- Honey Badger Black/Silver

First Impressions
The 900 Global Honey Badger Black/Silver was released in March 2018 and is one of the best-known models in a series that became famous for its eye-catching looks and aggressive backend reaction. The ball combines black and silver pearl elements into a classy design. Technically it is built on the symmetric Grapnel Core, which with a 2.54 RG and a 0.048 differential (at 15 pounds) is laid out for speed through the front and angularity. The coverstock is the S71 Pearl Reactive material, finished at the factory with a 1500 grit polish. These specs make the developers' intent clear: the ball is meant to clear the heads with minimal resistance and save all of its rotational energy for an abrupt change of direction at the breakpoint.
Comparison Compared to the 900 Global Honey Badger Teal, which came out at almost the same time, the Black/Silver shows a very similar ball reaction, since both are based on the same core and coverstock material. The differences come primarily from the pigmentation, and many bowlers credit the Black/Silver with a shade more consistency on friction. Compared to the Storm Hy-Road Pearl, the Honey Badger Black/Silver is noticeably more angular. Where the Storm Hy-Road Pearl describes a rounder, more continuous motion at the end of the pattern, the Honey Badger breaks much more sharply toward the pocket when it contacts friction. Compared to the Roto Grip Hustle Ink, the Honey Badger Black/Silver offers massively more dynamic motion and a considerably higher flare potential, which makes it far more effective on medium oil volumes. Against the 900 Global Badger (Solid), the Black/Silver version offers noticeably more length, but in exchange gives up the midlane stability that characterizes the solid model.
On the Lanes The ideal application for the 900 Global Honey Badger Black/Silver is on medium to slightly dry lanes. Its greatest strength is playing the transition phase: once the heads are broken down and the oil in the middle of the lane gives way, this ball lets you open up deeper angles and send the ball well outside. The combination of high RG and the polished pearl surface keeps the ball from reacting too early, while the Grapnel Core provides the necessary "snap" to recover to the pocket from wide angles. If you have a high rev rate, it is an excellent tool for keeping control on drier conditions without giving up hitting power. Bowlers with lower rotation benefit from the built-in angularity of the core, which improves carry. On heavy oil or very long patterns, however, the ball is not recommended, since the S71 Pearl cover finds too little traction there and the ball can slide past the breakpoint. Within its intended range, though, it delivers one of the most impressive backend reactions of its era.