The Bowling Ball SCAM... How long do bowling balls really last?

[@BrakRulesAll]

Still have my Brunswick LT-51 circa 1977. And the Linds custom-made shoes from the same period. ;)

[@CatDaddySteve]

Do You bowl in the high 200s ?

[@jefferydaniels6717]

I ran a shop for almost 5 years. Bad maintenance plain and simple. Resin is porous and you have to clean those out after so many games (highly recommend you find a shop with the Jayhawk Detox machine). Surfaces get flattened by just rolling the ball, you have to fix that. "track wore out" is a complaint that goes back to plastic balls. You have to understand what your favorite brand requires and how they build their covers. Storm is mostly "physical friction", meaning rough surface combined with large pores for absorption. Radical / Brunswick covers tend to be more solid due to their "chemical friction" tech meaning surface wear plays a bigger part in performance loss and they tend to use less porous covers meaning they last longer. Ball splitting is simple physics. You have a higher density mass sitting inside a lower density one which creates pressure inside the ball. Once you put holes in the ball you create faults in the cover. You have to rotate your gear if it sits and even then it can split. Pay attention to drilling rules for Pins (hence why Brunswick created DOT) and make sure you don't heat / freeze the ball to the point the core changes temps. There is also new products that can help prevent the evaporation of the chemical (plasticizer or however you spell it) that can lead to the ball getting brittle. This is high performance technology. it's not a blob of hard plastic like in the old days

[@bowlingxp8345]

What do you mean by "chemical friction" ? Never seen it in any physics books.

[@michaelcherry6010]

​@@bowlingxp8345 This video from radical is the only explanation I know of kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6LFdn-VaNKNfZY

[@jefferydaniels6717]

@@bowlingxp8345 Go look at some of the Radical podcasts. My understanding is that it's not as dependent on pores soaking up the oil to get the surface to have more reaction to friction as say storm. Makes the covers more durable but I could be wrong. Brunswick started with the moniker of Chemical friction back in the C System balls and Radical still claims to use it vs "physical" friction. The Crux Prime was Storm's supposed first chemical friction ball. I just know that it makes the covers more durable and easier to maintain.

[@jefferydaniels6717]

@@bowlingxp8345 kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6LFdn-VaNKNfZY

[@sand6463]

When you say “rotate your gear when it sits”, do you mean to literally change the orientation of the ball on its stand? Would like to try this out to mitigate any potential cracks!

[@jamesbomar3903]

The biggest scam going on right now is string pins.

[@johnmills186]

I don't see string pins as a scam but more of a financial necessity. It cost a LOT of money to open the doors on a bowling center and if there is not a large enough market to generate that money you have to adapt. There is a choice here and it has nothing to do with being scammed.

[@George-rj4fj]

Same as bumper bowling. Where's the challenge if a sport is made so easy that anyone with a modicum of ability can beat the best there is? More "participation awards" because there's not enough participants because of fear of failing to succeed?

[@brianschumaker5912]

​@johnmills186 If my bowling center changed to string pins, I either go somewhere else, or just quit altogether. There are other things I can do. String is made for fishing.

[@johnmills186]

@@brianschumaker5912Everyone does what they have to do. And anyone can be replaced.

[@BighnicHnicBAWSESTATUS]

@@George-rj4fjbumper bowling??? Who does that? A child? That’s what bumpers are for

[@whiteriverangler9670]

Not saying it doesn’t happen…but I would say more often than not bad bowling ball maintenance and user error is a big issue as well. I have drilled probably 50 bowling balls since I started bowling and have had 2 crack one I left on a bare wood rack, the other on carpet. If you store bowling balls long term in plastic bags on a rack, I guarantee you probably won’t have any issues. Also most people have poor maintenance. Every night when I get done bowling, they immediately get cleaned with tack up before being put away. 1 a season the main balls I used gets detoxed and resurfaced.

[@AudunWangen]

That was my first thought as well. I'm just an amateur, but I've had my balls for years and years. I've only had one ball crack, and that was because I forgot it in the car in -20°C Norwegian weather. Off course reactive balls lose some of their action, but some deep cleaning and resurfacing, and it's almost as good as new. That is my experience, for what it's worth.

[@godwinsboom]

I had one over time start small cracks from the drilled holes.

[@42luke93]

are resin or urethene more durable?

[@christakamatsu9304]

If you search bowling ball production, the cover stock cures in less than one minute. This makes the cover stock SUPER BRITTLE! Your Pro Shop needs to bevel ALL HOLES! If your ball is older, but newer, I highly recommend that you take out the finger inserts and bevel if the edges are sharp. Check to see if the pin has separated. If so, the pin needs to be drilled out and plugged. I let the plug set for 2 days. Yes, I have run a pro shop for more than 30 years. Never drill within an inch of the pin, unless the ball has “DOT” technology. Instead, drill into the pin. I haven’t had a customer come back with a cracked ball since. Good Luck and Good Bowling!

[@travishanson166]

Each person's experience will vary tremendously. A dude came into the center, threw his hyroad pearl about 3 times and it cracked. The finger holes had almost no bevel. He was fumed, thought first it was the center's fault, after all he'd had the ball ten years and only had 3 games on it (although hadn't thrown it in as much time) . There was a melee carbon on the shelf of the pro shop. Perfect one day, cracked the next. It was a bad/contaminated pour. It happens. Warranty. I have a number of balls ranging in age from 50 years to 6 months. Maintenance is king. A few of them lived on the front lawn for a few years in the hot sun and snow. Cleaned them up, good as new. Clean the balls, knock off the lane shine regularly and occasionally full resurface. If the ball companies are not making an income, neither are pro shops, or bowlers for that matter who compete. A sport and a way of life for some comes to a halt. I'm about to sink a vice IT in an old fab hammer for a wood lane tournament this weekend. Bowling balls only die of they are killed by owners who do not know maintenance. The entire league in my hometown are guilty. We have no pro shop. They all have no clue how the game actually works or their balls need maintenance, yet want to blame the house because their game is poor. I'm considering opening a pro shop there. Plenty of youth talent there, but no one to build them up. Plenty of opportunities to put new balls in the hands of old bowlers and new bowlers alike. Teach them proper maintenance, and if a ball cracks then warranty it. If I sold them the ball, I'd replace it out of warranty. Modern balls will last just as vintage balls have. As far as urethane goes, if it is the difference between cashing and donating to the prize fund, I'll keep buying new urethane to cash. Urethane is incredibly durable. I'll have to read the PBA rule though, as last I knew, the national tour had the restrictions on urethane, that they couldn't be produced before August 2022. Regionals 2 years. The rule doesn't affect amateurs and league bowlers.

[@candycekadrlik9874]

For real I have great maintenence and I just keep it in a good maintenence condition

[@nightmaresnightly]

did you ever open that pro shop? I think that'd be awesome!

[@travishanson166]

@@nightmaresnightly not yet. I'm currently starting a construction business, then the pro shop will be a pet project. The center has no space for one, so I'll have to buy some dirt accross the street and build or get a suitable trailer to set up in front of the house on scheduled days/by appointment or setup shop in my garage 2 blocks away. Pro shop equipment isn't cheap, and this pro shop will be lucky to break even in 2 years, unless I can draw people from out of town. So it'll be a passion project.

[@jonathancaballeros3408]

Pro tip: Brunswick's warranty for most of their equipment is two years. Depending on your PSO, that can be extended a bit.

[@RinslerRR]

When I got my Rhino my pro shop said the warranty is 2 years but ironically one thing that voids the warranty is... bowling. lol. I guess they just sell them as art work. 🤣

[@jonathancaballeros3408]

​@@RinslerRRWow, at the pro shop I work at, we help those even if they didn't buy the ball with us, as long as we think there is a good shot at getting a warranty claim. Remember that the warranty runs through the ball manufacturer, not the pro shop.

[@traveling.down.the.road56]

@@RinslerRRYou must be joking??? Rhino doesn't really void their warranties due to bowling with their balls.

[@RinslerRR]

@@traveling.down.the.road56 Not joking. Read their warranty. It only covers manufacturer defects. It specifically says it does not include damage from pinsetters, gutters or ball return systems (ie, bowling).

[@bradmorgan3797]

I’ve been using a phaze II for 2 years. I detox it myself and it works just fine. I resurface it myself and it works just fine. It’s the best ball I have ever had and bowled a number of 300’s and 279’s with it. The only way I will replace it is if it cracks.

[@tgardner866]

How do you detox yours? I use a Revivor Oven

[@michaelfinley9988]

I have a phase II and I never matched up with this ball. This is one of the worst balls I’ve ever purchased. I tried many times to give it another shot as for many it’s a GOAT ball, but for me it’s a turd. I bought it as my benchmark ball but have since replaced it with a Primal Shock and a slight step down benchmark ball a Columbia Cuda Powercore…both awesome balls.

[@andrewdziuba3336]

​@@michaelfinley9988 I felt the same about the Haywire, everyone loved it but I couldn't keep it right of the headpin for the first few games, then it was decent for a month or two, maybe 20 games, and after that it was dead as a door nail. I bought a Hustle HYB afterwards and have 600+ games on it 🤷‍♂️

[@hieverybody7612]

​@@tgardner866be careful of the temperature you have that revivor set at. I believe 125 is a good safe temperature. Leave in the box 2 hours then let it sit for 2 hours then repeat process. A new ball never been used on lane will not bleed lane oil and be dry inside the revivor. Most companies say heat or cold is bad but I don't believe that. Happy bowling and big scores.

[@tgardner866]

@@hieverybody7612 The temp is 130. At that temp, oil becomes volatile while the other additive remains solvent

[@MichaelSmith-pn7im]

I am 46. Been bowling since I can remember. I as a small tike 2 yrs ild I carried plastic pins with me EVERYWHERE. I have watched over the years all the changes to the game. It all comes down to MONEY. These companies and the bowling industry has left the idea of creating a fun time to how many dollars can we ring out of this. For me it started with the switch from wood lanes to synthetic. Centers would save a ton by not having to sand every other year and re-urethane. That cost saving wasnt passed on to us it only increased the cost with having to buy new Tech balls because the synthetic lanes required more oil and 300 games went thru the roof. When I worked at bowling alleys it was a 3 srep process to dress lanes 1) lino-duster 2) stripper machine 3) oil machine. Now its done in one step and the backends dont really get stripped well anymore which causes pins to slide rather than fall and in some cases looking for a super aggressive ball then came auto score going to save a ton cuz now we dont need to buy score sheets no cost savings on to us. Nope prices went up ya know because of the “upgrade”. Which with hand scoring you had to pay attention to the game and you knew how to figure scores. Now not so much. Then more oil because the balls were burning up the lanes then more aggressive balls then more oil then came ball “maintenance then all the products for it all the while the cost keeps going up and the sport and challenge is stripped away. Now they pushing string machines!! Which in my opinion suck. Then they wonder why bowling is Dying! They themselves as an industry are killing it by taking the fun, sport, and challenge away. Just had a local center that was sold and the new owner put in string machines saying it would save thousands by not having to have a mechanic and HE RAISED PRICES. And after he was told that many of his league bowlers would leave he said HE DIDNT CARE now he cant understand why he has less bowlers and so many empty lanes. Hmmmm. Maybe because you said you didnt care and you raised prices by alot. Its not that bowling is dying its simply that ppl are being priced out of it. I had 2 storm bowling balls crack within 6 mos of purchase over $500 gone. Who wants to engage in this if you spend 250-300$ then another 30 in ball baking to remove oil and 25 for resurfacing along with 15-20$ on ball cleaners when in yrs past you wipe them off and put in bag or maybe throw in ball polisher for 2$ The cost has gotten ridiculous and the life span has gotten ridiculously short. Its not that ppl dont want to bowl on leagues or participate but its too dang expensive to get the equip ya need to compete to make it fun for them. Go back to FUN being the number one thing and the bowlers and money will come PEOPLE WANT A FUN TIME WITHOUT THE SENSE OF BEING RIPPED OFF Industry has gotten to dollar driven and greedy.

[@traveling.down.the.road56]

All corporations are only interested in profits, not quality products and services. Maybe it's time to re-evaluate corporate laws, taxes and exemptions, as well as corporate pay structures, that give huge salaries to executives, while starving the workers who do all the actual work. Corporations are a threat to the continued success of Capitalism.

[@mikedonzero2692]

You are absolutely correct.

[@captainricco2777]

😂😂😂🎉🎉🎉Glad someone else has discovered this horrible truth. Bowling is a scam🥳🤣😂🙃😸

[@captainricco2777]

You know, even though we agree that the industry is ripping us bowlers off massively, there is still an element of fun in it somewhere. I mean, I use Urethane Black Widdow 3.0 and am now shooting into 200 territory. Five baggers, then bad bowling. However I cannot use urethane in a sanctioned tournament. Also, the USBC "Championship" matches scam scam scam. I cannot explain it further. It destroys my ability to ignore the glaring scam signs and just keep wasting money bowling endlessly, trying to recapture the feeling I had when I scored my first 300 game🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@talex001]

I purchased some property in northern WI from an elderly woman who's husband passed away, he was an avid bowler and this was their vacation properly they loved. She had put his bowling ball (I believe purchased between the late 80s, sometime in the 90's) into a hole in large oak tree in their favorite spot and made me promise she could visit it every year - unfortunately she has since passed away but that ball is still there, it sits out in weather that ranges from -40 in the northern WI winters and up to 100 degrees on the hottest summer days, it can be very dry or very humid... hasn't cracked yet...

[@colinberger93]

Well if you pulled it out and bowled with it, it would crack for sure

[@billwarren3701]

A lot is how it is drilled, slowly with a sharp bit not fast with a dull bit. Extreme temperatures also cause cracking.

[@bluesfan4life_945]

I've used the same ball I've purchased "used" over 20 years ago. Stopped bowling in 2011 and just started bowling again a month ago . I love my Hammer Green Jade it still does what it's supposed to do.

[@nordattack]

I clean my resin balls after 'every use' and resurface them when they start to lane shine. I use heavy duty paper towels with 91% isopropyl and wipe the ball until no more dirt comes off on the paper towels. By doing this when you get home after EVERY use prevents any oil from staying in the ball and allows the ball to perform the same. 91% isopropyl is superior to any ball cleaner I have ever used and much cheaper. As a test I took one of my resin balls with at least 100 games on it to the pro shop for detox. Not a single drop of oil came out of the ball, my cleaning technique prevented oil retention. As to urethane balls? I have a Grey Rhino, Cobalt Rhino and Grizz, all 35-40 years old and they perform just as well today as they did the day they came out of the box.

[@kevinrussell5099]

Nordattack, you and I use exactly the same ball maintenance but I must be bowling somewhere that's using a lot more oil than where you bowl because by the time I have 100 games in, just the heat from my hand can draw oil out of the ball and in the heater there's a tremendous amount coming out. It's not just one particular ball but every one I've owned for the past 15 years, even my "semi urethane" UC-3 will bleed plenty after 50 games.

[@nordattack]

@@kevinrussell5099 Odd. No oil ever comes out of my balls. But again, I started with them brand new and never let oil get in them. Aggressive cleaning with 91% isopropyl once I get home after league. First pass with paper towels will turn them black with my hand print in them! I keep going until they stay white. I don't use a spinner for cleaning, I do it by hand rotating the ball on three sides, face up, on side, face down.

[@kevinrussell5099]

@@nordattack I don't even wait until I get home. As soon as the balls come off the rack they're getting cleaned with a GOOD (big difference between some microfibers) microfiber towel and 91% .

[@nordattack]

@@kevinrussell5099 I don't use towels, I find the paper towels are the trick to getting the oil and dirt out. They are way more absorbent and have a stronger surface grit than towels. Try heavy duty thick and firm paper towels. I think you will see the difference. I use the heavy duty Target brand make your own size towels. I fold it over in two and use the rough side for cleaning.

[@RysterARCEE]

Mine get cleaned immediately after league before going back in the bag for the night. Quality bowling ball cleaner and a microfiber towel. Easily takes all the lane oil, dirt, and belt marks off the ball. My newest ball is over 4 years old and works just fine. It gets new finger grips when needed, but other than regular cleaning no other maintenance. Balls will easily last for several years.

[@linkan731]

Great video. I agree. I have been playing for over 40 years also working at a bowling center in Sweden.

[@donnieacklen]

PBA regulations are no urethane balls can be used after they are two years old.

[@rickbartnick4563]

I have a crux that I’ve had for many many years and it still does great. Just have to maintain it.

[@ColemanMulkerin]

Meanwhile my brother-in-law bowls with a 20+ year old ebonite urethane ball and has just bowled another 300 game.

[@godwinsboom]

Nice. All my ebonite balls, resin and urethane eventually cracked. Only my Storm La Nina has survived the 20+ years of storage. Been thinking about bowling again.

[@Krranski]

Planned obsolescence is absolutely in play for nearly all markets these days, to guarantee regular profit, even if the products aren't meaningfully changed. Bowling is becoming increasingly affected by modern corporate business practice and the desire for short-term gains over any sense of sustainability. This can be seen most recently with Bowlero's dubious business practices, with their purchase of the PBA, and in bowling ball company consolidation. Maximum profit at any cost, even reputational damage, is now acceptable to many big businesses. In America, effective monopolization is nearly legal. It doesn't matter how bad Bowlero gets because they are the only game in town.

[@robertrogers7817]

Urethane last a long time

[@markhirsch1782]

​@robertrogers7817 you bet I have a blue fae ball bought in the 80s

[@solidtenpin]

I used to try to bleed oil out with the hot water bucket method, but it barely helped. I tossed one of my balls in the dishwasher, with the dry cycle off, and it came out like new. You could almost pick the ball up with one hand it was so tacky. I've done that since about every 90 games or so. I have a Storm Prodigy with hundreds of games on it that is like it was the day it was drilled. I do have a ball spinner, so I usually hit the ball with 500 grit to open the pores, run it through the dishwasher, then resurface back. Home water temps don't get over 130F, so no issues with damaging the ball as long as you turn off the dry cycle.

[@420vapezone]

i used to run my balls through the dishwasher every few months to make the surface reactive again, always worked great

[@jameskinchen2148]

@@420vapezoneWhy’d you stop?

[@420vapezone]

@@jameskinchen2148 i broke my foot and the injury made bowling painful. Plus I got married and it didn't seem appropriate to be at the bowling alley every night =D

[@Masebook]

Bowling balls are toys. This man really made a video complaining about people spending money on their toys. Maintain your equipment, hone your skills, spend your money how you like.

[@Kenny-pw8ul]

Most of my bowling balls are a decade old with the newest being a jackal ghost and a viz-a-ball spare ball. I never clean them (not even between shots) and they still hit just as hard as when I got them.

[@whattheheckman3004]

It’s amazing how I’ve seen so many bowling balls crack on the wall at pro shops, the Motiv Primal Shock has been a big culprit lately. Meanwhile I’ve kept my equipment in my trunk year round and I’ve only had two crack out of about 60 in my career.

[@squidly2112]

I never leave my bowling balls in my truck. Mine go into the truck just before I leave for the lanes and immediately when I return home, then go right back into the house. Mine are stored in their 3-ball roller cases in a hallway in our house, away from light and in room temperature (71F degrees) all the time. I resurface them back to box finish every couple/few weeks (depending upon how much play they have had. Most get 20-30 games of play before they get resurfaced again (on a ball spinner). I also have a special, what I call a "soft", detoxification process that I do when I resurface them to extract some of the oil from them. After 2yrs they are absolutely as perfect as the day they were manufactured. I also change out finger grips occasionally (about every 4-6 months). And I recondition the inside of my interchangeable thumbs at the same time I change out finger grips (ensuring they are clean with new tape, etc). I get comments from people in my leagues about how perfect my bowling balls always look. And they perform perfectly as well !!! .. if you keep this sort of regimen (granted it takes a little work) I believe these bowling balls will last perfectly for many years to come. Mine are never exposed to extreme heat or cold and they are kept out of sunlight and even away from indoor lighting as much as possible (lights will dry out the plasticizer over time). One could expect at least 5 years of perfect performance doing these things and probably much longer.

[@jamesturner44]

I was going to start bowling as a hobby but after watching this i think I'll save my money and find something else to do. Thanks

[@Aligntechngamer]

Don't let one person influence you. I bought my son a used ball at a yard sale had it filled and ridrilled to his hand. Its been over a year and he throws this sucker hard. I bought a ball new recently. He is just salty because he can't keep up with all the new balls that come out. Manufacturers bring ball in and out of production. If your looking to have it for a hobby. I will say I had my first ball drilled and sized to my hand and it has changed everything. I have learned to hook and shaped the desired shot to hit the pocket. Look into alternative opinions on the subject. I play disc golf as another hobby and I lose discs sometimes worth hundreds of dollars. Because there is a collector market some discs are worth that much. A new disc will range from 10 to 25 bucks. Live a little.

[@godwinsboom]

You don't need the special coatings to last but they are nice to have.

[@TheFizzster]

It seems like this guy doesn’t understand how maintenance works. All it takes is a little bit of maintenance after every session in your bowling equipment will last a very long time.

[@TheMcDalorianFett]

I've even had balls crack at the bridge while being well maintained and used. It's a shame. Only in Storm balls, though.

[@slydewayz84]

Ask runners how long a pair of shoes last🤷🏽‍♂️ It's all about number of games on the ball. But on tour it doesn't really matter when they have the privilege of drilling new equipment on the spot.

[@caseysmith544]

As a Runner I can say this depends on the model and how they are made, some older models of non trail shoes lasted and could be used for lighter trail running. Now road shoes very but the trail shoes it seems the models they gear to trail ultra running or extreme (the vertical guys who only care about "vert" on runs) mountain running will last a longer time then regular running shoes. Then the Super shoes be they road or trail racing do not seem to last long maybe 100--200 miles before they become mushy kind of like some of the road running shoes from 2014--2016 when the old style toe bumper was first removed on all brands non trail shoes the upper caused these shoes to only last about 200 miles max, the time period when nothing unless it was the single top of the line item in that category was lasting a longer time. Then some brands like the minimal brand Xero Shoes, most of the models other than the single model Speed Force/Speed Racer, due to the upper material with all other models saying they will last 2,000 miles or more depending on model, same with other minimal brand Vivobarefoot lasting a long time, a brand that has to beg its wears to do KZbin reviews on becuse most models 90% are piss ugly like they repell others who do not love the models not to mention they do not make minimal sandals or for other sports like a non marking court shoe like Xero shoe. Again some like Hoka due to being maximal shoes, they will last longer then 500 miles or get used for the sport of running longer then they should by some runners long after the midsole is starting to become either too soft and unsupportive or the shoe on bottom sole/midsole type sole is wearing out.

[@LOGICNREALITY]

the cracks are from the balls bounces out of the gutters and hitting the edges of the lanes, and the behind the pins, and ball returns. of course the gap between the fingers is a weak spot. . the people saying they had the same ball since the 70s, those arent reactive so the hook never was there. .. if it quits hooking, plug and redrill a hair off so it hits a new line.

[@rogerredford6242]

I use a Avalanche Slide and a Track Heat that I paid a combined $20 for at a local thrift shop. They serve me well, even though the Slide is 14 years old. It looked like it was used a few times and stored away. Then, I listened to the hype and bought two new balls, neither one of which work any better. If fact, the new Hammer Raw was a big disappointment partly due to improper drilling. The drilling and re-drilling is what puts you in the poor house. The jury is still out on that ball.

[@bingusbobby5012]

I have had probably 100 balls over the years and I have not had a single issue with cracking. Most of my balls are used that I buy from others and I plug the thumb. The oldest ball I still throw is the iq emerald and Astro physics and they still hook like new. I have never detoxed either. I also have a phaze2 that I got damaged plugged the thumb then had to sand the logos off and reingrave the serial number and that thing still reacts like new. I guess it’s just the bowler idk

[@jonesnat]

This must be a problem that only applies to modern urethane balls. But I don’t think it applies to old school bowling balls. I still have an old bowling ball that my father used. I think he bought it around 1962. In 2001, I bowled 278 with this old classic, and this included 10 strikes in a row at the end. The pins just seemed to explode! So I think some old balls might be ok after all…

[@fukRiaa]

Hard rubber balls will generally outlive their owners if allowed to.

[@ptythefool]

I know this is 9 months old, but I'll just say.. Ball cracking is pretty unfortunate. I think the chemical composition of the coverstock tends to have the biggest effect on whether it will crack. Aside from that, temperature fluctuations do tend to have an effect on cracking as well. (The Columbia 300 EPX T1 comes to mind). With regards to ball performance.. I'd say the one thing ball manufacturers do, that does contribute to bowling balls 'dying' faster is using a thin layer of coverstock (1/2 to 5/8th inch) before ball filler and the core. I've had some bowling balls that are only cover and core and they last much longer as there is more 'cover' for oil to absorb to. That being said any bowling ball will eventually become saturated with oil and no longer react correctly. Oil can be extracted via baking, but you never truly remove all the oil so 80-90% of performance is restored, but the ball becomes oil saturated again in 30-75 games. It ends up becoming a situation where you're like is it worth spending $30 every 2-3 months for rejuvenations, or just putting that money towards a new ball. For anyone who is curious about what ends up happening when your ball is 'dead'. The long and short of it is, a bowling ball coverstock is porous and absorbs oil to hook/grab the lane. Once the ball is saturated with oil, it just slides and has trouble getting traction even in the slightest of carrydown. Carrydown is the oil peoples bowling balls push down beyond the end of the oil pattern. Normally a ball that still has a lively coverstock will grab and hook through that. If your ball is dead, it will still hook on dry boards, but any signs of oil beyond the pattern will cause inconsistencies and delayed reactions.

[@Zach-bc7xi]

Detox your balls people. Get that oil out of the coverstock

[@angeloflourdes1235]

Simply let it sit out in your garage and let the oil out

[@skidhookroll]

Great topic. The cracking thing is what irks me the most. Bowling balls were durable for 80 years, then all of a sudden it became okay for them to crack when not being used. It's the opposite of logic. Ball should crack after too much use, not from not being used. I won't buy Storm reactive for this reason, they were the worst offenders IMHO. As far as a ball not being as effective after 300 games, I'm okay with that. By that time, something with better tech has likely be unveiled and will make me want it regardless of what I currently have.

[@subaction]

For the first 80 years they made automobiles, not a single one had the onboard computer fail. Different technology has different strengths and weaknesses and different failure modes.

[@DeadKoby]

Good thing I'm a mediocre bowler who's happy with my old gear.

[@godwinsboom]

Definitely the financially sound option.

[@calebblasingame2921]

I still use my dads hammer bowling ball from the late 90s that he used for many many years in league and that I now use in league. Old gear is just fine

[@vexedhulk9817]

I love Storm bowling balls. They react great for my style of bowling. The problem is that they do not last long. I've always kept them in room temperature in my bowling bag. I clean them after every use. Every single Storm bowling ball I''ve ever used has cracked within 2 years.I had a Rotogrip, which is owned by Storm, ball for many years until it wasn't reacting well anymore. When the Black widow Pink came out, I bought two. I think it's been 4 years now and they still work perfectly and neither of them have cracked.

[@mhub3576]

I've been using a Rhino Pro from the early 90s and it's still going strong. I've soaked it in hot water with Dawn dishwashing liquid, then hit it with 250 grit wet dry, and it's still knocking down the pins. I don't think it hooks as much as when new, but I was 21 years old when I got it, and I'm 52 now. So it could be my release is not nearly as violent and dynamic as it used to be. Especially after spraining my wrist 22 years ago when I really cranked on it one night trying to throw a wicked hook.

[@jlemko]

My Brunswick Black Diamond is still going great! 40 years later

[@ilove2wheels44]

Not gonna lie my Trend 2 died after 1 year. The shape and reaction was devastating.

[@scoutpack1518]

there is a reason that ball was discontinued lmfao

[@HLR199]

Yup

[@deonkirk7357]

I have $90 USD tropical storm surge, I've had it for 6 months with well over 350 games so far... Never been detoxed or resurfaced... It has lost some performance but it's barely noticeable... Balls cracking is due to maintainance or not smoothing out drilled holes... But a well taken care of ball will easily last 5 yrs

[@Mr_DylanSinan]

Well the tropical doesn't really have much hook to lose

[@buriediinside6956]

Modern Storm balls crack way too much.

[@yogibear6363]

New equipment has changed bowling into an unrecognizable sport. In 1988 the mid point average split (as determined by turkey night) was 153. In 2003 it was 186. The bowlers didn't get 33 pins betters. The equipment made the game 33 pins easier. (not only reactive balls, but a synthetic surface had been installed along with a programmable oiling machine).

[@nicholastrainssd75m45]

I purchased a IQ Tour Solid online and I only got about 20 games with it before it was cracked and was unusable, My pro shop guy was super kind and let me have one of his Motive balls because of what happened.

[@sonofnothing]

Motiv would replace that ball for you. Buy motiv. 65 people, made in Michigan, Merica.

[@nicholastrainssd75m45]

@@sonofnothing Thanks for the tip! I like storm but after what I went through with them it feels like Motiv cares about their customers being happy a bit more. My pro shop guy contacted a guy he knew from Storm and they never did anything they just left a kid with his broken ball while Motive came to the rescue and helped me get back on the lanes.

[@sm4r7sh4d3r]

Still got my first ball ive ever bought 10 years ago, the balls im playing at the moment are 1,5/2 years old and working fine. Cleaning after match/practice and store it on room temperature is key in my opinion. And if theyre getting cold, make sure to get em warm before using. Works for me at least :)

[@squidly2112]

I have found the same. I also resurface mine back to box finish every couple/few weeks. Mine are every bit just as good as brand new. I have seen absolutely no degradation with them.

[@Cody7Lee]

A lot of the problems are they don't clean them eveytime they use them and resurface the ball. I never had a ball crack on me enough where it breaks on me the closest thing is a small crack between my thinger holes on my bowling ball

[@emerald3331]

We now live in a disposable society. (It's been like that for some time) They want people to keep buy new bowling balls. It seems like they last about a year or two and they just don't react like they used to even after using surface on them. I've had a RotoGrip Cell crack after about 6 years of use and then it wasn't moved for over a year and was left in a bowling bag.

[@darrelmurphy4930]

Yes, some crack 5:09 . However, I have balls from 2016 still working just fine. Just need to refresh the surface from time to time. Amateur bowlers buy new balls because they like the "new" balls. As well as, they blame their balls for poor performance instead of their game. It is nice to have a shiny new ball.

[@matb3181]

It’s a long going debate. I’ve had guys leave balls in their trunk and never have issues. While people store them right and they crack. Guys using the same ball for year barely clean them. And still bowl well with them. So the arguments can go either way. From what I’ve seen. Motiv balls are the ones that crack just sitting on the shelf. Usually at the emblem. I’ve had some Motiv balls crack. And one hammer BW. That was sitting on a carpet for awhile. And I’ve owned many balls. I personally clean mine after every use. And store them in a good environment. I agree that there is a ploy to get people to buy more balls. It is a business after all. Just don’t get sucked into alll the hype of a new shiny ball. And use what you got. At the end of the day. We do what we feel is gonna best for us.

[@joypeak]

I have been bowling for about 4-5 years now. Even though i never hade a ball crack on me I do definetly see a big change in performance. I practice alot. About 4 times every week plus League most weekends. Even though I clean all the balls after every practice and have invetsed in a ballspinner and ultrasonic cleaner the performance just isnt the same after a year. Yes on houseshot most balls look Great but its on sport you notice the big difference.

[@scoutpack1518]

You only need to clean then after maybe 10-15 games on AMF machines, and 20-25 with brunswick. And resurface the bowling balls more often if you want to see more reaction back. and you need to cook the oil out, or detox, if you want it to be more than just clean.

[@joypeak]

@@scoutpack1518 I use ballcleaner after each practice. After 20 plus games i resurfice and "cook" the balls in hot water in the cleaner. I can see lots of oil seaping out but after doing this 2-3 times the balls weakens.

[@miiigoreng]

Take plastic balls for instance: Modern WD of mine has coverstock 3/8inch or so, chipping off pieces in less than a year. An Older Maxim with much thicker coverstock is still thrown, slammed & sat onto by trill seeking folks as a 'houseball'.. Yet no such issue has been seen. Senior players i knew, owned 1 ball & that's all they had. 10-20 years hardly a crack. Leads me to think- How a bowling alley sustains, if their assets crack & bust ever so frequent?

[@jackblack175]

Do you want a ball that performs well or one that lasts? This is you choice. You can make a bowling ball that lasts forever but it will not perform or score well. This sounds like a article from someone who knows nothing about bowling.

[@richardvacanti9428]

I have my ball baked at the pro shop once before every year and it seems to help a lot

[@ThenasDesing]

All the reason in the world with this feeling. And on top of that, you have to consider that the balls, for example in my case being from Spain, cost the same and even more than the original price of the brand. Currently my Katana has a cost of €280, which being comparative, would be like 1/4 of the average salary in the country, a ball that really does not do its job even close to its function every year if you do not repair it and reactivate it. I don't know what the solution will be but it is something noticeable that I have noticed in the last 5 years here, since I had others previously that have lasted many years before that point and these new ones seem that if you use them fairly badly a couple of times and the forces . like 150 games onwards the drop is huge.

[@corbinesterak7837]

The only balls ive had an issue with not lasting was storm products.

[@George-rj4fj]

Agreed. I have a Storm Pearl which was not used for a number of years that I kept under a bed in a spare bedroom where the temperature is constant. I took the ball out for use after a hiatus of 6 years and after a few nights in league, it cracked wide open starting from the edge of the finger holes and splitting along the center to reveal the white core of the ball. It came as a great surprise - amazed actually to me - the ball wasn't cheap in Australia as it cost around AUD$300 back then. I wasn't impressed the least. An old Ebonite Gyro II (rubber) of some 30 years still maintained its surface and shape though - great as a ball for sparing. When Covid came, I gave up bowling after and gave my "toys" away. Good memories though.

[@fukRiaa]

Seismic and 900 Global products from before 2015ish are about the worst I have seen cracking wise. Very thin pours. As far as balls dying reaction wise Ebonite balls poured in Kentucky were pretty infamous for becoming spare balls after 100 games or less.

[@tonysanta3497]

The biggest issue is not knowing how to maintain your coverstocks. Letting the pro shop guy drop your ball in the surface machine for 5-10 minutes will hurt the performance of your bowling ball. Maintain your surfaces every 20-30 games.

[@jazzscott4604]

Most the balls no all but 3 of my balls are used i have an idol cosmos that i bought used in really good condition im a highschool bowler and ive put probably 300+ games on it and it still rips. Ive noticed asym solids tend to die faster than pearls

[@brettrobbins2707]

Maintain your balls, i see 90% of league bowlers dont clean or even own a towel, you have to resurface your ball, you have to repolish your ball, you have to detox your ball. You have to clean after your session. There is a lot of maintanence to prolong the life of your bowling ball. If i did no maintenance on my ball it will only take 9 games to notice a huge difference in performance, just do a resurface or polish it back up

[@fukRiaa]

Best thing I have found to stop balls from cracking is to always store them in plastic ball bags. Still had a few that were plugged or already drilled crack but much less than any other method (own over 150). Own enough reactive balls and you will have some crack no matter what. Had balls crack from virtually every brand. Haven't seen a plastic or urethane ball crack in half yet but probably will eventually.

[@joeblow4215]

My motivation primal shock cracked in the box before I drilled it!

[@bkrh2365]

Consider the fact that oil patterns have also increased in volume recently. More oil means less hook. If your ball isn't moving you either need to adjust your position and mark, or you need to change to a stronger ball. The industry's always changing and older equipment won't always be able to keep up with the current conditions. Bowling is an everchanging sport of technology and innovation. It's not a scam.

[@ccastro306]

Totally unnecessary to buy balls every year or two…. sure resin balls can and will crack, but if a ball doesn’t crack it’s good for years and years. Clean it after every time you bowl, sweat out the oil every 30-40 games, and resurface once a season. Balls can last hundreds of games without losing any of their power.

[@kristopherdetar4346]

I have my father’s Brunswick 16 pounder from the 1950’s. God knows how many times it has traveled down the lanes in the last 60+ years. It looks good, no cracks, no chips.

[@jimmcclements5229]

I don’t understand the need to buy so many bowling balls. I owned an AMF Valor/P bowling ball and used it for 10 years rolling two perfect games with it.

[@davidswick8353]

I wish in League bowling, no ball changing per game, and no spare balls!

[@ducksauce1290]

Bake your ball bro. Thats how you get all the sopped up oil out. It's like new after you bake them.

[@howmit6361]

Pros go through a lot of balls because they bowl a lot of games. In two weeks they have bowled an average one league bowler's entire season. The rule changed because a urethane ball's durometer changes over time and with use. Plastic too, but to a smaller amount. They also banned the balance hole. So my old Rhino is now no longer legal. I have to say Lastly, clean your ball. I used to put my Green Rhino in the dishwasher, no soap, no heat dry cycle. Worked great. The only time I have seen a ball crack was when my cousin took his bowling ball that he stored in the trunk of his car straight from a wintery 0F into the 70F bowling alley. First throw it cracked in half when it hit the pins. Actually I did have a ball that cracked around the finger inserts. It was a Brunswick Mark X. The finger holes should have been farther apart. The pro shop filled the gap and redrilled the ball. Never happened again.

[@George-rj4fj]

I wonder if the use of cyanoacrylate ("super glue", "krazy glue") in fastening finger grips may have something to do with the cracking due to chemical reaction between the adhesive and the urethane material? Have there been cases of undrilled urethane/reactive balls cracking?

[@musicairplanes4884]

I have had balls crack and the manufacturer replaced every one of them. I just emailed them and sent them a photo with the serial#.

[@donaldcook6997]

you hit nail on the head...used a ball one winter season..3games a week..36 weeks.. did not bowl that summer..ball in bag in bedroon...took out to to dust of at start of winter season and was cracked all the way around..made by storm..will not buy another storm product.

[@RobViles300]

Nothing like fresh covers. No maintenance routine can make a ball have the same reaction after 50-75 games as when it’s new

[@JoeBrrFan]

So balls do crack. It happens. Storage is a big reason. Not the only reason for sure, but the biggest reason. However your point about losing reaction is spot on, where you miss the mark though, is that something can be done about it. Detox. Yes there is actually a machine that can detox your ball. It pulls all the oil right out of it. If your pro shop doesn't have one, find a new pro shop. Your ball should be detoxed every 30 games or so. ie: Ten weeks of legue play. It normally costs around 30 dollars to do it. Better to spend 30 bucks every three months than 300 bucks every three months. Kind of like getting your cars oil changed. Do your maintenence and protect your investment. Great vid as usual.

[@screengrid6753]

I am an amateur bowler.I bowl the ABT. I bowl on many different patterns, most are pure sport. One thing is, you better have the right ball in your hands or you are not going to score. I have bought many bowling balls over the years. I have been bowling for at least 25 years or more. I probably have had more than 15 bowling balls crack on me to the point where they are ready to split apart. These were all resin balls. Never had a urethane bowling ball crack. It was not particular to any manufacturer. If one of my balls cracked, I was usually out 200 dollars or more. I have had ones crack in a few weeks after purchase. I really think it's the driller. I think they were using dull blades. Needless to say, I'm not with that driller anymore. I have had some balls that never cracked. All of them were Faball. I still have them. They still work. What does that tell you?

[@screengrid6753]

You are lucky because mine cracked on me.

[@DrJAFox]

Compare the cost to golf?. $55 for a dozen golf balls. If you play a couple rounds a week and you go through $$$ of balls. They do not last long. It is the cost of playing a sport.

[@chrish7336]

Time to save money and go back to Candelpin Bowling. Yes its different, but ball coating isn't important, it's about ball speed and accuracy. Not to mention less work required by the pin setter and oiled/dry lanes are not a big deal.

[@j23p24]

my best ball in my bag is a 20 year old xfactor. the bridge cracked a few years back and the pro shop was able to fix it. however they were known to crack but mine hasn't yet. i do have many that have cracked over the last few years usually after the time when the manufacturers will not warranty them. i have friends that have never had to pay for a bowling ball in their life that don't understand the concept of having to spend $1k a year on bowling balls if u want to buy 4 or 5 new balls every year.

[@GilBatesLovesyou]

I'm a noob and just got my first plastic ball a couple weeks ago. The best I've done is a 196 throwing straight with ironically a house ball, no hook, and usually average 130-140. One thing I think about is the hooking aspect of bowling, if it's even really required? The hook aspect is what requires the most money to throw at balls, if things went back to the 60s, the ball companies would sort of go out of business relative to now. I think where you think of bowling in the market, it makes sense, there's less people bowling now, less lanes/bowling alleys, so the only potential revenue stream is trying to hook diehards into buying dozens of balls with the promise of being able to exploit a certain technique that might not even ultimately get them that many points anyway. What makes me say this and made me think of things from a marketing aspect was learning about the Taiwanese "spinner" technique. This technique uses light plastic balls (10-13lbs) and doesn't rely on hook and lane conditions. It's a very anti-consumerism technique in that way. I think maybe it would be a stretch to say hooking is wrong of a technique, but my personal idea is the consumerism follows the promises in being able to exploit that technique. Whereas I think it's very possible for a straight bowler to get into at least the 200 or so range reliably with practice and spend a hundred bucks every 5-10 years, and not just rely on having a dozen balls they switch around, rather than thinking of their own fitness, psychology, technique, etc, like any other sport. In bowling the answer seems to be just spending more and more money on equipment to solve problems.

[@gwencrawford737]

1.) Hooking isn't 100% necessary to scoring well. 2.) Hooking HELPS, if you can control it. 3.) If your ball, hits the rack of pins at board 17 1/2 (counting from right to left, if you're a right-hander), your chances of a strike go up dramatically, no matter how you throw it. If you don't really hook the ball a lot... your 'miss room' , or how much you can miss hitting your perfect line of travel from foul line to rack impact and still strike, gets WAY smaller... so you MUST be accurate in every aspect of your shot. If you hook a little more... you get MORE miss room to play with, which gives you a better chance to strike more consistently. Human beings are never going to be perfect... this is why a majority of bowlers like to put a little hook in their shots. Some bowlers find that MORE hook, helps them. But I can well assure you... I've crushed big hooking bowlers, with my plastic spare ball, throwing it dead straight over the 2nd arrow to hit the pocket at board 17 1/2. So it CAN be done. But it's very hard to do that, game after game, day after day, week after week, and to be consistently scoring high.

[@jovanlouis4791]

I’m very technical & count the number of games I have on each ball I own. I’ve thrown everything but motiv (which I will eventually). Storm ball’s definitely have a death date around 250 games. With my radical I’m at 575 games & doesnt show signs of quitting. I take the oil out my balls every 20-30 games.

[@patrickbercini2718]

I throw a Storm Proton Physix, I soak it in hot tap water once a week (about 10 games) I can see the oil from the ball on the surface of the water....do you think that hurts the ball?

[@cliffkemp-y7x]

I have a quake from 2001, I believe, bowled thousands of games with it and bowled with it last month. Ball is more than 20 years old. Used to average 215+ with it. Stopped league bowling in 2012 but still bowled up to this day. My ninja split but, my uranium and dirty bomb is just fine. Still average over 210+ with my dirty bomb ball. Been bowling for over 40 years.

[@clutchitup8565]

Do they recycle bowling balls or do they all go to the landfill

[@hughkingsley8631]

I'm still using AMF bowling balls to this day. Your bowling balls will last if you just maintain them. My stuff hooks just as much if not more than today's stuff.

[@kennedy98796]

still using my 13yr old storm nano virtual gravity and still happy

[@mtrithart]

No amount of maintenance is going to prevent a bowling ball's decline in performance. It might delay it a little, but eventually a new ball is required. Obviously, the manufacturers and Ball Shops have no problem with this.

[@cameronmorgan0203]

Yep that’s what I go through the most vs a lot of bowlers I know. I rotate, often bowl with and everything else the right way I need to. It’s about making money like cars and other things. It’s the new filler material that today’s reactive resin balls have which causes balls to crack faster than the old reactive ones along with urethane, rubber and plastic ones

[@RickStaight]

I had both of my reactive balls crack this fall. When I was talking to my pro shop about it they said they have had balls crack on the shelf. I remember when I carried a Roto Star X2 finger tip and a Roto Star X2 conventional drill for my spares. The only reason I changed was because of age. I can no longer throw a sixteen pound ball for 3 games. My present arsenal is all fourteen pounds. Purple Hammer, Smoke Axe, and an Ebonite Maxim. I am looking at a Black Hammer to add so I have something between the Axe and Purple Hammer. That's garbage, I miss days where all I really needed was a rubber ball.

[@nathanratke1464]

Man you wanna talk about an actual scam new hockey sticks are 350 dollars and If they are custom can get up to 500 and they are all designed to break around 100 days after first use and at the higher level of play the quicker it will break spending 200 on my bowling ball and also working at a bowling alley so I get access to the pro shop means I should be able to keep my ball for a while compared to some of my sticks I’ve had

[@christophermiller1394]

Where was it poured? Also, where can you get a ball for a “couple hundred” after drilling? More like 350-450. Maintain your cover stock. SMH.

[@nacogdochesaarons6608]

I have some bowling balls and they have never cracked I had them for over 2 to three years and they never cracked

[@JPGamingMO]

It's funny that you are talking about this. I have 4 older, much older, bowling balls that have been sitting outside my house for several years now. Not a single one has cracked yet.

[@aydengianes2515]

The old skool plastic balls don't crack easily

[@JPGamingMO]

@@aydengianes2515 they are not plastic bowling balls.

[@aydengianes2515]

@@JPGamingMO urethane don't crack either most of those old balls don't crack easily even the reactive they still will eventually crack mabey it depends where your at and living

[@Henshatching]

Mine was a completely neutral environment and I woke up one morning looked at my display and it was cracked like that. Kinda weird brand new Belmont ball. Love it but don’t think I’ll get another

[@RogaBigCalves]

Had my first ball crack this year. It was a used ball that I had just cleaned to get reaction back so it could be the age or maybe the rate of heat change around cleaning.

[@ZombieObsidian]

All my 8 bowling balls are from pre 2004 and all perform just as they did. As for your comments about phone batteries. It isnt a conspiracy we just havent made a lipo battery that never see's any drop off in performance.

[@batl_born702]

They urethane rule only applies to the NATIONAL TOUR.

[@poolshar]

i have a complete chaos that is almost 25yrs old and it still works and other than the fingertips that are worn the ball still works

[@stevenm6301]

Dude, things are programmed to break these days. Nothing lasts for shit. Cars, electronics, appliances...

[@TrashBulldogProductions]

I still carry a 10 year old Brunswick Ringer with me always because many times I'll be in the position where my modern equipment just reacts way too aggressively. It has seen over 1000 games by now and as long as I keep detoxing it regularly it retains that signature snap I really love. Maybe it's just luck, good maintenance practices, or both but no balls have ever cracked on me. Additionally, my newest ball (Brunswick Quantum Evo Solid) is everything but an oil sponge. Now keep in mind this is a heavy oil asymmetrical solid piece, it has about 70ish games now, and still packs a punch. I tried detoxing it and no oil came out of it at all even though I ran it through 3 cycles in the NuBall. Also this will be a very unpopular or divisive but there is a specific manufacturer out there whose products are known to crack at a higher rate compared to products from other brands. I say this because I had a ball from this brand crack on me before, and that was enough for me to never use this brand ever again. While all brands have been shown to crack, I think if people chose the brand less likely to crack, maybe they could save some money?

[@colinmccann221]

By any chance would that be storm. I've only had their equipment do that.

[@TrashBulldogProductions]

@@colinmccann221 Shhhhhh! You'll anger the mob!

[@The_pipeliner]

I’ve had the original black widow 1.0 since 2007 and it’s only been detoxed once. It’s my go to ball for every oil pattern and none of my other balls play like that one. I have everything from Pearl to hybrid and yet I still use the original black widow 80% of the time.

[@Davadisk]

Just got a new infinite physix. The pba champion that I work with told me that it will last 100 games before its not strong enough.

[@canuck_gamer3359]

I worked in and then operated a pro shop in a 74 lane house and had over 20 years experience. In all those years only TWICE did I drill a bowling ball that did seem to die out on me and only two other times did I experience a bridge crack and core separation. If you do your homework and learn how to best care for the ball and keep the shell clean and with the appropriate amount of surface friction, there is no reason why you can't use a ball for years, especially urethane. I knew guys who used the old Blue Hammer ball for so long that they turned green and that is no joke. It's been the same marketing for years, they come out with a new ball every few weeks and make it sound as though there has been an advance of some kind, when there really hasn't been and won't be unless or until the rules change for some reason. It's very much like golf, if you do your homework and get the equipment that best matches your game and you take care of your gear, keep it clean and change the grips as often as needed and that stuff will work just fine for years. Save yourself some money or invest some of what you might waste on new equipment on practice!

[@muhammadamsyarbinzabarabuy5917]

There is thing we call maintenance mate, when we buy something and if we want that product to last obviously we have to maintain it. Thats how the products that we buy can last for a very long time

[@Ftybr57]

I had a very difficult time trying to figure out what your point really is

[@fracturedraptor7846]

I recently had to get my Venom Shock resurfaced because it stopped hooking. It lasted me about six years and so far the resurfacing is working. It doesn't behave quite like it used to but it's hooking again and that's what matters for me.

[@kotogray8335]

Personally, the problem I see with ball manufacturers and bowlers is that they come out with new balls all the time promising better results and a lot of bowlers think they HAVE to have the newest and best thing. I have found that there is very little difference in any new ball, especially compared to all the balls that have come out in the past few years. There are categories of ball types that go from less to more strength, but about the only things that really change are the colors and the names, and even some of the names stay the same while the cover or weight block changes. But they gotta make money and you can't do that very well if you only need to buy one bowling ball for the rest of your life...