Roto Grip Transformer Bowling Ball

As a right-handed bowler throwing it about **14.5 mph** with a **330 rev rate**, I tested the Roto Grip Transformer on a **42-foot house shot** with **strong back-ends**—the kind that politely waits until the end of the lane and then snaps like it’s late for dinner. The Transformer lives up to its name by being very adaptable without trying to do *too much*. Through the heads, it’s clean and predictable, which is a big plus on a house shot where you don’t want the ball burning up early. In the midlane, it reads smoothly and sets up a strong but controllable move downlane. On these strong back-ends, the shape was more **strong arc than hockey stick**, which gave me confidence to stay aggressive without worrying about the ball jumping through the nose. Misses right had enough recovery, and misses in didn’t punish me as harshly as my scorecard usually does. What impressed me most was how **forgiving and readable** the Transformer felt. With my speed and rev rate, it blended the wet/dry really well and made transition manageable. It’s not the ball you grab when you want to open the lane and send it to the parking lot—but when you need control, continuation, and a predictable look, this thing shows up and clocks in early. **Best Use:** * Medium oil / typical house shots * Bowlers looking for control with a strong backend motion * Transition ball when stronger solids start checking too early **Bottom Line:** The Roto Grip Transformer is that reliable teammate who doesn’t demand attention but quietly does their job every frame. Professional, predictable, and just flashy enough to remind you why you brought it—kind of like a well-timed strike shot… minus the bragging.

okay, my speed is right around 14mph, I'm a tweener, in between high revs and low revs. This ball fits into a slot for sure. Its drilled pin down, left it out of the box finish. For me it goes a little straighter with some back end for sure. I more had it drilled for those cliffed shots, because it reads the lanes so well. Let me tell you where it fits with what I throw. I can go Roto Grip Rock Star, Rock Star Amped, Transformer, then Storm Next Level. When I see the Transformer reading the lanes early, then I know its time to switch. On my regular league shots, both wood and synthetic lanes, I can start with the Transformer and just keep moving a little left as the night goes on. Thank you Roto Grip!! Absolutely love it!

The TRANSFORMER: The Most Tunable Ball on the Market. PERIOD! This ball can be drastically changed based on the drilling you choose. In my case, I was looking for something just slightly quicker compared to my Storm Equinox Solid. After talking with Bill Keener and Cassidy Schaub at The Armory Pro Shop & Supply, they decided on a layout that would put my thumb hole in the wing of the core. As always, I believe I got exactly what I was looking for! Get yours today at The Armory Pro Shop & Supply and let them know what you’re looking for! Layouts used Equinox Solid: 2 1/2 x 4 3/8 x 2 1/8 Transformer: 3 x 5 3/4 x 2 7/8 #armoryproshop #stormnation

Layouts: 4 1/2 x 4 x 2 1/4 and 4 3/4 x 4 3/4 x 4 1/2 Surface: 4000 Abralon Rev Rate: 470 Tilt: 13* The brand-new Transformer brings new technology to the Storm Products lineup as it incorporates a brand-new core and coverstock. The core is the brand-new Morph-Wing core where the differential can be altered different than usual based on if you drill through the wing of the core or not. It is paired with the new V-R1 solid coverstock which is the predecessor to the pearl version found on the Gremlin. A drilling through the wing increases differential which mimics a lower weight hole when those were allowed. This is different for traditional pin down bowling balls without a weight hole. Traditional pin down drillings reduce differential and often make the ball significantly smoother and flare less. The Transformer pin down drilling increases differential and makes the flare actually increase instead of decrease when drilled through the wing. I was able to drill both a pin up and pin down ball to show the differences between drilling through the wing and not. The box 4000 abralon surface is on both balls and pin to pap distance is relatively the same. I tried both of these layouts on my typical 43ft House Pattern. The pin up ball was actually cleaner than I expected for a solid coverstock ball. Missing the wing leaves most of the integrity of the core intact allowing the ball to be performed as designed. On the fresh, I saw a decent amount of length and a very continuous backend. For the fresh, this was not that ideal as it forced me to be more left to right than the pattern wants me to be. The down lane shape didn't blend out the pattern as much as I thought neither. As the lanes broke down and I had to move more left to right with my feet, the ball got in its wheelhouse. The continuation allowed me to open the lane up without the fear of the ball rolling out. The ideal part of the lane for me with this ball was playing around 14 at the arrows to 5-8 down lane. Further right wanted to hook too much overall and further left was a little too clean and smooth which made sense. For a deeper line on the lane, a surface change to 2000 grit would be more ideal. The pin down ball saw a large difference in the front part of the lane with the wing drilled through. It started to hook significantly earlier and was still continuous but smoother than the pin up one. One the fresh, it was easier to use but saw a little over/under with its strength in the front part of the lane. Even at 4000 abralon, the ball didn't get through the front as easily as the pin up. I was able to play straighter than the pin up on the fresh being around 11 to 6. The smoother motion blended the lane out a little better when I was a little more left. What I was pretty surprised about was when I moved further left. The ball actually still continued pretty hard down lane even when I got into 25 with my feet. This is a sign of really good ball motion for me. I was pleasantly surprised how good the ball was for so long on the lane. The hardest part of this layout was the ball through the front part of the lane. My center does not use much volume, so it is difficult to use much stronger balls. My overall impression of the Transformer is that both layouts continue well. I see myself using the pin up drilling more often as it is cleaner overall. I think the pin down one can be more utilized on heavier oil patterns or when the lanes are very challenging. It does a good job of blending the lanes if the ball gets through the front. I can recommend this ball for many styles due to its drilling versatility. Pin down for strength and smoothness and pin up for length and more flip. It can be used from the fresh to transition for most styles. This could be a very good piece for most balls. Adam Chase Storm Staff

Welcome to the Roto Grip Transformer Ball Review Roto Grip has a new core design called Morph Wing Core. RG-2.51 Differential-.051 Intermediate-.015 Asymmetrical Core Finish-4000 Grit Abralon Coverstock-VR1 Solid Layouts Used Pin Down-4.75x6.25x4.50(VLS) Pin up-5x4.5x2(VLS) The Morph Wing Core has 2 wings based on if you hit or miss the wings you can alter the numbers and reaction dramayically. I drilled 2 Transformers one pin up and one pin down hitting the wing. The pin up got through the fronts very easily with a strong backend motion retaining axis rotation allowing me to open up the lane. The pin downread the midlane with a strong but smooth continous motion. The Transformer willbe a great step down from the RST Hyperdrive Solid but stronger than the HP3 balls. I could start with my pin down transformer on the fresh oil then transistion into the pin up when i want to open up my angles. Roto Grip Transformer is available now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This ball is cleaner through the fronts than most big asyms and super continuous from what I see so far. I can see myself using this ball for a good period of time on medium to heavier volumes. As I move left, the ball keeps going. It does not bail or lose energy through the pins.

I recently drilled up the Roto Grip Transformer. This ball features the new Morth Wing Core with a V-R1 Solid Reactive Coverstock. The core in this ball is very unique in a few ways. First, the designers at SPI gives us a way to actually trace out the "winged" portion of the core for a drilling visual. Second, the core "wing" is closer to the outer shell. So when the ball is drilled, the dynamics change drastically whether you hit the wing or not. Below is a quick drilling summary for a 1-handed thumb bowler like myself. Drill into the wing: Early rounder motion Miss the wing: Later angular backend. Ball: Roto Grip Transformer Weight: 14lbs Speed: 14 mph Rev Rate: 300 Dual Angle: 45 x 5 x 30 My first reactions: Holy backend. Since I missed the wing, I knew ball is going to be angular. I was shocked how much it was for a solid. Normally on a fresh THS, I can go up 10 or 15 to 10, but not with this ball. I had to immediately get deeper into the lane. This ball needs oil. For how strong it is, it's clean through the fronts but once it hits the backend, left hard turn. For fresh longer patterns, I can see this being the first ball out of the bag. Pair this with the Gremlin and you have a monstrous 1-2 punch. This ball is not intended for drier lanes. Needs oil. I have also taken the factory surface off the ball and have used it at 1000 and 2000. This ball takes both surfaces very well.

The Roto Grip Transformer has arrived, in its new HP-5 line. So, I decided to get two of them to see how the new Morph Wing core will provide a difference in ball shape. My pin down layout (4 1/2 x 4 7/8 x 4 1/8) provided a smoother and rounder shape. The thumb is actually through the “wing” of the core, which makes it more smoother and the core a little more stable. With this layout, I can play a more direct line to hit the pocket. My pin up layout (5 x 5 3/8 x 2 3/8), the thumb is drilled into the mass bias, and missing the wing, which creates more torque and downlane motion. With this layout, I can be able to move left and shape the lane from right to left. Both of these balls serve their purposes. And with the 4000 out of box surface, I can be able to add surface if I need more traction in the midlane. These balls were actually fun to throw and I’ve learned more about them every time I threw them! Go get you one… or two like me… ????⭐️⚡️?

okay, my speed is right around 14mph, I'm a tweener, in between high revs and low revs. This ball fits into a slot for sure. Its drilled pin down, left it out of the box finish. For me it goes a little straighter with some back end for sure. I more had it drilled for those cliffed shots, because it reads the lanes so well. Let me tell you where it fits with what I throw. I can go Roto Grip Rock Star, Rock Star Amped, Transformer, then Storm Next Level. When I see the Transformer reading the lanes early, then I know its time to switch. On my regular league shots, both wood and synthetic lanes, I can start with the Transformer and just keep moving a little left as the night goes on. Thank you Roto Grip!!

Cover: V-R1 Solid Reactive Core: Morph-Wing RG: 2.51 RG. Diff.: 0.051 Finish: 4000 Abralon Roto Grip’s new Transformer is a Solid Asymmetrical piece that is good for Medium-Heavy Volume patterns. PAP is 5 5/16 R 1 3/16 Up. Rev Rate: 400. Speed: 16.5. I drilled this piece with the Pin up between the fingers, CG kicked out 1” from the palm, and 1” Left of the Mass Bias. Drilled over some of the Wing. 5 x 4 x 2 ½. I threw this piece on a Fresh house pattern. Out of Box ball motion started in the mids with a strong backend reaction through the pins. I compared this to the RST Hyperdrive. RST Hyperdrive - I threw the same line as the Transformer and it was a little weaker on the backend. This piece will be good for all types of styles. Check Out the Ball motion Video on my YouTube Page: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/17zvCLYtQF/

Roto Grip kicks off its ’26 campaign with its newest addition, the Transformer! The Transformer is featured as the first HP5 performance ball. This new asymmetrical piece is equipped with the all-new Morph Wing core, along with the V-R1 Solid Reactive Cover Stock, finished at 4000. It has a high flare potential that bowlers will find suitable for medium to heavy lane conditions. The cover stock and core will provide bowlers with the most breakpoint shape and transformable finish to date. I was looking forward to drilling this ball up because the Transformer has something interesting that other balls did not have and that’s the weight block itself. The Morph Wing core affects the drilling layout that bowlers wish to choose from. For example, should you go with a drilling option where the Wing is NOT impacted, you can expect more length and a strong controllable backend motion. Should you choose to drill INTO THE WING, you can expect an earlier response, and a smoother shape down lane (more designed for fresher and medium heavy conditions). I decided to go with a pin up option, avoiding the wing at 50 x 4 5/8 x 35. I tested it a few times on a fresh 42ft house condition and the results were exactly what I was looking for. More length down lane, stronger backend reaction. The 4000 abralon finish kept the ball in check where I didn’t have to adjust my target and feet the majority of league play. The Transformer does tend to have some angular motion should you drill the pin in a certain area. I also tested it on a fresh 44ft tournament condition to try and compare with another bowler throwing a pin down version. As expected, a pin down option would be preferred to roll early and try to open up the transition so you can switch to a pin up option for more length. Adding some surface can also be a good option. All in all, SPI has found new ways for improvement when it comes to innovating technology at its best. Be sure to head out to your local Storm VIP Pro Shop and drill up a Transformer today. You won’t be disappointed as SPI is Transforming the Game!!

Ball Specs: Roto Grip Transformer VR-1 Solid Reactive Asymmetric Morph-Wing Core Finish: 4000 grit Abralon Layout: 4.5 x 4.5 with 1.5 Pin Buffer Bowler Specs: Right Hand. PAP 5” Over 1/2 up Rev Rate 300. Tilt 20. Rotation 50. Speed at release 17 Review: The Roto Grip Transformer packs a lot of technology into a very good ball. The new Morph-Wing Core allows you to change the shape of the Transformers path going down the lane by where you drill the gripping holes. The Transformer has a weight block with a top wing that if left intact gives the ball a more flywheel effect going down the lane. This drilling allows for more back end and angular motion. If you drill into the top wing the result is a smoother roll. I drilled my first one pin up missing the top wing and the ball rolled great. The Transformer also is one of the best hitting balls I have. The 4000-box finish makes the ball very useable on many conditions. I will be drilling my next Transformer pin down hitting the wing to have a smooth option of this ball. I have tried polish on this ball but prefer the box finish with some lane shine. This is a ball you could have three of and they would not overlap with layout and surface changes. So far, I am loving this ball and have scored very well with it. I have also been able to use this ball all three games in league with line and hand adjustments. Summary: The Transformer is a great rolling and hitting ball. The ability to change motion by manipulating the core works well. This is a ball you could have multiples of and not overlap motions. Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/yJmlTJ5S_tU Glenn Wendel Storm Pro Shop Staff gwendel@comcast.net www.stormbowling.com

TESTING ENVIRONMENT Type: Lakes Bowl House Shot (After League) BALL: Roto Grip Transformer Coverstock: V-R1 Solid Cover Core: : Morph-Wing Core Finish: 4000 Grit RG: 2.53 (14 Pounds) Differential: 0.053 (14 Pounds) MB/PSA: 0.013 (14 Pounds) ME: Right-Handed Tweener Speed: 14-15 mph Rev Rate: 220 PAP: 5 7/16 Right 1/8 Down The Roto Grip Transformer is a first for Roto Grip where a whole new line was created. This is the first ball to enter the new HP5 line. A lot of technology, time, and marketing had gone into this piece. The info from SPI is as follows: The TRANSFORMER: The Most Tunable Ball on the Market. PERIOD! Meet the TRANSFORMER, the ball that rewrites the rules of performance and tunability. Built for serious bowlers and pro shops looking for the ultimate competitive edge, the TRANSFORMER does not just react, it transforms to meet your exact needs. Core Technology: Morph-Wing™ Core This is not just an asymmetric core; it is a dynamic masterpiece. The proprietary Morph-Wing™ Core is engineered to change drastically when drilled. Unlike traditional asymmetrical cores, displacing mass in the wing section fundamentally alters the core numbers, unlocking a completely new flare pattern and ball motion. Cover Technology: V-R1™ Solid Reactive The power of transformation is paired with the reliable grip of the V-R1™ Solid Reactive coverstock. This Versatile Response material delivers the most balanced and dependable traction to reaction ratio of any of our nano free materials, increasing overall versatility. Performance Synopsis Without a doubt, the TRANSFORMER has the most transformable and tunable hook potential and breakpoint shape on the market today. Its unique core design makes it easy to add a specific motion to any arsenal, instantly giving you a distinct advantage over the competition. Stop adapting to the lanes. Make the lanes adapt to you. Now onto my review portion of this ball. When we drilled this ball up we missed the wing and I threw it on a broken down carrydown lane and to be honest the ball even on that the ball didn’t look very good at all. Good thing that I had Matt there to see what I was seeing and it wasn’t good. We talked about what we saw and he reminded me that I felt the same way about another ball. We decided to hit the cover with 500-2000 and threw it a few days later on the fresh and that was a much different ball reaction than what I saw/had just a few days earlier and we really say what this ball can do. With balls like the Origin EX or Viking I would start right of 20, but this ball being much stronger I was starting at 26 while swinging 15 to 7/8 and it was coming back. I have thrown this ball for a couple of weeks now and for me I find I can only use it for about a game - game and a half. It is definitely the strongest ball in the bag so usually my go to ball down from the Transformer has been the Next Factor and a slight move by 2 boards right and I can stay in the same part of the lane. Thanks for reading, watching, and if you like this or any of the jerseys in my videos just head over to www.IAmBowling.com and use HIRSCH at checkout for 20% off your order. This ball is available on 1/23/26 at Pin Point Pro Shop inside Lakes Bowl in Round Lake, IL or your local STORM VIP Pro Shop! #Storm #SquadRG #GoGlobal #Turbo #DrivenToBowl #PinPointProShop #3GShoes #stormbowling #iambowling #sheridanlanes #Castlelanes #LakesBowl #900global #MasenHirschBowling #teamshimmy #USBC #KenoshaYouthBowling #MatchMakerLive Check out my full ball reaction video on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DTnK-VYDfXM/

When this ball was released I was super excited to get it into my bag! This may be my new benchmark ball! I love the shape it gives as its going down lane and the continuous motion through the pins in the backend. As someone who doesn't have a ton of revs, this ball made me feel more confident when having to stand more left of the middle dot. I was able to use this ball the entire set and make small adjustments throughout the game. I recently used this ball on both a house shot and a longer pattern. On both oil patterns this ball has consistent motion and made even longer patterns more playable for me! Don't get me started on the versatility this ball gives! This ball is definitely my new favorite and fits my bad perfectly.

Storm Products continues to innovate and find new ways to advance the sport as the Bowlers’ Company. The Innovation department has kicked off 2026 with a banger. They studied an aspect of precession and its impact on ball motion that has been mostly overlooked in the bowling industry- torque induced precession. I recommend watching the video introducing the Transformer on the Storm website in the SEE WHATS NEW section of the home page that provides a detailed explanation of precession. The short version is that torque induced precession pulls the ball from right to left for a right hander or from left to right for a left hander. The Roto Grip Transformer features the new Morph-Wing Core which is asymmetric and, as the name implies, has wings which allows the ball to enhance torque induced precession or minimize it depending on whether you leave the wings intact or drill holes to remove a portion of the wing. The ball being named Transformer is apropos because you can significantly alter (transform) the ball motion based on the layout. This is especially helpful for no-thumbers because they have one less hole without a thumb hole (the largest and deepest hole punched in the ball) to help change ball dynamics. It’s very important to have the Transformer drilled by a qualified Storm VIP pro shop so it can be properly laid out to take full advantage of what this ball is capable of and to match it to your game and desired ball motion. The numbers tell part of the story- the 15# has an RG on the high side at 2.51, a dif in the medium range at 0.051 and a PSA dif in the sweet spot of 0.015 where there is asymmetry without being so much that the ball would lock up and get forward too quick. The cover is V-R1 (Versatile Response) solid reactive and comes with a 4000 factory finish. This is nano free and is the solid version of the cover on the Gremlin. Based on these core numbers and cover, I’d expect the ball to be medium- solid cover to not be too clean, but high RG so it still pushes through the front and enough dif to have good flare potential to not miss the midlane and have continuation downlane. I drilled mine 4.75 x 4 x 2. By using a 2” pin buffer, the pin is up above my fingers which means I left the wings intact to maximize the torque induced precession. I wanted to take full advantage of what this ball could do, and boy was it impressive. When I first try balls, I move around the lane to see how it responds to the friction as well as to the oil. So I don’t typically strike a lot. But I threw at least 10 in a row right out of the gate standing all over the lane with various launch angles. The most notable was how it rolled through the pins. It just kept driving through pins from all angles. It constantly split the 8-9 or even rolled over the 8 pin. Normally, I’d say where it fits in your bag, but this ball is so tunable it can fit almost anywhere depending on how it’s laid out and the surface prep of the cover. Bottom line, everyone should have at least one Roto Grip Transformer in their bag, but maybe multiple with different layouts.

This ball is really good! I am a collegiate bowler who bowls on a variation of oil patterns. Both long and short, heavy and light, as well as house shots! When normal big asym solids begin to burn up this one keeps hooking! It is a high end piece that still has plenty of energy to go through the pins the right way to get the corner pins out. This ball hooks a lot AND is very continuous! I drilled mine 5 x 4.5 x 2 which ended up missing the wing and was a pin up layout.