LANE CONDITION

Length:43

Volume:Light

Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc): THS


COMMENTS

Coverstock: Micro Trax Pearl Reactive
Core: Mentorâ„¢ symmetric core
Finish: Reacta Gloss Factory Finish
RG: 2.53 (14lb)
Differential: 0.047 (14 lb)

Right-Handed Tweener
Speed: 12-13 mph
Rev Rate: 315
Axis Tilt: 14°
Axis Rotation: 74°
PAP: 5 1/8 R 7/8 Up

Ball Layout: Pin over Bridge 5 1/8 Pin to Pap 2 1/2 Pin Buffer

Roto Grip's New HP3 offering is called the DUO. They've used the Micro Trax Pearl ball that was featured so successfully on the Exotic Gem with a new core called Mentor. This bulby core shape is a throwback to balls like the Dare Devil. It gives the HP3 line a ball that I feel gives you a more noticeable difference from the HP4 line than the Idol series did.

The Duo is also a collaboration with the "Shafanie" duo of Shannon Okeefe and Stephanie Johnson and with an organization that they are very close to: Big Brothers/Big Sisters. The result of this collaboration is Storm Bowling has pledged a portion of every sale of a duo to Big Brothers/Big Sisters. So getting a great performing ball and also helping a great cause should be good selling point for the Duo.

I tested the Duo on the house pattern at my home center. While our pattern is on the longer side, the added heat of summer makes the lanes hook ALOT more than they do in the winter. I was worried about the Duo's strength after my experiences with the Idol series balls when the oil seems to sit so thin in the heat. The Duo however has proven to be much more useful. The microtrax pearl cover will get through the front of the lane and the higher RG mentor core doesn't cause the ball to burn up. What you get is a good strong backend reaction that isn't so violent that you can't control it. The advantage to this is that small misses don't leave you with unmakeable spares the way the really angular balls do. So while the Duo will clear all the early friction, it retains energy and gives you a strong, controllable roll down lane. I really like this reaction when I'm forced left and have to cover boards.

The Duo is strong enough for me to use first ball out of the bag on the current conditions. In the winter I would see it being more useful when some friction develops down-lane.

See my full ball reaction video at: https://youtu.be/reqfxv_qIu8

Lonnie Pemberton
Storm Pro Shop Staff
Vise Pro Shop Staff
Revolutions Pro Shop


PICTURES AND/OR VIDEOS

BALL

Roto Grip Duo
Coverstock: MicroTrax Pearl Reactive
Core: Mentor
Factory Finish: Reacta Gloss
Layout: 60x5x30 (my favorite layout)

LANE CONDITION

Length: 38’

Volume: 27.15 mL

Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc.): Sport 2.11:1


COMMENTS

Likes: Partnership with Big Brothers, Big Sisters.  It is great to see our industry give back to the community!!!

Dislikes: None so far.

I have just started throwing the Duo recently (had knee surgery and just back).  My first impression of this ball is that the Duo is very clean through the heads with good motion off the breakpoint. 

Probably not a fair assessment pattern to be using but it is what was on the lane.  I was bowling on a fresh 2011 Istanbul Open pattern (38’, 2.11:1 ratio).  Ball made strong moves down lane once leaving the pattern.  I bowled for a couple hours on this pattern, so I got it to break down.  I felt like the Duo performed better later in the practice time.  Once I had a little carry down the ball seemed to get better for me. 

I was throwing the Summit at this session as well and a quick comparison of the two: Duo was cleaner through the heads and has a sharper breakpoint down lane while the Summit easily hooked 4-5 more boards for me.
 

Cory Rockteschel
Roto Grip Regional Staff
Vise Inserts Staff
Best Fit Bowling Pro Shop
Waukesha/Sussex, WI

PAP: 4-7/8 x 3/8 up
Speed: 17 off the hand
Rev Rate: 430

www.rotogrip.com
www.storm.com
www.900global.com

Ball Specs:
Roto Grip Duo
Coverstock: Reacta Gloss MicroTraxâ„¢ Pearl Reactive
Weight Block: Mentorâ„¢ Core (Symmetrical)
Color: Black/Electric Green
Review:
When you purchase the Duo, you are not only getting a great ball but you are also supporting Big Brother, Big Sisters with a portion of sales going to help the charity. The pearl coverstock in one this ball is great for when the lanes start to break down and my Zen is just a little to strong for the reaction I am seeing. I tend to use this ball towards the second half of tournaments and during the second shift on league night. I love seeing the way this ball gets down the lane and has a strong backend motion through the pins. If the reaction doesn’t impress you the colors going down the lane will surely catch your eye and turn some heads. Make sure you pick yours up today and support a great cause in doing so.
Will Tefft
Roto Grip Pro Shop Staff Member
will@parklanes.net
www.rotogrip.com
#SquadRG

Duo

The Roto Grip Duo with the Exotic Gem coverstock is such a great combination! This is
my strongest pearl symmetrical ball in my bag. The layout is 4x4.5x2.5 which puts the pin up and a little to the left of my ring finger. Out the box the surface made the ball a lil too clean for me and at times too flippy with the reacta gloss polish so I used a 3000 abralon pad to knock off the shine and brought the ball to life.

It has been a great ball for the fresh for me with the 3000 surface. On the Kegel Route 66 pattern it worked well on there. With that pattern you can’t get it out past 7-8 so to keep it more of a tighter line with a breakpoint around 10 11 down lane the Duo played perfectly! For my game this is probably the strongest symmetrical pearl from Roto Grip I have thrown. This will be a great ball for league bowlers and when you need something on a sport pattern for transition.


Garrett Richardson
Storm Amateur Staff
Instagram: @grich_bowling

LANE CONDITION

Length: 41'

Volume: 25.79

Type (Sport Pattern): Arsenic


COMMENTS
Coverstock: Micro Trax Pearl Reactive Core: Mentorâ„¢ symmetric core Finish: Reacta Gloss Factory Finish RG: 2.49 Diff:0.046

Layout: 4 1/2 x 4 7/8 x 1 5/8

Duo: the ultimate control pearl when I need to ball down from my Zen. Early rolling core with less flare with the ability to turn the corner. I find the carry percentage is equal to my Zen as I have used on various THS conditions and the 41' Arsenic. I have not altered the cover as I like to test a ball based on the intended ball expectations and I have not been disappointed with my results.
Bowling mostly on THS the Duo is very user friendly for all styles for it has that extra giddy up and go reaction typically liked by your everyday house bowler. CONTROLLABLE: I prefer this shape for both tournament and league to be the ultimate in versatility. Looking forward to its use after a year long injury recovery.
So Visit your local VIP Pro Shop and get yourself a Duo aka “The Shafanie Duo”

Likes: Controllable

Dislikes:


PICTURES AND/OR VIDEOS

The Roto Grip Duo is the new ball in the HP3 line.  Duo features the new low RG symmetric Mentor core.  Which is wrapped with the MicroTrax Pearl cover, which is the same coverstock as the Exotic Gem.  I drilled mine with a 4.5x4x2 layout.  I tested the Duo on an 20+ year old Brunswick Pro Anvil lanes, on house shot and a couple medium patterns.  The Duo gets through the fronts pretty good and has a lot midlane rolly shape for me and can get a little forward at times if there isn't enough oil.  I can see me using the Duo on the fresh to blend out the backends. Plus I can use the Duo on the short patterns like Cheetah, to control the overall shape of the pattern.
I think Duo is going to be good for the average league bowler as it can handle the miss lefts in the puddle and the miss rights to the dry and it doesn't over bounce. Duo is a good ball down from the Gem's or reality.  Cleaner than a Phaze 2 or TNT.
Overall the Duo is a strong symmetrical pearl that can be used by a variety of bowlers!
Plus a percentage of domestic sales goes to Big Brother’s and Big Sisters. Thanks for Stephanie Johnson and Shannon O'Keefe! for the support of the Duo!

Brian Watson

Storm Pro Shop Staff

PAP   3 7/8 up 1 1/4
RPM  400
MPH  16
TILT   16-17

Orientation:  Right Handed
Rev Rate:  400 RPM
Speed:  16-17 MPH
PAP:  4 ½ over and ½ up

Location:  Enterprise Park Lanes, Springfield MO
Pattern:  High Volume THS
VLS Layout: 
Layout 1:  5 x 4 x 2 ½  (pin above bridge)
Layout 2:  4 ½ x 4 x 4 1/8 (pin below bridge)

The Duo is a new sym pearl from Roto Grip.  The is the strongest Pearl sym I’ve ever thrown.  It features Micro Trax Pearl, which was on the Exotic Gem.  It’s got a new core that doesn’t rev up super quick and has a medium amount of differential.  This means the Duo keeps it’s axis and stores a good amount of energy.  This means this ball hooks a ton.  My only complaint is that I need a lot of oil to keep this ball online.  On lighter volumes it will push you left.

The Roto Grip Duo has a low RG value of 2.49 a medium differential of 0.046.
Roto Grip used a 100% nanoparticle load which provides traction and response within the MicroTrrax pearl cover that displaces oil at its highest rate of any pearl covers offered today.  In combination with a new Mentor core which was derived from the DareDevil series to give the clean, smooth motion through the front part of the lane and added forgiveness to the backend. 
The Optitrax cover which has been derived from years of testing and research to provide a more balanced oil displacement/absorption throughout the entire lane thus creating more consistency/predictability shot after shot in terms of skid distance, midlane traction, and response to friction down lane. Derived from the advancements of both the eTraxâ„¢ and eTraxâ„¢ PLUS solid materials the last couple years, we found this new direction of solid material that complements both of those without overlapping them.
In addition, Roto Grip is proud to announce its partnership & support of Big Brothers Big Sisters. With the assistance of our very own mentoring duo, “The Shafanie Duo”, we will not only be supporting BBBS at various events across the country, but we will also be donating 5% of our sales to domestic distributors to aid in the development and support of children within the program.
In comparison to the Roto Grip Exotic Gem, the Duo will be very close in ball motion due to using the same cover formula but what sets these two apart is the core strength.  Which in turn will lead to the Duo going a pinch farther down the lane then the Exotic Gem but will have traction of the Exotic Gem. That traction component alone will allow you to use the Duo to be used in a variety of lane conditions.   The Duo will provide you an option on the transition seen in Game 2 of league or in the Game 3 or 4 on tour depending on the lane condition of course.
In the bag, will be the Gem, Exotic Gem, Xponent, Duo & Hustle RIP
Please pick up a Roto Grip Duo at a Striking Results Proshop near you and please like and subscribe to my page Beyond the Arrows Ball reviews. Use my coupon code Patrick300 on your first purchase of a Bowlifi jersey and get $5.00 off.