Columbia Freeze

“Mr. Freeze”
A value-priced pearl reactive.

Drilling
This ball was drilled pin in ring finger and CG on the strong side. There’s a weight hole on the PAP. As usual, I suggest to work with your local pro to find what best works for you.

First Impressions
This is one fantastic ball for a medium THS! There are so many good balls on the market, but I don’t see anything this good near this price point. Columbia is reusing proven coverstock and core technology. This ball has very strong backend, no kidding!

Price 10/10
Price point is excellent. It is lower than the Hot line (Fast/Furious) from Storm and Vibe line from Hammer. Really good point to get new bowlers as well as others looking to fill their arsenal. In fact, it might even be too strong for a new bowler.

Cover 7/10
This cover was used in a “higher end” ball from a year earlier in the Columbia line. This is not a versatile coverstock. Not saying it’s a bad coverstock. You simply can’t do much with it. It’s pearlized and the most you can do is take on or off some polish. If you want to see a slightly later reaction, put on some polish. If you want to see a slightly smoother reaction, take off the polish. You can fool around with 4000 abralon, but it’s not meant for anything less. This ball’s cover can make it usable all night on a THS. As long as you carry, keep throwing it!

Reaction 8/10
This is a much smoother pearlized ball than say, the Reign. I got this ball to compliment my Furious and I think it really does. Starting out on fresh when the volume is a bit higher, it had a tendency to come in behind the head pin. When you’re leaving lots of ringing corner pins, it’s too early to use it. It needs a bit of friction. It has a really good look on 2nd game and beyond. You can swing this ball as it really has a much bigger move than people would expect at this pricepoint. This ball also prefers to be swung a little. You will really like it’s sweeping move. Core wants to smooth things out and cover wants to go long and they fight each other to perfection! It revs up mid-midlane and begins a nice arc in the late midlane into a strong break at the breakpoint. It has very strong drive.
Note: If your house has a wall, stay away from it with this ball as it is kind of jumpy from there (similar to other pearlized balls).

Overall 7.5/10
I really think a lot of people will be able to get into bowling with this as their first ball. For the above par bowler, you will really like this ball to fill an arsenal. I love this ball under a medium strength solid reactive and before going to urethane. When the fresh oil has broken down on a medium THS and you can swing it, this ball is beautiful. I love watching a pearlized ball walk in to the pocket the way this one does. It’s different from your typical pearl that just flies off the dry. It’s even made a TV show in somebody’s hand, hint hint…

Fantastic Medium THS pearl…

For a full review and Digitrax analysis, visit Tamer Bowling Video Ball Reviews.