LANE CONDITION

Length: 41 ft

Volume: 19.3 ml

Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc): THS (Kegel Main Street)


COMMENTS

Those that have been comparing this ball to the Tour Power from several years ago have every right to.  This is an excellent control ball.  The IQ Tour Edition allows you to read all three phases and see the transitions.  It's not a weak ball by any means.  This ball produced very strong entry angles as well. 
If you're not bothered by having a "boring" color, you will not be disappointed with this ball, especially if you're looking for a ball that will be very versatile. 
With the R2S solid cover, you can take it down in abralon if you need some more friction or add some polish to add a foot or two of length.  Either way, you can do anything to this cover as it has a long history.
This will likely be one of the better benchmark-type offerings on the market.  You can read all the transitions easily and it still has very nice punch coming out of the oil.

Check out the complete review, including videos (tweener and stroker) and Digitrax analysis at:

http://tamerbowling.com/index.php/storm-iq-tour-edition-bowling-ball-review/


PICTURES AND/OR VIDEOS

Lane Conditions: Medium-Heavy Oil
Typical Conditions: Variety of Shots
Type of Lane: All Synthetic
Weight of bowling ball: 15
Surface of bowling ball: Factory/Box
What grit was the surface of the ball? 4000
Likes: Midlane read and strong change of direction off the spot.
Dislikes: None so far.

My layout: 65 x 4 1/8" x 30
My PAP: 5 7/8" over 1/8"

The IQ Tour edition combines the C3-Centripetal Control Core with the R2S cover finished with 4000 abralon.

I have used this ball primarily on a 40' heavy oil house shot so far, aside from a couple of games this past weekend when I needed something to step down from the IQ to in order to clear the front of the lane a little better but still handle the volume of oil in the midlane. This ball handled both just fine.

What I saw this ball do on the house shot prior to shooting a demo video was insane. The ball literally struck from everywhere on the lane. One shot that I completely threw out the window recovered and struck. This ball will without a doubt help most bowlers open up the pocket.

Storm says "Since we built the IQ Tour Edition to be the foundation of your arsenal, you can be confident in the fact that this ball will be consistent across a variety of lane conditions." I see no evidence to contradict this statement.

I see the IQ and IQ Tour being a great 1-2 combination in anyone's bag. The IQ Tour when a sharper reaction is needed off the spot and the IQ when you need an earlier read and smoother backend reaction.

Storm Bowling Products enjoyed much success on the PBA tour this past season and that doesn't seem to be changing with Rhino Page winning in the South Region on June 17th with the IQ Tour Edition.
http://www.stormbowling.com/news/2012/06/3740

For more information on the IQ Tour Edition, visit the following page:
http://www.stormbowling.com/products/balls/iqtouredition

The IQ Tour is a new release in the Master line of bowling balls from Storm. The Tour has the same shaped weight block as the regular IQ, but has the densities changed to reduce the amount of differential in the ball. The change in densities has lowered the diff of the Centripetal core from .050 to .029 in 15lb balls. The rg goes up to a 2.49 from 2.48 in 15lbs. Translation; less flare and more control. The cover was also changed to the R2S solid that made its debut on the Special Agent. Ever since the R2S came out, it has been a proven winner on ball after ball. The easy at which a bowler can scuff or polish to create the desired ball motion is second to none.  I drilled the Tour with the pin over ring, and cg on the grip line (5x5.5), no extra hole.

The Tour is designed to basically be a bench mark ball. It has a 4000 grit abralon finish from factory, and can be easily adjusted to suit any bowler’s needs. The biggest asset the IQ Tour gives to me, is the ability to recover from about anywhere on the lane. If I’m playing out, the Tour comes back from the 1 and 2 boards. If I’m playing in, the Tour changes direction hard enough to carry the 7 pin out with ease.  Basically, I can trust the Tour on just about any condition to give me a look to the pocket. When nothing else works, I can count on the IQ tour getting me to the 1-2 pocket.

The IQ Tour reminds me a lot of the Tour Power. I am able to use the Tour in the same situations that I used the Tour Power in. I call it my “get out of jail” ball. Polishing the cover really smoothes out the reaction for me, and makes for a very minimal change of direction. With surface, the cover wants to bit into the lane much harder, and snap into the pocket. For bowling balls with more differential, I generally see the reverse of this scenario.  The lack of flare means that less fresh cover material is touching the lane, so when surface is applied, the ball “wakes up” and hooks more.

So far the only condition that the Tour hasn’t excelled on is the over walled house condition. The really dry outside and the really oily inside makes the Tour a bit over/under for me. I need to use balls that flare a lot more than the Tour when encountering this type of condition. Clearly, in the balls name, one can expect the “IQ Tour” to excel on more tournament, flatter conditions. I would suggest looking into the regular IQ for the top hat house shots. As far as any tournament condition though, EVERY player should be drilling an IQ Tour.

LANE CONDITION

Length:   Many lengths

Volume:   The IQ Tour has worked best for me on Medium to Heavy volume but I have had success on lower volumes with this ball also

Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc):    I have bowled on Multiple patterns and used this ball with great success.


COMMENTS

Likes:    This has been my first ball out of the bag at many tournaments.   

Dislikes:   None


PICTURES AND/OR VIDEOS

IQ Tour 60 x 4 x 75 Pin Down

Let me first by saying “WOW” about throwing the IQ Tour.

The IQ Tour uses the fast-revving symmetrical C3-Centripetal Control Core with a low differential of .029 in 15 pounders.  The Tour uses the R2S solid coverstock (4,000 Abralon box finish).  The IQ Tour should be nickname “midlane”.  The Tour is a ball that is hard to throw through the breakpoint.  This is a ball that just reads the lane the correct way.
Leaving the ball at box finish, I bowled on the Kegel Turnpike pattern and had great control of the pocket.  This pattern doesn’t have a lot hold and swing, so it was hard pattern to consistently hit the pocket.  But with the IQ Tour strong midlane I was able to create a little miss room and score very well on this pattern.
For league I applied Storm Step 2 Compound as our local houses are on the dry side.
This gave me some added length but still gave me great control of the breakpoint.  I could play up the lane or I could circle the lane with the IQ Tour.  If you remember the Special Agent, the IQ Tour is very close.  Even with the low differential I was amazed with the good hitting power and carry that it delivered.  This is a ball that every tournament bowler should have in his or her arsenal.  Great product from Storm!




PAP 4 up 1 -1/4

I couldn’t sit aside and watch people strike with this ball against me any longer, so I had to drill one up for myself finally.  The IQ Tour is a unique formula; a low rg, low differential core with a fairly aggressive cover has not been done as long as I can remember.  The ball motion is unique as well.  If you can imagine in your head what the quintessential “benchmark” ball reaction would be, this is it.  It doesn’t hook early, but doesn’t squirt too long.  It doesn’t flip, but finishes consistently and continuously.  It hooks a good amount in oil, but doesn’t over hook in dry.  This is truly a remarkable ball.

Mine is drilled 60 x 4 x 35.  Compared to my IQ, the Tour Edition is cleaner through the front with a little more pop in the back.  Compared to a Victory Road Solid (the last ball with this coverstock), the IQ Tour offers a more controlled move at the breakpoint, because of its lower differential.

This is really a ball that will find a spot in every bowler’s bag.  Straight guys, hook guys, and all guys in between have had success with this ball as their centerpiece in their arsenals.

Hello All and thanks for reading.  Here is the link to our video review : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of2IKxfwarM&feature=BFa&list=UUUdapKcbpNzp3PGwdo7P6GQ

Storm you have certainly outdone yourself.  Sometimes less is more so the saying goes.  We are all familiar with this shape core from the other IQ and Marvel series but changing the densities has made a winner.  This ball is the new industry benchmark.  I have thrown this ball (layout 65 x 4 3/4 x 65) on every house shot on every lane surface on every animal pattern and had much success.  Surface changes are easy and very effective but mine stays box surface with maybe a slight glaze.  With a core that helps the ball hold energy downlane and into the pins this ball is easy to score with.  Smooth through the front, midlane transition is predictable and continuation is the best in the biz right now.  Enjoy this one guys, it may be around for a long time....at least I hope so.