Coverstock: PRO-Thaneâ„¢ LT Pearl Particle

Weight Block: Multi-Density with Power Ball Technology

Ball Color: Midnight Blue / Gold

Ball Finish: 1500-grit Polish - Can be Sanded

Radius of Gyration: 2.539 (Medium-Low)

Differential: .050 (High)

Durometer: 76-78 Rex D-scale

Track Flare: High (6" plus)

Fragrance: Lemonade

Weights: 10-16 lbs.

I bought my 2nd hand 15 pound Eraser PP in July 2004 (at about half new retail price, already plugged and polished back to OOB finish) through Ebay.

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.


Ball setup:

Ball is a 4" pin-out. Pin to PAP is about 4 1/2". Pin was positioned high, 1" up at 1 o‘clock above my ring finger hole for god length. Mass bias is at ~60° from PAP, so that the CG ended up 2" to the right of grip center. Small X-hole (1" wide, 2" deep) was added on PAP to compensate and make ball legal. Silicone oval finger grips and a urethane thumb slug completed the job. Surface remained in OOB 1.500 grit polished.


=====*=====
==o=o======
===========
======#==x=
===========
===O=======

* = Pin
# = CG
x = X-hole


Ball picture: http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3473647

The testing program:

On light to medium conditions, my EPP shows a clearly defined break point at 39-41' down the lane. With my drilling it shows a strong, continous back end move. Not jumpy, but with a sharp reaction. I can stand on 24th board with my right shoe tip and play over 12th board, stand at 28th and aim for 3rd arrows or even go to 40th board, playing over 18th board, and have it break on 6th board, 42' feet down the lane - it will still hit the pocket and clean the deck!

I found much potential in this ball on a sport pattern when the oil fades away and strong pure pearl reactives become erratic. A fresh, oily sport shot is just too much for it, though. With the Pro-Thane LT coverstock, which is based on the Accu-Tread pearl coverstock used on the original Eraser or the Trauma, I still get enough length and the particles smooth out possible over/under reactions. The medium-strong core is by far enough to create very good ball movement on this condition - rather rolly by nature. The Power Ball core generates lots of rotation and converts revs nicely into a forward roll. VERY controllable, a good core/coverstock match IMHO.

The EPP hits very well with a low thumping noise, a typical Storm particle ball sound. The pin mix is very good, too. In order to find the pocket or pick spares, I simply adjust my address position. I can take out anything except a single 10-pin with it, just by a change of hand and foot positions. It is easy to control, I tribute much of this to the light particle load.

I like this ball VERY much, an inconspicuous winner. BUT there is a weak point to it, as always... The EPP is quite oil- and carrydown-sensitive, what surprises me for a particle ball. If there is somehow oil in the back end, carrydown or simply a (too) long oil pattern, it will slide forever, never reaching its breakpoint. I guess the particle load is truly very light and that the particles used in the coverstock are not the spike/carbide type like in Brunswick's balls to make it grip in the oil, but rather soft ones which simply increase lane contact area. This works great on dry boards, but NOT on/in long oil.

Additionally, also beware of dry heads, too. The EPP will grip on dry ground sooner than a shiny reactive, which might be easier to handle in this situation. An option is to loft the ball, though.

Compared with my Trauma, with a pure Accu-Tread pearl shell, the EPP just has a bit more of bite, reacts earlier and has a smoother and more controllable reaction at the breakpoint. Where my Trauma is a bit nervous and has more hook to offer, the EPP shines with its more arcing move, very good back end and hit. Nice and strong for medium-dry to medium conditions.


Conclusions:

I give it a solid 9, even a 10, out of 10 on those medium conditions it was made for. I can hardly imagine anything better, and the EPP has a great price/performance value, too. I can recommend this ball to players of any experience level looking for a powerful, steady and controllable ball for light to medium conditions (around 30-35 feet of oil), just like Storm claims for the EPP in the final catalogue description from 2004.

Lane utility for tested ball (pattern length vs. oil volume):

|S M L
|h e o
|o d n
|r . g
|t
_______
|0 + +| Light volume
|+ 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 style

Some side note: Storm made some confusing recommendations about preferrable lane conditions in the past for the EPP. The 2003 catalogue tells about heavy oil, but light/medium oil with clean backend is the turf it obviously was made for, as stated and corrected in the 2004 catalogue.

The coverstock reaction makes it a great ball for fresh THS patterns, when you have dry outside boards to play with but need some good length to get the ball with power down the lane. The ball is strong enough to swing it. But the EPP is a bit condition specific, it is IMHO not an all-round ball. Rather a very good arsenal addition for played-down oily patterns or medium turf. You have to know when to play it, and when to put it away.

PS:
The Eraser Particle Pearl REALLY smells intensively, especially in the summer. Somehow it reminds me of air conditioner used in public toilets, dunno? I wonder how long Storm gives a guarantee on this fragrance...?

PPS (updated 9/29/05):
My EPP still goes strong (and smelly), and it still surprising me with potential. If you are looking for a control ball, look out for Storm's light load particles!

PPPS (updated 5/15/07):
Ball is still in the bag, and has luckily lost some of its fragrance power. Currently it is my go-to ball for my club's summer league: viscous new oil, flatter crowned pattern gutter-to-gutter, about 37' long. When the lane is fresh, this ball has anything one can ask for: clean through the heads, very good mid lane read and roll transition, and once it hits the dry the particle load prevents the ball from jerking around. Sweet piece. Only when the heads break away, depending on the lane traffic, I have to switch to something "longer" like my Sahara or Pure Hammer. Nevertheless, I can hardly imagine to get rid of the EPP. Let's see how long it lasts...?

BTW - it responds well to hot water bath treatments, and with some surface refreshment (1.500 grit + Brunswick's High Gloss polish) the ball has recently increased traction considerably, I can hardly use it on medium-dries! Cool stuff, very user friendly ball

There was a time I wanted to replace the best ball ever made, my trusty Eraser. I had put so many games on it it got to the point the maintance could have been done but it was still not as good as it used to be. It lasted more then any other ball I've ever owned. So naturally, I would have gotten another one. But  a pro shop owner talked me into this ball insted. Same awesome core and cover but with particles. The drill was 5" to the PAP , holes right below the pin with the CG in the strong position and small weighthole.
It used to be too eratic at times, then would give me under over when I first had it. But after awhile I liked the reaction. It grabs the lane a little harder and turns a little bit sooner then the original Eraser. The backend is the exact same, late hard continuous curve. (love the core). It hits just as hard and just like the original Eraser, the carry gets you strikes that you may not normally carry. Shot back to back 700 series in two league nights and two different houses, including a 299 last night. This is a very good benchmark ball.