- Saber

First Impressions
The Columbia 300 Saber, released in August 2017, marked the return of asymmetric cores to the brand's popular Orange Line. Visually, the ball comes in a solid combination of blue and black. Inside works the then newly introduced New-Dynamix Core. At 15 pounds, this asymmetric core delivers a 2.50 RG, a high differential of 0.054 and an intermediate differential of 0.016. These numbers promise a quick rotation and strong flare potential. This technology is wrapped in the Reflex Solid Reactive coverstock, which had already proven successful on the Impulse Solid but is revived here by the stronger core. The surface comes out of the box with a grippy 500/2000 Abralon finish. This rough texture is designed to generate dominant traction in the midlane without losing the energy needed for the hit.
Comparison In comparison, the Columbia 300 Saber shows itself to be a controllable but powerful weapon for heavy oil. Compared to the Storm Sure Lock, which was considered an absolute heavy-oil monster around the same time, the Saber gets through the heads a bit cleaner and offers a slightly stronger move on the backend, while the Sure Lock grabs even earlier and smooths out the motion. Compared to Columbia 300's own Impulse Solid, which uses the same coverstock, the Saber generates noticeably more overall motion and a more defined change of direction at the breakpoint thanks to its asymmetric core. Where the Impulse Solid runs rounder and more flowing, the Saber offers more "bite" and recovers better when the ball is played a little farther outside. Against a Hammer Black Widow Gold (Pearl), the Saber is the ideal counterpart for fresh oil, since it reads considerably earlier and doesn't skid past the breakpoint.
On the Lanes The ideal range of use for the Columbia 300 Saber is medium to heavy oil patterns, especially on fresh (freshly oiled lanes). It specializes in flattening out the lane and giving you confidence while the surface is still slick. Thanks to its strong midlane read, it's excellent if you need reliable traction so you don't miss the breakpoint. Strokers and tweeners benefit from the continuous motion, which often still finds its way to the pocket on less-than-perfect shots. If you have a high rev rate, you can use the Saber to play deep in the oil, since the cover is strong enough to hold in the oil while the core has enough dynamics to clear the corners solidly. Once the heads break down and dry up, though, you should switch to a shinier ball, as the Saber could then burn up its energy too early.