Here are the latest Storm Bowling ball reaction videos of the Storm Frantic and Virtual Gravity Nano Pearl. Thanks to the help of Mark Davies of Bob Brace Pro Shop in Oshawa, Ontario we compare the Storm Frantic, Virtual Gravity Nano Pearl, Nano solid, Victory Road pearl, Tropical Heat solid, and Tropical Breeze solid. Mark Davies is our new Storm/Roto Grip tester.

I’ve included the Digitrax Analysis here as well so you get an idea of how these balls compare. Unfortunately, Digitrax had trouble picking up the Storm Frantic Track due to the ball color. I hope to have it up via a workaround.

Light Blue = Virtual Gravity Nano
Medium Blue = Victory Road Pearl
Dark Blue = Virtual Gravity Nano Pearl
Dark Red = Tropical Heat Solid
Red = Tropical Breeze Solid

Storm Virtual Gravity Nano Pearl Bowling Ball Review

First Impressions
The ball reaction is very recognizable if you’ve thrown a VG Nano Solid. The core creates an overall similar controlled motion.

Price 8/10
This is a high end bowling ball with the corresponding price.

Core
The Shape-Lock HD core has an RG of 2.48, differential of .052 and intermediate differential of .020. It’s shape generally wants to roll a bit early and relatively smoothly. The asymmetry creates a little more backend motion.

Cover 8.5/10
The NRG Pearl cover is basically a pearlized version of the cover used on the Virtual Gravity Nano solid. This is very typical of the relationship between a solid and pearlized shells. It adds about 2-3 feet of length while creating a bit more angularity.

Reaction 8.5/10
The Nano Pearl is another high end pearlized ball. In contrast to the Anarchy, this ball seems very capable of making a pretty big move on the backends. The Digitrax analysis gives you a very clear picture of how this ball compares to the Nano solid. You will notice a 1 foot longer breakpoint and about 1 degree higher entry angle. The reason for only 1 ft increase is that you have to move several boards outside towards the drier boards on a tapered house shot. Otherwise, on the same line will add 2-3 feet. Although it is a relatively strong pearl ball, many lower rev players will find this ball playable on medium conditions. As the lanes breakdown, you will eventually need to move and/or change balls to something that will create a more controlled ball reaction.

Overall 9/10
I would say this is the kind of ball that people may find a bit more usable on typical house shots than the Nano. For those that found the conditions they faced a bit too dry for the Nano, making the Nano look weak, this ball will be a better option. You may want to adjust the surface to your liking. I find that taking down the shiny surface of these polished pearlized balls makes them more controllable and usable, while being less prone to over/under. If you are looking for a strong pearlized ball with a lot more motion than the Anarchy, this is a good option.

Storm Frantic

First Impressions
Honestly, I hate this color. That doesn’t skew the review, but was my first impression. I’m not sure if they expect this ball to flouresce at Cosmic Bowling, but I’m not planning on trying it there. This ball looked pretty good for being a pretty usable ball on many medium conditions. It looked like you can chase inside and maintain good carry.

Price 9/10
This is a high performing ball in a med-low level range for Storm. It will be used a lot and will likely sell quite well.

Core
The Frantic uses the NOS core already used in the 2Fast and 2Furious. RG is 2.53 and differential is .045. This core creates a very smooth ball reaction.

Cover 9.5/10
Well no surprise Storm uses the R2S Hybrid yet again. This is the same cover as the HyRoad and has been used several times now. Storm has a knack for these Hybrid covers. Honestly, several Storm/Roto Grip bowling balls using the Hybrid of solid and pearl are more than the sum of their parts. In other words, they outperform their solid and pearl counterparts. The cover can be infinitely adjusted with no problems.

Reaction 9/10
When testing the 2Fast and 2Furious, I found those 2 balls to be very smooth. It was a little surprising as they are quite different than the other balls in Storm’s lineup. I expected a bit more oomph on the backends but instead they were very controllable balls with not as much backend. Many better bowlers liked this added control since they are capable of producing backend off their hands. I found the Storm Frantic to be more than either ball. In other words, it produced much more natural backend than the 2 balls and covered more boards than both. However, it also seems to be one of those balls where many bowlers will really find this very usable on their typical house shots. It creates a repeatable ball motion, shot after shot. It also doesn’t eat up the pattern very aggressively so you don’t have to make huge moves. You can also chase the oil line in and the ball remains capable of making a strong move and creating the necessary angle to carry. It also appears to be a little difficult to use more direct lines as it generates a bit too much entry angle for direct lines. Obviously, the lower the rev rate, the more direct you can throw the ball. Otherwise, if you are a tweener, you can watch the video to see what happens when moving outside. You may also be able to create a bit more control and slightly less backend by taking the surface down from the polished finish.

Overall 9/10
If you like the R2S hybrid cover and need an every day ball, this is a good option. Being different than its linemates, you will want to swing this one a bit and give it room to make its move back to the pocket as it generates strong entry angles. It’s early days to tell if the Frantic will be one of the top balls used on typical house shots, but it certainly seems to have the makeup of one…barring the color.