- Mission Unknown

First Impressions
Released in September 2016, the Ebonite Mission Unknown is a remarkable bowling ball not only because of its performance numbers, but above all because of its unusual distribution concept. Ebonite shipped this ball in completely sealed boxes as a kind of blind box. When opening it, the buyer did not know in advance which cosmetic variant was hiding inside. The bulk of the production run was the black version, but there was a ten percent chance of a red version and a one percent chance of pulling the extremely rare gold model. Regardless of the color scheme, the technology inside is absolutely identical across all models. At the center works the proven asymmetric Mission 1.0 core, which in a 15-pound ball carries an RG of 2.49, a considerable 0.050 differential, and an intermediate differential of 0.013. This asymmetric engine is designed to generate strong flare potential and to react quickly to the friction of the lane. Wrapped around this core is the reactive GB 12.7 solid cover. Notably, this solid surface is sanded at the factory with 500 and 1000 Abralon and, in the final step, polished to a high gloss with Powerhouse Factory Finish Polish. This specific combination of a highly dynamic core and a very smooth surface should allow the ball to glide through the heads with almost no resistance before developing a decidedly sharp, angular move toward the pocket at the breakpoint.
Comparison Compared to other benchmark balls on the market, the Ebonite Mission Unknown clearly positions itself as a specialist for length paired with an explosive backend reaction. Put it directly next to the Storm Phaze II, which came out the same year and is considered the epitome of an early, controllable ball path, and two completely different use profiles emerge. The Storm Phaze II uses a symmetric core and an all-over matte surface to build traction extremely early in the heads and to form a steady, predictable arc. The Ebonite Mission Unknown, on the other hand, ignores early friction almost entirely. While the Storm Phaze II reads the midlane intensively, the Mission Unknown saves all of its rotational energy for the last third of the lane. As soon as it hits friction, it releases that energy through the asymmetric core in a distinctly more aggressive and more angular move. Taking the Ebonite Game Breaker 2 as a further reference, it becomes clear that the Mission Unknown gets going considerably later, but then drives into the pins far more vehemently. That makes the Mission Unknown less of a forgiving ball for the start of a tournament and much more of a precise weapon once the lane has dried up and a pronounced entry angle is needed.
On the Lanes Conceptually, the Ebonite Mission Unknown was developed for medium oil conditions where getting cleanly through the front part of the lane is what matters. Once the oil pattern is heavily played after a few games and the transition noticeably sets in, the polished surface shows its greatest strengths. In this phase a matte ball often grabs too early, loses energy, and leads to flat hits. The Mission Unknown preserves its power and uses the drier spots to generate a massive hook and produce powerful carry. If you throw the ball comparatively slowly, you benefit enormously from this length, since the shiny cover effectively prevents the ball from burning up prematurely. If you have a high rev rate, you get the option of playing very wide, deep angles across the boards. The asymmetric dynamics should ensure that the ball reliably finds its way back to the pocket even from extreme angles. On very fresh, long, or especially oily patterns, however, the ball quickly reaches its physical limits in out-of-the-box condition. Under those circumstances the polished finish tends to skid too far over the oil and miss the breakpoint entirely. If that scenario comes up, the surface can be lightly dulled, or it is advisable to switch immediately to a bowling ball that naturally builds traction earlier.