Storm Optimus Bowling Ball

COVERSTOCK: R2X™ Pearl Reactive WEIGHT BLOCK: Tri-Sphere™ Core LIGHT WEIGHT BLOCK: Modified Centripetal™ Core FACTORY FINISH: 1500-grit Polished BALL COLOR: Red/White/Blue DUROMETER: 74-76 Rex D-scale FLARE POTENTIAL: 5” - 6” (High) FRAGRANCE: Berries N Cream WEIGHTS: 12-16 lbs. SKU: TUT My layout: 4 x 4 5/8 x 2 1/4 My PAP: 4 1/2 over 1 1/4 up The Optimus is a pearl ball from Storm. I have both a pin up and a pin down Optimus that roll very well for me. I found like most pearl balls the Optimus has no problem guiding through the fronts. The big difference is the Optimus reads the mid lane better than most pearls without sacrificing the sharp backend reaction. This late power gives the pins little chance when the Optimus comes charging in. Even though the Optimus rolls very well for it isn’t my go to ball, and it isn’t the first ball out of my bag. The Optimus’s role in my bag is the first step down when my solid is starting to burn up. The fact that is reads the mid lane so well, makes it a good choice for me when I need more length, but still need a strong bowling ball. I am going to rate the ball an 8, not based on my opinion alone, but watching others throw it, and open up the lane. Even though the ball is now 4 months old now I still see plenty of them being used in my travels. That is usually a sign of a very good ball! In short I think the Optimus earns the right for many tournament bags even though it may not be the first ball out of the bag especially now that the Crux has hit the market.

Ball: Storm Optimus PAP: 5 5/16”x1/4” up Ball Speed: 17 mph Rev Rate: 425 Right Handed Layout: 30x5x70 Surface Preparation: OOB The Optimus is Storm’s latest pearl release in the Master Line and showcases a brand new core, the Tri-Sphere. My thought when drilling this ball up, 30x5x70, was to give myself a transition piece to really carry on once my duller balls stopped making the corner, I needed this ball to come off the spot with enough momentum to carry those pesky corner pin. And I hit a home run, with my bit of extra rev I often get balls that come off the spot too hard, by mellowing the Optimus out just a bit, I've still got plenty of controllable backend to play with. Once the Optimus clears the head I know it's making that move toward the pocket. Samuel "Richard" Benifield BowlersMart Buford Storm Pro-Shop Staff Member

Hand: Right Rev Rate: Medium/High The Storm Optimus... Another home run of a ball from Storm products. A symmetrical masterpiece in the Storm Master Line of equipment, with similar price points as for example the IQ Tour and Marvel Pearl. With the R2X pearl cover and Tri-Sphere Core, this combination is the perfect marriage for ideal mid lane, yet super clean and continuous ball reaction. This combination of cover and core allows more versatility than the traditional bowling ball. This ball can be thrown straight out of the box, comes with 1500 grit polished finish, with a beautiful color scheme of red, white, and blue swirl. This ball became an immediate favorite of mine, within the first week shooting 300, and multiple 300 games within a few weeks. This is a great first ball out of the bag for almost any lane condition I bowl on, and because of its versatility, can be used for most of the night on most league nights. There is no doubt that this ball will be in my bag for a long time to come, a must have for any player of any style. Get yours and see what Storm Nation is craving over, one of those gotta have balls from Storm Products. Michael Herring Staff Player South Region

Ball review of the Storm Optimus World Wide Release Date: July 1, 2014 Scent: Berries 'n Cream Surface: 1500 polished (out of box) Bowler info: Michelle Crews (female) PAP: 5" right and 1 1/2" up Ball Speed: 16 mph Rev Rate: 250 rpm Axis Tilt: 15 Axis Rotation: 50 Ball info Layout: pin above bridge and cg stack right beneath it in the center of the palm Pattern: Various I must say that this ball is a home run! Not just a home run but a grand slam. Not only because of the catchy name, but because of the way the core and coverstock compliment each other all around. Being a female with higher ball speed and not a ton of hand, where I struggle with lane play is that when a pattern forces me left I don't always have enough hand for my equipment to make the corner. However, with this ball I can just slow down and let the ball do the work for me and strike all day. We decided to drill this ball neutral (pin above my bridge, CG stack in the middle of the palm), so that we could let the natural characteristics of the ball to take over. I loved it out of box, but I loved it even more when I got on sport patterns and put 2000 on the cover. The Tri-Sphere core just revs up in the midlane and then has continuous motion off the breakpoint. I'm expecting to see some big numbers this season from the Optimus. This is a must have for everyone this year! Science fiction is becoming science fact! #stormbowling #optimus #smellsgoodtoo #thebowlerscompany Michelle Crews Storm Amateur Staff Boom Apparel Staff McCorvey's Bowling World Staff NCAA Bowling Head Coach

The Storm Optimus is the new ball in the Master Line. Optimus uses the Tri-Sphere™ Core with the successful Pearlized R2X™ coverstock. This is great combination with core and cover. It has similar ball motion to the Marvel pearl, but with a stronger midlane and continues a little more. I drilled mine 4 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/4 or 50 x 4 1/2 x 35. With this drilling it gives me descent length with a strong continuous arc motion on backend. I have used it on sport and house conditions with good success. I think the Optimus is going to be one those balls that fits everyone's game and style. The carry has been outstanding with this ball. The Optimus is not flippy on the back even with the pearl cover, it has a strong continuous motion. Very readable and predictable ball motion. Brian Watson Pro Shop Staff PAP 4 up 1 1/4 Rev Rate - 400 Axis tilt - 15 Speed - 16-17

If you are a fan of the Marvel Pearl this is a great one to put in the bag. This ball gives you the clean skid through the fronts and tons of hook in the back. Just one good all around pearl that gets to see some use at almost every night of league and most tournaments for myself. It picks up and comes off the pattern a little earlier than most of the pearls in the past for me. This works out well in my case having a lower rev rate, a slightly earlier pearl gives me less half pocket hits and ten pin leaves. If you prefer a strong later reaction this cover reacts great to polish and can also offer you that look. Overall this is a great stronger pearl that offers versatility in cover changes Layout:50x4-1/4x75 Ball Speed 16mph Rev Rate:250-300

Storm Optimus Ball Review by PJ Haggerty All good things must come to an end, right? Not true. The Marvel Pearl has had a tremendous run. It’s been a ball that goes with me everywhere. The new Storm Optimus is a very close replacement to the Marvel Pearl. Looking at the numbers, core, and cover, it won’t be exact. But this will be a very versatile ball for all types of players. My initial feeling on the Optimus is a quicker response time than the Marvel Pearl. The layout I went with is one of my favorites. The pin is approximately 5 ¾ x 4 ½ with a small hole two inches below my axis. I also knocked the shine off a bit with a used 2000 pad. This slowed the response time down and created a smoother, more predictable motion. For high rev players, I think they will find more success taking the shine off and for the lower rev players, they should be able to leave it shiny and they will appreciate a faster response time. Comparing the Optimus to the Marvel Pearl, I think they are close. I feel like Optimus reads the mid-lane a touch harder and continues a bit more, but when we have to say goodbye to the MP, the Optimus will be the next best bet. I will use this piece on all types of conditions and it will go with me everywhere. I can see using it on longer patterns because the cover/core combination is very strong. It will also come in play on shorter patterns because the core will help slow down energy off of the friction. If you are missing that benchmark/go to/most reliable reaction ball in your bag, the Optimus is the one for you. Go drill one!!! #StormNation

The Optimus is the Low RG/High Diff pearl I was looking for. For me the Marvel Pearl, and all the Marvel series balls, seemed to hit the friction really hard which caused a lot of over under on a majority of patterns. The new Tri-Sphere core solves that issue. There’s still a strong mid lane reaction combined with a strong backend, but the transition is much more consistent. The Optimus is slightly earlier than the Marvel pearl, making it overall more aggressive. I drilled mine to be clean through the fronts and generate angle. That puts the pin above my bridge and fingers and the CG stacked. The Optimus gets clean through the heads and starts to pick up a very heavy roll. I think I’ll like this ball best on a little more volume, but overall the Optimus is a must have from Storm.

Ball: Storm Optimus PAP: 5”x1” up Ball Speed: 17.5 mph Rev Rate: 325 Right Handed Layout: 4.5x4.5x4 Surface Preparation: 1500 Polish The Optimus is Storm’s latest pearl release in the Master Line and showcases a brand new core, the Tri-Sphere, which is the first new core in the Master Line since the Centripedal Core was brought on in the release of the Marvel. My thought when drilling this ball up, 4.5x4.5x4, was to give myself a replacement for the Marvel Pearl in my bag, and give me something with similar length but a little more change of direction down lane in comparison. With the Optimus that is exactly what I got. The ball easily clears the heads but once it experiences friction it makes a very quick and deliberate move towards the pocket, something I felt the Marvel Pearl didn’t do straight out of the box. I compared my Optimus in my video review, which you can find on my YouTube Channel sk8sbowlingreviews, to the Punch Out and also the Fusion. The reason I chose those two is that in most cases those will be my ball change options from the Optimus during competition. The Fusion gives me a very slightly stronger overall movement but is definitely changing directions earlier and more smoothly. The Punch Out is a very similar shape to the Optimus with a much weaker core and cover combination so it is a great step down when the Optimus starts over-reacting later in a squad. Michael Bauer Sk8sbowlingreviews Storm Amateur Staff Member

The Optimus is the latest ball in the Master line of Storm products. The Optimus has the R2X pearl cover wrapped around a new weight block called Tri-Sphere. The unusual shape of this core has an Rg of 2.48 and a differential of 0.048 in 15lb balls. The Optimus is red, white and blue, and smells like berries and cream. I drilled my Optimus 5x5x2. This is the same layout that I have on the comp ball, the Marvel pearl. The Optimus reads the front of the lane almost identically to the Marvel pearl. The middle of the lane is where you start seeing a difference between the two balls. The Optimus rolls about one to two feet longer than the Marvel pearl, and has a more defined change of direction on the backend. The overall board coverage of the Optimus and the Marvel pearl is about the same, but the later move and stronger change of direction from the Optimus, helps this ball have a steeper entry angle into the pocket. The difference of the Optimus and the Marvel pearl is slight on house conditions, but really shows through on flatter sport patterns. The more defined shape is better for me when I bowl on tougher patterns, because I can go straighter to my hook spot with the Optimus, compared to the Marvel pearl. Because of my softer ball speed, I have to give the Marvel pearl a little more head belly, thus throwing it away from the pattern, and this can sometimes get me in trouble when I really want to keep my angles in front of me as much as possible, on flatter patterns. As successful as the Marvel pearl has been so far, I feel the Optimus has potential to be even better. The Optimus will be a fit for most styles of bowlers, who would be looking for a ball for medium to medium heavy lane conditions, and some heavy oil patterns. To be more specific, speed dominate players would be able to use the Optimus on medium conditions and some medium heavy conditions with the addition of a little surface to the cover. High rev players will like the Optimus on medium heavy conditions, as well as have good success on heavier oiled lanes with the addition of a little surface to the cover. If you see only dry lane conditions, I would suggest trying a different ball other than the Optimus. The Optimus is a great addition to the already stellar line up that Storm has to offer. As technology evolves with everything, the Optimus is the evolution of a strong pearl bowling ball. See your local VIP pro shop today and optimize your striking potential with the new Storm Optimus.

Layout : 55x5.75.55 Rev Rate : 450-500 Ball Speed : 17-18 I will start out by saying that I absolutely love low RG pearls. More times than not I typically don't use pearls all that often because of my rev rate being high I just don't like to see my ball do tricks off the end of the pattern but I fell in love with the Marvel Pearl once I got the chance to drill one and it was a ball that I used quite a bit. Now with the release of the Optimus and it being a low RG pearl I was super excited to drill one and it did not disappoint . I find the Optimus about 3-4 boards stronger overall than my Marvel Pearl and the Optimus is a touch earlier which I really like. I don't feel like the Optimus will miss the middle of the lane like my Marvel Pearl did when I got a little too fast with my ball speed. Not only does the Optimus roll great it is also a beautiful ball with a lot of shelf appeal which is great for Pro Shop operators . I see this ball being a great ball for all levels from our top pros to your average league bowler.

I drilled the Optimus, with a 4.5" pin and a 2 1/4" pin buffer (Pin above ring finger). The Dual Angle numbers on this layout are 45° x 4 1/2 x 35° with a P2 weight hole, which is slightly under my PAP. It took me a few games (and a few tournaments) to really figure out the strengths and weaknesses of this ball. I have thrown my Optimus on a few 3:1 ratio sport patterns as well as several different modified house patterns. From the beginning I was impressed with how clean the R2X pearl cover was. It is noticeably cleaner than the IQ Tour Fusion (R2S Hybrid cover), but never got “sideways” the way I expect pearl balls to roll for me. The new Tri-Sphere core truly makes the Optimus a unique rolling pearl ball that was missing in my arsenal. It makes a strong, almost arcing, move down lane, but doesn’t overreact off the dry. The best way for me to describe it is that it rolls like a strong even motion ball (I.E. Zero Gravity), but it doesn’t pick up the front part of the lanes nearly as quick. This ball has earned a spot in my bag for every tournament and league night! The Optimus is a great fit if you love the Zero Gravity, but need a ball doesn’t read the lanes as quickly. I also see this ball being great for high rev players that want a stronger ball that will “clear the front,” and won't overreact on the backend.

Hand: Left Ball Speed: 16-17mph Ball Weight: 15lbs PAP: 5 left 7/16 up Degrees of Tilt: 17 Layout: 3 ¾ x 5 7/8 x 2 ½ The Optimus not only has a cool color scheme but has the best name out there (me being a huge transformers fan). The Optimus is pin to the left side of the ring finger and cg out with no hole. The optimus is the newer version of the Marvel pearl with a whole new completely different weight block that looks asymmetrical but it is symmetric and with an oldie but a goody R2X cover stock you can't go wrong. With the out of box finish of 1500 polished I get great length with a hard back end that I did not expect like a lot of the other balls like it in the master line. I did not have a Marvel pearl to compare with it currently but from what I remember with the Marvel pearl the Optimus is stronger and I believe I would have to stand further right because of that. Also with the IQ tour pearl I did not have one to compare but from when I had one the Optimus is way stronger by at least 4 boards in my eyes. With the Optimus being strong on the back end I used a 3000 pad to knock off the shine and tame the back end down just a little bit and it did the trick. I can stand a little more left when I need to but still stand right also and can play the inside where the oil which makes it even more versatile. I have started liking more of the smoother reactions but I am also not a fan of not changing a balls personality completely because what ever the ball is meant to be for or do that is what it should be for. But with the Optimus I still get the back end as if it was polished it is just a little calmer. On a house shot I have a long and controllable reaction standing around 20 to 23 and once the shot dries up I can actually move left to about 15 or so and can go up the boards where there is more oil and not give the pocket up too much or standing too far right and swinging and potentially leaving corners or wash outs. On sport patterns the best reaction I have seen was on like PBA Bear or patterns around 40 ft or less. With my speed I can get away with it compared to anything longer than 40 ft the ball tends to slide too long and cannot recover. If you have a marvel pearl and need something a little stronger to fill that gap or for people who even have the IQ tour pearl and need that extra recovery on more oil the Optimus will be a great choice If you have any questions about the Optimus email me at garrett.richardson@pinolebowlerssupply.com Garrett Richardson Storm/Roto Grip Pro Shop Staff Vise Inserts Amateur Staff Pinole Bowler’s Supply www.facebook.com/grstorm www.facebook.com/pinolebowlerssupply www.stormbowling.com www.rotogrip.com www.viseinserts.com

Storm Optimus PAP-5 over and ½ up Ball Speed: 15-17mph Rev Rate: 300-500 Right Handed Layout: 4 1/4 from PAP Surface Preparation: OTB Bowling Hand Right Handed Experience Advanced (I have bowled in a league and PBA) League Average 220 Ball Speed Medium Style Cranker What I wanted from this ball: I wanted a pearl to replace my Marvel Pearl but be stronger off the break point Result: Exactly what I expected from this ball. A pearl that clears the front part of the lane well and responds great off the breakpoint. Compared to the Marvel Pearl, I was able to stand much farther left and send the Optimus farther right. I did find out that this ball seems to store its energy very well and gives me a very predictable snap off of the break point. I tested this ball on the house pattern that we use at SuperBowl, the new center located in Metropolis Illinois where my pro shop is also located. Our shot is a modified top hat with heavy midlane oil and a graduated decrease towards the gutter. 41ft from 10-10 boards. The first set of games on a freshly oiled pair, I quickly found out that I could play around 15 and send the Optimus to the one board with a guarantee of recovery with a strong backend reaction. I had a really awesome carry as well and a very predictable midlane reaction without having any over-skid at all. I eventually moved deeper and deeper and even tightened up my line a bit over the next several games. I found that I got the same reaction as long as I stayed in the heavier portion of the lane and sent it to the dry. After several games, I did get a slight roll-out which I expected. To sum this ball up, I am very pleased with it! It does exactly what I expected and honestly a bit more. The Tri-Sphere core really made this ball one mean piece of equipment. This ball will be a definate choice to have with me at all times for heavier oil shots. Pro Shop Reaction: Fantastic!!!! The look of the ball is awesome as well. My customers couldnt wait to throw this and know they are exicited to be able too. No disappointed bowlers so far. I have drilled up most of them strong and no complaints! Recommendations: I would definitely recommend this ball for heavier oil pattern or for someone with a lower rev rate to get good backend reaction. Storm/Roto Grip Staff Sean Baker Bowl Like a Pro Shop 1107 E. 8th Street Metropolis, Illinois 62960

The Storm Optimus was released in July 2014 and has generated a lot of static because of the name and the eye catching colors and motion. The Optimus is super clean through the front with a drastic motion on the backend. The R2X Pearl Reactive Shell provides the length and the Tri-Sphere Core generates the strength and the combination of the two provides a different motion that was missing in the Master Line. The layout that I used for the Optimus is a favorite of mine pin below fingers with the cg down and kicked out with an x-hole on my VAL or 55 X 5 ½ X 75. My coordinates are as follows: PAP is 5 5/8 over and ¾ up, Rev Rate around 300, Ball Speed is around 15mph, more up the back of the ball release and I am right handed. I used the Optimus on various patterns and tested it against a Fusion, Just because I do not have a Marvel Pearl. The first thing that I noticed was how clean the Optimus was through the heads, easily a couple feet longer than the Fusion. That is either a benefit or an issue. On the longer patterns (42ft and 44ft), the Optimus wanted to push way too much early and if I squared up it jumped at the break point compared to the Fusion. However, when the carry down occurred and a dry spot was generated the Optimus made the pattern look easy. The medium patterns (38ft to 40ft), the Optimus was pretty good from start to finish. The backend motion was a touch strong with the box finish/polish so a hit the cover with a 2000 pad and smoothed the reaction out enough. The Optimus’ backend motion is stronger than the fusion but being a straighter player that might not always be good. T times, I had some wet dry problems. Finally on the shorter patterns (33ft and 35ft), both balls were just too much at the break point and I had to open up my angles a lot. However, The Optimus was in play as soon as I was able to move left and throw it right. The recovery of the Optimus was scary good and motion through the pins was fantastic! If you are looking for that strong ball that gets down the lane and turns over this is your ball.

Optimus is a great ball for a variety of conditions and volumes of oil. Just refer to the storm Vector Layout System to attain your "OPTIMAL" performance. Be careful how strong you drill this ball as it is a very strong pearl ball and can surprise you. Also don't be afraid to use a softer hooking layout for your average league bowler as the strength of the awesome core cover combination will do the rest. When you need something a little stronger off the spot than your Marvel Pearl, look no further. Highly recommended for all levels of bowlers.

<b>My Initial Optimus Layout:</b> 45 degrees x 3 3/4" X 65 degrees or 3 3/4" x 4 3/4" x 3 1/4" The Storm Optimus combines a strong R2X cover with the all new Tri-Sphere Core. The Tri-Sphere Core is the first new weight block shape in the Master line since the introduction of the Centripetal core in the Marvel. I will not be surprised if the Tri-Sphere has the same staying power. The Optimus, as laid out above, has a very strong roll but that strong roll does not take away from the backend reaction/motion. This combination makes the Optimus a very good choice on heavier volume and longer patterns and less so on medium to lighter volume patterns. I have bowled on a couple of modified house shots that just didn't have enough volume to let me start with the Optimus. Can't say I've had that happen with too many pearl balls in the past. The closest ball to compare to the Optimus is the Marvel Pearl but the Optimus is much stronger in every way. It reads the midlane earlier/stronger and also has a more violent reaction to dry than the Marvel Pearl does (more angular). The two balls can complement each other quite well in that regard. <b>Conditions I have used the Optimus on:</b> I have used the Optimus mostly on the 42' Kegel Autobahn and 41' Kegel Turnpike patterns during a summer sport shot league. I have tried it on a couple of house/modified house shots. The best reaction was when bowling on patterns with more volume and struggled when there was a little extra friction. <b>Where the Optimus fits in my bag:</b> My pin-down Optimus is the first ball out of my bag on the heavier/longer patterns at the moment because of it's ability to handle volume, provide a solid midlane read and strong backend reaction. It sits just below my pin down Marvel-S in overall aggressiveness and is a step up from IQ Tour Pearl, IQ Tour Solid or Marvel Pearl (whichever I might have with me). <b>When I use the Optimus:</b> Whenever there is enough volume and/or length to get the Optimus down the lane. When I need/want an aggressive reaction down lane. It gives me confidence to stay aggressive because I know it can recover if I miss a little right down lane even on flatter sport shot patterns. Overall the Optimus is a great choice if you're looking for an aggressive pearl ball, especially if you tend to stay away from high end solids but still need a ball for heavier oil.