Being from Storm, the Ultra Hot was a ball that we expected to like and we did. The Ultra Hot has a number of features that make it appealing, not the least of which is the price.
We tested primarily one ball, drilled with a 10:30 layout. Pin 3" x c.g. 1" from axis. A small extra hole was used on the axis to bring the ball to 1/4 positive, 0 finger/thumb. We tested the ball with numerous shell preparations on synthetic lanes that ranged from medium oil with fresh back ends to dryer fronts with some carry-down. Our tester is right handed with medium revs (18 to 21) and throws between 17 and 18 mph.
The first thing we did was test the ball in it's out-of-the-box dull shell. We were looking for something to even out some over-reacting back ends in a house league. The Ultra Hot did give the player a smooth transition but didn't allow him to play deep enough to avoid the fast-changing track area. It just wouldn't come back from anywhere inside of 14 or 15. Not wanting to fight too much with it, we changed the shell to a 1500 wet sand and polished surface. This changed the look and use of the ball dramatically. It was now a piece of equipment that played the dryer part of the lane very nicely with a very smooth back end and awesome carry.
The Ultra Hot became a perfect bridge between the mid-range Storm equipment (Eraser Boost) and the dry lane specials like the Storm Hit or Columbia Scout/R. The Ultra Hot revs through the entire lane, is very smooth, predictable and carries better than the price would indicate. We found the Ultra Hot to play well from most any angle, crossing boards to playing down and in. There were times where it seemed as though it was a bit better the straighter we kept it but when there was enough friction to move on, we could belly it too.
This ball worked so nicely when the Eraser Boost was too much it had us thinking that they were made to be sold as a pair. If you have a Boost and would like something that you could go to when it's moving too much too soon, the Ultra Hot is the ball you want.
Overall, we liked the Ultra Hot very much for the medium to medium dry conditions. Dry back ends don't seem to be a problem for this ‘smoothy' and the carry is very good. The only caution would be not to try and use it on too much oil, even dull it just doesn't have the motor or tires to get the job done when the lanes are slick.
If you have any questions about this or any other of our reviews, e-mail us at: proshop@bowlero.com