The Sure Lock is the solid covered version of the Lock and Snap Lock, in the premier line of balls from Storm. This solid cover is called GI-17. The Sure Lock uses the same RAD-X core as the previous two releases. The Sure Lock color combination of orange, electric and Navy, is sure to remind bowlers of the Virtual Gravity Nano. The Sure Lock comes from the factory sanded with a 2000 grit abralon finish. The core numbers of the Sure Lock are 2.48 Rg, .054 diff, and .018 intermediate diff, in 15 lb balls.
I used a very strong layout of 3.75 x 5.5 x 2.5 on the Sure Lock, to compliment my Snap Lock drilled 3.75 x 6 x 2.5. I decided to go with this strong of a layout, because many of the current oils today give me an over under reaction, if I'm not using a higher flare drilling, as I don’t have an ultra high rev rate. Long pin distance drillings with more surface on the ball become too speed sensitive for me, and often times cover too many boards. A stronger layout like this, for me, tends to reduce the overall board coverage because the core finds it’s prefered spin axis quicker and I don’t need to use as much surface to get the ball to read the lane the right way. When bowling in centers with either a flatter pattern, or using older technology oil that isn’t as “slick†as the new stuff, I use more traditional layouts and or would gravitate more towards the Snap Lock. My Sure Lock in the box finish had good motion, but was too big of a gap from my Snap Lock. I lightly smoothed out the cover on all four quadrants with Storm step #1 compound. With this finish, the Sure Lock gives me that earlier and stronger reacting version of my Snap Lock. The Sure Lock has a more defined motion than the Alpha Crux, which it replaced in the line-up. The Alpha Crux is more rounded through the backend, where the Sure Lock is a more defined shape.
The Sure Lock is a big hooking ball, that will cover some boards depending on your layout choice. The defined shape through the backend is more ideal for slick lane surfaces, and not real squeaky clean backends. If you are looking for a big ball motion with change of direction, look into a Sure Lock. Thank you for taking the time to read my review of the Storm Sure Lock. Now go Bowl up a Storm!