Ebay struck again and left me with another used ball
. I couldn't resist... I got my 15 lbs. X-Factor RE-Loaded in a very good condition for less than EUR 60,- incl. shipping, which is currently about $ 75,-, plus plugging and drilling. I was looking for a strong particle pearl ball for more oil than my Eraser Particle Pearl could handle, and, being very content with the EPP and a Trauma in my arsenal, I gave the RE-Loaded from Storm a try.
When I received the ball it was polished. The surface felt very strong, tacky, awe-inspriring! I was afraid of the ball's strength and my potential to control it, and I did not want it to burn out halfway down the lane. With this in mind, I kept it polished after drilling to fine-tune the ball's reaction to local conditions later.
About me: Style = Stroker/mild Tweener, right-handed
Speed = 13,5-14,5 mph
PAP = 5" & 7/8"^
Axis tilt = 18,7°
Revs = 250-300 RPM at release
For more details, check out my profile, please.
The 3 3/4" pin-out ball was drilled with the Pin at 4 1/2" from PAP, CG & RAD in parallel to the ball track. Pin ended up 1" at 1:00 from ring finger hole, RAD located at ~90° from PAP, at 16:00 from thumb hole. CG ended up in the palm area on midlane, but kicked out about 1" from midlane towards PAP. Thumb & oval silicone finger inserts, no X-hole necessary.
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==o=o===
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====#===
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===Om===
.........
* = Pin
# = CG
m = mass bias/RAD mark
Ball picture:
http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3473650Well, the polish... Not a good idea. On my first games on my dry house with a 30-35' pattern the RE-Loaded only covered 2-4 boards, it behaved much like a polyester ball - although it still felt tacky and I wiped it after each frame. I never expected THIS from a particle ball! I had to fight hard for a 100 game: no control, so so carry, ugh
Lesson to learn: NEVER polish an X-Factor RE-Loaded.
Or, at least, do not keep it in this condition!
After my first shock and disappointment I took off the glaze with a white pad, wet-sanded the ball gently to about 1.000 grit, matching box condition. Suddenly the ball came alive, just like having made a kind of conjuration ceremony or voodoo rite! Now this ball rocks and shows power.
First game back on the short 30' track was a sudden 182 (I average currently ~165), followed by several games in the same region. Lots of control! Ball goes smoothly through the heads and starts a gentle but strong move in the midlane, just like expected from a particle pearl ball with a low RG core. Yeah!
I had to stand on board 25 or 26 with my right shoe tip at 2nd set of dots, laid the ball down at 18/19 at the foul line and played over target board 12 when playing slow (15mph) and with much hand, breaking at 5-7 after 35', or stand on 23-24 and target at 14 while raising speed and playing it straighter. Another line that worked fine when the original runs dry or the head area loses oil is standing 29-31 and play over 3rd arrow. Consistently found the pocket, even weak hits resulted in good carry!
On a 40' sport pattern with slick Brunswick synth cover (NOTHING really works there, except for people with revs like a formula 1 engine). The result was less hook than on 30', but this had to be expected. Stood at 20 at first, playing over 12 again, which increased to 24 in the end when the lane ran dry. Breakpoint stayed at 35' down the lane, less snappy than on the former 30' pattern. Control was also not as good. I tried several releases with no consistent results but I blame this on the diffcult lane in general.
On another occasion in the same house I found out that the RE-Loaded works very well on broken-down (sport) lanes, where it can deploy its particle coverstock to full potential: The 40' pattern collapsed after 12+ games, out of a sudden, and the backend ran dry in some areas in the middle and in front of the 6 pin.
Balls like my Raging Red Fuze or TPC Player were hard to control, almost always hitting either too high when playing outside or Brooklyn when I changed my target to the left. Nothing to lose, my last ditch was my RE-Loaded I had brought with me. Well, the RE-Loaded turned out to be a GOOD remedy. An outside line semms to be the best option to handle the ball with my drilling: stood at 21st board and played over the 2nd arrow. The ball would not hook much overall, but it consistently found the pocket and made some good games on this spotty hell, great carry and much saved energy for the pins.
Finally, on a heavy 42' crown pattern with brand new System 300 synthetics, the RE-Loaded worked fine, too: It went down the lane, and as soon as it got something dry to hold on it turned into the pocket. But not with a skid/snap reaction, rather with a sudden, arcing turn. I stood at 21 1/2, aiming at 12-13, and made consistent high results. It was the ball choice of that day to be competitive - which was very surprising for me.
Conclusions:After surface adjustments and my experiences on several lanes and oil patterns I rate this ball generally high, although I am not sure where it finally fits.
I give it only an overall 7 from 10, not more. Honestly, I'd shun from recommending this one. It is, with a matte finish, a solid ball, but nothing outstanding. Nothing that will be remembered in 2 or 3 years time. I expected more of it, and I suppose that you need 300+ RPM to make it work effectively?
Lane utility for tested ball (pattern length vs. oil volume):
|S M L
|h e o
|o d n
|r . g
|t
_______
|0 0 +| Light volume
|0 X +| Medium volume
|+ X 0| Heavy volume
Legend:
X = Best suited with effective control & carry
+ = Fairly suited (works, somehow, but lacks control)
0 = Unsuited (ineffective, either slips or burns up)
The chart concept is borrowed from Storm's 2003 catalogue. Surface prep and drillings may change the results, it is just personal experience with my styleIt seems to fill only a special role in my arsenal for late games or medium oil, but that quite effectively. On heavy oil/fresh patterns it does not beat my TPC Player or Fuze Eliminator (pls. see my review there for reference), my first balls out of the bag for this occasion. The RE-Loaded is only a fall-back option for me.
Furthermore I found out that it really need frequent surface maintenance. To have some grip on oily/fresh conditions, I need to refresh the 1.000 grit sanding more often than on any other ball I own. As soon as it starts to shine up through playing and oil suction I have to re-do it, probably twice as often as other equipment (even from Storm with particles!). Not very smart design, I think.
Despite my personal mixed results, the X-Factor RE-Loaded offers good control on medium oil and/or spotty backends. I was and am able to play it successfully with almost the same line wherever I tried it, for a long period.
This seems to be its best positive asset? Nothing convincing, but not negative at all. Besides, the RE-Loaded is a hard hitter with satifactory pin carry. It produces that typical low Storm particle ball thumping noise upon impact and keeps pins the very low.
For somebody who can make use of it, the RE-Loaded should be a good tournament choice when you change lanes and need consistency of ball reaction. The pearl coverstock gives good length, the particles soft control. It is a kind of joker - fits everywhere, but does not win the game
The Fear Factor for a benchmark and being its (also unlucky) successor in the Storm Master line, has definitively more traction in oil - a comparison of both balls with similar drill patterns on the sport shot showed this clearly. But it tends to burn up much faster. You will be able to keep the RE-Loaded in the game for much, much longer.
PS:
Maybe it is the time of the year, but the sweet apple-cinnamon fragrance of the RE-Loaded, especially in warm surroundings, makes my mouth water. With this ball, anytime is Christmas time
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DizzyFugu --- Reporting from Germany
"All that we see or seem, is but a dream within a dream..." - Edgar Allen Poe
Edited on 26.09.2011 at 7:42 AM
