Storm Rocket Bowling Ball

Storm Rocket Ball Review by PJ Haggerty The new Rocket is an addition to the Storm Thunder line. I have to say I am very impressed thus far. A lot of initial reactions were the Hyroad and Rocket were very close, but I think they complement each other very well providing different ball motions. After throwing the Hyroad for several years, I always go to it for a cleaner, smoother type motion. If you use the Hyroad too soon, it can provide a quicker response time. I think this is where the new Rocket fits in. I’ve drilled two Rocket’s so far and have had some success with them. The first one I think I drilled a bit weak. The layout is as follows: 6 x 4 with a small hole two inches under my axis. After getting some games in and some oil in the cover, it didn’t flare as much as I’d like. So I made my weight hole bigger with a 63/64 bit and it rolled much better. The flare rings opened up and the motion it provided was better. Comparing the Rocket to the Hyroad, I noticed the Rocket picks up earlier and is a touch quicker in the front of the lane. Down lane, I noticed similar motion to the Hyroad. The second Rocket I drilled has my favorite layout on it: 4 ½ x 4 with a hole under my axis. I lightly hit this Rocket with a used 2000 pad, simply to get the factory shine off and create a smoother motion. Compared to the first one I drilled, this Rocket is a great ball when the lanes start to transition. I’ve found the Rocket is a little too quick for fresh patterns and looks best when some oil starts to move down lane. Overall, I love the Rocket and what it provides. An earlier, stronger shape compared to the Hyroad, but still different than our IQ and Crux lines. Go drill one! #StormNation

Hand: Left Ball Speed: 16-17mph Ball Weight: 15lbs PAP: 5 left 7/16 up Degrees of Tilt: 17 Layout: 3 ¼ x 5 5/8 x 2 3/8 The Storm Rocket to me is almost revolutionary with the technology of now having a modern day weight block compared to its big brother Hyroad that is what I call a core block. The motion I get from the Rocket with the R2S hybrid cover stock and the booster core is unbelievable. In the thunder line with my all-time favorite the orginal Hyroad I have never had this kind of a motion before especially with it being a hybrid. The motion I get with the Rocket length with almost like a snap motion but with more control. For me usually when a ball snaps or skid flips it would be a defined turn down lane; the Rocket gives me that but with a little more smoothness to it which compliments my stronger skid flip look balls great. The pin is directly left of my ring finger and the cg straight down almost like a stacked drilling with no hole and factory finish of 1500 polished. The best condition I have used it on and had much success with it would be on a medium condition pretty much a house shot at my bowling center. I have not used it much on a more challenging pattern but the time that I did it was not enough which was fine since I mainly wanted it for house conditions. Besides my Hyroad, the Rocket is also one of the balls I can go with using all 3 games in league and just have to move my feet a little depending on break down but I can stay in this ball for a long time like as if it was my Hyroad. The Rocket is great when I need a more back end motion if the original Hyroad starts to flatten out. Rolling the Rocket and the Hyroad you can drastically see the difference on the motion with the same R2S cover stock and two completely different blocks. I have learned a lot more about weight block technology rolling the two between a more old school block technology that gives more continuation and not so much jerk off the spot down lane which still works great in todays game to a modernized weight block that gives you more forgiveness and room when you miss that competes with any other ball out there. I hate to say it but for the people who know that I love the Hyroad and speak highly of it, the Rocket maybe the next Hyroad for me in the near future. If you have any questions about the Rocket email me at garrett.richardson@pinolebowlerssupply.com . I have a video on youtube! 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

The February release into the Storm Thunder Line is the Rocket. The Rocket has a R2S hybrid reactive shell wrapped around the Booster Core. The combination of the Booster core and the R2S Hybrid reactive shell is mid lane control with a strong continuation on the backend of the lane. I went with my favorite layout which is pin over the fingers with No Extra Hole or 45 X 5 ½ X 80 for the dual angle people. My specs are: PAP 5 5/8 by ¾, Rev Rate around 300, more up the back release and my balls speed is around 15mph. I like to go straighter if possible. I was able to toss the Rocket on a short house pattern and also medium sport like condition. On the short pattern, I used the HyRoad Pearl and the Rocket. The first thing that I noticed right off the bat was the Rocket was stronger and more readable at my break point than the HyRoad Pearl. I was able to go straighter with the HyRoad Pearl but the Rocket blended the pattern out pretty good. The over under reactive I usually get was almost eliminated by using the Rocket. I was extremely impressed by the midlane reaction being readable. The medium pattern, I used the HyRoad Solid and the Rocket. This time I noticed that HyRoad Solid was smoother and was a touch earlier than the Rocket. The biggest difference was the hitting power of the Rocket… it was extremely impressive and had a ton of continuation through the pin deck. The Rocket reminded me of another ball, the Frantic, but with more Power on the back but with more control where you need it!!!! The Rocket is a great combination of Power and Readability.

I was very eager to drill a Rocket for various reasons. The hype and talk of this ball amongst advanced/tournament/tour players made this a very attractive piece for me personally but that is not to say that this is strictly a "tour" ball. Given the success of the Hyroad, one can not help but to immediately compare it to the Rocket. However, this is no Hyroad. The core revs up more easily and really reads the mids well. It's definitely a more dynamic and more powerful core. The pin carry certainly shows and the corners get snapped out with ease. On the fresh, it was absolutely solid by every aspect. Length was easy, read was strong, finish was powerful. The 1500 Grit Polish box finish gives the ball some nice angle off the spot. Where I was most impressed was the cover's ability to be tweaked. When hitting the ball with 2000 the arc definitely increased and the midlane roll was showcased very well without sacrificing energy. Haven't smoothed and shined the surface yet but I would think that it would, again, respond well. The smoother 2000 grit finish works great for me on a number of medium/heavy patterns and this has proved to be an extremely versatile weapon that will most definitely be in my bag for The Open in El Paso

Lay Out: 5.25" from PAP at 75* PAP angle and 25* VAL angle. Dual angle measurement would be 75/5.25/25. No weight hole. Surface: Box which is 1500 Reacta-Shine. Purpose: I wanted a piece to fill the gap I have between my IQ Fusion and Punch Out. I had an original HyRoad and might have been the only person in the Storm universe to just have no look with it and whatever surface/lay out put in it. Observations: The Rocket reminds me of the Frantic from a couple of years ago. You couldn't bowl a better league in central Ohio without seeing the Frantics come out the minute they started to hook. The numbers are very similar. So to compare apples to apples, I threw this side by side with the IQ Tour Fusion and Punch Out. The Fusion is stronger in the back for me but I have also knocked the factory shine of it and keep it close to 4000. The Punch Out is still factory shined and gets down the lane without much adjustment from me. The Rocket is fitting in perfectly between the two. In fact I think I am getting a second Rocket and doing a pin under lay out with 3000 on it to get another one with a more even reaction. This current Rocket is very long and strong out of the box and might need hit lightly with 4000. Conclusions: The Rocket fills that gap between the IQ Fusion and Punch Out perfectly for me. I do not have a Hyroad Pearl or hybrid to compare it with. From a general standpoint, I would imagine it is earlier than both just based off core numbers compared in box finishes. If you want something to get you length with good motion, give the Rocket a try.

The Rocket is the latest release in the Thunder line from Storm, the Bowler’s Company. The Rocket uses the R2S hybrid reactive cover that was used on the HyRoad. The core is a new core called Booster and has an Rg of 2.54 and a differential of 0.046 in 15lb balls. The orange and black pearl cover with citrus grove fragrance has been polished to 1500 grit. I drilled my Rocket 4 ¾ x 5 x 2 ½. This is the same layout that is used on the HyRoad and the Frantic that I will be comparing it with. The Rocket reads the lane earlier than my HyRoad and a touch later than my Frantic. It fits right in the middle of those two bowling balls, if anything reminding me of closer to the Frantic shape, than the HyRoad shape, on the lane. The Rocket doesn’t push as far on oil, or react as strong off the dry boards as does the HyRoad. I have so far only used the Rocket on USBC white pattern and our house shot. As I stated earlier, the Rocket has a shape closer to that of the Frantic, but allows me to have a touch more hold than the Frantic. The Higher Rg pushes to the spot a little easier. It definitely is a middle of the road kind of ball for me. The Rocket is also a good step up ball from the Punch Out and Lights Out. Having a stronger core (lower Rg and more differential than the Turbine cored balls), makes the transition from the hot line to the master line a little more seamless. The Rocket has been able to replace both my now tired Frantic and Lights Out, in the tournament bag. I would have to carry both of those balls, as I would use the Frantic for more oil when playing the lanes straighter, and go to the Lights Out as they broke down and I had to curve it; but the Rocket seems to give me the ability to play straighter like the Frantic, but still get the core to fall over when I have to move in, with a hand adjustment, which is when I would’ve switched to the Lights Out previously. As I stated earlier, the Rocket for me is truly a middle of the road ball. Medium length patterns with medium volumes of oil, and moderate ratios of left to right and front to back tapers will give the Rocket a home on most all lane surfaces. The R2S hybrid cover has always taken surface adjustments well, so being able to find the right surface for your particular style of play shouldn’t be a problem. Thank you for taking the time to read my review of the new rocket from Storm.

Rev Rate: 378 Ball Speed: 18.2 PAP: 3 9/16 horizontal, 1 3/8 up Layout: 2 x 3 (pin to pap, cg to pap) As one of the many fans of the Hy-Road, I was a bit skeptical about the Rocket. I can’t imagine any ball being in the same category. I had been reading plenty of reviews and everything I had seen was really positive. I decided to drill it for versatility instead of a specific look/pattern. The Rocket matched up to my game really well. I have about 15 games on it and it continues to impress. I’ve used it on fresh and I love how sharp it is at the end of the pattern. I’ve used it for a second shift and it doesn’t burn up and still has continuation. That said, my best use for this ball has been as a ball down from the Crux Pearl. I happened to fall into this when the Crux Pearl has started flat 10ing me on a THS. I pulled out the Rocket and was able to replicate the look, but no flat 10s. As a 1, 2 punch, this is my favorite option right now. I know for a fact, if I can start with the Crux Pearl, as soon as I have to migrate too far left, the Rocket is the perfect ball down/lateral. It reads the pattern much like the Hy-Road, may be a bit sharper, but I really don’t want to keep comparing it to a legend. This ball can stand on it’s own. I am yet to see a THS that won’t allow me to use this one, and I haven’t tried rolling it on any sport patterns. I can see this ball quickly becoming a favorite and would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone.

The Storm Rocket features the all new Booster Core, wrapped with the most successful cover on the PBA Tour, the R2S (Pearl). I decided to drill my Rocket to accentuate the length the cover and core already provided and gave it an identical layout to my Punch Out which I have had success with over the last year (70x5x30). This layout gave me exactly what I was looking for, length and a quick transition once the ball hit friction down lane. I can definitely see myself throwing this ball on a variety of patterns and keeping myself in play. At this point I have used it on Shark, Scorpion, Viper, and a Typical House Pattern and found a good look on each rather quickly. With a surface change (used both 2000 and 3000 to date) I was able to get the ball to blend the pattern but still retain energy enough to clear corners without much of an issue. I think higher speed players are going to find more success by knocking the polish off the surface of the Rocket, while matched and slightly rev dominant players are probably going to see the most success with the box surface. Overall, I think the Rocket has definitely lived up to the high expectations from being the newest release in the Thunder Line, and handled it quite well. From my experience with this ball I personally feel this is the best ball I have had in my bag in a long time, and I plan to keep it there for as long as possible. I can see players building an arsenal around the Rocket (or two!).

Layout: 65 x 5 x 35 Surface: OOB and 3000 Grit Sanded The Storm Rocket, what can I say about this ball. Proven R2S hybrid reactive cover wrapped around a new block. This ball is one of the most versatile balls to date from Storm. House shot or Sport pattern this ball has a place on the rack. When I drilled this ball I was looking at something along the lines of the HyRoad but stronger. The rocket is very forgiving with plenty of back end reaction. I liked this ball so much I drilled a second one Pin Below the bridge with a 30 degree kick to help control the back end reaction a little bit more. This ended up being a great one two punch for almost any conditions you could imagine. With the OOB surface on the house shot I had no real problems at all. Anytime my first Rocket was too long or sharp I went to the pin down rocket and I was good to go. On heavier volume patterns I found that the OOB surface needed to be altered a bit. Nothing major but I hit them with a 3000 pad and it made all the difference in the world. I would say to anyone who first drills one of these and finds that it doesn't pick up like they want to just hit this ball with 2000 or 3000. Once you do this watch the ball come to life. Overall both of these have made it into my arsenal for every day league and tournaments. See my Rocket Video by clicking on the link below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCGYi_OmtFE

The new ball in the Thunder Line is the Rocket. The Rocket consist of the Booster™ Core with the R2S™ Hybrid Reactive coverstock which has made the Hyroad famous. I drilled mine 4 3/4 x 3 3/4 x 4 3/4 or 45 x 4 3/4 x 75. Pin Down. Let me just say that the Rocket is quickly becoming my favorite ball in my arsenal. After talking to a few of the staffers, they are either seeing a flip reaction or nice roll reaction at the breakpoint depending on there game. I personally get the nice controllable hard arcing motion from the Rocket. With the Hyroad I had the world with it or I had nothing. But with the Rocket I have a very predictable roll and continuous motion. It does roll a tad bit earlier than the Hyroad thus for me doesnt have that sideways motion at the breakpoint. I have used the ball in league and on tournament patterns with great success. Very good addition to the Storm Family. Right Hander PAP - 4 up 1 1/4 Tilt - 15 Speed - 17 Rev - 400 Brian Watson Pro Shop Staff Modify message

Storm Rocket Review Introducing the latest ball in the thunder line, the Rocket! Storm wanted to give bowlers another ball that could be a great compliment to fit in between the Master and Hot line. The Rocket uses the infamous R2S coverstock which was also used in the Hy-road which is Storm's most selling/successful ball to date which is also still available. It uses a new core, Booster Core. With this new core compared to the Hy-road, it will give the ball a more mid-lane read. I drilled my Rocket with a Pin up Layout 5" x 5". This is my standard layout that I use on symmetrical balls based on my PAP. My first impression of this ball was astonishing! I saw the perfect amount of skid through the heads while reading the mid-lanes without sacrificing retention of energy and hit power through the pins. I slightly adjusted my surface to a hand sand 3k finish to get the ball to match up to my game better. I have a higher ball speed, so I needed the ball to pick up a little sooner when it started to push past the breakpoint. The Rocket is a very good benchmark ball. I has a very median hook rating but still has amazing hit power. I could use this ball on THS and on Medium-Low volume sport shots. This ball will also come in very handy when my IQ Tour or Hy-road solid starts to hook to early; I can easily ball change to this ball and can count on it getting to the pocket. You can always count on the Rocket to glide through the heads while still reading the mid-lane without it over-hooking. I love the ball motion and reaction of this ball; I will grade it an "A+." Based off the cosmetics of the ball, I will give it a "A." The black and orange makes the ball stand out along with the air freshening citrus grove scent. I fell in love with this ball since I took it out of box. From the looks to the scent of the ball, it was a winner in my books. Everyone needs to soar to new heights with a Rocket in their bag! Thanks for reading this blog and hope you stay tuned for future blogs, Joshua Tajiri BowlersDeals.com Technician Storm/Roto Amateur Staff

The drill that I have on my Rocket is 4"x4"x2"(pin above the fingers). As for me,when the heads start to go away on any oil pattern,I tend to struggle on getting the ball down the lane. This particular layout helps me get the ball through all that burn after the pattern starts to go away. For surface, I left it at factory (1500 grit), which I believe is plenty of surface. Its in a continuous roll down the lane, smooth archy motion as it exits the oil pattern. I strongly recommend that this is the ball to switch to after about 3 or 4 games into any tournament or your local leagues! This ball needs to be in your bag! Josh Johnson Storm Amatuer Staff Player

Ball: Storm Rocket Layout: 50x3x50 Test pattern: 41ft THS, USBC Open S/D pattern Results: The Rocket was an excellent choice for the house pattern because it really like the wet/dry that our house pattern has. After the pattern gets beaten up, it stills rolls off the pattern very well. The best drive through the pins I have seen in a while. On the S/D pattern, I moved left and played more up the boards and stood 9 to 11 and look at 6-8 on the fresh and as we broke the pattern down on the left side I started to inch right, because if I went left, the ball wiggled and did not come off of the pattern well. This was similar what I saw on the Baton Rouge pattern from a few years ago. I did a little surface maintenance so far and the ball has been better since putting it into A Storm resurfacing machine and bringing it back to factory condition.

Storm Rocket Layout: 50 X 4 ¾ X 50 Box Finish Bowler Info: 325 Rev Rate Speed: 16 - 17 MPH Pap - 4 7/16 over, 3/8 up Utilizing the same proven coverstock as one of the most popular bowling balls of all time (the Storm HyRoad), the Rocket embodies everything that is necessary for great ball reaction: easy length through the front part of the lane, a secure late midlane read, and a hard charging backend that saves enough energy for excellent pin carry. In box finish, the Rocket may be too clean for fresh conditions, but is great for when the lanes start to dry up even in the least. Hit with a 2000 or 3000 abralon pad, and it has enough teeth for those fresh lanes. For me, the Rocket was an easy 2-3 less boards hook than the Storm Crux Pearl, and was also easier through the front part of the lane. Once the Crux Pearl started to hook too much or too soon, the Rocket is a good ball to go to. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vbHqmPFqkI&feature=youtu.be Mike LeViner Bowlers Mart

Orientation: Right Handed Rev Rate: 375 RPM Speed: 16-17 MPH PAP: 4 5/8 straight across Location: Enterprise Park Lanes, Springfield MO Pattern: High Volume THS Layout: 40, 4 3/4, 67 with p3 hole The Rocket is here. Will it be the ball that dethrones the Hyroad?? It features the same proven cover, but a brand new Booster core that rolls earlier and promises more overall reaction. I drilled my Rocket pin down with a weight hole and I can immediately tell a difference between it and my Hyroad. The Rocket picks up quite a bit earlier than the HyRoad. It’s definitely a much more controlled option but still has enough on the back to use on a lot of different conditions. The Rocket is the perfect transition ball between Storm’s stronger balls (Crux, IQ Tours) and their trademark longer equipment (HyRoads).

Rocket review by Storm staffer Tony Marino Over the years, Storm’s Thunder Line has proven to be one of the best in the industry. The Rocket is building on that success. The Rocket uses the same R2S Hybrid coverstock as the Hyroad, but utilizes the brand new Booster core. The Booster core has a lower RG value than the Inverted Fe2 in the Hyroad. I drilled my Rocket very similarly to my IQ Nano with a 4.5” pin and 3” pin buffer, no weight hole. I have thrown the Rocket against the Hyroad and IQ Tour because that is where I see it fitting in my bag. Sometimes the Hyroad is just too strong off the breakpoint or picks up the lane transition too late. That is really where the Rocket shines. It picks up the end of the pattern easier and gets into a predictable roll that falls right in line. For me, the down lane shapes between the Hyroad and the Rocket are similar, but the reaction to oil down lane is where I saw the biggest difference. The Hyroad is great at storing energy and making a strong move down lane (HUGE understatement). The Rocket blends that ability, with the benefit of a slightly stronger, smoother and more predictable motion. I see this ball being a staple in tournament players’ bags. I was able to play up the lane as well as get in on transitioning lanes with the Rocket. I can’t wait to use it on some flatter tournament oil patterns I’ve got coming up. The Rocket is a great fit between the IQ Tour and the Hyroad. Want to see what I am talking about? Click this link to see my video which compares the Storm ball mentioned in this review. <iframe width="560" height="315" src=" https://www.youtube.com/embed/YjyavHtzZJo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

LANE CONDITION Lane Type: Wood Length: 41ft Volume: 21ml Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc): THS COMMENTS Likes: Strong hitting power, smooth reaction, easily controllable Dislikes:none I drilled my Storm Rocket with a 47x4.75x30. My thought was this ball would be a perfect compliment to my Hyroad Pearl. I wanted the Rocket to read the mid lane better and have more of an arc reaction. This is exactly what I got. The Rocket reads the mid lane real well and doesn't over react in the back end. Although it tends to read the lanes earlier, it still gets through the front part of the lane with ease and is very readable. The carry and hitting power is great considering how early it reads. The Rocket is a great compliment to my HyRoad Pearl which is much longer down lane. I think it fits perfect between the Hyroad and something stronger like a Storm Optimus or the Roto Grip Hyper Cell Skid. I recommend this ball to any league bowler because this ball kills the typical house shot. It will be a great ball for the medium lane conditions and broken down longer patterns. I have thrown the Rocket on a broken down 47 foot WTBA Paris lane pattern and it reacted very well considering the increase in length and volume of oil. You definitely want one of these as your benchmark ball

Conditions: THS 38', THS 40' Layout: 50x5x35 Surface: Box The Rocket is the ultimate house shot killer. Imagine a Hyroad that is cleaner through the fronts and sharper at the breakpoint. The Rocket has the same R2S cover as the Hyroad with a more aggressive core. It is a ball you can get a handful of at the bottom, watch it glide through the fronts, rev in the mids, and make a clean, strong move on the backend. The versatility is unreal, you can play anywhere on the lane with it, and as the lanes break down, simple adjustments is all it takes to put the ball back in the pocket. It cuts through carry down well, and is smooth and strong off the dry. The Rocket is extremely controllable, and it hits noticeably harder than most other balls in its price range. This is one of those special balls you need to order extra of to stash a few in the closet, however, like the Hyroad before it, I wouldn't be surprised to see it produced for several years to come. No doubt about it, the Rocket is a ball everyone needs to have at least one of in their bag. Luke Rosdahl In The Zone Pro Shop Storm Advisory Staff

Storm Rocket Ball Review by Walter McKnight Over the last few years Storm has produced numerous covers and cores, but this time they have found perfection! The perfect transition ball! The Rocket! Using the the R2S Hybrid cover (Same and the original Hyroad) and creating the brand new Booster Core! The Rocket is a piece of equipment that will fit right in between your high end and low end equipment. When your aggressive equipment reads too early and you want to shell down..Grab a rocket! When the lanes are too dry but you need a little more kick in the back...Grab a Rocket! I drilled my Rocket 40º x 5 1/2” x 40º Pin over the bridge. CG Kicked out Weight hole right on the P.A.P. I personally love the way this ball travels through the pins. It's clean and concise. When the lanes break down I can move in and get around the ball a bit or I can square up and stay right behind the ball. Before this ball I would have to ball down to something weak, (For example Tropical Breeze or Punch Out) I was still missing a key reaction down lane. The Rocket completes my arsenal. I would suggest this ball for bowlers of all types. From the average league bowler to the high level professional! When in doubt grab a Rocket!