A LOT Of Bowlers Changing To 14lbs From 15 & Here’s Why! 

I’m changing to 20lb

I injured my wrist in Iraq in 2007, when I started bowling again in 2010 I dropped from 16 to 14. I've had a lot of people tell me over the years I'd have better carry, better ball motion, etc. if I switched to 15. I tried a couple times but there was too much pain, and lower scores, so I've stuck with 14 and been pretty successful. Thanks for the video!

I would like to see this experiment continues, interested in the results over bigger sample sizes

I came back to bowling after almost 20 years and used to throw 16lbs, started last Sept. in 16lbs, almost IMMEDIATELY went down to 14lbs and the transition was absolutely the right move, I don't feel like I have any disadvantages with ball weight whatsoever.

I’m glad I watched this again. I remember commenting on how much more consistent you were with the 14lb. I’m looking at some new pieces and this will confirm my change to 14lb. I have a couple 14lb now and always feel like I throw them better.

Good vid. I've been throwing 14 for a couple years now due to back issues. Saw improvements with lesser back fatigue and my ball speed. Always looking/interested in seeing vids like this. Especially in the core differences which can make two radically different balls between the two weights. Thanks Luis, keep these coming if you can.

The technology they build in today's balls is so advanced, that the weight difference isn't as big of a factor as it once was. I love my 14# weight. It allows me to bowl longer & hurt less. I do have to watch the core numbers a bit (especially with Storm gear), as can vary a lot between #14 and #15. Bowl with what feels comfortable!

I've recently made the jump from 15->14 when I picked up my Phaze 5 and this video is making me feel a lot better about the decision. I'm around a 210-220 house average throwing 15/16#, couple 800s, few 300s. I notice very little difference in how 14 and 15 HIT the pins. Same leaves, no deflections. I've even started throwing the ball SLOWER with the 14# than I did with 15 or 16 because it's easier to control and get off my hand correctly. Thanks for the video, been fun following this channel!

Thanks Luis for a great video! You explain your bowling subjects very well! I’m a 71 year old senior bowling, so the weight of my bowling balls have really made a difference in my averages. Because of just joint problems, aches and pains of getting older, I have gone to a 13lb ball vs 14lbs, but do use my 14lbs on occasion! (Versus’s 15 to 14)This one pound change, for me, has really helped, since the lighter ball allows me to be a little faster with ball speed and more accurate hitting my target! Most seniors use 14lb balls anyway, with a few using 13lb. It is really important to me to use the weight that allows me to hit the pocket well! I do bowl 200 and above, on occasion, with my 13lb balls, which is satisfying. The only big thing going from 14 to 13 for me is that the RG and differiental really change because the cores change! I have started using Motiv balls since they do not change the ball cores when you drop to 13 lb balls! Thanks again for this great video!

When I was around 14 years old I moved up to a 14 pound ball from a 12 pound ball. I have been comfortable with the 14 pounds so I have never bought anything heavier thinking it would ware me out faster. I don't bowl all of the time but I have been a bowler for around 30 years. :)

Great video. I’d love to see more 14lb ball reviews. More comparison reviews like this one would be awesome as well. I’ve always thought it’s more how you release and roll the ball that makes the most difference. I’ve shot some very good series/games with a 13lb ball ( coming back from injury ). Thanks for the good information.

ordered a 14 pound eternity on monday! loved seeing this today! looks like it rolled smoother, super excited! Great video!

This was a good and interesting vid Luis! I like very much. I would like to see more comparisons with other balls like this one. Thanks. 🤙🏿🤙🏿🤙🏿💯💯

Really appreciate the video I am an older bowler and moved to a 14 pound ball about a year ago largely in hope that it might in crease my ball speed. From everything I have seen it did increase my speed by almost 2 miles per hour which has help a lot in being about to control overall ball reaction down lane. I personally would love to see more reviews of 14 pound balls as I sometimes wonder if I would get the same results as the review if I decided to try the lighter weight ball since the RG and diff would be a little different Thanks for the video it was a great help with valuable info.

would love to see a 12 lb comparison for those with injuries or our aging bowlers. Thanks for the vids

I threw 14lb from 16 to 26, always felt fine to me, my 300s and 789 were with a 14lb reign of fire and had a high avg of 219 for 39g summer league. 15 has been good as well, definitely more carry here and there. I also think a good bowler will score high regardless of weight.

Good stuff. Can't believe I missed this video. I hope to see Luis in the comments like the old days. Congrats on 32K subs

Great video Luis! I’ve always thrown 14 lbs and just play in a league 1x a week. Surprisingly a good amount of bowers in my league throw 14 and it isn’t just the old guys. I would like to see more comparison videos in 14 lbs as the numbers can vary depending on the ball.

Great info! I'm still new to bowling and finally bought my first ball. The pro shop owner talked me into going with 14lb Storm Night Road, even though the "gifted" ball I had was a 15lb.

I had been considering going down to a 14 from a 15 for a while. I finally got a new ball in a 14 and I really noticed a difference in the first game. I felt more comfortable. My back is not as good as it was when I was younger so I think this will help me to bowl more games before feeling fatigued. My son has been using 14 for a while and I have been encouraging him to keep at that weight. As soon as I don't have to keep getting my kids more balls I will get me more 14lbs.

Nice job...very informative.

Very interesting review. Thank you.

You seemed to be more consistent with quality shots with the 14. Higher weight at the same speed and rev rate is more powerful, but if you throw faster or increase rev rate with a lighter ball it can match or surpass the higher weighted ball. I hear that the off-hits is where the heavier weight can be helpful, like taking out out the five pin. Overall, it is VERY bowler dependent.

Thanks for this video. I switched from 15lb my whole life to a 14lb zen soul 2 years ago. I don’t have anything concrete for numbers but sure feels like I am able to keep my speed up and I sure don’t see any difference in carry. I have raised my average from low 190’s to currently 207 in my league since switching. 1lb doesn’t seem like much but has sure helped my aging body

I switched to 14 because I was having trouble repeating my shots and a constant pain in my elbow after bowling a few games. I should say I also added a pinky hole to take some of the pressure off my elbow as well and that also helped. I was able to throw the ball faster and with more rev rate due to the switch. What I have seen off your hand is it rolls much better and you are getting more consistent shots and pin carry with the 14. Pin carry/pin reaction really isn't any different at a lower weight from 14-16lbs.

Thanks for the comparison! I went up in weight from 12 lbs to 14 lbs. Although I had really good control of my ball at 12 lbs, I was getting bad pin carry too often. A LOT of ball deflection.

as a late bloomer starting bowling at 65 i went up from 13 to 14 but came back down to 12 (due to hand arthritis) and i have way more control throwing a lighter ball . i do see the change in how the ball reacts with different cores. thanks for the information and love the content.

I just changed 15-14 recently and i really like the change im seeing. Helps execution and fatigue alot.

Good stuff Luis! I had to go from 14 to 15 as I found myself flinging the 14lb balls and not rolling it. Not much better at 15, but it’s still a work in progress. 😂

Great video. Each ball looked good: also, I've been considering 14lbs because of wrist issues. Thanks for the comparison.👍👊✌🖖

Thanks for the video. I only throw 14#. I changed from 15# about 8-9 years ago due to arthritis in the wrist. I don't notice any carry issues but do believe that my entry angle is steeper with the 14#; yours appeared more also. Your rev rate did appear higher too. Thanks again.

Excellent video. Everything I thought the differences would be, you showed it in the video. I'm gonna stay with 15 pounds for now as well.

Thank you so much very much for making this amazing video

I throw 14 for about 6 years now. Some of the best consistant reaction and carry ive ever had. Like you said Lou it does have more pop

Luis, great vid. I've been debating about going back down to 14 Lbs. I to have way too many 15 Lb equipment to just drop to 14 (which would be quite expensive). So I'm being very selective on when to venture back down. It did seem to look like you got a better release with the 14. And yes do more 14 vs 15 reviews. Its very informative. :)

I came back to bowling this past spring after 30 yrs away from it , I instinctively went to 14 lbs. just because I figured I wasn’t strong enough to roll 16lbs. Like I used to . I really feel like my instincts were right , and I’ve seen some science since that kinda proves that out . I’m happy with my results so far . When I quit I was averaging high 160s maybe 170. Since I’m back my avg has climbed to 180 and I feel like it will continue to climb .

I'm using a 15lb Code X and Hy-road for strikes and a 14lb Dark Code and house ball for spares and do pretty well!

I felt like you threw it better with the 14.Seemed to have better control and a more consistent release.

Your release was much smoother/quieter with the 14 vs the 15. You can tell when the ball hits the lane surface. Great Job. PM

I'm looking for a 14lb ball and I have 8 15lb balls drilled. I'm glad you brought up this subject. When I started bowling my first ball was 14lb. (I was 15) Moved up to 16lb at 18. Now i'm 65 and throwing 15lb but I am going to test a 14lb. Thanks for the video

Would love to see the same comparison with the iq tour and also the ruby. Loved this video

Yes... 110% I would like to see you do more videos with 14lbs bowling balls; simply because I'm older now and I throw a 14lb ball. It would be nice to see the 14lb version of bowling balls that I may be interested in purchasing for my arsenal.

Just what I was looking for. Getting back into bowling after about 7 years. Been throwing 15lbs forever, but after my first outing, the next couple days I could really feel my hand and wrist were sore. Started to get wrist pain into the third frame also. I’m sure some of it was bc my fingers weren’t lining up perfectly from an old handprint, but some of it had to do with the fatigue I was experiencing throwing the 15lb all night. After I was done, the thought of getting a new ball in 14 crossed heavily on my mind. All in all, nothing replaces a well positioned shit. Great info!

I noticed you are as smooth as butter coming out of the 14lbs ball. I watch a lot of your videos and to my eye your smooth out the release of the ball.

I remember 20 years ago when dropping from 16 to 15 was the popular trend. At that time, I chose to drop down and noticed the positive differences in my game immediately. Due to not yet discovering the fountain of youth, I will drop to 14 in 5+ years.

ive considered this for myself. thanks for the comparison

Outstanding video. I think that what I am seeing is that the fifteen lb ball is really good and the fourteen is even better than I thought. Will be getting the fourteen lb ball in two weeks for summer league so looks great to me

HAPPY NEW YEAR Louis. Thank You for this video. It seemed I had a lot more room for error on shots that were a bit off, like a few of the shots you threw using15lbs when I used a 14lb ball. I also had higher ball speed. Now that I am almost 70 and combating some physical issues besides my wrist, I am seriously considering going back to 14lbs. What I like about the possibility of changing to a lower ball weight is that I could possibly increase my speed and also enhance my knee bend and height of my back swing. Another thing is that, if lowering ball weight can change the RG and Diff, is that it could have some benefits when the lanes have less oil and more friction as the night goes on during league. I am not really inclined to move in and send my ball past the third arrow and I really like to keep the ball more in front of me so I can more easily see how my ball is reacting down lane. I have purchased a couple of pearl reactives to get the ball down the lane because of my physical issues. I think going lower weight and using higher RG and lower Diff's if available might be a good thing for me at this time at my age. I used to leave a lot of nasty dirty 7 pins when I threw 14lbs, but I would rather have that leave than a ringing or flat 10. Like if was throwing 14 pounds and getting 4 Xs in a row and then 7 spare, then another 2 or 3 Xs in a row I was on my way easily to a 200 game. I was throwing 14lbs at 51 years of age and in 2006 USBC Nationals I averaged 191. My bowling balls were the Storm Shock Trauma and Brunswick Monster Bruiser. The only 2 balls I owned for practically 8 years at 14 pounds. The only tournament I bowl in is the yearly USBC Nationals and a Local Town 10 Pin No Tap Tournaments. As a kid it was bowling for Blue Chip Stamps.

Timely review as I'm going to a 14lb ball. Currently I run a 15lb. but I just re-started bowling as I've not bowled in 25 years. I bought a 15lb Storm Summit on 1/3/2024 but at 65 years old, I can tell I'm not bowling like I used to at 35-40 yr. old. I used to run with 15 lb balls including the Summit. I'm now getting a 14lb. Summit Peak this coming Wed. and from what I watched on another RU-vid channel regarding the exact test you're doing here, the % differences appears to be nearly negligible. But these are people that have been in the sport more than I so I'm glad you are doing this test. I'm hoping the 14lb ball from a stamina view, allows me to bowl 4 games in a row without fatigue and some pain.

I worked up to 14. Then went to 15 but it started tearing up my shoulder too much. so back to the 14 and loving it.

I've rolled 14, 15 and 16 lbs. over my bowling career and I've preferred 15 lbs. since it's the most weight I'm comfortable holding, it's the most readily available weight when walking into a pro shop for a performance ball, and I find I don't leave as many 5-7, 5-6 splits on weak hits. (I'm a lefty). I don't think weight has much of a difference in ball carry considering today's core/cover tech, but I do think it made a difference back in the 70's-80's with urethane/plastic covers with low flaring pancake weight blocks. Informative vid Luis!!

Amazing video about bowling balls

I bought a new middle-of-a-bag ball this week @ 14 Lb 4 oz. About a full pound lighter and so far I really like it! Glad I made the move.

i have the same sentiments but will continue 15lbs for now as my equipment are mostly 15 like you. thanks for the review

This was a very good comparison my PSO thinks I should shift from 14 to 15 with my modified thumbless approach but I feel comfortable with 14 and I have 1 15 pound ball to just dip my feet in.

Recently changed from 14 to 15 pounds as a two hander for a couple of reasons. Was very rev dominant and was hoping with the change I would see lower revs with no change in ball speed and move closer to being matched up. This has worked out for me. The 2nd was so I could drill two GOAT balls (Hy-road and purple hammer) which have significant differences from 14 to 15 lbs.

Excited to see this one! I throw 14 because it’s less fatiguing and it’s easier to keep my speed up as a 2 hander. One negative is the core specs are sometimes a lot different on 14 lb balls and most reviewers throw 15 lbs.

I definitely switched from 15 to 14 6 yrs ago because of the stress of my wrist because i loft the ball but i didnt feel no difference in ball profromance and I love 14 alot better but I believe it's what a person is more comfortable with that 14 really looked good coming off your hand speed is alot faster as well.

I just picked up a 14 lb DNA and IQ Ruby. I've been thinking about going from 15 to 14 for a while. I'll see how it goes after they are drilled up. In my opinion, it looks like the 14 lb comes off of your hand really well.

I have all 14 pound bowling balls and love all of the pin action that I get and I also throw my ball at almost 16 mph! I tried my first 15 pound bowling ball on vacation and was just a little to heavy for me and also caused lower ball speed but it hit really solid. But my 14 pounders have had such great things happen so 14 pounds is defiantly my pound.

I have a 14 and 15 lb. Jackal Ghost and a 14 and 15 lb. Roto Grip UC3. I like the extra speed and revs I get with the 14 lb. balls, but I score 10 to 20 pins better on avg with the 15 lb. balls. I seem to have better control with the 15 lb. balls which equates to a more solid pocket hit and in turn better pin carry. For me anyway. I love your content Lou.

Your comment on speed is spot on. I went from 16 to 14 for a short while due to an elbow injury, and there was very little speed difference. I throw 16 to 18 mph normally, and switching to 14 resulted in the same range. Speed comes more or less from conscious effort in increasing the speed of your footwork and/or changing your swing. In your video notice switching to 14 lbs. increased neither your backswing nor the speed of your footwork -- thus the minor change in speed. Now if you switched to an 8 lbs. ball...

I started out with a 16# ball, playing down and in. Once I got into challenge shots, I went to 15#. I noticed that I wasn't really warming up until way into the 1st game, that is when I switched to 14# - to warm up faster and have better accuracy.

I was expecting the results I am seeing which is a very minimal difference and people should throw what they are comfortable with. Thanks for sharing.

Big dog.! Your form and accuracy was better with 14 I have been researching this as well like you I have a lot of 15 but I will start changing to 14. More consistent to repeat shots.

I have talked with several bowlers who think they are less than what they were, because they have had to drop ball weight. I think 15 is the norm these days. I threw 16 for years, then met Mo Pinel around 2014. He spent some time with me and was adamant that I was dropping from 16 to 15. He measured me up, and decreased my span about 2 inches. Also tightened up my thumb. I don’t feel like I’ve struggled at all with the weight loss, basically because the cores are so good. If in several years I need to drop to 14, I really don’t think I’ll have any problems with it. From watching you throw, I could see how you could have an easier time making adjustments, and coming around the ball a bit easier. As usual, another interesting video. You throw a very consistent shot. I’m interested in your league average? Thanks 🙏

I’ve always wanted to see someone compare the Hyroad core in 14 vs 15 lbs since the specs are so different. Night road would be a good one for this!

I've been meaning to throw those two weights using Specto, but I strained my forearm and elbow last May. I'm back down to 14 lbs and currently on hiatus (back and nerve pain). As mentioned here, the RG, differential and mass bias are different between 14 and 15 lbs on most bowling balls. I thought about buying a DNA but *if only the RG and diff were much closer together between the two weights!* 😞the 14 lb numbers are pretty similar to my Super Nova so I passed. Might get a !Q tour ruby for the summer...

I went from a 16 lb to a 15. Now thinking of going to a 14. Great info keep it up.

I work at a bowling center and have noticed many players going to 14. I did myself after wanting a bit smoother release and more revs

I like the 14 vs 15 lb comparison as I'm getting into my 60s and need better control and have been worried about going down to 14lb

As an older person I use an 8 lb ball and I love it. I have no shoulder pain now or back pain or neck pain now. Bowling is fun for me and that is enough for me. Plus, I do not have to worry about wear and tear on my shoulder the more I bowl if used a bowling ball twice the weight I currently use.

Mine is 15 and I love it would never change it sticking to the 15 i feel it gives you more help then an 14 but thats Just me

I haven’t gotten a ball in at least 6 years and was looking at getting a new one since all my old balls need the weight hole filled anyway. Always just figured I would get another 15 since all my others are 15. Might look into 14 even though I have no pain while bowling of any sort.

Thanks for this video….I’m stuck bc when I was bowling more when I started up again I started at 14lbs. I was bowling a lot and noticed my arm swing getting a little out of control. Decided to go to 15lb. After some time and not practicing at much due to me moving I saw a be difference in my game and consistency..I feel like I need to go back down to 14lb. To get the most out of the ball n have more control. But the going back n forth gets expensive. That’s the only problem. So it’s tough. But I can tell that I’m struggling this past league season with speed adjustments and rev rate and I’ve been less versatile then I know I’m capable of. So gonna go back down for now.

Great video. Can you do with a video of 13lbs vs 15lbs?

It’s tough for me making a decision on 14 or 15 iv throwing both this past year I feel like my average went up a little with the 14 but then over time I feel like it started feeling to light and I would throw past my breakpoint sometimes… but I feel I was definitely more consistent and I could bowl longer with no fatigue and soreness like I get with a 15lb and I tug a little more with a 14lb I think that’s due to it feeling light over time

Great comparison. I throw both 14 and 15 and haven’t noticed any carry differences. I threw 16lbs with high ball speed for many years and my carry increased when I dropped to 15 lbs since I wasn’t blowing pins back as quickly. I am of the opinion that carry decreases for ball weights below 14lbs.

I ordered 2 high reactive, and 1 urethane (Zen U) all in 14lb. I’ve been throwing 15 and 16 lb for years. Intrigued overall, thanks for your insight

I changed to 14 lb a few years ago due to hand / finger surgery (twice). I find I can get a bit more on the 14 lbs balls and throw with more speed. Carry is similar but I leave more back row pins (7, 8, 9, and 10) with 14 lb. than I used to with 15 lb balls.

Started in 16, went down to 14 for speed and control but I kept noticing my higher revs and ball speed weren’t matching my game lol. So I went up to 15 and loving it so far. Still have high revs but my speed is perfect without having to purposely slow down. No honor scores in 15lbs yet but getting close!!

Great video! I’ve always bowled with 14lbs. and I’ve often wondered what the difference would be going up. I’m glad you demonstrated that I’m not missing anything by not moving up, I’ll never wonder again.

Luis…1200 likes. You’re sure coming up. Good job!

This is exactly what I have found to be true. I have both 14 and 15 pound balls. My ball speed rarely changes but the rev rate goes up so most balls become more responsive on the backend. I have found very little difference in pin carry. Good shots carry and bad shots don’t. 14 pound balls move me left faster than I like.

I went from 16 to 14 years back. I feel the same as you about control and revs.

So as someone who has started getting some lower back pain. I made the switch to 14. Here is what I’ve seen for the first 10 days of being in a 14 I feel like there have been a few times that it was a good shot that didn’t carry the corner but for the most part very little change in carry. Speed is up, Revs are up but I have noticed I’ve left a lot of splits I think the 15 just happens to knock a pin or 2 down to save me from the split and the 14 doesn’t seem to do that. Just my experience with the 14 lb so far.

Good video Lou

Dropping to 14 lbs helped me gain rev and all kinds of ball control including back-up spin for picking those tough splits like the 2-8 -10 for right handers.

I dropped from 14# to 13# in mid October & it was the best decision I've ever made. Strike more than I have in a long time. Still averaging over 200.

I will say everyone who sees this comment! If you have taken a break from bowling and are coming back GO WITH A LOWER WEIGHT! I took a 6-7yr break from bowling and was throwing a 16lb virtual gravity nano pearl which felt amazing, I was a 180-190 average.. but yesterday May 31st I returned to bowling and bought a 15lb 900 global- eternity.. first 2 shots pocket strikes!! I also got a 4 bagger a couple games later, but as I continued to play I felt I couldn’t even feel my arm anymore! I used a lot of wrist and arm power. instead of playing loose i was having to hold the ball… I have definitely lose some muscles I use to use and need for bowling and seeing this video makes me feel I may have been a lot more comfortable dropping 2 weights going to a 14lbs instead of 15lb… the next ball I will be getting is the Storm- Summit releasing later this month and the RG and DIF are the exact same for 15lb-14lb so I’ll definitely be preordering a 14lb and seeing the difference between my 15lb eternity and the 14lb summit.. not looking for ball reaction difference but Speed, rev, and strain lol difference..

Went from 15 to 14 lbs. 6 months ago. I expected to be throwing the ball a bit faster and that happened. I expected the carry to be decreased and that did not happen! Since force = mass x velocity squared, the increased speed made up for the 1 lb lighter ball. The giant surprise was with the lighter ball, I have more control and throwing the ball more consistency. So what I may lose in hitting power, I gain in better ball control and better shots. Average is up 5 pins.

I've been using 14lbs since I started bowling around 10 years ago. I tried upping to a 15lb but found it more uncomfortable to swing and rev naturally. I damaged my bowling wrist when I was younger and it's definitely not the same as it was so this doesn't help. But I have great success with 14lbs, i would definitely recommend trying them.

Thanks, you did it at last, this is what I'm looking for. Your ability, same time, same lane condition, two different weights. Conclusion: operator ability, not 14 vs 15. I can now concentrate on my ability and not think because I'm only throwing 14 lb. Thx. For doing this Video.

After a 18 year layoff, I started back with 16 lbs but dropped to 15 very quickly. After half of a league of bowling the arthritis in my hand required me to drop to 14. Honestly, I carry better at 14 lbs because the entry angle is different due to increase in rev rate. 10 pins have dropped significantly with the change. I will say that solid covers carry even better with the lighter weight. I have the Innovator pearl and solid and the solid is smoother and crushes on the house shot.

I went from 15 to 14 last year and I'm not gonna lie. If I changed a decade ago, I would have AT LEAST cashed in a regional. 14 feels better, I can get more power, I can get better timing, and most importantly WAY less pain. Been averaging about 195 with 14 lbs just joking around and with VERY limited equipment (pretty much a bunch of aggressive asym stuff). I'm very glad Luis did this, and once my bag is set and once I master throwing the ball thumbless, I'll be WAY better than I used to be. Let's go.

I switched to 14 more than 25 years ago, when the balls got stronger on the shorter oil patterns. My speed and rev rate increased , stamina over a long haul increased, and less wear & tear on my thumb & fingers. With a rev rate close to 480, and speed around 18 - 19, I was able to keep tighter angles to the pocket for a longer period of time. It sure made a heck of a difference.

I can tell you my thoughts as for years i was always a 15lb bowler but being a detailed guy i was feeling the ball was manipulating my arm more then i feel it should. So after doing research and determining that the power hitting between the 2 weights were not enough to stop me from trying 14 lb. I actually tried a friends 14lb ball and instantly fell in love with it as it gave me the control of the ball more and allowed me more versatility in my game because now i could do what ever i wanted with the ball. For example if i was missing high it was an easy adjustment because without changing lines i just added 1/2 to 1mph speed and it fixed going high. summary going to a lighter ball gave me more versatility because i had more control without sacrificing hitting power. Going lighter also improved my accuracy which rose my scores also. I would say i was 20% higher in hitting my target.

Thanks for the video. As I'm getting older dealing with knee issues I've been considering 14lbs to help increase ball speed, but it seems there wasn't much difference for you.

There is a bowling book written called Bowling Beyond The Basics. It discusses this very thing and the advantages of throwing 14lb vs. 15lb equipment. It's a good read. In saying that, I switched to 14lbs years ago because of my shoulder issues.

I mostly throw 15 but I do have a 14lb punch out that I mostly use for spares since I flatten my hand for spares. I do know I throw it a little faster when I do use it for strikes. Not sure about carry or rev rate difference.