- Dark Legend

First Impressions
The Hammer Dark Legend catches the eye with a very striking black and purple hybrid design. Inside works the legendary asymmetric Gas Mask core with a 2.500 RG, an extremely high 0.058 differential and a 0.016 intermediate differential. For the cover, Hammer relies on the Semtex Hybrid Reactive coverstock, which is finished out of the box with 500 and 1000 Abralon and then treated with Factory Finish Polish. These specs should let the ball glide effortlessly through the heads and unload the massive asymmetric power of the core in the backend. The hybrid portion adds control along the way.
Comparison
Compared directly with the Hammer Dark Legend Solid, the hybrid version shows drastically more length and a considerably more angular reaction in the dry part of the lane. Against the Storm Alpha Crux, which uses a heavy solid cover, the Dark Legend offers less traction in the heads thanks to the polished hybrid cover, but noticeably more backend pop. When transition changes the lane and dry spots appear, the Dark Legend's cover keeps the ball from giving up its energy too early. It reacts sharp and powerful.
On the Lanes
The Hammer Dark Legend is most at home on dried-up to medium lane conditions. It's an outstanding option if you're looking for a strong, aggressive ball motion once the lanes have been played in. The asymmetric core creates a massive angle at the breakpoint, which builds confidence when you're playing very deep lines. The ball should secure carry through its brutal entry into the pocket. On very fresh patterns, however, it may skid a bit too much.