LANE CONDITION
Length: 42'
Volume: 20+
Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc): THS/Challenge
COMMENTS
With any new release showing off new technology, I never allow myself to assume what I’m going to see before throwing the ball. After about 5 shots I realized I was expecting something a bit more angular. No big deal though… what I got was something I was missing in my bag anyway. A strong symmetrical pearl that doesn’t go sideways and doesn’t need friction to slow down. Like the original Axiom, this ball reads the pattern early but has a surprising amount of energy left for the back of the lane. And for me, that’s usually my struggle. Get a ball to slow down early, but still have enough to carry. I find I typically have to sacrifice one for the other. It seems the Axiom is going to give me that look.
In my video review, I decided to compare this to the Trend. I could have gone with the low hanging fruit and compared it to the Axiom, but what’s the point. The surface alone tells you they’re going to look different. When I evaluate a new ball, I like to figure out where it differs from other balls in the same category.
Both the Trend and Axiom Pearl have more of an arcing shape on the back end. The difference is, the Trend needs more friction to tip toward the pocket. I found I had to play about 3-4 boards further right to get the same entry into the pocket. The Axiom Pearl gives me the ability to open up angles and error room which is my favorite attribute of any ball.