Instead of a review...I thought I 'd post this here.

Let me start by saying there is some storm stuff I like.
My favorite ball right now is my Hot Rod Super Sport pearl.
One of my favorite tournament balls is an old ElNino Wrath.

One of the strongest balls I've ever thrown is a Super Charge(can you say super fast rev up).

BUT...

Over the past coupld of months I've drilled up an X factor and an Triple X factor.  .....Ba dum....

My initial impression is despite the big flare specs  I find both balls to be surprisingly....smooth.  Scared off by the big flare specs I drilled both balls similar to a .49 flare diff Ego from Columbia.  Noticeable about both balls is they are ....less even with their .58 flare diff.

Both balls rev up fairly late and both balls are noticebale for their smoothness off the dry.

In comparing to other storm balls I have they are less than the El Nino Wrath and less than the Flashpoint i have that I drilled strong!

I know that the coverstocks are the new softer styles of coverstock and this may explain the slower rev up...but in retrospect I wish I had drilled these balls with pins down(as core seems to rev fairly slow) and gone with stronger amounts of flare potential used.

Both balls are drilled with pin over ring but a little offset towards PAP(say 4 3/4 from pap and the X factor is mass bias under thumb.  the XXX factor is mass bias out two inches.

THe XXX factor is still in break in phase and frequently my balls get better as they track in!  The XXX factor with some time and tweaks may end up a go long smooth powerful swerve ball but as of now...I call it less than my stronger drilled hot series balls!

IN comparison to other skid snap pearl balls I have and have had they would be placed in this order for strengh.

Columbia Ego(action core), El Nino Wrath, Brunswick Impact Zone, Battle Zone Bullet, Columbia Throttle, Morich Sahara, Flashpoint, Eraser, Triple X factor, X factor.

REgards,

Luckylefty
PS I still remain surpised at the loping rev up motion.  Slower reving than the hot series for me!
--------------------
Open the door...see what's possible...and just walk right on through...that's how easy success feels..

Edited on 5/8/2006 10:04 AM

Edited on 5/8/2006 10:05 AM

I get the same type of reaction with my Paradigm.  I have never seen the big snap motion that everyone gets from Storm, but then again, we're both lefties and I've seen this with other lefties also.  Probably the fastest revving motion I have ever had was my Recharge, and I have owned 4 masterline balls (X factor, Vertigo, Ace, and Paradigm).  My opinion, probably greater friction between ball and lane with the aggressive covers, we might be using balls that are too aggressive for the amount of oil we are bowling on.
--------------------
F-M-3

I've had bad luck drilling balls weak.  My Ragin Banshee is drilled weak and doesn't make the move I would expect from it on the back end.  It's smooth, but doesn't handle the volume of oil that I thought it would.  It lopes down the lane and doesn't rev up like my HRSSP.  I tend to leave flat 10's with this ball a lot.  I don't have the revs to make up for weak drillings, so I depend on the cover and the core to get my ball moving on the back end.

My HRSSP is staked leverage compared to my Ragin which is a label leverage drilling.  Both of the pins are in almost the same position, 3" from PAP, but the CG on the Ragin is at grip center.  I know people say that cg doesn't matter, but I can sure tell a difference in ball reactions between the two.

I agree on the X factor...but the XXX factor with the strong MB has surprised me.

Note I have a Columbia Drive drilled like the X factor(second drill) mass bias under thumb...good kick at hole though rounded!

REgards,

Luckylefty
PS note X factor is smooth like I wanted it but smoother...XXX factor is smooth but way too smooth for drilling...both weaker than lower end stuff I've tried and seen.

REgards,

Luckylefy
--------------------
Open the door...see what's possible...and just walk right on through...that's how easy success feels..

Why are we talking about MB placements in relation to gripping holes?  With the seeming trend of tracks lowering with axis coordinates less than 5" and verticals above an 1" it's hard to determine how strong a MB is when under the thumb.

The XFactors I drilled in the past always loped and never really picked up unless I used MB angles of 60* or less.  Generally around 45* was a good compromise of read and strength downlane.  I went with MB angles of 75* to 135* when playing drier heads and hooking conditions to get more push.