Layout: 4.5 x 45 #1
            4 x 0 #2
Surface: 500 Grit Abralon

The IQ Tour 78/U brings the Centripetal C3 core found in the entire IQ lineup paired with the new Control 78 Urethane Coverstock.  The new 78 hardness of this IQ 78/U was to conform to the new PBA hardness rule.  As a PBA member and one who avidly does the regional Tour, it was essential for me to have this ball.  Since urethane seems to be so prevalent, I drilled two that will give me two different shapes on the lane.  The 4.5" by 45 drilling matches what I have on a current Pitch Black and Zen U.  This drilling gives me a slightly cleaner motion on the lane while giving me more overall backend motion then a stronger drilling.  I use this drilling specifically on sport patterns where the volume is higher and the lane surface is older or warn.  The second drilling I used a 4 x 0.  This drilling is super strong flaring and puts the pin directly on my axis line.  This causes really strong hook in the front part of the lane and a more controlled backend.  I can use this one being more left to right or if the lane pattern is high volume with a harder lane surface environment.  Comparing the two together on my Typical House pattern which is 44ft and medium volume, the 4.5 x 45 ball allowed me to play the lanes more in front of me keeping my angles closed in the track area.  More ideal for the fresh to control the backend and blend the lanes better.  The 4 x 0 ball gave me about 5 more boards of overall total hook.  It forced me to be further left than the first one because of the strong hook in the front of the lane.  I could use this one either on the fresh or for transition if urethane is really necessary.
Comparing the 4.5 x 45 IQ 78/U to the Pitch Black, I was able to stand in the same spot but the IQ 78/U was more controlled in the backend.  When I missed outside of my target, the ball struggled to make its way back to the pocket correctly.  The Pitch Black was able to carry the pins better due to its weaker core and coverstock combination.  If I didn't do the PBA events, I would strictly stick to the Pitch Black for my personal game.  Comparing to the Zen U, the Zen U hooked 2 more boards overall and gave me a slightly stronger backend comparable to the Pitch Black.  For Non-PBA events where urethane is necessary, I would stick to the Zen U and Pitch Black.  However, the 4 x 0 IQ 78/U gave me a very unique motion that was also quite strong and accented the ball well.  Due to the IQ 78/U extra hardness, the ball shines up faster so keeping up with the cover surface would be more critical for success.

Adam Chase
Storm Staff

Storm !Q Tour 78/U - Master Line
Coverstock: Controll 78 Solid Urethane - 500 Grit Abralon
Core: C3 Centripetal
RG: 2.49   Differential: .029 (15 lbs)
Layout: 5 x 5 x 2
PAP: 6" Right, 1 3/8" Up
Axis Tilt: 16°
Rotation: 51°
Rev Rate: 450-500
Speed: 17-18 mph
Location: Vista Lanes - Yorkville, NY
Pattern: Kegel Broadway V2
Lane Surface: HPL

The !Q Tour 78/U is the newest urethane option from Storm. The name says it all…78 hardness urethane cover that is PBA compliant with the proven C3 Centripetal core used in the !Q series. The design intent was to create a smooth and predictable ball motion while maintaining a true urethane reaction. The !Q Tour 78/U gave me a great look on Kegel Broadway V2 (37 feet and 26.45 mL) sliding on 17, looking 8 at the arrows with my breakpoint around 5-6. The harder cover creates a cleaner and more forward reaction when compared to the Pitch Black. The Pitch Black started up sooner and had a more continuous motion in the same spot on the lane. The !Q Tour 78/U and Pitch Black will compliment each other nicely in my bag and be a great bridge to reactive balls on shorter patterns. Stop by your local Storm VIP pro shop to check it out! Available on December 15th.

Dave Jecko
Storm Amateur Staff Member
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@maximumpotentialbowlerssho7625

IQ Tour 78-U - Ball Specs
Cover Stock: Control 78 Solid Urethane
Finish: 500 Grit Abralon
Core: C 3 Core
Color: Crimson
RG: 2.49
Differential: 0.029
Intermediate Diff: N/A

Review
The new Storm IQ 78U features the Controlled 78 Solid Urethane cover wrapped around the C3 Core creating new smooth reaction different than the current urethane options. IQ tour 78U RG is 2.49, which creates an early hook in the beginning of the lane. The differential of 0.029 creates a smooth consistent backend motion reminiscent of traditional urethane. I tested this ball on a 43 feet typical house pattern. I was able to play up the lane from seven board out with great success. For me the Zen U was stronger overall than the IQ 78U. This is a great ball for all bowlers bowling on short tournament patterns. Order one from your local pro shop today! My ball review videos are posted on YouTube channel Stanley Waite.

Stanley Waite
900 Global Staff Member
Dover, DE

Storm
!Q Tour 78-U
Coverstock: Controll 78 Urethane
Finish: 500 Grit Abralon
Core: C3
(14pd.)
RG: 2.54
Differential: 0.034
Layout: 4 x 4 1/3 x 5 - 2LS
Layout Extras: 3in Finger Depth, "X" - 4 1/2 D and 1 Inch Left
Tester: PAP 6 1/2 R, 1 1/4 D

Review:
The all new PBA compliant urethane ball from SPI is setting a new standard for short oil patterns. The traditional C3 Core has been designed to work with old school urethane to provide the player with an array of options to get that needed urethane type look. This includes a 500 OOB Abralon finish which is a typical surface starting point for most urethane pieces.

When the initial announcement came out from the PBA I already had my mind set that the next urethane offering would be meh compared to the current options already available. OOB I took this one to the lanes to practice and even had a few other thumbless players give the 78-U a few rolls. Right away the ball read early and provided good control. I did not see anything overly fancy but did notice after we put some miles on the ball it started lengthening a bit which is typical as the surface smooths upwards over time.

In comparing the 78-U to my all-time favorite urethane piece the Fast Pitch I noticed the 78-U does not perform as well bumping in and opening angles. Both the Fast Pitch and Pitch Black tend to shape earlier and are more predictable for me. I experimented a bit and took the 78-U to a 1K Abralon finish. This experiment paid huge dividends at a Year End Event contested on a short sport pattern.

At the Year End Event a neighboring pro shop employee lead qualifying with the 78-U off the press. I used my go to pieces described above. After a ton of play I was unable to bump inside and went for the change to the 78-U (1K surface). It worked great and pulled me out of a jam and into the finals. It gave me a great shape while keeping my angles closed. I believe the C3 Core really helps to balance the harder coverstock out.

I think you may find a great use for this ball when planning out your tournament adventures. I highly recommend the !Q Tour 78-U. Be sure to discuss this ball with your pro shop operator today and also consider attending a SPI MatchMaker event to test this ball out.

Michael Slatky
900 Global Staff Member
York, PA

The !Q78-U is Storms replacement urethane piece in compliance with the new 78 hardness rule on the PBA tour. The !Q78 features the same C3 core found in all the !Q tour balls but is wrapped in control 78 urethane. This combination creates a ball that’s a little earlier, rounder and more forward than the Pitch Black. I drilled mine stronger so I can see more separation between the two. This is going to be a fantastic piece for shorter and medium sport patterns when you need to control the downlane motion on the fresh.

Review Video: https://youtu.be/sNvFkwAEfFI?si=JDNIjjvYmMWAK6qP