How Wild Does This Get…
First Impressions
There’s something interesting here with the Wild Streak. It’s different than anything else in the lineup and offers something a bit unique, even if it appears to overlap with some ball motion.
Our Testers:
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: 14 Pounds
Layout: 65 x 5 x 40
Sean Jensen (Righty)
Style: Power player
RPM: 475 rpm
PAP: 5 1/2 & 1/4 up
Average Speed: 18.5 mph (at release)
Axis tilt: low
Axis rotation: medium
Test Equipment: 14 Pounds
Layout: 60 x 5 x 45
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: 14 Pounds
Layout: 65 x 4.5 x 35
Thanks to Jeff Smith and Pure It Bowling for drilling our equipment.
Buy the Roto Grip Wild Streak 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: Scorpion: 42ft, 30.55 ml, 2:12 ratio
Value
B
I can see the value proposition varying wildly depending on the bowler and condition. More on that through the review.
Specs
The Roto Grip Wild Streak uses the Mutated Rotary™ core (symmetric) inside the SureTrax-S19™ Solid Reactive coverstock.
15 pound = RG of 2.60, diff of .048
14 pound = RG of 2.60, diff of .048
Coverstock finish: 3000 grit abralon
Overall
THS: B
Sport: A
The Wild Streak seeks to revive some nostalgia of the Rotary cores balls like the Nomad Series. What I can easily say is this ball doesn’t look like anything else in the Roto line. This ball has some unique characteristics that I will spend a little time on. The ball has som surface and may at times feel too much and at times too little. It is capable of backend. It can be smooth. Trying to play it more direct and it felt a bit too strong but sometimes blowing through the spot. When I moved in it looked really good so it did seem reasonably happy in the oil and giving it room to come back. All this is to say the ball telegraphs what you tell it to do. For good bowlers this will be versatile. For average bowlers, it will seem release sensitive. I’m showing you many shots so you can see the different parts of the lane I tried to play. The tall core gives it length. The cover gives it traction. If you get in it, it can look explosive. If your nice to it it can look smooth. Again, versatile. Just used a lower score because I feel like the average league bowler might want a ball that is a little less release sensitive.
Sean is next. He saw the same more or less. The Wild Streak doesn’t exactly feel like a ball you want throw massively away from the pocket but you can give it some room. His first instinct was it has too much cover. That would imply its cover dominant. When thrown well in the right area of the lane it feels better balanced cover to core. Something I will mention that wasn’t explicitly called out by Roto Grip as far as I can recall. The Wild Streak has no filler. It’s cover and weightblock like the Hy-Road. There’s been talk about coefficient of restitution with balls that have no core, namely they transfer a bit more energy through the pins. What I can tell you is this ball does appear to really go through the pins well.
Next was Bryan. For him it felt more on the weaker side overall in terms of board coverage. He got lined up going up the boards around 5-6-7. He seemed to carry almost everything. The ball hit so well. Whether he went high flush or light swisher, more often than not the pins fell. It was pretty straightforward for Bryan. The quick comparison with the Idol Pearl shows you difference in strength. The cores earlier roll and a bit more backend out of the idol pro means the ball almost crosses over from the same line.
Sport Shot
I had an opportunity to test on our partners lanes at Pure It Bowling and we had a 43′ pattern on wood. Here the Wild Streak actually looked phenomenal. The wood surface gives the ball more midlane churn. Here the higher rg gives it the added natural length and allows it to store energy for the turn. Again, you can see the variations. If I get on it it takes a harder turn. If I’m nice to it it blends and looks much smoother. Is struck a lot either way.
Bryan is back at Limerick in the high volume Scorpion pattern. This is much tougher here but man did this ball just strike. Yes he was pretty direct and it was literally the same line he was using on the house shot. To be sure this is a tough pattern but Bryan made it look easy with the Wild Streak.
Sean is also on Scorpion. He now was into the 4th arrow on this pattern but taking care not to get too wide. Again the ball goes through the pins well. It gave him a useful look.
Final Thoughts
Usually balls have higher THS ratings VS. the sport shot but it was the opposite for the Wild Streak. While I could argue it was a bit middling on house because of its bit of release sensitivity, especially on ours that was playing slick, it was phenomenal on sport. And I do think your personal experience may vary depending on you, the pattern, and volume. So if your house has lots of friction to the outside, your going to get more forgiveness and more defined movement hence a personal higher score. There you have it. This is likely going to be a good tournament ball and one that may just fill a hole in your bag.