There are numerous sellers offering all different types of bowling balls. On top of that, each one of them claims its bowling balls to be the best in the market. This scenario confuses even the most professional bowlers while selecting a new bowling ball.
Then, what is the solution? How to know which among these sellers are offering genuine balls and which are spurious sellers?
Well, the simplest way to differentiate is to judge each seller with its brand reputation. A genuine seller builds its image by offering good quality bowling balls consistently. It would not like to dent its hard-earned reputation by selling substandard products.
However, there would be some sellers in the market who would be genuine but being new would not have any brand reputation. How to identify these new sellers?
Not difficult!
As there are sellers in the market so are the reviewers. The bowling ball reviewers keep a close eye on each aspect of the sport and provide useful information about them through their reviews.
So, the second trustworthy source is expert reviews. You can refer to these reviews to identify genuine sellers in the market both old and the rising ones.
In this review article, we will share with you the top 10 bowling ball brands that have impressed with their consistent quality over a period of time.
Top 10 Best Bowling Ball Brands Reviewed
#1. Storm
Some bowling ball manufacturing companies directly enter the field by selling bowling balls while some begin with the accessories. High Score Products (HSP) started offering urethane ball cleaners in 1985.
After getting acquainted with the sport and after conducting thorough research in the bowling field Bill Christmas, the owner of HSP decided to venture into producing bowling balls in the year 1991 with the brand name- Storm. The Storm series of bowling balls became so popular that HSP tripled their sales in one single year.
The brand grew exponentially in its sales & popularity and within no time overshadowed the name of the company so much so that in 1994 HSP decided to change its company name to Storm Products, Inc.
Today, Storm is one of the biggest and revered names in the bowling industry. They often set the quality & performance benchmarks in the industry by offering the highest quality bowling balls for all levels. The newbies and the professionals equally trust the Storm bowling balls. The consistent sales growth is the testimony to this trust and loyalty that its customers show towards the brand all across the world.
Though through the economies of scale, they are able to keep their costs under limits yet offering high-quality consistently requires quality investment. This adds to the cost of the product and therefore, Storm bowling balls are usually on the higher price band. However, by delivering more than their price they offer value for money.
The storm also fulfills its Social Responsibility by extending their support in spreading awareness about breast cancer and providing assistance to the breast cancer research programs.
Our Storm Bowling Balls Review
Best Known For:
- Its wide variety of products
- A true value for money
- Providing innovative products
- High-performance reliable bowling balls
- Supporting breast cancer research
- Offering quality products both for newbies and the professionals
- Selling one of the best entry-level bowling balls
Two Most Popular Models:
MICHELIN Storm Crux Prime
It’s the return of Catalyst Core, the high-performance Storm Crux Prime bowling ball manufactured by using vertical-cavity technology. The asymmetrical core allows you to take more risks and offers high hook potential and reaction in favorable lane conditions.
MICHELIN Storm Pitch Black Bowling Ball
The Control Solid Urethane cover stock is the USP of the Storm Pitch Black Bowling Ball. The porous cover stock offers more predictability to the bowling ball and the high-quality material imparts it the much-desired durability.
#2. Brunswick
An 1845 company, Brunswick started their operations as the billiard brand. So, they are one of the oldest sports brands in the world. They entered into the game of bowling by launching their first bowling ball around the 1880s. Since then, they have been providing the highest quality of bowling necessities.
Brunswick has a massive presence, on the lanes and also in the minds of bowlers across the world. It is almost the first name that any new bowling enthusiast would come to know about. Brunswick offers balls for the entire range of bowlers from the entry-level to the most professional bowlers. Additionally, it offers balls for all lane conditions from dry to the heaviest oil surfaces.
Our Brunswick Bowling Balls Review
Best Known For:
- A legacy brand
- The most renowned professional bowlers have won leagues using Brunswick bowling balls and other equipment
- It has not left any bowling ball category untouched
- Very reliable & consistent performance
Two Most Popular Models:
Brunswick Tzone Deep Space Bowling Ball
One of the most popular bowling balls for the beginners, the Tzone Deep Space Bowling Ball is the ball that you dream for as a newbie. The polyester cover stock coupled with symmetrical Pancake core makes it a straight-liner on the bowling lane. A beginner can learn the basic traits of the game without getting distracted by the nuances of the ball on the lane surface.
Brunswick Rhino Bowling Ball
This ball is a wonderful combination of aggression and balance. The R-16 Reactive cover stock offers decent hook potential on the favorable tracks while the symmetrical core offers excellent balance to the bowling ball.
#3. Ebonite
The Ebonite is yet another old-timer. It has been in the bowling arena since 1905. Through their consistent quality and adaptability, they have earned a reputation for providing high-performance bowling balls for all levels of bowlers.
The Ebonite has been so much in the mind of the bowling enthusiasts that it has almost become synonymous with bowling. Versatility is the biggest USP of Ebonite. They sell for all ranges of skill levels and for varied lane conditions. For this reason, every bowler from the newbie to the advanced level can find high-quality Ebonite bowling balls to suit their respective styles.
Apart from Ebonite, the company has also marketed bowling equipment under many other very popular brand names including Hammer, Columbia 300, and Track, etc.
In 2019 the company sold its patents to Brunswick.
Our Ebonite Bowling Balls Review
Best Known For:
- Wide variety of bowling balls
- Pocket-friendly products
- Versatility and adaptability
- Many renowned brands under the umbrella
Two Most Popular Models:
Ebonite Maxim Bowling Ball
One of the best straight line bowling balls for the beginners, the Ebonite Maxim Bowling Ball offers superb balance through its traditional 3-piece symmetrical core. The polyester cover stock, in addition, provides excellent control over the ball in all favorable lane conditions.
Ebonite Destiny Pearl
The true value for money, the Ebonite Destiny Pearl is one of its kinds when it comes to medium oil lane conditions.
The GB 11.2 Cover stock with 500/1000 Abralon polish finish offers superb length with a strong backend reaction. Intermediates love to hone their bowling skills through this ball while the pros enjoy scoring consistently.
#4. Columbia 300
Columbia industries have a history that goes back to the 1960s when it launched its first bowling ball with the brand name of Columbia 300. They are the pioneers of plastic bowling balls. Bowling balls prior to it were made of rubber only.
The beginner’s favorite bowling ball, Columbia 300 keeps things straight and does not offer many reactions to their plastic balls. They provide much-needed control for the entry-level bowlers until they perfect their basics on lifting, gripping, and releasing the bowling ball on the lane surface.
Since they have been in the business for around 6 decades, they have also offered many high-end alternatives for professional bowlers. The unique advantage of Columbia is its highly affordable price range. They are able to offer a wide range of bowling balls at pocket-friendly prices.
Ebonite acquired all the brands of Columbia Industries including Columbia 300 in 2007. Subsequently, Ebonite also sold its patents to the Brunswick Company in 2019.
Our Columbia 300 Bowling Balls Review
Best Known For:
- Pioneer for polyester bowling balls
- Creative and fun-loving ball designs
- Affordable price range
- Ideal for beginners
- A wide range of products for all experience level
Two Most Popular Models:
Columbia 300 Nitrous Bowling Ball
The bowling ball features a 2-piece symmetrical core that offers a great balance to the bowling ball. However, the cover stock offers challenging reactions to hone your bowling skills and take your game to the next level.
Columbia 300 Savage Life Bowling Ball
The Savage core bowling ball has a highly reactive Exciter Pearl cover stock. It gives tremendous hook potential with a 500/1000 Abralon and Factory finish.
The bowling ball has the power that can stun even the most seasoned bowling game player.
#5. Pyramid
The pyramid is a perfect example of a brand that has reached a high level of popularity in a quick time. Established in 2011, Pyramid is a rather young brand but has made its name among the best bowling brands offering high-quality affordable bowling balls.
With the unique blend of high quality and aggressive marketing, the Pyramid is making waves in the bowling arena now for a while. There is a lot of curiosity about the success story of the company and the brand. The company had started its operation by serving the colorful polyester bowling ball line. It has now entered into almost all categories of bowling products. Moreover, it now caters to all the bowling ball types for all lane conditions from dry to heavy oil tracks. Additionally, it offers bowling balls for all experience levels from the entry-level bowlers to the top professionals. And this achievement is pretty creditable keeping in mind the short duration of their being in the bowling business.
Our Pyramid Bowling Balls Review
Best Known For:
- Rapid popularity
- High quality
- Affordable price range
- Unique and interesting bowling ball names
- Wide range of bowling balls for all levels & lane conditions
Two Most Popular Models:
Pyramid Path Rising Pearl
The Pyramid Path Rising Pearl is a high-performance bowling ball in the most affordable price range. The bowling ball serves varied lane conditions with equal ease and also allows you to adjust the ball velocity and revolution rate without posing any serious problem whatsoever.
The Grit finish of 1500 offers the bowling ball a neat appearance and makes it a tough competitor on the track during the leagues.
Pyramid Force
The Pyramid force is forceful. You can’t stop the power generated by the deadly bowling ball. Its powerful backend reaction is unparalleled. The black GPS Navigation Solid cover stock coupled with 2000 Grit Abralon finish proves to be a game changer in the toughest of competitions.
#6. Hammer
Some brands, despite offering high-quality products, need thrust to get the deserving highlight. The same is true with Hammer.
The Faball Enterprises, who originally owned the now-a-highly-reputed brand, is a 1978 company formed by Johnny Wonders and Earl Widman. Hammer is their second urethane bowling ball born in 1981.
They were the first to put their logo on the side of the ball. And when a PBA player displayed the bowling ball in a high-level tournament with their full logo visible in its original design & color, the Hammer struck for the first time as forcefully as it could.
People started recognizing Hammer and that caused the popularity of a not-so-known brand until that time to grow North in a quick time. It was that time when people also came to realize that it was Hammer who had the credit to produce the first 2-piece urethane bowling ball ever.
With Ebonite buying it from its owners in 2002, the Hammer again witnessed a sharp rise in its sales and popularity. And since then Hammer has come a long way in making its name among the topmost brands in bowling.
Our Hammer Bowling Balls Review
Best Known For:
- First to produce 2-piece urethane bowling ball
- First to put the logo on the side of the ball
- Have highly popular low-end and high-end bowling balls
- They endorse their quality by offering a 3-year warranty to most of their products
- Highly innovative
- Wide range of bowling balls
Two Most Popular Models:
Hammer Black Widow Black/Gold Bowling Ball
A combination of Hybrid cover stock and the Gas Mask core makes the Hammer Black Widow Black/Gold Bowling Ball a killer. It doesn’t leave the ball short of a length and also doesn’t allow compromising it with the backend power. It is long and strong!
The undrilled ball allows you to get the finger holes drilled to your comfort level. You can go for the conventional or the fingertip finger holes and maneuver your shots suiting your style.
Hammer Scandal/S Bowling Ball
Semtex Hybrid CFI type cover stock when wraps over the Scandal core you can very well assume the end result- the strong motion in the mid-lane with a strong continuous backend reaction.
And if the lanes have mid to heavy oil conditions, the professional bowler can only look at the most fascinating strokes with complete bemusement.
#7. Motiv
If you make the right decisions at the right time in business the end result is growth in the right direction. With the Motive everything was right and so is the outcome. The motive is a pretty new brand and was established only in 1990. Within these three decades, Motive has earned the kind of reputation that many successful brands can take several decades to accomplish.
As we observed the Storm taking the cleaner route to the bowling ball, with the Motive it is the core first and then the wrapping over it. Yes, it started with producing cores for the bowling balls. For over a decade it focused on its core business. Once it attained reasonable success it diversified into the new ball game!
Almost two decades down the line the Motive is a few of those bowling ball brands which enjoy the popularity of being the leaders in the category. Though Motive is known to provide very high-quality bowling balls, its USP is the graphics that it prints on the cover stock. All the graphics that they put over their cover stocks are simply motivating. And what do they do? They pull out the best performance of the bowler on the lane in the toughest of competitions.
Our Motiv Bowling Balls Review
Best Known For:
- Highly stylish cover stock graphics
- Superb quality bowling ball
- Low oil soaking properties
- Adaptable cover stock
Two Most Popular Models:
Motiv Venom Shock Pearl Bowling Ball- Purple Pearl
The Motiv Venom Shock Pearl is high aggression, a quicker bowling ball. With a low RG and differential and Dual-density core construct, the ball turns more angularly in its backend movement.
Additionally, the new Hexion Middle Friction Technology Reactive cover stock alters the friction level and offers a fast response to lane friction. The high 5500 Grit finish makes it perfectly suitable for dry to medium oil lane conditions.
Motiv Venom Cobra Bowling Ball
The Dual-density core wrapped up in the Sabotage Hybrid Reactive cover stock offers deadlier strokes than you can ever imagine. The hook potential that the combination of this cover stock and the core offers is unbelievable particularly on dry and medium oil lane conditions.
Though a killer, it glides so smoothly while making the angular motion that you would be bewildered looking at its elegance on the lane.
#8. DV8
Under the umbrella of Brunswick, DV8 also offers the same high quality of bowling ball as Brunswick. It is one of its topmost brands and has lived to the expectations that bowlers had with it during its launching around ten years back.
Though DV8 can on its own stand in the rough waters, it’s linking with Brunswick provides it a highly stable anchor to hook upon. The brand launches the bowling balls with pretty interesting names. And whenever a DV8 declares a new launch, guessing the new name becomes the talk of the town. This unique marketing tactic offers a great initial momentum in promoting any new bowling ball under the brand name.
In addition to the name, DV8 comes with fabulous designs of the cover stocks. So, even if the cover stock itself is not so reactive, the response of the bowler community is always highly reactive towards the new design.
Best Known For:
- Fascinating designs
- Interesting ball names
- Consistent quality & performance
- Wide range of bowling balls options
Two Most Popular Models:
DV8 Notorious 14lbs
The DV8 Notorious has a highly aggressive Composite Fang Hybrid Reactive cover stock that offers the bowling ball ultimate hook in heavy oil conditions. Additionally, the Antagonist core supports the high reaction and adds to the reaction through its Durable Optimization Technology.
The combination provides sturdiness, versatility, and durability to the high-performance bowling ball.
DV8 Alley Cat Bowling Ball
The DV8 Alley Cat Bowling Ball is a perfect entry-level ball. The polyester cover stock offers superb design options and very high durability to the bowling ball. The ball with 500 Grit gives the shine after getting the crown factory compound polishing. It is ideal for dry lane conditions.
#9. Roto Grip
Established by the Yetito family in 1955 Roto Grip was quick to make a name for itself in the bowling circuits. It surpassed many big names with its unique pre-weighted balls with finger and side weight. The ball was delivered with four-point star marking to avoid the need to drill using the dodo scale.
However, with the change in technology, the bowling ball loosened up its grip in the market and within a few years lost its past glory. Then with Storm taking it over with the Yetito family in 1997, Roto grip witnessed another era of growth. From a bowling ball labeled as “Banned for PBA tour”, it started making a few rotations and during the last decades got back its past lost glory of an outstanding bowling ball. The transformation took place due to the right positioning of the brand. Storm promoted Roto Grip rigorously in the international market while still keeping it in the minds of the bowling community all this while.
Our Roto Grip Bowling Balls Review
Best Known For:
- Innovative designs
- A preferred brand for professional bowlers
- An exhaustive buying guide for the right ball selection
Two Most Popular Models:
Roto Grip Hustle Ink
If you want a ball that offers a high revolution rate but good control at the same time, a ball with a low RG and low differential would be the most suitable for the purpose. The Roto Grip hustle Ink offers exactly the same combination.
The Thrilled Solid Reactive cover stock offers just the optimum hooking in the light oil conditions. The 1500-Grit polished finish supports it perfectly well on the dry lanes.
Roto Grip Halo Pearl 15lb
The Halo core wrapped up with era Pearl cover stock means a deadly combination in the making. And when that combination takes the form of reality, the deck pins can easily predict their destiny on the lane. The Roto Grip Halo Pearl bowling ball does not show any mercy to those standing pins.
#10. Track
Founded by Star Track Bowling in Ohio in the 1970s, the company grew exponentially by using the contemporary cutting edge technology. The company’s innovativeness quickly earned a high reputation. Further, with every new design that is launched using the latest technology, it lifted itself in the stature and reputation.
The track was the first one to produce cores made of ceramic. Apart from this, there were many technological driven innovative designs that became the industry benchmark in producing high-performance bowling balls.
After its acquisition by Ebonite in 2007, Track Bowling got its new location in Kentucky. Despite the change in the location, the core philosophy to build Track remains unchanged to date and every new Track bowling ball would be a result of some of the other technological breakthroughs.
You can observe the reflection of the latest technology in its core designs and construct. Additionally, you can also witness it when you look at its differently engineered cover stocks.
The professional bowlers realize the engineering behind every ball offered by the Track and appreciate the innovativeness that each of these designs showcases through its unique design features and high performance.
Our Track Bowling Balls Review
Best Known For:
- Using cutting edge technology
- Wide options for varied bowling skills
- Stylish designs
Two Most Popular Models:
Track Precision Solid High Performance
The Track Precision Solid High Performance utilizes the latest technology to bring high consistency with more precision. Additionally, it offers a uniform grip on the surface.
The ability to create the Precision core in both single as well as dual-density models makes it highly versatile.
Track Tactix Hybrid Upper-mid Performance
The track Tactix Hybrid has similar versatility and precision as above on the medium oil lane conditions. The ball gets the additional backend power and provides superb pin action. The QR-9 covers stock makes its presence felt on the lane surface and leads it to deliver devastating results for the deck pins.
Final Thoughts
So, these were the top 10 best bowling brands with each brand having its unique qualities. If you want to buy a bowling ball, you need to look at different features each one of these brands offer and accordingly select the most suitable brand and model for your specific purpose.
The objective of sharing these top 10 brands with you is to provide information about the brands that are offering genuine bowling balls. And you will never be disappointed if you buy a ball from any of these sellers.
Having said this is the list of top 10 brands and not the complete list of all the genuine sellers in the market. So, if you find some other brand offering a seemingly authentic product, you should do some research by going through the expert reviews and find out the authenticity of the seller before selecting or rejecting the seller.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Why are there so many varieties of bowling balls?
A: Bowling comes high in the list of most popularly participated games around the globe. For this reason, this vastly spread game has a variety of game play styles and tricks. And with more variety of playing styles, come a variety of gaming equipment features.
Therefore, the market has to provide the correct type of bowling ball for the particular playing style. Gaming patterns and strategies not only differ from region to region but also vary among players.
As you are allowed 14 clubs for a variety of shots, you have to go with the correct type of ball for each of your turns.
Q: How should I select a suitable Bowling Ball?
A: To select a bowling ball, first of all, you need to measure your accurate weight. Ideally, the ball should be of one-tenth (1/10) of the bodyweight of the player. Thus for instance, if you weigh around 100 lbs, go with a ball as close to 10 lbs (100/10) as possible.
The finger holes should ideally reach your knuckle. Thus, go with the ball that can be drilled flawlessly to the correct size. Also, ensure that the holes are not drilled so thin that they hurt your inserted fingers at the time of play.
Q: What is the inside of a bowling ball made of?
A: The core of your bowling ball consists of a variety of materials depending on the desired features and characteristics of the ball. The weight block comprises wrought iron made through iron oxides and bismuth. This mixture offers extremely high specific gravity and strength to the block.
With such a composition, the ball, obviously, gains weight and the RG of the ball lowers significantly.
It is generally wrapped around using polyesters and other polymers. These compounds are light yet durable due to their special molecular composition, and thus prove to be ideal for weight blocks of a bowling ball.
Q: What is the outside of a bowling ball made of?
A: The cover stock, that is, the outer region of the ball comprises three general materials.
First among them is polyester, which is a polymeric compound. It is a smooth and somewhat frictionless cover stock and has incomparable aesthetic standards.
The second one is urethane. It is nowadays quite a rare cover stock. It is a bit rougher as compared to polyester and is more suitable over very short, light volume patterns.
Last but certainly not least is reactive urethane. It is the most commonly seen cover stock these days for its ideal frictional properties and higher porosity that give it ultimate durability.
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