Hi All,
If you haven't already, check out our latest review of the Storm IQ Tour Pearl.  We got a chance to test it with stroker, tweener, and cranker as well as against the Storm IQ Tour, Storm Lucid, and Storm IQ.

We also tested in on THS and Sport shot.

The IQ Tour Pearl is a controllable benchmark-like ball reaction which offers the same look as the IQ Tour, but just slightly cleaner with the pearl.

http://tamerbowling.com/index.php/storm-iq-tour-pearl-bowling-ball-review-with-digitrax-analysis/

What difference did you see between the IQ Pearl and the Victory Road Pearl?

I'd imagine they're pretty different.

Right, we found the IQ Tour Pearl to be much more controllable at the breakpoint.  The Victory Road Pearl is much more aggressive at the breakpoint, meaning when it hits the dry boards, it really turns.

Both balls have the same cover. Laid out the same with the same surface prep, any difference in reaction would have to result from the cores  being different. How many boards difference is there in the reaction?
 
I know this is a question that does not help to sale or market the new latest greatest ball. Still I think it is a fair question that deserves a straight answer for those of us that have purchased the Victory Road.

Your response that it is harder to control is slanted and pretty much useless. You could have just as easily said that the Victory Road is more angular, stronger off the dry or more continuous. I point this out because you have previously held yourself out as being unbiased and not on anyone's payroll. If this is true, I would expect a more corn ominv response to my question.

ccrider, you've obviously misunderstood my answer. 
I didn't imply in anyway shape or form that one is better than the other.
What I said is the IQ Tour is more controllable while the Victory Road moves harder off the spot.  I don't see how that is biased in anyway, but let me explain more then.

You are absolutely correct that they have the same R2S pearl coverstock.  I think one misconception is that people assume that all are created equal.  Manufacturers never speak to how much pearl content is in a given formulation and they don't seem required to speak about it so we will never really know for sure.  I am not saying they are different since I have no idea, but just trying to say it's always a possibility.

Now let's assume there is absolutely no difference in coverstock or final finishing, then yes, the core can make that much of a difference.  Balls can react very differently with different cores.  Have you seen the Tropical Breeze videos???

In this case, the IQ Tour core has an RG of 2.49 and diff of .029.  The Victory Road is 2.56 and .052, both with 15 pound balls.  These are 2 very different engines and as I always mention in my reviews, the overall shape of the ball reaction is derived from the core characteristics.  The lower rg in the IQ Tour creates an earlier rolling ball.  The lower diff will have smaller flare potential.  This ball was designed as a control ball from the start.  The Victory Road was clearly designed to be way more punchy on the backends and it does just that.  Higher diff allows it to store more energy downlane and so that with the higher diff and relatively quick responding cover gives it a very strong punch on the backend.
I can't specifically speak to how many boards difference since we haven't compared these 2 directly on the same pattern.  I'm giving you feedback from having seen them thrown various times, various testers, at various venues.

Now with that being said, you can be the judge of what you are looking for.  I never said one is better than the other.  They are 2 different beasts.  If you need a strong punch on the backends, the VR is your ticket.  I love the heavy move it makes on the backend.  I call it heavy because I don't see it as skid/flip.  It's just strong and continuous which makes it look to roll very heavy.  If you need to control a more difficult pattern, you may prefer the tamer reaction of the IQ Tour Pearl.  On the same tougher fresh shot, the solid may be a better option.'

One note is that I find benchmark-type balls are ones that can tell you what you should be throwing, but may not necessarily be the one to use at that moment.

On a side note, my all time "personal" favorite balls are the Ebonite V2 and Storm Hy-Road.  I have no particular bias to any ball or manufacturer with my reviews and I sincerely believe that you will be hard-pressed to find such bias.  I don't sell any equipment and don't get paid to sell any equipment.

I hope that helps.  If you have any further questions, please let me know.

It is one thing to say that there was no intention to show favoritism. It is quite another to say that you can not read the response and see how it could be interpreted as implying that one ball is better than the other. I guess it all depends on how subtle the distinction is and the level of one's critical reading skills. From a marketing standpoint, which ball do you think the unsophisticated bowler will lean towards purchasing, the one that is "much more controllable" or the one that is "much less controllable?"

Tamerbowling does reviews with digitrax and has a highly sophisticated level of knowledge. IF he chooses to, he can tell us the number of boards difference between the two balls, all things being equal. To give the answer that the new ball is much more controllable, without more, tells me little to nothing. There are a lot of balls that are much more controllable.

Tamerbowling, thanks for your further, more detailed explanation.  Will you add the VR Pearl to your digitrax analysis? How much overlap is there between the balls throwing them down the lanes? Do they both cover the same amount of boards, just in a different shape?

We read a lots about cover being the primary factor in determining ball reaction. This would seem to be a great opportunity to confirm or rebut that assertion. How much of a difference does the core actually make?

ccrider, I don't want to be difficult but I'm not sure I can fully satisfy your needs.

I've written extensive reviews on each ball as well as shot videos and done Digitrax analysis for the prospective bowler to do their research.  I can't possibly represent all bowler styles and all conditions.  We do our best.

As others have mentioned, I never used the term "uncontrollable" for any ball.  One offers more control in our tests, that's the observation.  If you ask which ball the less experienced bowler would go for, my guess it's the one with the big backend, not the "control" ball.

Again, I give our observations and it's up to the bowler to decide what's best for them.  I always suggest to work with your local pro shop but I've been happy to help people as much as I can with specific situations.

I hope you realize that knowing the "board coverage" difference is not quite so important as you imply it is (you've asked for it twice).  We try to describe the overall reaction shape along with ball strength as I believe this is more important.

I would be happy to compare the 2 balls if I still had both balls around drilled exactly the same on the same conditions.  Alas, that's no longer possible for us.

If you search my site for various balls, say Storm balls that use the R2S cover, you will see substantial differences from ball to ball in terms of reaction.  Hence, there's really nothing more to prove in terms of the effect of the core on the ball reaction.  30% is absolutely noticeable, beyond a shadow of a doubt.

I hope this discussion has been helpful.

Tamerbowling,

Classic strawman argument. Who accused you of saying "uncontrollable?"  I never used that term or gave you credit for saying it. You used the phrase "much more controllable."

Your statement about how many more board coverage not being as important as I imply (because I ask the question twice) is relative for sure. I ask the question twice because you and all of the Storm zealots have failed to answer the question when I ask it the first time. If you do not know, say you do not know. If you know or have an opinion, based on having thrown both balls, why not answer the question and let me and the other readers decide how important it is to us.

Until your last post, you never made the statement that the Victory Road Pearl has a bigger backend than the IQ Tour Pearl. I think that your choice of words (much more controllable) was precise and calculated.

Summing it all up, I think you are saying that the Victory Road Peal has a bigger backend,  hooks more and covers more boards than the Tour IQ Pearl. Sounds a lot different than saying that the Tour IQ Pearl is much more controllable than the Victory Road Pearl.

Last, all I wanted to know was how much difference there is between the two balls. In seeking an answer to this question, I generally look for reaction shape and the total number of boards covered. Total number of boards is important to me because I consider it to be at least an attempt at providing objective information. I still think this is a fair question that has not received a direct answer. I guess that this is one of those times when no answer at all tells the whole story.

Thanks. That is really all I wanted to know. BTW, you have been most helpful and I appreciate the work you do on your website.

I think I made it pretty clear that if I could I would give you an exact figure.  I have no problem doing that.  My guess is that there likely wouldn't be much more than 1 or 2 boards difference.
Sorry I couldn't be of more help.