Rather than attempting a steady evolution from the original Storm Phaze, the folks over at Storm did their best to change the game completely with the release of the Storm Phaze II. Our Storm Phaze II review will look at this high-performance offering from every angle, giving you a panoramic view of this intriguing new bowling ball before you make a potential purchase decision.
What exactly does the Storm Phaze II do so differently which makes it a completely different throwing experience than that of the original? How versatile is the Storm Phaze II when it comes to a variety of oil patterns and densities? Delve into our extensive Storm Phaze II bowling ball review for the answer to these questions and much more!
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Overview
The Storm Phaze II maintains the same low RG, high differential symmetrical core design of the original Storm Phaze. However, that’s where the similarities come to a dead stop. The Storm Phaze II introduces a brand new reactive solid coverstock and 3000 grit box finish combination which leads to much more traction capability in the deepest of oil patterns.
Furthermore, the Storm Phaze II has been carefully designed to skid much less in the middle of the lane. It holds onto its energy in a much more efficacious manner than the original heading down the lane, leading to one of the most predictable and distinct breakpoint motions we’ve seen from a Storm high-performance bowling ball release.
The Storm Phaze II begins its motion earlier than its predecessor and the motion itself is much smoother and more consistent than that of the original Storm Phaze. However, the ball’s earlier motion doesn’t hinder its back-end firepower nor does it cause the ball to die off late in the lane. This ball is built to run smooth while still hitting quite hard.
In short, the Storm Phaze II does a fantastic job balancing consistent motions off the spot with perhaps the heaviest total hook in the Storm catalog dating back prior to the release of the IQ series. This ball exhibits supernatural strength when oil patterns are at their most complex and lengthy. It eats oil in greedy fashion and turns it into some fantastic pin fireworks upon impact.
Features, Specs & Materials
FEATURES:
The real showstopper for the release of the Storm Phaze II is the introduction of the aggressive TX-16 (Traction-X 2016) reactive solid coverstock to the bowling world. This coverstock lives up to its name, offering amazing traction and fiery hook potential in the freshest and deepest of oil conditions.
Paired with the returning Velocity symmetrical core from the original Storm Phaze, the aforementioned aggressive coverstock is given a needed shot of consistency and lane length which offers bowlers invaluable control down the lane.
The Storm Phaze II comes out of the box with a 3000 grit finish which chews through deep oil patterns and keeps the ball from skidding past the breakpoint. It offers fantastic pick-up-and-play traction in conjunction with the reactive solid coverstock.
SPECS:
Color: Red, Blue, Purple
Core: Velocity (Symmetrical)
Coverstock: TX-16 (Reactive Solid)
Finish: 3000 Abralon
RG: 2.48
Differential: 0.051
Flare potential: Minimal
Recommended Lane Condition: Heavy
MATERIALS
The roughness of the new TX-16 reactive solid coverstock is an absolute lifesaver when it comes to off throws into deep oil. Rather than skidding completely away from the pocket, this ball has a powerful enough friction coefficient to regain its line and forgive mistakes en route to the pin pocket.
A big part of the ball’s off-throw forgiveness comes from the undeniable balancing act carried off by the Velocity symmetrical core. This fired ceramic core was the star of the original Storm Phaze and does a fantastic job tempering the jaw-dropping aggressiveness and hook potential of its much more powerful sequel ball.
Advantages & Disadvantages
Advantages:
The Storm Phaze II is one of the most powerful high-performance bowling balls ever released by the venerable company, but that power is channeled perfectly thanks to this ball’s innate predictability and consistency off the breakpoint. You can get as creative as you want with your throws and still track this ball into the pocket over and over again.
This ball offers some insane hook potential in heavy and medium oil densities, creating traction in the deepest oil and saving up energy for some powerful back-end crashes and amazing pin trajectories. The more oil this ball is able to gobble up down the lane, the harder it hits and the more impressive your pin carry will be.
If you’re tired of your ball having a mind of its own down the lane, you’re going to love how predictable this ball is from a motion standpoint. With a keen eye, you’ll be able to call every key movement of this ball as it heads towards the pin pocket. This gives bowlers a unique sense of mastery over a ball that is otherwise extremely aggressive.
This unparalleled control factor makes the Storm Phaze II an absolute breakthrough release for longer and more complex oil patterns. A lot of high-performance offerings start to lose their way when conditions are at their toughest late in the pattern. The Storm Phaze II is the pure antidote, revving up its game and doing its most damage where other bowling balls fall short.
Disadvantages:
This ball is a definitive no-go on dry and medium-dry oil patterns. The lane length of the Storm Phaze II is predicated upon having a solid amount of oil in the fronts to keep it tracked down the lane. Without that oil, the Storm Phaze II will flag and jut hard without the invaluable control quotient available in medium and heavier oil conditions.
The predictability of the Storm Phaze II from a ball motion standpoint may vex bowlers looking for unhinged angularity and multiple entry angles into the pin pocket. Bowlers who want more skidding and sharpness are going to be disappointed with the smooth down-lane ride of the Storm Phaze II.
Our Thoughts
The Storm Phaze II is a fantastic change-of-pace ball which offers a unique blend of predictability and heavy-hitting hook firepower. When conditions are at their slickest, the Storm Phaze II rewards a bowler’s investment by creating traction out of seemingly nowhere.
It’s not the ball for everyone, but it’ll sure give most bowlers a welcome bit of controlled fury when oil conditions are at their toughest.
Overall Score: 8.75 out of 10
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