The Storm Code Black marks a unique new starting point for the Storm brand when it comes to their bowling ball catalog Stateside. Our Storm Code Black review will look at the ball from every angle, giving you a firsthand overview of one of the most popular bowling balls in the current marketplace.

What sets the Storm Code Black apart from the rest of the high-performance bowling balls out there? What deficiencies does the ball have which could prove troublesome down the road? Dive into our complete Storm Code Black bowling ball review to find out!

Overview

The Storm Code Black marks the first appearance of Storm’s popular RAD4 asymmetrical core in the United States. One of the best bowling ball cores when it comes to energy-storing potential and back-end boom, the RAD4 asymmetrical core sets this ball apart from all of Storm’s previous U.S. releases.

Paired with a powerful and durable reactive pearl cover stock, the RAD4 core gives the Storm Code Black impressive hook potential and angular reactivity. While the ante was upped with the latest Storm Code Red, the power of the Storm Code Black is still undeniable – especially for a reactive pearl bowling ball.

This ball is made for medium and medium-heavy oil conditions. The reactivity is a bit muted compared to the Storm Code Red, but there’s still an eye-popping aggressiveness to the Storm Code Black which is enhanced when it has the right amount of oil to absorb on the lanes.

This leads to a powerful, snapping breakpoint and a strong hook potential which can turn push most hook shots over the top. The Storm Code Black might even preferable to some over the Storm Code Red because it’s just a bit easier to tame. And when you tame it, you are rewarded with some powerful pin carry and back-end reactions.

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Features, Specs & Materials

FEATURES:

The Storm Code Black’s R2S Pearl Reactive cover stock provides an impressive blend of durability and overall reactivity. This ball gets angular when you need to be, while also offering a measure of control and predictability which you may not expect from a ball so aggressive.

The U.S. debut of the RAD4 asymmetrical core has been a huge success for Storm. Bowlers rave about the power and energy-storing capabilities of the RAD4 in a multitude of online forums. That’s for good reason! The RAD4 is one of the most explosive cores out there, especially when it comes to the back end of the lane.

Paired with a 1500 Grit Polished box finish, the Storm Code Black’s R2S Pearl Reactive cover stock is able to get great traction on a variety of different oil patterns. That traction leads to some impressive pin carry and powerful pin impact when you slot the ball into the pocket (or near it.)

SPECS:

Color: Black, Charcoal, Silver
Core: RAD4 (Asymmetrical)
Coverstock: R2S Pearl Reactive
Finish: 1500 Grit Polished
RG: 2.50
Differential: 0.058
Flare potential: Moderate
Recommended Lane Condition: Medium to Medium-Heavy

MATERIALS

The Storm Code Black’s unique R2S Reactive Pearl cover stock is extremely durable. It can simply take much more punishment than the average high-performance bowling ball. We don’t recommend testing that at the extremes, but just know that the shelf life and play life of a Storm Code Black is long and strong.

The United States introduction of the lightweight RAD4 asymmetrical core gave bowlers the opportunity to play with one of the most powerful pick-up-and-play cores on the market. It’s built just as tough as the aforementioned pearl cover stock, keeping its energy-storing capacity for years upon years.

Advantages & Disadvantages

Advantages:

The Storm Code Black is hook-heavy but not so much that the ball is too hard to control. You can get extremely angular with the Storm Code Black if you want to. However, you can also slot it comfortably into a hook groove and hit the pocket time and time again with efficacy.

That’s the difference between the Storm Code Black and Storm Code Red. The Code Red dials up the aggressiveness in such a way that it can be hard to rein in. The Code Black’s aggressiveness has enough of a safety on it to allow a wider swath of bowlers to tap into its violence and pin carry.

The Storm Code Black is perfectly primed for use on medium and medium-heavy oil patterns. It thrives in such conditions, burning through and absorbing oil in a way that leads to some powerful back-end finishes. It’s extremely forgiving of off hits in such conditions, causing some great pin trajectories if you get even close to the pocket.

In a way, the Storm Code Black is the perfect graduation ball for a hook-heavy bowler who wants an extra bit of oomph. It’s extremely aggressive but the learning curve is just a little more doable than more volatile offerings such as the Storm Code Red.

Disadvantages:

This ball is not made for dry patterns. While the Storm Code Black’s reactive pearl cover stock can survive such conditions better than the reactive hybrid cover stock of the Storm Code Red, continued play on these conditions will be detrimental to the cover stock’s health.

The Storm Code Black is an extremely aggressive ball, even though it’s a bit less aggressive than the Code Red. You’ll need an advanced understanding of reactive resin bowling balls and their firepower in order to tap into its strengths. Otherwise, this ball may be too volatile.

In the wrong conditions or with the wrong throw, this ball tends to flame out and lose its tracking to the pocket. It’s easy to get vexed by the Storm Code Black if you’re a bowler who struggles to adjust their shot. If you have a very set shot and need a very consistent bowling ball, you might want to stay away from the Storm Code Black.

Our Thoughts 

While the Storm Code Red is much more aggressive than the preceding Storm Code Black, we still give a slight edge to the Code Black from a score perspective. That’s because the Storm Code Black is a bit easier to play with for a wider swath of different bowlers with different bowling styles.

The aggressiveness will be a bit much for some, but it will add marks for bowlers who need that extra get-up to their hook shots. You can cause some impressive pin carry and back-end reactions with the Storm Code Black and you can do it consistently.

If you put the time into the Storm Code Black, it’ll reward you in spades.

Overall Score: 8 out of 10

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