This Tank Blitzes the Pins…
First Impressions
The Tank Blitz is something different and it works. Works really well.
Our Testers:
Cody Shoemaker (Righty)
Style: Power player
RPM: 435 rpm
PAP: 4 5/8; 5/8 up
Average Speed: 18.5 mph (at release)
Axis tilt: 12
Axis rotation: 60
Test Equipment: 15 Pounds
Layout: 45 x 5 x 50
Intent: Medium roll with a medium transition at the breakpoint
Tamer Elbaga (Lefty)
Style: Tweener
RPM: 375 rpm
PAP: 5 & 3/8 up
Average Speed: 18.5 mph (at release)
Axis tilt: low
Axis rotation: medium/high
Test Equipment: 15 Pounds
Layout: 65 x 5 x 40
Intent: Medium/long roll with a medium transition at the breakpoint
Bryan Hoffman (Righty)
Style: Higher Tilt Stroker
RPM: 280 rpm
PAP: 4 1/4 & 1/8 down
Average Speed: 17.5 mph (at release)
Axis tilt: high
Axis rotation: medium
Test Equipment: 15 Pounds
Layout: 65 x 4.5 x 35
Intent: Medium roll with a slow transition at the breakpoint
Thanks to Jeff Smith and Pure It Bowling for drilling our equipment.
Buy the Motiv Tank Blitz at PureItBowling.com
Thanks to Limerick Bowl in Limerick, PA.
“Keep in mind that coverstock accounts for 70% of ball reaction, but the core creates the dynamic shape of the reaction. Your driller will alter the shape to suit your game.”
Test Pattern:
THS: 40ft, 23ml
Sport: 2019 Scorpion 42ft, 30.55 ml, 2.12:1 ratio
43 ft Pattern; Wood lanes
Value
A+
The Tank Blitz is easily worth the price of entry. It’s definitely unique in how it does what it does and you likely won’t have anything else in the bag quite like it.
Specs
The Motiv Tank Blitz uses the Gear symmetrical core inside the new Frixion+ Microcell Polymer coverstock.
15 pound = RG of 2.48, diff of .034
14 pound = RG of 2.52, diff of .029
Coverstock finish: 2000 grit LSS
Overall
THS: A
Sport: A
I’m usually pretty reserved with my scores but I have to admit the Tank Blitz just stands out. We cheated a little bit by testing multiple surface finishes but I think it will make our feedback all the better. The Gear Core is not new. It goes back to the GT1 for those that remember that and of course the Venom Shock. The Blitz comes out of box with tons of surface. The idea is to give you great front and midlane control. Add that to a low RG core with low diff which really keeps control of flare allowing it to be smooth but strong downlane. I would love to use a different word other than continuous but I have to admit this ball really does embody that through the pins. The ball has so much surface I wasn’t sure it would be as usable out of box on house shots so we decided to put compound on it and that’s what I’m showing first. Right away I can tell you that with compound, this ball killed this house shot. I could play 10 to 5 and into around the 4th arrow. I didn’t totally get the urethane vibe to be honest. I got the “big control” piece that is not sideways downlane. Typically when I try to shine urethane, if I can get it to take, it just goes straight. The compound just allows the Tank Blitz to have enough length to get it through the mids and shape in the right spot for great carry. Just watch the different entry. Any ball high flush strikes and this ball will high flush a lot but watch the other shots and you’ll see why I liked it so much. What urethane ball could I go 16 to 8 on a longish playing house shot and my rev rate? None. But you also see the control you get from the miss in. If I missed out to 5 of course that was asking for trouble with a piece like this. But honestly I had good room.
I also want to show you some shots with more of the factory surface. It’s a progression to show you how strong the motion is. Start 11 to 6, no chance. Out to 4, not coming back. Keep going in until 14 to 6 which was absolutely perfect. Then it pretty much keeps working from there. I honestly was surprised and thought it would force me too deep to make the move downlane. I was wrong.
Cody is next and he is testing on a 43ft pattern on wood lanes at Pure It Bowling. He did the same and put compound on his ball. I edited nothing in this video. He struck and struck often. The compound allowed this ball just enough length on the wood surface and again, no matter how he went through the pins, the ball literally carried everything. Cody bowls on the PBA East Regional tour so he does make this pattern look very easy. But the ball also made him look good. There was just a great blend of a very clear control reaction through the first half of the lane while also offering good smooth downlane motion. You might say it looks soft sometimes but that’s part of how it works. It corners enough that you can get away from the pocket and carry the lighter shots better than traditional urethane. You can tug it and it has a higher likelihood to hold than traditional reactive. And surprisingly the ball seemed to like deeper trajectories. It hit a little flatter more direct as on the wood surface, it’s bleeding a bit too much energy.
He also used the factory surface piece and you can see it read earlier. Looks to have the same strong arcing motion but carry started to go down. It’s just losing too much energy. The factory finish and this wood surface really don’t match up as well.
I also test on this surface. I will start with the factory surface this time and felt was just about impossible for me. I couldn’t get it to the spot to even give it a chance to get to the pocket. I quickly went to compound and wow what a difference. It was very easy to strike. Now I can get it through the fronts to the spot and see that strong arcing motion. I really enjoyed it. What a difference going from frustration to elation.
Bryan was next on the Limerick house shot. Showing the ball with compound first, he had a great look with the Tank Blitz. Using a line up 6-7-8 at the arrows, Bryan saw more of the same we saw and that’s a good thing. The ball still has a good midlane read and just keeps driving. It has an early strong reactive look. Even when it hits light, it still carries. This ball just started to feel like something special when every tester had a great look with it. With the factory surface, he was 3 and 2 deeper to find the pocket. It had an earlier and smoother look but still seemed to work without too much difficulty.
Sport Shot
We tested on the 42ft Scorpion pattern. I used the factory finish here given the 30ml of oil. You can see that I had a good look and had multiple lines to the pocket. The ball felt like it was versatile. I could play it direct or move in and still get good shape. For Bryan, on Scorpion, this was the first chink in the armor for the Tank Blitz. He really had no look. It was the first time we saw a “urethane-like” look in the testing. He couldn’t get shape. He couldn’t get forgiveness.
Final Thoughts
The Motiv Tank Blitz is legitimately a different type of ball. It’s got a strong cover that gives you the control through the fronts and mids while offering smooth forgiveness downlane. And while typically I’m not looking to throw urethane, I usually am looking for strong control. This is clearly not urethane. The Tank Blitz almost feels like a big strong high performance ball actually. It’s still not the throw it away from the pocket and watch it wheel back type of ball but it’s actually much more than that. It’s a control ball that actually feels like it does something, not just pukes for the sake of control. How it behaved with surface changes really just seals the deal for me. This is definitely staying in my bag.