since I have I just seem to be rolling better and better with it. It just helped me win a local tournament. When I got the Code Red, I thought that ball was great, and it is, but the Intense is something special.
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Agree that Storm/Roto is by far the best at marketing but they also have produced great equipment to go along with the marketing.
As far as pricing I don't see them being out of line with the other companies who also put out some great equipment too. The only difference I see with Storm/Roto is that they rarely have discounted equipment as they rarely over produce a ball. But right now at least in my PSO's shop the Street Fight is discounted and from the guys who have bought it they have been pleased. Also the Ink is a steal from Roto.
I dabble with all brands but only buy new and pay full price on Storm, Roto, and Motiv. I do enjoy buying some used or discontinued trying other brands but haven't been impressed with others but haven't tried my Ridiculous Pearl yet.
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Agree that Storm/Roto is by far the best at marketing but they also have produced great equipment to go along with the marketing.
As far as pricing I don't see them being out of line with the other companies who also put out some great equipment too. The only difference I see with Storm/Roto is that they rarely have discounted equipment as they rarely over produce a ball. But right now at least in my PSO's shop the Street Fight is discounted and from the guys who have bought it they have been pleased. Also the Ink is a steal from Roto.
I dabble with all brands but only buy new and pay full price on Storm, Roto, and Motiv. I do enjoy buying some used or discontinued trying other brands but haven't been impressed with others but haven't tried my Ridiculous Pearl yet.
Pretty much concur and Storm is fairly reasonable and does put out some good stuff. To be perfectly honest Radical balls like most Mo Pinel balls can be very hit or miss from bowler to bowler and ball to ball and I would certain say Storm was the safer bet if Radical didn't often discount balls (that made in Mexico gives them options). The Hustle Ink is a steal but for about the same price on sale I got a much stronger Radical The Fix which for most people's style and conditions is not a better ball but it is for me and the conditions I see. Radical tends to put out balls that benefit my style which is why I like them (not willing to die on a hill for them and have plenty of other pieces from about everyone including Storm). For majority of bowlers its easy to see why Storm/Roto and Motiv too is way to go. They do match up better with the majority for sure and do make some kickass balls.
(edit: saw that Street Fight and the Rocket Ship as well on sale, this year not going to buy any balls until Black Friday now arsenal fairly full).
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Pretty much concur and Storm is fairly reasonable and does put out some good stuff. To be perfectly honest Radical balls like most Mo Pinel balls can be very hit or miss from bowler to bowler and ball to ball and I would certain say Storm was the safer bet if Radical didn't often discount balls (that made in Mexico gives them options). The Hustle Ink is a steal but for about the same price on sale I got a much stronger Radical The Fix which for most people's style and conditions is not a better ball but it is for me and the conditions I see. Radical tends to put out balls that benefit my style which is why I like them (not willing to die on a hill for them and have plenty of other pieces from about everyone including Storm). For majority of bowlers its easy to see why Storm/Roto and Motiv too is way to go. They do match up better with the majority for sure and do make some kickass balls.
(edit: saw that Street Fight and the Rocket Ship as well on sale, this year not going to buy any balls until Black Friday now arsenal fairly full).
I understand your desire to be agreeable, but I'd caution against going overboard with your pronouncement that I bolded. All major manufacturers are making really good equipment now. There isn't anything that proves in any sense that "Storm/Roto and Motiv is the way to go" for the majority of bowlers. EBI in particular is making some incredible stuff now. There are simply many ways to go in putting together a good arsenal.
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There are simply many ways to go in putting together a good arsenal.
Absolutely. +1
While I am a fan of Storm/Roto, I like a lot of Track stuff too. Currently there is not a single company that has a monopoly of making the best stuff out. Until there is, I will mix and match with stuff that I feel matches up.
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Pretty much concur and Storm is fairly reasonable and does put out some good stuff. To be perfectly honest Radical balls like most Mo Pinel balls can be very hit or miss from bowler to bowler and ball to ball and I would certain say Storm was the safer bet if Radical didn't often discount balls (that made in Mexico gives them options). The Hustle Ink is a steal but for about the same price on sale I got a much stronger Radical The Fix which for most people's style and conditions is not a better ball but it is for me and the conditions I see. Radical tends to put out balls that benefit my style which is why I like them (not willing to die on a hill for them and have plenty of other pieces from about everyone including Storm). For majority of bowlers its easy to see why Storm/Roto and Motiv too is way to go. They do match up better with the majority for sure and do make some kickass balls.
(edit: saw that Street Fight and the Rocket Ship as well on sale, this year not going to buy any balls until Black Friday now arsenal fairly full).
I understand your desire to be agreeable, but I'd caution against going overboard with your pronouncement that I bolded. All major manufacturers are making really good equipment now. There isn't anything that proves in any sense that "Storm/Roto and Motiv is the way to go" for the majority of bowlers. EBI in particular is making some incredible stuff now. There are simply many ways to go in putting together a good arsenal.
EBI does have some good stuff as well. Haven't throw Track in years but remember liking their stuff. Wish I would have gotten one of the game breaker family (or at least a ball with a GB coverstock) instead of my Scandal Pearl but its not a bad ball just a little bit of meh on house shot with my style (when it matches up though look out). Am glad to have a Blue and Burgundy Hammer remake in the arsenal and those balls were very reasonably priced but both are bit situational. Still agree all the ball makers have good stuff and even fond of Pyramid on the low end these days as well.
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Really has nothing to do with the company, just more to do with customer demand. Retailers aren't going to discount something that people are still paying full price for . . and because stuff is selling, they don't need to discount it to retailers to get it out of their warehouse. They also don't wait so long to discontinue something. As soon as it starts trending down or getting stale, it's gone so they don't have 1000 balls laying around that no one wants to buy anymore . . just smart business practices.
Too pricey? Their stuff costs pretty well exactly the same as what comparable balls from other companies costs . . ? And do you mean the websites or pro shops rarely discount Storm stuff?
The Marvel Pearl was a great piece and I would have bought another one but I guess our distributor has already sold out their supply.
Storm didn't get to the top by releasing a lot of duds.
Depending on your game and condition you bowl on may balls can match up well. I have had good luck with storm in the past. In the last 4 or 5 years I've had pretty good luck with rotogrip.
Honestly my personal opinion is Storm has plenty of duds (relatively speaking) but they also put more balls in the greatest ever list than just about any other maker (especially last 5 to 10 years). Their stuff is too pricey imo (they rarely discount) to just buy and hope for the best but doesn't take much research to realize you absolutely need some of their legendary pieces in your arsenal. MP is one of those if you match up well with pearls which I usually do not outside some specific conditions.
They have good price discipline and stick to their price points fairly well. Some of their prices are excellent like on the Thunder line and say the Hustle Ink on the Roto side. But some can seem a bit high for a ball being on the market for years (their stuff doesn't tend to naturally discount over time much is what I meant). That said hey if they can get it who cares about a whiner on an internet forum. They keep their factories busy which is basically saying scoreboard.
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Really has nothing to do with the company, just more to do with customer demand. Retailers aren't going to discount something that people are still paying full price for . . and because stuff is selling, they don't need to discount it to retailers to get it out of their warehouse. They also don't wait so long to discontinue something. As soon as it starts trending down or getting stale, it's gone so they don't have 1000 balls laying around that no one wants to buy anymore . . just smart business practices.
Too pricey? Their stuff costs pretty well exactly the same as what comparable balls from other companies costs . . ? And do you mean the websites or pro shops rarely discount Storm stuff?
The Marvel Pearl was a great piece and I would have bought another one but I guess our distributor has already sold out their supply.
Storm didn't get to the top by releasing a lot of duds.
Depending on your game and condition you bowl on may balls can match up well. I have had good luck with storm in the past. In the last 4 or 5 years I've had pretty good luck with rotogrip.
Honestly my personal opinion is Storm has plenty of duds (relatively speaking) but they also put more balls in the greatest ever list than just about any other maker (especially last 5 to 10 years). Their stuff is too pricey imo (they rarely discount) to just buy and hope for the best but doesn't take much research to realize you absolutely need some of their legendary pieces in your arsenal. MP is one of those if you match up well with pearls which I usually do not outside some specific conditions.
They have good price discipline and stick to their price points fairly well. Some of their prices are excellent like on the Thunder line and say the Hustle Ink on the Roto side. But some can seem a bit high for a ball being on the market for years (their stuff doesn't tend to naturally discount over time much is what I meant). That said hey if they can get it who cares about a whiner on an internet forum. They keep their factories busy which is basically saying scoreboard.
I see the Phaze II possibly dipping into that category if bowlingball.com discounted price is an accurate indicator.
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Heard a rumor this weekend that the 900Global Truth Pearl is discontinued and along with 2 of the older Boost's.
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I'd have to agree, it's a pretty competitive market right now and I'd say if anything, out of the major brands, DV8 and Motiv are making the worst stuff right now. But, everyone is making retro stuff, and who are the two youngest companies? I'd argue they've both got some good stuff in their past, but it's just too soon to go back to the well because stuff like the Brutal Nightmare and Sigma Tour are still too fresh on people's minds.
Black Widow and gas mask core are names. The One series is memorable, if not all the balls were that great, plus the Gamebreaker series. IQ and Hyroad, nuff said, Inferno and Quantum, also nuff said. Radical is a one trick pony, but that one trick is pretty good. Roto Grip just got on board by bringing the Nucleus core from the Cell back, and with the new Hyper Cell. Of course, I'd also argue that all the other companies are making better new stuff than DV8 and Motiv, but that just makes it worse . .
Pretty much concur and Storm is fairly reasonable and does put out some good stuff. To be perfectly honest Radical balls like most Mo Pinel balls can be very hit or miss from bowler to bowler and ball to ball and I would certain say Storm was the safer bet if Radical didn't often discount balls (that made in Mexico gives them options). The Hustle Ink is a steal but for about the same price on sale I got a much stronger Radical The Fix which for most people's style and conditions is not a better ball but it is for me and the conditions I see. Radical tends to put out balls that benefit my style which is why I like them (not willing to die on a hill for them and have plenty of other pieces from about everyone including Storm). For majority of bowlers its easy to see why Storm/Roto and Motiv too is way to go. They do match up better with the majority for sure and do make some kickass balls.
(edit: saw that Street Fight and the Rocket Ship as well on sale, this year not going to buy any balls until Black Friday now arsenal fairly full).
I understand your desire to be agreeable, but I'd caution against going overboard with your pronouncement that I bolded. All major manufacturers are making really good equipment now. There isn't anything that proves in any sense that "Storm/Roto and Motiv is the way to go" for the majority of bowlers. EBI in particular is making some incredible stuff now. There are simply many ways to go in putting together a good arsenal.
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Lol I'd hardly call a $2 instant rebate a "deal." More than likely they overestimated their sales and have too many sitting in their warehouse at the moment, but 2 bucks off wouldn't really make me want to jump at something . .
Really has nothing to do with the company, just more to do with customer demand. Retailers aren't going to discount something that people are still paying full price for . . and because stuff is selling, they don't need to discount it to retailers to get it out of their warehouse. They also don't wait so long to discontinue something. As soon as it starts trending down or getting stale, it's gone so they don't have 1000 balls laying around that no one wants to buy anymore . . just smart business practices.
Too pricey? Their stuff costs pretty well exactly the same as what comparable balls from other companies costs . . ? And do you mean the websites or pro shops rarely discount Storm stuff?
The Marvel Pearl was a great piece and I would have bought another one but I guess our distributor has already sold out their supply.
Storm didn't get to the top by releasing a lot of duds.
Depending on your game and condition you bowl on may balls can match up well. I have had good luck with storm in the past. In the last 4 or 5 years I've had pretty good luck with rotogrip.
Honestly my personal opinion is Storm has plenty of duds (relatively speaking) but they also put more balls in the greatest ever list than just about any other maker (especially last 5 to 10 years). Their stuff is too pricey imo (they rarely discount) to just buy and hope for the best but doesn't take much research to realize you absolutely need some of their legendary pieces in your arsenal. MP is one of those if you match up well with pearls which I usually do not outside some specific conditions.
They have good price discipline and stick to their price points fairly well. Some of their prices are excellent like on the Thunder line and say the Hustle Ink on the Roto side. But some can seem a bit high for a ball being on the market for years (their stuff doesn't tend to naturally discount over time much is what I meant). That said hey if they can get it who cares about a whiner on an internet forum. They keep their factories busy which is basically saying scoreboard.
I see the Phaze II possibly dipping into that category if bowlingball.com discounted price is an accurate indicator.
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Lol I'd hardly call a $2 instant rebate a "deal." More than likely they overestimated their sales and have too many sitting in their warehouse at the moment, but 2 bucks off wouldn't really make me want to jump at something . .
Really has nothing to do with the company, just more to do with customer demand. Retailers aren't going to discount something that people are still paying full price for . . and because stuff is selling, they don't need to discount it to retailers to get it out of their warehouse. They also don't wait so long to discontinue something. As soon as it starts trending down or getting stale, it's gone so they don't have 1000 balls laying around that no one wants to buy anymore . . just smart business practices.
Too pricey? Their stuff costs pretty well exactly the same as what comparable balls from other companies costs . . ? And do you mean the websites or pro shops rarely discount Storm stuff?
The Marvel Pearl was a great piece and I would have bought another one but I guess our distributor has already sold out their supply.
Storm didn't get to the top by releasing a lot of duds.
Depending on your game and condition you bowl on may balls can match up well. I have had good luck with storm in the past. In the last 4 or 5 years I've had pretty good luck with rotogrip.
Honestly my personal opinion is Storm has plenty of duds (relatively speaking) but they also put more balls in the greatest ever list than just about any other maker (especially last 5 to 10 years). Their stuff is too pricey imo (they rarely discount) to just buy and hope for the best but doesn't take much research to realize you absolutely need some of their legendary pieces in your arsenal. MP is one of those if you match up well with pearls which I usually do not outside some specific conditions.
They have good price discipline and stick to their price points fairly well. Some of their prices are excellent like on the Thunder line and say the Hustle Ink on the Roto side. But some can seem a bit high for a ball being on the market for years (their stuff doesn't tend to naturally discount over time much is what I meant). That said hey if they can get it who cares about a whiner on an internet forum. They keep their factories busy which is basically saying scoreboard.
I see the Phaze II possibly dipping into that category if bowlingball.com discounted price is an accurate indicator.
True - I will note though that any Storm ball right now with the Instant Rebate promo is either discontinued or officially on it's way out. Take it for what it is, as it's pure speculation on my end haha.
I just got a 3rd game on mine so I was hoping to get more games on it before it goes in case I want a second one.
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No offense and I am sure there are some people that really love the Phaze 2 and maybe even the original but that will probably not be a name people are nostalgic for in 5 or 10 years. Wish that Rocket Ship would have went on sale when I was looking for benchmarks/medium balls or I would have probably picked it up.
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No offense and I am sure there are some people that really love the Phaze 2 and maybe even the original but that will probably not be a name people are nostalgic for in 5 or 10 years. Wish that Rocket Ship would have went on sale when I was looking for benchmarks/medium balls or I would have probably picked it up.
I had a RocketShip and sold it after 30 games. Good even reacting ball but it can get squirty at times, more so than I was willing to deal with when there's plenty of options on the market for that middle ground.
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No offense and I am sure there are some people that really love the Phaze 2 and maybe even the original but that will probably not be a name people are nostalgic for in 5 or 10 years. Wish that Rocket Ship would have went on sale when I was looking for benchmarks/medium balls or I would have probably picked it up.
I had a RocketShip and sold it after 30 games. Good even reacting ball but it can get squirty at times, more so than I was willing to deal with when there's plenty of options on the market for that middle ground.
Good to know. You can say a lot of things about the IQ Tour that ultimately I ended up getting instead but don't hear squirty used that often.
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Similar to the Phaze 2, they were both kind of divas, very high maintenance. Torrent seemed better but gets no love . .
No offense and I am sure there are some people that really love the Phaze 2 and maybe even the original but that will probably not be a name people are nostalgic for in 5 or 10 years. Wish that Rocket Ship would have went on sale when I was looking for benchmarks/medium balls or I would have probably picked it up.
I had a RocketShip and sold it after 30 games. Good even reacting ball but it can get squirty at times, more so than I was willing to deal with when there's plenty of options on the market for that middle ground.
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Similar to the Phaze 2, they were both kind of divas, very high maintenance. Torrent seemed better but gets no love . .
No offense and I am sure there are some people that really love the Phaze 2 and maybe even the original but that will probably not be a name people are nostalgic for in 5 or 10 years. Wish that Rocket Ship would have went on sale when I was looking for benchmarks/medium balls or I would have probably picked it up.
I had a RocketShip and sold it after 30 games. Good even reacting ball but it can get squirty at times, more so than I was willing to deal with when there's plenty of options on the market for that middle ground.
Torrent is a nice ball. Overlooked for sure. No flash, doesn't stand out. Just a solid ball.
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Luke, I'd like to get a Son!q when it comes out, so would you please diss it early for me? :). I love my Phaze II, shot 300 with it and wouldn't trade it for anything one it got 10-15 games on the cover. Unfortunately the Intense turned out to be a $300 (with redrill) piece of unmitigated garbage for me. So, if you'll please rag on the Son!q I can get it and get started... :)
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I really liked the Phaze II a lot but it is high maintenance. That ball revived my interest in solid symmetrical balls matching up to my game. Which led me to the Dare Devil Trick - which is now my go to on tougher shots.
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Luke, I'd like to get a Son!q when it comes out, so would you please diss it early for me? :). I love my Phaze II, shot 300 with it and wouldn't trade it for anything one it got 10-15 games on the cover. Unfortunately the Intense turned out to be a $300 (with redrill) piece of unmitigated garbage for me. So, if you'll please rag on the Son!q I can get it and get started... :)
You may fall into a similar situation that Luke and Tamer are in where they get contrasting reactions on some stuff. Opposite sides of the lane, different styles, etc. As long as you know a method to choosing what should work for you lol.
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Exactly. Luke knows that I appreciate his and Tamer's reviews most of all, but I match up opposite usually, and since I really want a Son!q.... :)
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Similar to the Phaze 2, they were both kind of divas, very high maintenance. Torrent seemed better but gets no love . .
No offense and I am sure there are some people that really love the Phaze 2 and maybe even the original but that will probably not be a name people are nostalgic for in 5 or 10 years. Wish that Rocket Ship would have went on sale when I was looking for benchmarks/medium balls or I would have probably picked it up.
I had a RocketShip and sold it after 30 games. Good even reacting ball but it can get squirty at times, more so than I was willing to deal with when there's plenty of options on the market for that middle ground.
Torrent is a nice ball. Overlooked for sure. No flash, doesn't stand out. Just a solid ball.
I'm definitely going to be on the look out for something similar to the Torrent in the future. I just picked one up and I definitely regret not getting one earlier.
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Luke, I'd like to get a Son!q when it comes out, so would you please diss it early for me? :). I love my Phaze II, shot 300 with it and wouldn't trade it for anything one it got 10-15 games on the cover. Unfortunately the Intense turned out to be a $300 (with redrill) piece of unmitigated garbage for me. So, if you'll please rag on the Son!q I can get it and get started... :)
You may fall into a similar situation that Luke and Tamer are in where they get contrasting reactions on some stuff. Opposite sides of the lane, different styles, etc. As long as you know a method to choosing what should work for you lol.
I feel like I'm the only person on this site that sees the Intense having two different reactions. For some, it is very strong downlane. Others, the ball seems very rolly and better when playing straighter.
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I'd have to agree, it's a pretty competitive market right now and I'd say if anything, out of the major brands, DV8 and Motiv are making the worst stuff right now. But, everyone is making retro stuff, and who are the two youngest companies? I'd argue they've both got some good stuff in their past, but it's just too soon to go back to the well because stuff like the Brutal Nightmare and Sigma Tour are still too fresh on people's minds.
Black Widow and gas mask core are names. The One series is memorable, if not all the balls were that great, plus the Gamebreaker series. IQ and Hyroad, nuff said, Inferno and Quantum, also nuff said. Radical is a one trick pony, but that one trick is pretty good. Roto Grip just got on board by bringing the Nucleus core from the Cell back, and with the new Hyper Cell. Of course, I'd also argue that all the other companies are making better new stuff than DV8 and Motiv, but that just makes it worse . .
I find Luke's comments intriguing. Quoting to comeback later and discuss.
Slow day at work, so I'll bite as a fan boy of Motiv.
I do not think Motiv is in the bottom 2 in regards to equipment. It is actually more comparable to Storm, and better in some regards. Where to start? I will compare balls I guess.
Strong Dull Asym
Storm has the Sure Lock and Motiv has the Jackal Ghost (Rising technically hasn't released, but is sooner and stronger than Ghost). BTM gives the Sure Lock a little more hook overall (Rising competes better with the Sure Lock) and the Ghost a little more length and backend. 2 pretty comparable balls. Motiv also has the Trident that is slightly weaker and longer than both of the other 2 balls mentioned.
Strong Shiny Asym
Storm has the Intense and Code Red. Motiv has the Trident Quest. The Quest shows to be the longest and strongest of the 3, per BTM again. I feel the Intense and Quest are similar where as the Red is more of a niche ball with the weaker cover.
Strong Dull Sym
This is where Motiv has dropped the ball, imo. But it doesn't mean that they are in left field. They offer the Forza SS, which is a very early and smooth ball. The only other option is the Chronic Paranoia. Storm offers the Phaze II and the HyRoad Nano. Per BTM, The Phaze II and Nano have the same hook potential at 56, with the SS at 55 and the Chronic at 57. Once again, 4 balls under an umbrella. I find the Chronic and Phaze II to be similar when bowled on the same conditions with a slight nod to the Phaze II for continuation. The SS is just a strong banana. The Hyroad Nano is very cover strong and I am on the fence with my review of this one.
Strong shiny Sym
Storm offers the Timeless, HyRoad and HyRoad Pearl. Motiv offers the Primal Fear, United Revolt, and Lethal Paranoia. Timeless was... let's just say it left a lot to be desired. HyRoad is daddy in this category. The Primal Fear is a good ball, but nothing to buy twice. It is more comparable to the HyRoad Pearl in my eyes after having both. The United Revolt is comparable to the discontinued Marvel Pearl. Heavy rolling pearl that does not flip off of the pattern on the backend. BTM actually rates all of the Motiv balls as stronger than the Storm ones in this category.
Weaker Dull Sym
And now the best balls for both brands (minus HyRoad). The !Q Tour and the Venom Shock. Both balls are the best on the market for what they are. Dull low RG, low diff balls that are flat great on most patterns for most bowlers.
Weaker Shiny Sym
Both companies have good and bad balls in this category. Tough as to who to give the nod to. Storm has the Match UP series and Tropical Series. Motiv has the Octane Carbon, Venom Cobra, Tag Cannon, Free Style series. The Match Up Hybrid is the best of the bunch in that line, IMO and compares to the Tag Cannon. I see a lot of similarities between the 2. The Octane Carbon and Match Up Pearl remind me of each other as they are allergic to oil. Free Style series is more aggressive than the Tropical series. And in my opinion, the Cobra is the best of the bunch in this series. Predictable pearl that can be used on a wide array of patterns except for the extremes.
So after all of that, I do not see where Motiv is any better or Worse than Storm. They both have great balls, they both have good balls, and they both have balls that leave a lot on the table. Biggest difference that I see it Storm releases more balls per year. Motiv has 6 balls on the market that are over 1 year old. Storm has 3. Motiv releases slower than most of the other companies due to their release schedule. I would put Motiv in the same sentence with Storm, albeit after, but in the same sentence. Motiv has the most complete lineup outside of Storm. EBI has 45 balls to chose from, but one you make the 4 brands act as 4 brands, holes galore in that arsenal. Brunswick has come a good ways in the last few years, but I do not think that they are ready to compete at the top right now.
Slow workday has me really bored :-[
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Wow long (but good) post when could simply say maybe a little bit of talking down a rival. Motiv tends to be just as splashy which draws some fire marketing wise naturally. Have good balls from virtually everyone at this point. Individual balls over brands always.
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Wow long (but good) post when could simply say maybe a little bit of talking down a rival. Motiv tends to be just as splashy which draws some fire marketing wise naturally. Have good balls from virtually everyone at this point. Individual balls over brands always.
true, but I was bored at work. still am ;D
all out of love with Luke. I remember when I was on Storm staff and he had his old username, we would do battle with Storm and their Marketing tactics. Just a slow day at work and felt compelled to give him something to think about :P
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Wow long (but good) post when could simply say maybe a little bit of talking down a rival. Motiv tends to be just as splashy which draws some fire marketing wise naturally. Have good balls from virtually everyone at this point. Individual balls over brands always.
true, but I was bored at work. still am ;D
all out of love with Luke. I remember when I was on Storm staff and he had his old username, we would do battle with Storm and their Marketing tactics. Just a slow day at work and felt compelled to give him something to think about :P
Nice Post TKK, I like long thought out posts. One little detail I want to throw in because I am bored at work as well haha. Something to consider is Storm and RG consider each others line-ups when developing their respective lines. Because of obvious reasons not to double down on the same pieces, development is steered in a variety of directions. Not negating what you laid out by any means, just stating what we all know to be true, and that is if the brands were split they would develop slightly different and more robust respectively.
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Wow long (but good) post when could simply say maybe a little bit of talking down a rival. Motiv tends to be just as splashy which draws some fire marketing wise naturally. Have good balls from virtually everyone at this point. Individual balls over brands always.
true, but I was bored at work. still am ;D
Bored at work too of course but too lazy to put a post like that together unless it involves Mr. Murphy's leadership. :P
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Wow long (but good) post when could simply say maybe a little bit of talking down a rival. Motiv tends to be just as splashy which draws some fire marketing wise naturally. Have good balls from virtually everyone at this point. Individual balls over brands always.
true, but I was bored at work. still am ;D
all out of love with Luke. I remember when I was on Storm staff and he had his old username, we would do battle with Storm and their Marketing tactics. Just a slow day at work and felt compelled to give him something to think about :P
Which is very true. When I was on staff a few years ago, I leaned towards the Roto stuff more than the Storm. Motiv compares more to Roto to mean also. But at the same time, if Schlem has 7 duds in one year, he gets axed. Not Boomer. So I left them out.
Nice Post TKK, I like long thought out posts. One little detail I want to throw in because I am bored at work as well haha. Something to consider is Storm and RG consider each others line-ups when developing their respective lines. Because of obvious reasons not to double down on the same pieces, development is steered in a variety of directions. Not negating what you laid out by any means, just stating what we all know to be true, and that is if the brands were split they would develop slightly different and more robust respectively.
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My only point is having balls in a certain place and them being good are two different things lol. . the last few releases are better, and anything that says Jackal on it is going to be good, but when you watch Motiv staffers and they're all either throwing Venom Shocks or getting pissy with everything else that goes 60 feet unless it's at 500 grit (obvious exaggeration here played for impactful effect) . . 4 years ago though? Different story. Sigma Tour, Covert Revolt, and silver Tribal are still 3 of my favorites ever, Motiv was legit making the best stuff on the market 4 years ago, and with that 1 ball at a time release schedule, if it's not very good, that hurts a lot more than releasing 3 at a time and having 1 suck. Venom Shock is IQ Tour/Hyroad level stuff though, they should keep that in production indefinitely. Maybe what I really meant was that Motiv and DV8 are in the worst places right now or their down period is the most recent.
I'd have to agree, it's a pretty competitive market right now and I'd say if anything, out of the major brands, DV8 and Motiv are making the worst stuff right now. But, everyone is making retro stuff, and who are the two youngest companies? I'd argue they've both got some good stuff in their past, but it's just too soon to go back to the well because stuff like the Brutal Nightmare and Sigma Tour are still too fresh on people's minds.
Black Widow and gas mask core are names. The One series is memorable, if not all the balls were that great, plus the Gamebreaker series. IQ and Hyroad, nuff said, Inferno and Quantum, also nuff said. Radical is a one trick pony, but that one trick is pretty good. Roto Grip just got on board by bringing the Nucleus core from the Cell back, and with the new Hyper Cell. Of course, I'd also argue that all the other companies are making better new stuff than DV8 and Motiv, but that just makes it worse . .
I find Luke's comments intriguing. Quoting to comeback later and discuss.
Slow day at work, so I'll bite as a fan boy of Motiv.
I do not think Motiv is in the bottom 2 in regards to equipment. It is actually more comparable to Storm, and better in some regards. Where to start? I will compare balls I guess.
Strong Dull Asym
Storm has the Sure Lock and Motiv has the Jackal Ghost (Rising technically hasn't released, but is sooner and stronger than Ghost). BTM gives the Sure Lock a little more hook overall (Rising competes better with the Sure Lock) and the Ghost a little more length and backend. 2 pretty comparable balls. Motiv also has the Trident that is slightly weaker and longer than both of the other 2 balls mentioned.
Strong Shiny Asym
Storm has the Intense and Code Red. Motiv has the Trident Quest. The Quest shows to be the longest and strongest of the 3, per BTM again. I feel the Intense and Quest are similar where as the Red is more of a niche ball with the weaker cover.
Strong Dull Sym
This is where Motiv has dropped the ball, imo. But it doesn't mean that they are in left field. They offer the Forza SS, which is a very early and smooth ball. The only other option is the Chronic Paranoia. Storm offers the Phaze II and the HyRoad Nano. Per BTM, The Phaze II and Nano have the same hook potential at 56, with the SS at 55 and the Chronic at 57. Once again, 4 balls under an umbrella. I find the Chronic and Phaze II to be similar when bowled on the same conditions with a slight nod to the Phaze II for continuation. The SS is just a strong banana. The Hyroad Nano is very cover strong and I am on the fence with my review of this one.
Strong shiny Sym
Storm offers the Timeless, HyRoad and HyRoad Pearl. Motiv offers the Primal Fear, United Revolt, and Lethal Paranoia. Timeless was... let's just say it left a lot to be desired. HyRoad is daddy in this category. The Primal Fear is a good ball, but nothing to buy twice. It is more comparable to the HyRoad Pearl in my eyes after having both. The United Revolt is comparable to the discontinued Marvel Pearl. Heavy rolling pearl that does not flip off of the pattern on the backend. BTM actually rates all of the Motiv balls as stronger than the Storm ones in this category.
Weaker Dull Sym
And now the best balls for both brands (minus HyRoad). The !Q Tour and the Venom Shock. Both balls are the best on the market for what they are. Dull low RG, low diff balls that are flat great on most patterns for most bowlers.
Weaker Shiny Sym
Both companies have good and bad balls in this category. Tough as to who to give the nod to. Storm has the Match UP series and Tropical Series. Motiv has the Octane Carbon, Venom Cobra, Tag Cannon, Free Style series. The Match Up Hybrid is the best of the bunch in that line, IMO and compares to the Tag Cannon. I see a lot of similarities between the 2. The Octane Carbon and Match Up Pearl remind me of each other as they are allergic to oil. Free Style series is more aggressive than the Tropical series. And in my opinion, the Cobra is the best of the bunch in this series. Predictable pearl that can be used on a wide array of patterns except for the extremes.
So after all of that, I do not see where Motiv is any better or Worse than Storm. They both have great balls, they both have good balls, and they both have balls that leave a lot on the table. Biggest difference that I see it Storm releases more balls per year. Motiv has 6 balls on the market that are over 1 year old. Storm has 3. Motiv releases slower than most of the other companies due to their release schedule. I would put Motiv in the same sentence with Storm, albeit after, but in the same sentence. Motiv has the most complete lineup outside of Storm. EBI has 45 balls to chose from, but one you make the 4 brands act as 4 brands, holes galore in that arsenal. Brunswick has come a good ways in the last few years, but I do not think that they are ready to compete at the top right now.
Slow workday has me really bored :-[
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Differing opinions will differ. Stay tuned
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Yeah, I can see why DV8 would be down towards the bottom. Their recent products just don't seem to have to popularity and/or staying power from other brands. I'm a big fan of the Grudge Hybrid and Diva XOXO, but both of those were from a couple years ago.
I think they might be painting themselves into too narrow of a corner. Many of their cores are pretty much the same... low RG, high differential, and asymmetrical. Not a ton of differentiation in ball motion given most of their coverstocks trend towards being on the strongest end too.
It's kind of nice if that's what you're looking for assuming you don't mind choosing from multiple options for the same result. Otherwise you need too look outside the brand for something else.
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Yeah, I can see why DV8 would be down towards the bottom. Their recent products just don't seem to have to popularity and/or staying power from other brands. I'm a big fan of the Grudge Hybrid and Diva XOXO, but both of those were from a couple years ago.
I think they might be painting themselves into too narrow of a corner. Many of their cores are pretty much the same... low RG, high differential, and asymmetrical. Not a ton of differentiation in ball motion given most of their coverstocks trend towards being on the strongest end too.
It's kind of nice if that's what you're looking for assuming you don't mind choosing from multiple options for the same result. Otherwise you need too look outside the brand for something else.
Especially when Radical does low RG, high diff asym better imo. Not good to not even be the best in your family.
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Yeah, I can see why DV8 would be down towards the bottom. Their recent products just don't seem to have to popularity and/or staying power from other brands. I'm a big fan of the Grudge Hybrid and Diva XOXO, but both of those were from a couple years ago.
I think they might be painting themselves into too narrow of a corner. Many of their cores are pretty much the same... low RG, high differential, and asymmetrical. Not a ton of differentiation in ball motion given most of their coverstocks trend towards being on the strongest end too.
It's kind of nice if that's what you're looking for assuming you don't mind choosing from multiple options for the same result. Otherwise you need too look outside the brand for something else.
I will say the Creed is an incredible ball from DV8. Got to throw it for the first time on a couple tougher shots and I was really impressed. Practiced 10 games yesterday on a couple European tournament patterns and it was the best look I had on both patterns. I hated the HyRoad Pearl but the Creed has the motion I wanted from the HyRoad Pearl in a stronger overall ball
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Yeah, I can see why DV8 would be down towards the bottom. Their recent products just don't seem to have to popularity and/or staying power from other brands. I'm a big fan of the Grudge Hybrid and Diva XOXO, but both of those were from a couple years ago.
I think they might be painting themselves into too narrow of a corner. Many of their cores are pretty much the same... low RG, high differential, and asymmetrical. Not a ton of differentiation in ball motion given most of their coverstocks trend towards being on the strongest end too.
It's kind of nice if that's what you're looking for assuming you don't mind choosing from multiple options for the same result. Otherwise you need too look outside the brand for something else.
I honestly wouldn't be surprised if they shut down the brand before any other major brand on the market.