A caution with this initial review: It was only a few games on a house shot. I will update the reviews after I bowl a PBA regional on Scorpion next weekend. I will be there for Friday's practice session so I will throw them then so I'll have info even if I don't use them during the tournament.
The FURIOUS and FAST both use the Turbine core found in the STREET RODS but with an R2S coverstock (SPECIAL AGENT, T-ROAD, etc.). My expectation was the same basic motion as the STREET RODS but with a stronger mid-lane reaction and that was what I found.
I would see these two as fitting in below the HY-ROAD and SECOND DIMENSION but above the STREET RODS.
FURIOUS
(solid reactive, 2000 grit Abralon, Turbine core, R2S cover)
4 1/2 pin to PAP, 4 "MB" to PAP, 4 1/2 pin buffer
Pin is under ring finger, about 45 degree drilling, hole on VAL just below grip center line.
FRESH WET/DRY HOUSE SHOT WITH VERY DRY BACK-ENDS AT 6-year-old PRO ANVILANE HOUSE – The FURIOUS motion is a very hard arcing roll, reminiscent of the motion of the VIRTUAL GRAVITY. Reacted very strong off dry. It went a little longer with a crisper move than a SPECIAL AGENT with a virtually identical drilling, though SPECIAL has at least couple hundred games on it.
FAST
(pearl reactive, 1500 grit polish, Turbine core, R2S cover, cherry fragrance)
5 3/4 pin to PAP, 4 5/8 "MB" to PAP, 5 1/8 pin buffer
Pin is over middle finger, CG is about in grip center, no hole.
FRESH WET/DRY HOUSE SHOT WITH VERY DRY BACK-ENDS AT 6-year-old PRO ANVILANE HOUSE – The FAST gave me the same roll pattern as the FURIOUS, although it obviously went longer. Considering the relatively weak pin I was surpised at how strong the move – again a hard arcing roll – was. It was NOT a skid/flip at all. My STREET ROD PEARL with a pin over bridge stacked drilling was more skid/flippy. My RAPID FIRE PEARL with the pin over the bridge and the CG kicked right made a quicker move at the breakpoint and then tended to roll forward on the wet/dry house shot.
I could almost play in the same spot with the FAST as I could with the FURIOUS on the fresh house shot, with less effort needed to get to break point. But once there was carry down I had to move about 4 and 2 back right to go from 2-pin hits to flush.
Here are updates on the FURIOUS & FAST after using them at a PBA regional on the Scorpion pattern last weekend.
FURIOUS
The FURIOUS gave me my best look on the fresh for qualifying of any ball I had with me. The lanes were nice enough that I had multiple options playing fairly straight around 10 board. But while other balls I had a decent look with were either too early (VIRTUAL GRAVITY, DIMENSION) or too long (HY-ROAD, SHIFT), the FURIOUS got to the breakpoint fine on the fresh and made a strong and continuous move. After three games I was 68 over and leading my squad. I had moved to about 13-14 at the arrows going out to 10 at the breakpoint and had a decent reaction. However, in the fourth game the pair was hooking more and when I tried to go further left the FURIOUS would not go to the breakpoint comfortably. That forced some ball changes that resulted in a train wreck 161 game.
Clearly, the box finish surface for the FURIOUS is best when there is oil that helps it get to the breakpoint. I would definitely see this ball as similar to a SPECIAL AGENT with a less dramatic move at the breakpoint -– as I found on the house shot it makes a strong arcing move where the SPECIAL is quicker and sharper at the break point. With both balls having the R2S solid cover, it’s a matter of what motion shape you are looking for.
The lanes seemed to have less oil in match play Sunday and I could not use the FURIOUS at the start. I ended up going to the HY-ROAD almost from the start. The FURIOUS just wouldn’t go the breakpoint as easily as in qualifying. I am sure with a less rough surface, the FURIOUS would have been fine but I like mine fitting into my arsenal as a heavy oil alternative to the VIRTUAL and DIMENSION.
FAST
The FAST turned out to be a great option on the broken down Scorpion in match play on Sunday, when they hooked more than in qualifying.
With the lanes being a tad drier in the finals and 16 games under the PBA “retro†format, I eventually needed something that skidded more than my HY-ROAD — which was hand hit with a 2,000 Abralon pad by hand at USBCs in April but had much use since then that it had become very lane shined.
The FAST fit the bill perfectly.
I was able to roll the fast from between 15 and 20 out to around 10 at the breakpoint. My scores tended to be 190-200 on pairs that were a tad tighter where the carry was tougher but I also had a handful of games from 230-260 on pairs that were a tad drier meaning better carry. After going 1-6-1 before the break, I went 3-5 in the second round of matches. It was one of those days where I just couldn’t win many matches -- making bad shots or not carrying at crucial times or seeing my opponents get the crucial break at the right time. I even lost with a 264 on a day that scores were not high at all. I finished 12th but a .500 record in match play would have gotten me around the number for 5th for the stepladder.
To provide some comparison to the FAST and because I wasn’t going anywhere anyway, the last couple of games I switched to my trusty old FIRED UP. The contrast between the two balls was interesting. The FIRED UP has a weaker cover than the FAST but its core gave it a more dramatic move at the breakpoint – the contrast was similar to the SPECIAL vs. the FURIOUS. The best way I can describe it is the FAST goes straight to the breakpoint and then makes a turn and rolls sort of forward into the pins while the FIRED UP is more of a quick and circular move. Part of that could be the relatively weak pin on my FAST.
I also might describe the FAST as a more rolling version of the T-ROAD PEARL.
One thing is clear – even box shiny the FAST still rolls strong enough with the R2S cover to get in the oil and roll it. There just has to be some dry area – on fresh with no dry it will squirt like any shiny pearl ball.
Edited on 6/2/2009 10:21 AM
