Okay, I've had this for a couple of weeks now, so I'm going to do an initial review:
Stats:
PAP: 4 1/2" over, 1" up
Axis Tilt: 19 degrees
Axis rotation: usually near 30
RPMs: 175-200
Speed: 12-14 mph (Qubica- measures at pin deck)
First up, I'll talk about the drill. I have an original X Factor that my coach did not like the drill, it tended to give up on a lot of conditions, and he felt it didn't come off the dry strong enough. I asked about getting one of these, and he thought it was a good idea. We went with a drill like this:
--o-o---
---'----
------X-
---O----"
For me, this put the pin 4 1/2" from my axis and the key (MB) was slightly past my VAL. The center of gravity is no longer there because we put the weight hole right on top. We used a massive weight hole for this layout, and left it in box condition. (1500 polished)
Hook Potential:
For a guy like me with a lower rev rate, I personally love what they Shift gives me. I got this as a ball to open up the lanes, and it certainly allows me to do so. If I really get on us and try and get around it more with a little more rev rate/rotation, I can get in on some of the deeper lines. However, if I up the speed a bit and play more up the back of the ball, it responds very well, although sometimes it is a bit too aggressive to do so. Overall, I think it is a good option for strokers looking to open up the lane, or for higher rev players who are looker for something they can go deeper with.
-8/10 (1 low-10 high)
Angularity:
While it can be calmed down, by no means is this a rolly ball in my opinion. It stores a lot of energy for the back end, and unleashes it when it gets there. It is one of the more angular balls out there, but if you drill it up to be smoother and more controlled, you can get your hand behind it and really see more of an arc out of the Shift. It really depends on what your looking for, but on medium conditions, it tends to generate some more angle. I find it helpful in get the corner pins out when I want to move inside since I don't have enough hand to do so a lot of the time.
-8/10 (1 rolly-10 angular)
Length:
Okay, this was one of the most important things that I was looking for, and I must say, I was not disappointed. It gets down the lane nicely, which I was having trouble with since I am a slower bowler. For me, it reads the middle of the lane nicely which really allows it to get the power and hook into the back end that I was looking for. I did notice that it did start to get a little squirty on some heavier conditions and you tended to need to keep the ball in the middle on shorter/lighter patterns after a couple of games to get it down lane. I think the cover really does the intended job here, it gets down nicely, and then grabs the lane when it finds friction.
7/10 (1 early- 10 late)
Versatility:
-In my opinion, this is the thing I like most about the Shift. I can really do a lot of things with it. However, you will need to trust the ball a little, which I will explain in a bit. I've played strike lines on a medium condition anywhere from straight up the 6 board to playing 21 with my feet to 10 at release on the same pattern. However, several times while using the Shift, I didn't allow it to turn the corner because I didn't believe I could, which I found out cost me a lot of pins later on when I moved. The ball responds very well to changes in hand position for me. I would advise getting this if you are looking for something stronger that can get you a couple of different angles. I few little adjustments and you can play a lot of places with the shift.
9/10 (1 less versatile-10 more versatile)
Overall, I found the Shift to be great. I would recommend it to any strokers who want to open up the lane, or higher rev players looking for a ball that will get through the heads but be consistent at the break point. I'll try and get some pictures of it and the layout up later.
Thanks to Rob Herman at 10 in the Pin for drilling and laying it out!
