Rules…Who Needs Rules?

First Impressions
The Roto Grip No Rules Pearl…this is how I like pearlized “top end” balls. Add some length while still providing that heavy rolling shape that simply allows added versatility over the solid. No need to worry about big skid/flip with this one, just a strong predictable move of a big core wrapped in a strong pearl coverstock.

Our Testers:
Tamer Elbaga (Lefty)
Style: Slightly Rev Dominant Tweener
RPM: 390 rpm
PAP: 5 & 3/8 up
Average Speed: 18.0 mph (at release)
Axis tilt: low
Axis rotation: medium
Test Equipment: 14 Pounds

Josh Sattazahn (Righty)
Style: Speed Dominant Tweener
RPM: 390 rpm
PAP 5 & 1/4 up
Average Speed: 20 mph (at release)
Axis tilt: low
Axis rotation: low
Test Equipment: 15 Pounds

Greg Bickta (Righty)
Style: Cranker
RPM: 450 rpm
PAP: 5 & 1 up
Average Speed: 20 mph (at release)
Axis tilt: medium
Axis rotation: medium
Test Equipment: 15 Pounds

Thanks to Greg Bickta and Perfect Aim Pro Shop for drilling our equipment.
Thanks to Hiester Lanes in Reading, PA for providing the test lanes.

“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:
42ft THS, 24ml
Synthetic Heads, Wood backends

Value
8.5/10
The Roto Grip No Rules Pearl takes a jump in value over the original No Rules in my mind simply for the fact that it is more versatile. You pay top dollar for the high end balls and while it’s important to have a big strong piece in the bag, it’s even more important for most THS bowlers to have something they can use more often.

Specs
The No Rules Pearl uses the Chaotic™ Core weight block along with a new pearl coverstock known as Amped™. Cover is finished with a 1500-grit polish. For a 15lb ball, it has an RG of 2.51, diff of .053 and a high mass bias of .018. For 14lb, RG = 2.55, diff = .048, and MB of .016.

Overall
8.5/10
The formula is simple. Roto Grip releases a big piece, followed by a pearlized version. Basically, you are getting a strong ball that allows you to chase in as your No Rules starts to burn up and is too much ball…and that’s for those that are fortunate enough to have anywhere near enough oil to start with the No Rules solid to begin with. You are certainly likely to encounter volumes that allow the No Rules Pearl to be pulled out of the bag more often. And here on your typical house shot, you may easily find this first out of the bag. I would probably want to knock off a bit of the factory shine but that’s about it.
You get a ball that is cleaner through the heads allowing length a lot more easily than the solid but you still get a strong move and more angularity down lane. I wouldn’t call this ball skid/flip and that’s a good thing in my book. If you want a real skid/flip monster, the Storm Code Black we just tested would fit that bill.

We had an opportunity to test with 3 testers to give you different looks and help match up your game.

Tester #1 is yours truly. I’m the lefty. Being a slightly rev dominant tweener with a good amount of side rotation, I have no shortage of side to side board coverage. Usually my downfall but anyway… This was the strongest ball in our testing session, I can say that. However, I really liked it. It was essentially a clean look up front but I still saw really excellent control of the breakpoint. It was very predictable for me off the spot. It didn’t absolutely jump when it saw friction. It just gave me a good strong read. I was playing around 17-18 at the arrows out to 7-8. I could miss outside and still see a really strong move coming back. I could miss inside and it rolled heavier than most balls leaving fewer corners on the walled up house shots. I had miss room in both directions, what else can you ask for. Almost all the shots you see were back to back to back, even when poorly thrown. When doing a quick comparison to the Roto Grip HyWire, the No Rules Pearl clearly covers more boards with more strength down lane.

Tester #2 is new to our team. Josh is a speed dominant tweener who is up the back of the ball. As you can see, he is playing up the boards and that is his bread and butter shot. He was pretty much able to stick to his A game and strike. Interestingly, Josh had some over/under with the No Rules Pearl. We both usually like to knock off the really glossy factory shine because it makes the Storm/Roto balls less sensitive for us. But we wanted the factory surface first and then the last few shots, we touched it lightly with a 4000 grit abrasion pad for Josh. He was finding the out of box a little finicky. If he missed outside, it didn’t flip hard to get back to help carry and if he missed inside, the ball was too strong to hold line. So he had to be a little tighter with his targeting. Good shots had a very nice roll for him, but he will certainly do more to the surface to find more forgiveness. Heavy rolling cores usually do very well for this type of style so surface will be key.

Tester #3 is Greg Bickta, owner of Perfect Aim Pro Shop, who drills all of our test equipment. Being a high speed cranker, he just gets in and wheels with no problem. He has a good amount of side rotation and he can cover a lot of boards with this ball. The ball picks up and rolls heavy. Main thing is the pearl cover giving the extra length allowing it more forgiveness. When Greg missed outside, his ball didn’t recover as we have seen before due to his speed dominance. Inside misses are a touch better for him.

Final Thoughts
The Roto Grip No Rules Pearl is really a well placed ball in the Roto lineup. You want to have a strong option that gives you some length but the punch of a big core when your top of the line solid is simply too much. This is it, no question. And the fact that many of us bowl on medium to lighter THS conditions these days means this one is much more likely to see light of day. With ball reaction, it looked like at least in out of box, the testers with more side rotation saw a more predictable move down lane. Since it isn’t really a skid/flip reaction, you will want to add surface to smooth it out if you are more up the back like Josh. Either way, I believe most will find a place in their bag for this, especially if you are a Roto Grip fan.