Hi guys, just looking for peoples opinions on exchanging my trend 2 for something new or just keeping it.  I currently have a phaze 2, dark code, hustle au, pink widow urethane. I won the trend 2 at a tournament and I still have not drilled it. im not sure if its worth keeping it or exchanging it for something like a nova, reality, gem, or zen.  Let me know what you guys would do.

Exchange or keep depends on a couple of things. 

(have edited this a couple of times while it's pending moderator approval, sorry if this is all repeated comments that others have posted in the meantime). 

The Trend 2 is a polished hybrid, it's a pretty aggressive piece and none of the exchange offerings are really the same.

Cost is a consideration too, especially since it sounds like your Trend 2 is undrilled. The Storm exchange is not free, you have to pay for shipping and if the ball is undrilled, you won't get a drilling voucher back.  So, it's going to cost you out of pocket $30-50 to ship it plus the cost have the exchange ball drilled.  Plus 1-2 months to actually get the exchange ball back from Storm. 

As others have pointed out, the events you plan to bowl in are a big consideration.  The Trend 2 is disallowed in USBC national tournaments but likely will be allowed in many local events and leagues.  Check into that locally though, as others have also noted any local leagues and tournaments have the option of adopting the national USBC exclusion rule too - some are and some are not.   

If it were me, I'd keep it and enjoy bowling with a free high end ball (other than the tournament entry fee and hard work to win it).  But, I am terrible and not bowling in anything where it would be excluded though. 

If it were either of my kids who are actually good, they'd exchange it right away because they bowl Jr. Gold events where that ball isn't allowed.  My younger one tried a friend's Trend 2 around Christmas and loved it.  He has been saving up for his own Trend 2 but dropped it off his want list as soon as the exclusion announcement came out. 

For what it's worth, all of my kids bowling friends (teenagers) are aware of the exclusion situation and are already calling those 6 balls using "cheater" balls whenever they see one, regardless of whether they are actually allowed in particular events or league.  Anyone with a thick skin should be able to ignore that, but I'm sure lots of people are experiencing similar comments in other leagues and events right now.  Some league officials have a tendency to cave under pressure from vocal league members.

My 16-year old sent back a month-old Electrify to Storm to exchange it for a Gem, he's pretty excited about that, but actually a little disappointed to lose the Electrify.       

The Nova is a monster too.  But, other than price those are all pretty different balls than the Trend 2. 
   

 

Those are all things i am worried about if i was to keep it. I guess my question is what should i trade it in for in terms of something similar or would fill a hole in my arsenal.

Well in my case, I do not want to deal with not being able to take a ball/2/3 to a tourney or a league in a different association etc..

Personally I've come around to feeling like this concern gets overblown. I would be surprised if this actually becomes an issue

Well unfortunately where I live I bowl in 2 different centers and each center is in a different association. The one association came out right away and banned all the balls for the entire association. Did not let the leagues decide, just flat out said nope for the entire association.

I just shook my head and said no surprise knowing who was in charge.

So your telling me every board member on that association voted to ban the balls? That’s an association I would not bowl in anymore unless you are trying to get in their association HOF or the leagues you bowl in help fatten your wallet. Sounds like the association is the typical I wasn’t a good bowler so I will make every bowler suffer with my stupid decisions

That’s unfortunate. The board in my area said it has to be unanimously or they can’t ban. Not sure if you have the time or want to be that guy but you could always ask how the decision was rendered.