Urethane is largely a misunderstood reaction, but a very crucial one in today's game, given the appropriate conditions #stormnation #pitchblack #heckinurethane
Thank you Luke! A perfect explanation of urethane. Absolutely perfect. Due to my style of play (Classic 1940's style Full Roller) I have basically only been able to use urethane. I back up everything you have said in this video. I will link to your video from my channel. Thank you for explaining the "urethane effect" in such a succinct manner and showing it happen. Extremely valuable.
@@LukeRosdahl Yep, you nailed it! And speaking of urethane, I just obtained one of the rare Black Widow Purple Hammers from Germany. This ball is wicked. It takes the best qualities of the Purple Hammer coverstock and pairs it with the high flaring, early rolling, Gasmask core. A Urethane Pearl Black Widow. You can check it out in action on my channel. I know it is not Storm, but hey, it is still pretty cool. I linked to your video from there as I know that video will get a lot of traffic. Keep up the good work!
LOL exactly. People will never stop equating hook with backend. If it's smooth, that means it doesn't hook, and if it's strong on the backend, it's strong!!
Threw my Black tonight on a 37 foot pattern(I have no idea which one) and have to say I was impressed. Plenty of grunt with enough downlane to hit the pocket hard from the left side. During transition I could even give it up a little and it would come back. The purple was a nice option when the pattern opened up, I could swing it 8-4 and it would charge back. Also learning to like the Hot Cell much more from when I first got it. I have it at a higher surface so it still flares enough to keep it going right, but is cleaner than the Black and is much more Urethane-ey at the break vs the purple. Dare I say I have built a mini urethane arsenal with all Utah balls? Who knew? I used to hate urethane, but it’s definitely growing on me.
Long dry patterns are the opposite of what you want for urethane, urethane burns energy earlier than anything else. You’d want balls like the hyroad or hyroad pearl for long dry patterns or any dry pattern in general.
Great video but I have a few questions I’m not much of a tech guy, but I am very fascinated by storm and their technology. would you recommend this ball for open play let’s see your playing with your friends bowling? i’m still a developing player I am not a brand new bowler, but I’m still growing. My only ball I have curly is the IQ tour solid. I wanted some control on the lanes. How much control does this ball have? Usually I’m trying to shoot on House shots. I still don’t understand oil patterns is the pitch black good on house shots I heard it’s better on sport patterns thank you for your help in advance and have a good rest your day
Yo, this one is more different from the rest. This is more for a TON of control on difficult conditions, so like you said, more for sport patterns. Would get something like a Hustle or Hyped, little weaker than an IQ but similar control. Is the IQ too much for you or does it work ok?
Dumb question Luke, but it matters to me: "What is the resin equivalent in the SPI brands of the Pitch Black? Let me clarify. I am a Full Roller and on house play straight up 7 board. I want that ball to start hooking in the first half to third of the lane and then walk across to the pocket in that smooth, controlled and continuous fashion that the Pitch Black has. No sudden jumps or funny business. No moving left and throwing right. Hold on misses left and some push back on misses right, just like the Pitch Black when there is good friction on the right. The Ultimate Strong Resin control ball to pair with the Ultimate Urethane Control ball. Thank you!
@@LukeRosdahl Bummer. The Tour Block does not seem to work well for my game sadly. Had an Emerald and it just went straight as an arrow, zero continuation. Tall, long cores seem to work best for me like the Pitch Black has.
3-4 usually. The first one always about hooks off the lane, the second hooks super early and then is smooth, the 3rd one is usually strong but smooth throughout, then the 4th shot it's settled in.
I think the old urethane's from Storm where ligh oil balls. Especially Natural Pearl, which can use on the burn. Got a Pitch Black and it was totally different. Looking forward to trying to in some tournaments and sport shot league this summer, but for now, it's worthless on houseshot.
Super Natural was a different story, and shiny urethane balls are generally built with a weaker motion and more shape in mind. True traditional urethane is all about getting traction early and being super smooth down lane.
@Luke, would you recommend a Storm ball for me, beginner, 2 hand lefty, 12mph ball speed, 50yrs old, house shot, Saturday nights with friends, the Hammer Black Widow Legend I got as a gift hooks way too soon, please recommend a ball for me! Thanks
If an Electrify, Burner, or Hustle is too much ball, next best thing is a Tropical Surge, they're basically the Ride and Joy Ride from a few years ago.
Do you have a ball recommendation for a ball that is as smooth but actually for different oil patterns? Like light and medium oil since I really love the shape of the pitch black
Yeah, spec cover is similar, but you can use the Pitch Black on almost anything you want, it's just going to be a more direct and really smooth option.
Explains why I never seem able to throw my pitch black. All the patterns I bowl on aren't high volume, and me being more rev dominant over speed, it hooks too early for me. I have found that the mix is a really good down and in ball for me on these patterns though. I've bowled a lot of high games with it.
I had a similar problem with my pitch black moving too early so I hit it with 2000 grit and it helped out a lot. I'd suggest trying that out so the ball is no longer useless for you.
A few weeks ago went to practice in afternoon, and lanes where bone dry. Forced to 6th arrow. Picked up my spare ball (mix), and just crushed it over 3rd arrow. It is just as good a spare ball as plastic, but on super dry lanes, move better. What I wish Storm would do, is just like the Track Spare + or Widow Plastic, strong core in plastic ball. Just do it with the Mix. That would be the best spare/emergency strike ball for high rev players.
@@slmrcs yeah sometimes open bowling on the weekends the oil pattern is just dead like that. I have had to do the same as you, was playing 5th-6th arrow. Pyramid has the Pathogen Spare ball which I want to get and it's an asymmetrical core inside a plastic ball.
Hello luke im looking into this ball. My question is. Is this ball heavier than the solid? I use 13lb but some solids seems to be like 14 lb. Should i get a 12 lb ?
@@LukeRosdahl my question is. Is a reactive solid or pearl heavier then a urethane solid?..i hear filliers play a big part on how heavy they are. Im using a 13 pound ball right now and my solids wear me out.should i do 12?
@@dgarcia7768 Every type and kind of ball comes in every weight, sure they adjust certain things about that specific ball to make it available in all weights, but that's specific to the weight, not the ball. The weight of the ball has nothing to do with it being a specific kind of ball, you can get any kind of ball in any weight. I'd just figure out which weight is right for you, and then buy the ball you want in that weight.
How do you have it drilled up? It was amazing to watch that ball gain control as the shot count went up. Also, what are your thoughts on guys bitching about guys who throw urethane and "screwing up the pattern" for everyone else. Ran into this in Vegas. I can somewhat understand with team, but for D&S? Just curious what you think. #heckinurethane
Um . . I think it's 4 1/2 x 2 1/2. Doesn't matter a whole ton with that core, it's higher rg and lower differential, so you'd have to get crazy with a layout to change it much. It really depends on how everyone is playing the lanes, I'm going to upload my nationals videos again, but I'm trimming them up and removing the dead space and think I'm going to do commentary and talk about this some. We had a ton of urethane in team, and actually had a guy go to it in doubles and singles. The issue is that people try to play too much lane, and most people play the team pattern wrong anyway. If people don't have miss room in the middle, they instantly move left and open their angles up. First of all, even with no urethane, that's going to wreck the lanes. They're going to burn a track right in the middle of the lane, which prevents them from moving right, they'll have no help if they miss right, and they'll push the oil right, so what they've done is take a hard pattern and make it harder. It'll still be quick and touchy inside, and now there's zero recover right. You have to play straighter and all play together to break the lane down, and what urethane does is create hold down lane. Team pattern is a flatter medium length condition, so there's just no miss room inside. However, some urethane usage and all the sudden the backends tame down. If you haven't moved too deep too quick, you've then got a nice wide open shot. If you miss right, there's friction from the track you created, and now because of urethane, there's hold down lane. Now on house patterns, there's never any reason for urethane and that WILL screw the shot. However, again . . most people play too much lane.
@@LukeRosdahl See, that makes sense, and this is pretty much what I was thinking that we'd do as a team- in warmups, we were going to throw our most aggressive ball straight up 6 or 7, burn some hold, and then play straighter until we see some transition. If guys needed to play urethane after burning that line, I didn't see much issue because if you do carry down, you're creating hold, but you're not burning the middle, and thus not painting yourself into a proverbial corner. Instead, after practice, it was a free-for-all, and our "captain" said "anyone who throws urethane isn't invited back next year" or the like. It just didn't make sense, and I see the widsom of not throwing across the lane early as a MUCH better idea, and one I wish our guys had subscribed to. The line up the gutter and moving strong to the pocket looked so much better than the weak 10's everyone was leaving on our pair from crossing boards on that pattern. Loved your thoughts, and would LOVE to see even one session of your thoughts on the Open with your video.
@@LukeRosdahl I use urethane on my local house shot all the time during league, but mostly just because I haven't mastered reactive yet and I want to stay consistent.
I have one but only used it as a spare ball , always thought if I used it for regular league play , other players wouldn't like if I used it , since it carries down oil , but I am going to begin with it .
I’m really trying to decide between the pitch black or pitch purple, I want a more smooth and controllable ball I think i May be leaning more towards pitch black but I don’t know if anyone can help I’d really appreciate it 😂👌
Both are smooth and controllable, but the Black is going to be much earlier and for tougher conditions, it's too early for house shots. You could get away with the Purple on house shots, but I wouldn't advise it.
If I normally use a shammy on the ball between shots, would you recommend not doing that if I am trying to break in a urethane ball? Should I us ea towel or something less absorptive instead to get the oil spread around a bit more?
Nah, just go ahead and use the shammy. You don't exactly want it to get slimy, but there will be enough spread around anyway that it will tame down without getting slippery.
Hey Luke, I struggle with urethane a lot. I have a hard time dealing with the transition it causes while I throw resin, yet when I go try to Throw urethane itself (either the hotcell or purple hammer) it either hook way too much or not at all. Do you have any tips on how to deal with urethane and how to throw it?
This is actually a prime example of people using it when they shouldn't be. If resin is hooking too much, or too strong down lane, a lot of people will go to urethane because they think it's a "dry lane ball" just because it doesn't turn sideways on the backend. So what it does is create an oil slick in the middle of the track, and when you have to move left to get the ball down the lane and are depending on movement down lane, it's definitely going to mess with you. Also, if you have a large amount of over/under with it, that means you're using it on the wrong conditions. Urethane is actually super strong and early, and people really don't understand it because they equate hook with backend. It's always best to keep your angles as closed as possible if someone on the pair is throwing urethane, and using urethane itself, that should never happen on a house shot, and really on anything under 25ml of oil, there's just not enough volume and no need for it.
@@LukeRosdahl unfortunately a lot of people are using it on the wrong conditions these days. I tried using it on short, like boardwalk and stockholm. It is really frustrating seeing everybody use the purple hammer flawlessly as a magic ball that shoots 230 every game, and I have a hard time hitting the pocket. I'm not horribly Rev impaired (16mph, and a shade under 400 rpm). I'm just having a hard time figuring out how to deal with urethane in a climate where it is very popular.
I have also had the opinion that spec and mcp are trying to accomplish similar goals. I can say the Dick Allen is touring with at least 8 mcp balls, mix of covert tanks and tank blitz. The thing about mcp though is the 2 different mcp covers released so far are worlds apart with the MVP onnthe blitz being MUCH stronger up front than the first mcp. Will we come out with a big asymm wrapped in this super strong mcp? We'll have to see but the results would be interesting as long as it could still get down the lane
The blitz supposedly uses a more oil-absorbing MCP than the Covert. I am quite surprised to see Tackett and other Motiv guys not using a Covert even every once in a while.
Can you do the Fever Pitch next? I was an idiot and bought that bc I saw the pearl and thought it would have a different feeling bc I incorporate my forearm into my swing and the pitch black is so slippery that it falls off, fever pitch does the same thing but after two shots there’s enough oil for it to feel like resin, and it’s urethane so the pitch black would be the same, now feeling bad and that I should have bought a pitch black bc I think it hooks more. An in depth Fever Pitch would be awesome for a two hander that throws it around 15-16.6 with plenty of revs!
@@coopergates9680 Yes, Fever has been discontinued for several months now. The actual Storm website is the only one I'd trust when it comes to what's current in their own lineup . .
Cooper Gates if the reactions fine why would the pin carry not be? Wouldn’t that be implying the reaction is good until it hits the pins then deflects for not as good pin carry or?
Luke, I have an idea! Could you do more retro reviews on some of Storm's and Roto Grip's old classics from 15-20 years ago? Something interesting like the old El Nino/Trauma line? I wonder how a Storm La Nina or Trauma Response would roll for you.
It'd be fun, but the logistics on that are rough. I'd have to find them first of all, hope they're undrilled or are in good shape, and probably have to pay $300ish for each one . . and for a video that'd get me back $15-20 in ad revenue . . fun idea because the Traumas and El Ninos were some of my favorite ever. The original Trauma was my first Storm ball, the El Nino 2000 was my first 300 ball, so definitely would love that, it's just unfortunately not even remotely possible lol.
@@theb2694 Yeah sure lol, but why would you want to do that?? I'm not sure I'd have the heart to drill one of the old classics tho . . but what do you have???
Ok, stupid question time.....my league house is one that everyone in the area knows as just a nightmare. It makes no sense, it's not THS at all....from all the intel I could gather, the house used the hardest lane material is could back in the day, and it's natural wood. They use TON of oil every night on the 6 lane house (yes, it's tiny). I've walked down the side of the lanes and it's covered with oil from the Right Gutter to the Left Gutter and it looks to me like there's only about a 10 foot transition area in front of the pins that are left dry. With that being said, I have to used a sanded Nuke Cell and UFO to get anywhere near the pocket on game 1. Game 2 is always a mystery and it's always my team's (any mine) worst game. It's crazy over/under in game 2. Game 3 I usually go back to a stronger ball, like the Crux Prime and it's just about perfect. I'm sitting here watching Pitch Black vids and notice you used them on the Singles & Doubles pattern, use ultra strong balls first to break in a track, then use urethane to walk it into the pocket. Would that strategy work well on my league house lanes that I described above? 1st game ultra strong stuff, 2nd game urethane and walk it in, and then stick with urethane until it doesn't work or the end of game 3? I"m going nuts at this place and I'm bringing 4 balls to league nigh in hopes of finally cracking these damn lanes after 4 years! Thanks in advance, you're the best!
Yeah definitely, give it a shot. If it's acting like a sport pattern, treat it like one. Beat up the outside of the lane and go to urethane and see what happens. Worst case scenario you have another league night like the rest you've been having for 4 years lol . . I'd definitely give it a shot, it sounds like it could work.
Would Urethane play on a long, flat pattern when all I want to do is throw it straight-ish up 2nd arrow and walk it into the pocket nice and easy? I'm speed dominant and I'm wondering if/when my stronger stuff is too over/under for my league pattern if I should try something different like a Pitch Black? I have a Hustle Ink that won't do much on this same pattern until 3rd game. My Crux Prime bleeds energy and then pukes at the end....my Nuclear Cell destroys this pattern but it's WAAAAAY Over/Under, all or nothing, strikes or splits....my only other option is an older Modern Marvel and it does ok, but again you're reliant on speed making or breaking you.....just wondered if a Pitch Black would be a good option in your opinion?
Yeah, it'd at least play better than most stuff. Some people feel like if a ball doesn't magically help you shoot 250s on whatever you're bowling on, it's just a bad matchup, when some patterns just lower the scoring pace no matter what you're using. However, it's going to be earlier and slower than your Prime. Also, the Prime doesn't bleed energy or puke, it just takes longer to rev up or wind up. I think it'd work quite a bit better than you think if you'd try to play with your speed a little. The cover actually gains energy and momentum on friction, and creates quite a bit of its own if it's sanded, it just doesn't rev up super quickly, so what you're seeing as burning up or bleeding is just it not being ready to move yet when it hits friction. Might actually play around with it a bit more before you spend money on another ball.
Not necessarily supposed to, it depends on the situation. It helps preserve the life of reactive balls that absorb oil, but sometimes if you leave the oil on the ball, it doesn't pick up as much when you throw it and doesn't transition the lanes quite as quickly. However, it also doesn't give you as consistent of a reaction either.
It wouldn’t be a good idea. People use them on drier lanes just because they’re smooth, but most of the time that doesn’t work out AND they ruin the shot for everyone else
During league play, should i clean my pitch black or leave the oil on the ball? I wipe my ball every 2 frames. I cannot play outside because the pitch black comes in too high or crosses over.
You probably just shouldn't be using your PB for league in the first place, specifically because of what you mentioned. I always wipe the ball after every shot, keeps the reaction consistent. Because of how early and strong urethane really is, you can't play straight on a league shot because of how dry it is on the outside, so you, and everyone else, have to open their angles up. This creates angle nightmares for everyone throwing reactive balls, and makes you have to swing the ball, which isn't something urethane was built for. Would probably suggest just throwing a weaker reactive ball
Ok you can say that because you are a either a coach an a ball shot attendant. I have WAY more hand than you do so for people like me please explain how you would drill the bowling ball to stay straight. i will send you a video of me rolling a ball so you can help me. thanks in advance.
What can I say? Layouts are only fine tuning tools, so layout alone isn't going to help straighten out a ball, have to go for a weaker ball, and even then if your rev rate is significantly higher than mine, you're not going to get ANYTHING to go straight unless you roll straight up the back of it. You'd definitely need plastic to even have a chance at it going straight otherwise. And sure, can send me something on Facebook Messenger if you'd like and I'll take a look.
Super early and tougher to hit the pocket with than the purple hammer. Saw a quite good bowler in league go one mark in 6 frames with black widow urethane.
Still in my opinion not true at all. Take a big ball in my instance jackal le or trident abyss take it to same surface as urethane and throw it on a low volume house shot. Bet your ass your going to have a much better look with the urethane. I'll pull urethane out game 3 and sacrifice maybe leaving 10s over splits and crazy shit I get from a reactive resin all day long. Your right that it's going to do what it's going to do vs resin being a little unstable and hard to control on a dry pattern but saying it's not at all for dry lanes is not true at all. I've had a true motion a pitch black a black widow urethane(ball checks at your feet) now have the purple hammer and they all work fantastic on a dry pattern. They roll early and smooth all the way through. Like I said I'll sacrifice carry and leaving single pins for some splits etc all day long
Anything that helps with control is going to do well when the lanes get rough. You seem to be missing the point though. You can force urethane to work because it's smooth. Just like weaker balls are going to look stronger on drier patterns than some stronger ones because they react more sharply to dry, doesn't mean the weaker ball is stronger than the stronger one. If you play the lanes properly with the proper equipment, you won't have to sacrifice carry, and throwing urethane on a drier shot is going to wreck the pattern for everyone else, because you're removing the little head oil there is and pushing it onto the backends, so people have to get deep to find more head oil, and then have zero backend.
Correct about urethane not being for dry lanes, incorrect about non flaring urethane causing more carry down... a ball that flares makes a bigger footprint on the lane to take to the ends where as non flaring urethane can only pickup 1 stripe of oil
No, I'm correct. A ball that flares will not continue to roll back over the same oil lines/tracks, so how is a ball that flares supposed to cause more carry down if the part of the ball that has the oil on it isn't touching the lane? The reason non flaring urethane causes more carrydown is because the part of the ball with the oil on it is still touching the lane on the backend, so it picks up the oil, continues to roll the same way, then is still rolling over the same oil track on the backend, where it deposits the oil. A ball that flares continues to create new oil lines on the ball all the way down the lane, so fresh cover is exposed to the lane on every single rotation. A ball that flares removes more oil from the lane but causes less carry down because the oil can't get off the ball onto the lane on the backend if the part of the ball with the oil on it isn't touching the lane. Low flaring balls cause more carry down because of this.
@@LukeRosdahl now that ive thought of it that makes sense. I have to agree with you on carry down but i still would believe a flaring urethane effects the actual pattern more overall. Thank you
@@dannewcomer7352 Yes, that we can agree on, a flaring urethane ball will affect the pattern more because it picks more oil up off the lane, but as far as lane play, carrydown makes it trickier. A flaring urethane ball does nothing different to a lane than a flaring reactive ball, it's the same effect. A flaring urethane ball will create faster transition, but usually that's easier to deal with than carrydown from a scoring perspective.
