First Impressions
Hammer looks to take advantage of the Black Widow and Tour names to bring something to market, but does it hit the mark?

Jason Boyer (Lefty)
Style: Power Player
RPM: 470 rpm
PAP: 4 5/8 & 0
Average Speed: 19.5 mph (at release)
Axis tilt: medium
Axis rotation: medium
Test Equipment: 14 Pounds
Layout: 55 x 4.5 x 35

“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.”

Pattern
THS: 42ft, 28ml

Specs
The Hammer Black Widow Tour V1 uses the new Gas mask Low Diff asymmetric core inside the new HK-22 – Aggression Hybrid Reactive coverstock.

15 pound = RG of 2.50 diff of .034, mb of .016
14 pound = RG of 2.52, diff of .034, mb of .016
Coverstock finish: 500, 1000, 3000 Siaair Micro Pad

Power Player’s Persective
Jason is back showing us the Hammer Black Widow Tour V1. The intention of the ball is clear in that it significantly lowers the diff of the venerable gas mask core into a zone of control motion. Think IQ Tour, Web Tour, etc. The interesting thing is the first ball he threw, it looked sideways. Then it looked a little more controllable getting it in a touch down lane. This doesn’t come off like a Web Tour or IQ Tour at all to be honest. It really feels more capable of board coverage. The thing I feel is it makes the ball a bit more cover dominant than the typical Gas Mask but also thins the reaction a bit from that bigger booming motion of typical Black Widows. So cover looks like it has a reasonably strong response to friction. The core thins the shape so sometimes it looks flippy, sometimes it stops a bit. That may partly be due to the asymmetric nature of the ball or just it being a bit more cover dominant relative to the part of the lane you get to. I’m honestly not sure I full understand this asymmetry in a theoretically middle of the road benchmark ball that we typically feel a tour ball is. But I guess we have to get used to Tour being something a bit different with the Black Widow Tour V1. I think one way to make this a bit smoother would be to have less hand than Jason, but more seriously, using a bit of surface to have it roll a bit earlier. That’s usually what I do when I find a cover dominant ball. As is, this looks to be a Mid Late ball but I think it might be a bit more traditional tour like in Mid Control with a touch of surface.

Thanks for watching.